READING: Isaiah 17-19, Psalm 62, 1 Corinthians 1
In the human mind, the cross makes little sense. It’s just pieces of wood strapped together as an instrument of death—a dreadful one, in fact. It actually seems a bit foolish to think that God chose to show His love to us by sending His Son to die in a most ignoble way. At least from the world’s perspective, how could God possibly let this happen?
Then, it just seems weak. God spoke the world into existence, and He sustains it today. He moves mountains, calms winds, sends rain and snow. He heals the sick and raises the dead. Nothing is too hard for Him, and nothing gets in His way. Why would He choose for His Son to die on a cross made from wood He himself created? There’s hardly any sense of strength in that. The crucified, bleeding, unrecognizable One surely was not the Creator of the world.
The cross implies both foolishness and weakness. Yet, the apostle Paul has reminded us that “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor 1:25). Thus, what might seem to be nonsense in the world’s eyes – the cross – is actually wiser than all human wisdom; what surely looked weak is actually stronger than all human strength. There really is power in the blood of Jesus.
PRAYER: “Lord, thank You for the cross.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Isaiah 20-22, 1 Corinthians 2
