JOURNAL/SYMBOL-CROSS-SALVATION

JOURNAL/SYMBOL-CROSS-SALVATION




“WHEN Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved-he said to his mother-'WOMAN-behold your son'” John 19:26


HIS MOTHER was the last thing he had on earth-yet out of LOVE FOR US-he gave her to John his disciple and to us and THE WHOLE WORLD


HE GAVE the world every last ounce of everything that he had-even his dignity and his MOM


BECAUSE Mary knew her son intimately-she KNOWS OUR joy-and because she was there at the end
with Jesus-she knows OUR SUFFERING and our pain


DEAR Jesus and Mary-HELP us to KNOW FAMILY LOVE and LOVE for all-as the two of you did-and to GIVE SOMETHING of ourselves back to you and to God


IT IS a great day to BE ALIVE in your LOVE FOR US




















SYMBOL-CROSS-SALVATION


Do you know
What a SYMBOL is


The word symbol is defined:


“As an object
That represents
Stands for
Or SUGGESTS an idea-a visual image-
Belief-action-or material entity”


For example
The symbol of our religion
For Christians
Is the cross


The instrument
Of Jesus' humiliation-torture
And death
That was ultimately TRANSFORMED
Into glory
By Jesus and God
THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION


Unfortunately today
For much of our culture
The cross
Has been REPLACED
By other symbols


Symbols of our sexuality
Symbols of lust
On every television commercial
And computer
And in our country


Symbols
Such as rich houses
And rich cars
That CONVEYS the mood
That if we purchase them
We will be totally happy


Symbols
Such as doctors and hospitals
That conveys the thought
That health and happiness
Are determined
NOT by God
But by medical science


Symbols and ideas
That convey
HAPPINESS can be found
In a bottle
In a syringe
Or on a screen
LOOKING for and finding salvation


THE TRUTH IS
All these things
Do not bring salvation


The cross alone-
OUR IDENTIFICATION with God-alone
CAN bring salvation


Dear Lord
PLEASE HELP us to understand
That these other images
Do NOT bring about happiness


ONLY by accepting the cross
The symbol of
ACCEPTING the crucifixion of Jesus
Can bring about our SALVATION


The cross is
The means by which Jesus died
But it is also used
As a metaphor
For self-sacrifice


ONLY by sacrificing our lust
Only by sacrificing our greed
Only by sacrificing
Our addictions
And PUTTING GOD AND FAMILY FIRST
In our lives
Can we find the way
TO SALVATION


“IF ANYONE
Would come after me
He must deny himself
And take up his cross
And FOLLOW me


For whoever
Wants to save his life
Will lose it


But whoever loses his life
For me
And the gospel
WILL save it


What good is it
for a man
To gain the whole world
Yet forfeit his soul


Or what can a man GIVE
In exchange for his soul” Matthew 8:34-37


PUTTING GOD AND FAMILY FIRST
Is the WAY to salvation


Salvation is DELIVERANCE
From danger or evil
And ONLY God and family
Can deliver us from them


LIVING in the spirit
Or living in the flesh
The choice is yours and mine


ONLY GOD
Can deliver you-and me


Robert P. Wallman
July 28^th, 2014





Ps On sites and sent out 9-15-14