As promised, i have another comment regarding Piper’s book. One section within a chapter is titled: “the only way to live in the cross is on the cross.” I’ve been thinking about the word “in.” I know that may seem silly, but what does it mean to live
in the cross? I thought about the phrase and came up with an answer. Then i began to think about the phrase more and more, until i realized that it’s one of the few phrases we can each think about every day. I dont think i will fully grasp the idea of living
in and
on the cross so long as i contribute to the reason that Jesus needed to hang
on the cross. Each day i learn more about that cross, and what it means, because each day i sin and learn more about living
in
the cross while thinking about my Saviour who hung
on the cross.
I’ve also been thinking about man this past week. If you were to ask me even a month ago about man’s nature, i would have said “by man’s standards, he is generally good.” I’ve changed that. Even if i were not a christian, and judged according to the standards of man, i would still say that man is a sinful, depraved, fallen being. I’ve been noticing kids in my grade discover alcohol as a solution to boredom and stress. I’ve been discovering how “two-faced” waitresses and waiters at my work are, and i’ve been discovering that some people have blatantly lied to me. It’s not something i simply know, but it’s as if i’m beginning to feel how wicked mankind is. I’ve noticed this in my own country, which still has a christian presence that tries to direct people to Jesus. How, then, will i find people to be in England, which has a very small christian presence? The last word goes to a Ms. H. Thorpe, a native of Manchester who recently responded to something i wrote by writing: “England needs God, but Manchester needs Jesus.”
