Reflection for Monday 1 March 2021

LOOK TO THE CROSS

Reading Hebrews 12:1-3

"Looking to the joy before him, Jesus endured the cross."

Jesus, the one who pioneers and perfects our faith, disregarded the shame and torture of the cross, and now sits in glory at the right hand of God.

Jesus ‘example, should inspire and guide us in our own faith, life, thoughts, actions, hopes and longings.

Jesus’ model of sacrificial love combined with that great cloud of witnesses spurs us forward despite our fatigue and doubts.

We look to the cross, that instrument of death, humiliation, and stark warning, for inspiration and assurance.

We see the unexpected arising from this instrument of execution, which calls forth from the lips of Jesus words of forgiveness and grace, and sets the model of love for us to follow.

We look to the cross for inspiration to endure he cost of discipleship, to remember that Jesus bids us come and die.

Our redemption comes through Jesus suffering and crucifixion, and transforms the cross into an instrument of resurrection life.

That’s why we keep running the race set before us, cheered on by that great cloud of witnesses who worship Jesus around the throne of grace on which he sits, and we look forward to the day when we too join them in glory and shall see our Lord face-to-face.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, pioneer and perfecter of our faith, we thank you for refusing to give up on us and on the world.

You gave up your very life for our sake, pouring yourself out completely so that even the cross could be transformed into a means for life and grace.

We seek now to run our race of faith encourage by the promise of seeing God face – to –face and joining in the worship with the great cloud of witnesses. Amen.