The Shadow of The Cross

"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

Those words from the Second Chapter of the Gospel of John leaped out at me this morning.
I had read them many times before and reflected upon them.
However, today it was as if I had never read them before.

I am waiting on my God.
Listening and watching for what He wants to reveal to me.

He is continuing yesterday's thoughts, which point to the Cross.

Jesus' words from John Two occurred at the beginning of His ministry.
He addressed them to the Jews who had taken exception to His clearing the temple of those who had set up shop there.

They asked for a sign which would justify such a demonstration of authority.

They thought He was referring to the Temple itself.

They were incorrect.

Jesus was pointing to His death.
The Temple was His body.

His words came with a promise, as usual.
He would rise in three days time!

That is wonderful news, but at this point He still had to face dying on the Cross and He knew it.

This is what grabbed me.
My Savior, the Wonderful One, was not oblivious to what faced Him.
No, each day that He walked this earth the shadow of the Cross was with Him.

It did not deter Him.
He was compelled by love.

He knew we were helpless on our own.
He knew that we could never make things right on our own.
He knew we could never atone for our sins.
All we could do is keep sinning and scrambling to balance scales that are one sided.  Balancing doesn't work.  Only something that can wipe them out would do.

We are told by John that many came to believe in Him because of the signs He was doing.

He knew a time would come when the majority would turn away and join the crowd crying for His death.
How easily we are swayed by the crowd and our own flesh!

The Second Chapter of John ends by telling us,

"But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man."

 He knew that our hearts were desperately wicked and yet He followed that shadow until He became part of it.
All out of love!

This week I am walking aware of the shadow of the Cross.
Out of love.