At the Cross

"At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

And the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!"

Isaac Watts

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  Romans 1:20 NIV

While on vacation last week, my husband and I were out walking around a campground in Kentucky. We came upon an outdoor chapel with this cross at the "altar" area. Later in the week, I woke up with the sunrise and walked back over to sit and enjoy some time with God before the day started. As I walked up and saw the cross, my heart started singing an old hymn that we used to sing at the little country church where I first met my Savior. “At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light…” Tears brimmed as I was overwhelmed with the simplicity of this faith that I have clung to over the years. “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so” or you could say for the Cross tells me so.

I had really looked forward to lots of time soaking in God’s word and reading on this vacation, since lately a lot of my mental time is consumed with school work. I was a bit disappointed, as it just didn’t work out to spend uninterrupted time reading and journaling. I would read a Psalm each morning, and then once we got out on the boat, the ride jostled me too much to do any reading.

After awhile I realized that God was inviting me to just enjoy His quiet presence through the surrounding joys of nature…rushing water, breezes blowing through my hair, sunshine on my face and the greening of the landscape that unfolded each day. By the end of the week the redbuds and dogwoods were blooming along with the Bradford pear trees. We saw all kinds of water fowl: two bald eagles, pelicans, ducks, geese, blue heron, and osprey to name a few…all carefree and proclaiming the majesty of God.