A Symbol of Hope

God sent His Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. We can be thankful that our Savior died for us and rose from the dead so that we can walk in that resurrected life. 1st John 5 states:
11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

The cross stands as a reminder of God's love for us - Jesus gave His life so that through His death, He took our sins upon Himself and because a substitute for our sins. He took the penalty so that we did not have to.  Death could not hold Him, though, so that we might have life, eternal life with Him, by believing upon Him, believing that God has raised Him from the dead and confessing His Lordship.  Jesus came in human flesh so that He could redeem us from sin's power.

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We can recognize that God is with us - He has extended His grace to each of us and made available His salvation. Titus 2 reminds us:
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Last week, I talked about our being sensitive to the reminders of God's presence with us.  He speaks to us in so many ways and we can be careful to affirm our faith and maintain an awareness that He walks with us. 

This is so very important when we are faced with loss and the resulting grief.  Movieguide published a story recently of a display in Maui, Hawaii, the site of those devastating fires a few weeks ago that took the life of over a hundred people and cause vast property destruction.

The article states:

Following the Maui wildfires in August, two friends erected crosses to bring hope to their community and create an area where people could mourn.

“We just needed a place to gather and catch our breath and hold each other,” Sunya Schlea told Good Morning America.

“[It was] a place where people could just go and put flowers and just go there and grieve and just have some place to give reverence to their loved ones,” added Schlea’s friend Shawneen.

Sunya's husband and others began to erect the crosses, located on a hill in Lahaina where the fires originated.  The article relates:

Since then, it has become a full-blown memorial, with hundreds of yellow bows tied near the crosses representing the missing people. Others have also erected crosses of their own, some of which represent pets lost in the fire. Others are decorating the crosses with beautiful flower leis.

“We were in such grief and such shock and such trauma, and nobody really knew what to do. Working together as a family and as a team, it made us feel like we were giving back to the community,” Schlea explained. “And so even though we were in grief, it was a healing process.”

With over 100 dead, it has become "the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over 100 years," the article said. And, there has been over $6 billion in property damage.

The article also referred to previous coverage of the way that an outreach of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Maui has stepped in to provide hope in Christ, utilizing a quote from Pastor Greg Laurie, who stated:

“The church is here for such a time as this. And I think there’s hope for the people here, but the hope is in God and you know, hope actually grows in the garden of adversity and I believe that our church reaching out and other believers living as they should as Christians, we will be able to bring help and hope to the people of Maui,” Laurie said, per CBN.

The sight of a cross, or multiple crosses, can remind people of the nearness of God's presence. Crosses are used to signify and memorialize those who have passed from this earth - multiple crosses have been used in various locations to demonstrate the cost of the millions of unborn lives who have been taken through abortion.  And, ultimately the cross represents the Savior who gave His life on a cross so that fallen humanity might be redeemed.

And, because Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead, we can recognize that His Church, built upon a living Lord, is, as Greg Laurie stated, "...here for such a time as this."  We can admit our need for Him and experience His peace in times when we feel desperate or even abandoned.  From Lahaina, Hawaii to Lewiston, Maine, God is moving through His people.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas and to communicate its true meaning, Faith Radio again this year will be distributing our 7-foot wooden "Christmas Crosses."  These crosses, displayed at Christmas, can help people reflect on why Jesus came to earth - He was born as a baby, grew into a man, lived a sinless life, and by so doing became the perfect sacrifice for our sins, dying on a cross and being raised from the dead.  That's the redemption story - and the story of Advent - the "coming" of Jesus.

Also, Faith Radio's Advent Guide will be contained within the pages of our forthcoming Ministry Magazine - it's 4 pages and centered around the theme, "Because of Jesus," with a principal focus being on the forgiveness that He brings to us and how we can forgive each other. It's strategically placed inside in the center of the magazine so you can remove it and place it in a location where you can use it individually and/or with your family to focus on what He has done for us.