The Baby, the Cross, and Hope

For three and four year olds, and even two year olds, Christmas is easy.  It is about a baby, and young preschoolers understand.  A little baby.  A bed made out of straw.  Smelly, even talkative, animals.  A mommy and a “daddy.”  Everyone gets excited because this is a special baby and He has two “daddies.”  One is just a helper, but the other is God.  The God who made all the flowers and all the smelly, talkative animals, the rain, the mountains, the food that grows, and a whole lot more.  (Have you ever realized that if you teach preschoolers about the God of creation, there will always be that quiet voice inside them that says, “God is real.  He is who He says He is.”?)   But Easter gets a little more complicated for these same preschoolers.  I mean, what happened to the baby???   The teacher in me tried explaining it to Charlie who wasn’t too far past his fourth birthday, and it went something like this: “Baby Jesus was born in a manger.  (And I cupped my hands together and rocked them while Charlie attentively watched and imitated. ) Baby Jesus GREW UP!!  (And my cupped hands reached for the ceiling as my arms extended and grew.  Charlie was captivated, and did the same.)  And then, Baby Jesus stretched out His arms on a cross. (My voice softened as both Charlie and I stretched out our arms parallel to the floor.)  And then, He died.  (And our heads leaned forward, resting our chins on our upper torso, while our voices saddened.)  But then, it was Sunday, and He came alive again!!!”   We lifted our heads and exclaimed with our voices, our facial expressions, and our clapping hands – and Charlie caught it!!  As best as a four year old can.  And Charlie had to show a few others what he knew now about Jesus, the cross, and the resurrection.

From Papua New Guinea came a picture of believers celebrating Resurrection Day.  A large cross was fully and colorfully decorated with local flowers.  At the foot of the cross was a growing pile of stones.  Each participant laid a stone at the foot of the cross and then walked away from the cross with a flower.  The symbolism was powerful.  Our sin, our guilt, our shame, exchanged for the hope that is secured by both the sacrifice and the resurrection.  I contemplated the picture though and I thought of so much more we can lay at the foot of the cross and know that Jesus wants to give us hope, a certain hope.  Hope for the days that are dark, the turmoil that confuses, the contradictions and lies that can scream at us.  Hope for relationships that are strained, or maybe, they are already broken.  Hope for the weight of responsibilities and the heaviness of our concerns.  Hope in the midst of loss.  Hope when direction is desperately needed.  Hope when words fail us and emotions cocoon us.  Hope when we reach for all God wants for us and we feel so inadequate.  We come to the cross and we lay the stones of our need at the feet of the baby who became a man, the perfect man, the God-man, the sacrifice His Father-God was pleased with, the baby who came to die, but then, He lived!!!

I walked with my friend to the foot of the cross, just as someone had once done for me.  Intentionally, deliberately, honestly, vulnerably, and with a heart fully dependent on the one who had died and yet lived again, she laid her stones of need at the foot of the cross, and when she stood, her need was infused with hope and her heart was saturated.  Charlie can tell you.  Jesus is alive!!  And His aliveness confirms every promise and gives hope to each one who will come with the faith of a child – simply, deliberately – to the foot of the cross.

–  Bev


(Related Bible reading: Ephesians 1:18-20; 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17; Hebrews 6:18-20)