May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world Galatians 6:14
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross by Reawaken Hymns
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrToL94ZIUE
The season of Lent is meant for us to look toward the suffering of Christ for our sake and in our place. The emblem of that suffering is of course the cross. As an emblem, it is a pretty odd thing and full of paradox.
The person who invented it, probably never imagined that it would become a sign of hope and victory, or a piece of jewelry for millions of people. It was intended to be a torture device. A way of publicly killing someone in an inhumane way. Watching or seeing someone die on a cross would have been a gruesome thing, and something we would turn our eyes away from as the person being crucified suffered.
I can understand the appeal of Christmas over Easter for most people. A story of baby in a makeshift bed is far more attractive than a picture of an ancient torture device. But as we look forward to Good Friday and see the cross in the distance, we are reminded that the cross was the reason he was born.
As Christians, we look at the cross and are deeply humbled that God would have his Son endure the cross in our place. Any pride we might have is lost at the cross. At Christ’s greatest expense, we find our deepest riches. In the what appears to be the final defeat of Christ, we find our greatest victory
One of the versus of the song, that is not included in the linked version is
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
In our culture, striving for possession and having it all seem to be the idols of our time. Everyone wants more and we shouldn’t have to give up anything or feel guilty for enjoying all that we have. Paul brags about his religious upbringing. He had it all relative to religious “things” that he could count for himself. But, all of Paul’s religious heritage, and all our possessions and religious practices, are nothing compared to what we gain through Christ’s work on the cross.
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8
A Long Intentional Walk 