Girlfriends in God - Apr. 6, 2009

April 6, 2009 
A Simple Wooden Cross 
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth 
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV).

Friend to Friend 
The sea breeze blew the tangles from my knotted nerves as a choir of various birds sang revelry to greet the day.  Myrtle bushes, bursting with fuchsia blossoms added splashes of color to the sandy landscape.  Jumping fish performed acrobatic feats for an audience of One.

Perhaps my favorite place in the entire world is the beach.  God seems to speak to me through each intricately carved sea shell, soaring gull, and majestic wave.  On this particular spring morning, I had gotten up before the others stirred from their slumber, to have a cup of coffee with the Lord.  I sat rocking on the cottage porch surrounded by coastal beauty and watching the water of the lazy canal meander by.  As I talked to God and thanked Him for all the splendor of His creation, He urged me to look closely at a reflection in the water.  My eyes followed the wavy reflection to the side of the canal where there stood two pieces of weathered wood, forming a simple cross.  Upon closer inspection, I realized that this was actually one end of an old forgotten clothesline, but to me it was much more.

I knew at that moment the beams were there just for me.  The owner may have viewed them as merely part of a clothesline in disrepair but this cross was God’s reminder to me that in all the majesty of His creation, the cross of two wooden beams is still the most majestic of all.  Two simple beams display to the entire world for all time the surpassing greatness of His love, the incalculable riches of His grace, and the unfathomable depth of His mercy to all who will believe.  More beautiful than any blooming flower, more melodious than any song of my feathered friends, more powerful than the surf of the sea – the cross.

Let’s Pray 
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the cross.  Through the work of Jesus on those two simple beams of wood, You have given me eternal life.  I pray I will never forget Jesus’ incredible sacrifice.  Yes, the world may think the cross is foolish, but the message of the cross is the power of God.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
What does the cross mean to you?

How would you explain that to someone who doesn’t know Christ?

Why is the cross called the message of the power of God?

Have you, like me in this story, ever felt that God placed something right before you as a special gift or reminder of His presence?

More from the Girlfriends 
Did you know that God is speaking all around you and in your life?  Would you like to learn more about how to hear His voice?  If so, you might enjoy Sharon’s book, Becoming a Woman who Listens to God. And for more inspirational stories to spiritually jump start your day, see Extraordinary Moments with God, Sharon’s beautiful daily devotional. 

Seeking God?
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how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

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Originally published Monday, 06 April 2009.

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