Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and if you know this song, then sing it with me.
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
‘til my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
and exchange it someday for a crown.
Every time I sing this, I think of my mother and daddy. It’s old, it’s even a little old-fashioned, but it was my mom and dad’s favorite. And I often find myself singing it the older I get, “Oh Father, may I keep clinging to the old rugged cross.” And let me tell you how I remind myself to do that every morning. You see, I have a pretty standard morning routine: my girlfriend comes, exercises my legs, bathing, dressing, getting ready for the day, sitting up in the wheelchair. It’s a routine I haven’t altered in years.
That's because we build habits around the things that matter to us. And it’s an important principle as we cling to the old rugged cross and learn how to build our lives around Calvary. In fact, my friend, C.J. Mahaney writes, "Do you want to live a cross-centered life? Well, friend, a cross-centered life is made up of cross-centered days." Our days are to be centered around the cross, and C.J. describes how to keep the flame of the Gospel burning brightly in the drizzle of our days. And as I begin my day, this is what I do. I preach the Gospel to myself – and the girls who get me up in the morning. Once I'm up in my wheelchair, we preach the Gospel to ourselves. Next, I think it’s good to memorize the Gospel; you have to always be tucking God’s promises into your heart so that wherever you are, you can be strengthened by eternal truth. Then, third, we pray the Gospel. Every morning, my get-up girls and I thank God for the forgiveness of sins, we speak in our prayer about the cross of Christ; and the blood shed at Calvary. We always acknowledge our sin and ask the Lord for His forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us that we might live in a manner that is worthy of the incredible high calling of Jesus Christ . We want to have our lives reflect what we think about what Jesus did on the cross; never, never do we want to start a day without remembering what happened on the old rugged cross of Calvary.
And then fourthly, you have to sing the Gospel to yourself. On my way to work as we drive down the freeway, I will sing songs about the cross. Or maybe you could just choose a worship CD that includes a variety of songs about what Jesus did. And, finally, don't forget to study the Gospel; it's the only way to grow in your passion for Jesus. So start a new morning habit with these practical recommendations I just shared: preach the gospel, memorize it, pray it, sing it, and study it. It will help you stay hoping, trusting, and ever staying on the cross.
© Joni and Friends, 2013
Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376