My friend and Praise Band Leader, once told me that “The Wonderful Cross” (sometimes called Wondrous Cross) is normally only sung around Good Friday – well our praise band only helped out every couple of years at a Good Friday service, so back then it was more rare to sing. But I do sing it to myself often at this time of year – in the house – in the car – and even hum just the chorus in my mind. Even so I am sure that I have NOT sung this song quite enough – never could – to even start to survey the meaning of the cross enough – Jesus’s Cross – My Cross – Our Crosses to carry to know that we are to sacrifice self in order to be of more SERVICE. 

And often that service to Jesus is simply listening and leaning into Him. As we sit with the scriptures, may we be more intentional in internalizing them to give us that strength to pick up our crosses. May we understand both the wonderful and the wondrous.

Picking up our crosses and the lyrics and thought that we “die” to ourselves is not a fatalistic suicidal notion – or necessarily to be killed for what we believe in – it is a dying of self-selfishness – a reduction in the “me me me” and more of “You Lord – how will I live for YOU today” – and this truly will bring us LIFE IN ABUNDANCE.

What also does it mean to “pick up our cross”? It does include less Service to ourselves and more service to others – service to the mission of Jesus in being less worldly – service to the sense of peace that permeates those who know they are saved – and then also doing the work of the cross – spreading the word – service to the world in telling them about the Good News – about Jesus and His Salvation for all – asking them to believe that – to believe in Jesus – to get more curious about Him – and then to be more like Him. We all need to be more like Jesus. We all need to pick up our crosses. We all need to pick up the songs that carry us through life when we carry on.

Jesus is ALWAYS carrying us – we can at least help with carrying our cross. Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

AMEN

PS – the chorus included in our praise band version has the lifting tune that I hum: “Oh the Wonderful Cross – Oh the Wonderful Cross – Bids Me I come and Die – And find that I truly LIVE.” 

—

1 When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.

3 See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4 Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Here is a wonderful version of the Wonderful AND Wondrous Cross by the Gaithers: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=6z3Cn5Yj10I&si=gJX5GucxXU0Rk37w