Cross in the Hand

It was a busy Tuesday morning and I almost forgot that I promised a friend that I would go pray with her dad that day. Russ’ health was fading fast as complications from a long journey with Parkinson’s was coming to end.  I jumped into my truck and headed to the home of this dying man.  As I sped through the church drive, a sobering thought hit me. “I’m rushing through my day to go pray over a dying man.  I have spent no time in thought or prayer preparing my heart to enter this sacred moment in a man’s life.”  I stopped the truck and confessed my lack of attention for this man’s situation.  I asked God to slow my heart, my mind and pace.  I prayed, “God, I don’t want to wing it!  I need your grace. I need your Word.” 

As I pulled into the driveway, an idea came to mind. “I need to bring this man a cross!”  I backed out the drive and retraced my route back to my computer bag I had left in at the Cascade Campus.  I carry a couple handmade wooden crosses in my bag that we’re specifically designed for situations just like this. 

Let me explain.

I have a dear friend at the Kentwood Campus. His name is Trent and he’s a man in his late 70s. Over the years, God has called him and his wife into a unique prayer ministry.  It’s a prayer ministry for people they will probably never meet this side of heaven.  Trent has a workshop in his garage where he cuts, sands, stains and polishes crosses.  These crosses are specifically cut to have soft, rounded edges and they are all the perfect size to gently and comfortably fit into someone’s hand.  A small, simple and detachable card is placed with the cross reminding the recipient of some of Jesus’ comforting words.  It also informs the receiver that the extensive sanding and polishing of each cross provides Trent and his wife the time to pray for those who give these crosses and for those who receive them.  When I first met Trent, he brought me a box filled with these crosses. He offered them for me to give away to anyone that God leads me to pray with.
 
I entered the home of this dying man with cross in hand.  I was greeted warmly by his wife and daughter as they showed me to his room.  Russ was struggling, every breath labored.  His time to leave this life was getting close.  I showed his wife the cross and explained to her what it was and who provided it.  She took the cross and placed it in his contracted, tension-filled hand.  You could see him squeeze the cross and though he couldn’t speak, it seemed he liked the cross in his hand.   I prayed over Russ and his family.  We cried some and chatted about the hope we as believers have in the middle of the most difficult times in life.  His wife commented on how good it was to a Christian on days like these. 
 
That night, Russ’ daughter called to inform me that her dad had just passed.   She said, “Phil, you need to know that he clung to that cross until his dying breath.”  As I put down my phone, my mind went back to those hurried moments, rushing through my day and through a church parking lot to go wing a prayer for a dying man.  I became very grateful for a God who loved this precious family enough to slow me down before he put me into a very sacred moment.  I became very grateful for Trent who prays in faith for people he’ll never meet.  But most importantly, I renewed my gratitude for the power of the cross, not just that little handmade cross in Russ’s hand but the Cross that Jesus willingly wore so that we could have life, so that we could have hope. 

Ridiculous Mercy

First published in 1862, Victor Hugo’s literary masterpiece, Les Miserables is a story still resonating with audiences 150 years later. Hugo’s story has been adapted to television, stages from Broadway to your local high school, as well as musicals and large budget movies. The latest movie/musical was released world-wide in theatres this past December featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars: Huge Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway. It’s getting wonderful reviews, but I still love the 1998 version that featured Liam Neeson. That’s when I first encountered this powerful story of grace.

The story centers around a British ex-convict in the early 1800s named Jean Valjean. Jean has been released from prison where he’s spent 19 years of hard labor for stealing a piece for bread to feed his starving sister. Upon his release, a priest takes him in. Jean’s evil ways continue as he chooses to steal silver from Bishop Myriel. Authorities catch up with Jean Valjean and bring him back to Bishop Myriel with the stolen goods. In one of the most compelling moments of the movie, Bishop Myriel convinces the police that the items were not stolen, rather he gave them to Jean. As the police stand in bewilderment, Myriel directs his wife to get their silver candlesticks to add to Jean’s bag. After the police leave, Bishop Myriel and Jean Valjean have this very powerful exchange:

Bishop Myriel: “Now don't forget, don't ever forget, you've promised to become a new man.”
Jean Valjean: “Promise? Wha, Why are you doing this?”
Bishop Myriel: “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil. With this silver, I have bought your soul. I've ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now I give you back to God.”

I have to admit that when I watch that scene in the movie, I have mixed emotions. Viewing it through the eyes of Bishop Myriel, my heart responds to his actions with, “Dude, that’s ridiculous! Why would you open your home to him? Then he steals from you and you don’t have him hanged? What? You gave him more stuff? No mercy, Bishop. Give him justice!” But something shifts when I view the story from the eyes of Jean Valjean. My heart melts for Jean. Grace and mercy seem to have this freeing power as unconditional love is expressed to him.

I think that’s the nature of grace and mercy. It’s both ridiculous and powerful. When God gives his people grace or mercy, it makes no sense yet it seems to have the capacity to make a dynamic impact on them.

Each year, the Israelites celebrated the most holy of days on their calendar. It was the Day of Atonement, known today as Yom Kippur. This day came ten days after their New Year and followed nine days of reflection, confession, and repentance. The Day of Atonement was to be a day of judgment on sin, a day when wrath would be exercised on what was unforgiven. But God placed two goats between the people and the impeding judgment on their rebellious sin. One goat would be slaughtered on the altar and the sins of the people would be placed on the head of that goat. The second goat would be driven into the wilderness as a symbol of God banishing their sin from the people. This and many other things were done year after year to atone for the sins of the people. But, when Jesus entered the process, “every year” turned to “once and for all.”

But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9.26-28 NLT

The truth of the matter is that we all have stood—caught with our bag of stolen silver—deserving judgment and punishment. But Mercy has come in the person of Jesus Christ. He has stepped between us and punishment. We can enter the Day of Atonement with joy and thanksgiving. Perhaps Jesus would rewrite Bishop Myriel’s powerful line this way:

My brothers and sisters, you no longer belong to evil. With my blood, I have bought your soul. I've ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now you belong to God.

Spend some time this week reading Psalm 103. This is a beautiful, worshipful response to God’s ridiculous mercy given to us.