When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

I have been reflecting today on Easter. Both in a literal historical sense given that it is Good Friday, but also in a personal sense in that what we celebrate this weekend is at the very centre of what it means for me to be a christian.

This weekend - Easter - we celebrate that Christ died for us. But not only that he died for us. Also that he rose again and lives forever with us. This is symbolic of the heart change we experience when we make him the leader of our lives. Our previous selfish self is said to 'die' and be replaced by a desire to live a life devoted to serving others and making our world a better place. It doesn't always work out that way in the cut and thrust of day to day life - but that is the goal to which we aspire.

This morning at my church (SAJ) we reflected on the events of that first Good Friday through a monologue, a very meaningful yet simple rendition of "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" and by singing a series of simple worship songs focussed on the meaning of Easter.

This afternoon I took my son out for a bike ride around Wellington's stunning south coast. The time I spent enjoying the company and love of my son caused me to reflect on what God must have gone through that first Easter when he "gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life". The photo to the top left is of my son this afternoon unknowingly imitating God's son spreadeagled on a cross - the symbolism of it only occurs to me now I am home looking through photos from our day while also contemplating Easter.

One of the blogs I have been following closely more recently is "MandM", written by a NZ christian theologian/philosoper couple (I commend their writings to you). Today Matt has written his reflection on some of the more ceremonial aspects of Easter. This paragraph particularly resonated with me:

"... this is why ritual is important. As an excessively cerebral person christianity can become simply an intellectual project, a research program where I simply expound and defend a philosophy. Rituals force me to focus and refocus over and over again on the realities behind what I do. Rituals force one to quiet one's soul and really reflect at a level beyond the mere intellectual."

And, to close, the old hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" by Isaac Watts (from which I have titled this blog post):

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

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 to His blood

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?

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

"Inventory" of Keeping Stock blog also referred me to a modern rendition:

Comments

[Madeleine]

Nice post and photo.

Thankyou also for your kind words about our blog.