There is an irresistible attraction, a sort of magical enchantment, when one gazes at the cross with the crucified Christ.
There is artistic beauty that fills the senses with gladness: the smoothly carved cross and its brown, crisp varnish; the finely chiseled body of the crucified Christ and its shapely contours. Taken as a whole, its beauty is greater than the sum of its parts.
But there is more to it than just aesthetic beauty.
There is hope. There is hope that things will turn out right even as the odds are stacked against us. There is hope that our days will become bright again, even as heavy rains keep pouring down on us. There is hope that we can make our dreams come true, that we will find the answer to our problem or that we can change our lives for the better.
But there is more to it that just beauty and hope.
There is salvation. There is salvation in him who created the heaven and the universe and all that is within them. There is salvation in him who kept his promise of mercy. There is salvation in him who rose from the dead. There is salvation in him who is the true God --- who is, who was and who will always be.
But there is more to it – besides the beauty, hope and salvation it radiates.
There is love. There is love in him who calls us friends. There is love in him who speaks kindly about us and boost our morale. There is love in him who always find time to listen to our problems and who is deeply moved by our heartaches. There is love in him who had shown – before we were born – that we are worth dying for.
And there is more that we can have from the cross of Christ. There are the eyes of God lovingly gazing back at us.
