Malankara World

Suffering - Overcoming The Storms of Life

Facing Trials and Tribulations in Life with God

The Old Rugged Cross - The Proof of God's Love

by Selwyn Hughes

Scripture: Romans 5:1--11

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Can we believe that God is good even though things may be happening around us that seemingly give the lie to that fact? The only place we Christians can go when we are assailed by doubts about God's goodness is the cross. At Calvary we were given undeniable evidence that God is good. We must cling to the cross when in doubt and remind ourselves that a God who would give His only Son to die for us simply has to be All-Goodness.

A songwriter put it like this:

God is love, I see it in the earth around me;
God is love, I feel it in the sky above me;
God is love, all nature doth agree;

But the greatest proof of His love to me ... is Calvary. Many things about the cross are mysterious, but there is no mystery about divine goodness. There at Calvary it blazes forth for all to see.

I often wonder to myself what was happening that was good when my wife was dying with cancer. I couldn't see anything, but because I know God is good I accept that something good was being worked out. A good God was in charge, and I am prepared to wait for the clarification of that until I get home. Then I know He will tell me Himself.

God is good no matter what the appearances to the contrary. The "old rugged cross" makes that crystal clear. Let us cling to it, come what may.

Prayer:

O Father, I am so thankful for the cross. It is the one place in a dark and mysterious universe where light breaks through. Help me interpret the darkness by the light, not the light by the darkness. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

For Further Study:

Gal. 6:1--14; 1 Cor. 1:17; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20

1. How did Paul view the cross?
2. Spend some time contemplating the cross today.

Source: Every Day Light Devotional

See Also:

God's Love
We are living in a time where the love of many are going cold. Due to lack of love many problems are happening in family, in society and even in churches. It may be easy to love our own family or our own church members. But to love others it may be difficult.

An Assurance of God's Love
God loves you completely and absolutely and He is never too busy, too distracted, too distant, too limited.

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