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But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25
These women looked up from the “foot of the cross” and saw Jesus’ outstretched arms nailed to the cross. They saw the pain, agony, and anguish dripping from His face. They saw the blood pour out as He took on all our sins, guilt, and shame. They saw their Lord, Jesus Christ, die at the foot of the cross. They saw Jesus drink from the cup to complete the will of our Father in Heaven. That day, they died at the foot of the cross.
Jesus tells us in Luke 9 that in order to come after Him we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. I call myself a follower of Jesus, but sadly there are so many times I do not deny my desires, thoughts, self-pity, or ambitions. Jesus will never force us to truly follow Him. He desires us to, but we must choose to let everything else go and give Him control. I desire to live at the foot of the cross, where Jesus gave it all for me. When I abide there, I abide with Jesus, I fellowship with Jesus, I allow the Holy Spirit to guide me and fill me. The more I live at the foot of the cross, the less my life becomes about me. It becomes about sharing God’s love and truths with others. Below is something I wrote years ago, at a time in my life where I needed to remind myself why the foot of the cross is where I want to be and need to be.
As I stand at the foot of the cross, I look up and see my Savior’s outstretched arms, His nail-pierced hands, and His blood which He so mercifully poured out for me. I was forgiven at the foot of the cross. I was redeemed at the foot of the cross. I died at the foot of the cross. I was born again at the foot of the cross. I am saved at the foot of the cross.
At the foot of the cross my inheritance awaits, and my treasure is secure. Everything happens at the foot of the cross, because of the cross. My prayer is to live and breathe at the foot of the cross, where my Savior died for me, where my Savior lives for me. Truth prevails at the foot of the cross. Lies, fear, guilt, shame, etc. cannot exist at the foot of the cross. I relinquish all lies and accept forgiveness at the foot of the cross.
The foot of the cross is where I fall down on my knees and meet Jesus. It is where I am redeemed, it is where my sins are nailed to the very cross to which my Savior was nailed. It is where mercy and grace rain down upon me and cleanse me and embrace me. It is where He removes my heart of stone and gives me a heart of flesh and a new Spirit.
Jesus’ unconditional and unfathomable love covers us all at the foot of the cross. We find hope at the foot of the cross. We find our Savior; we find ourselves as we are in Christ. When we come humbly to the foot of the cross, we lose total control of our lives and let Him in. He takes over at the foot of the cross. He reigns at the foot of the cross.
We find everything we need at the foot of the cross. He provides, sustains, guides, rebukes, teaches us, holds our hands, opens our eyes, and reveals the inmost desires in our hearts, all at the foot of the cross.
Jesus exchanged His life for our sins at the foot of the cross. We exchange our lives for His life at the foot of the cross. We are crucified with Christ at the foot of the cross. We are resurrected with Christ at the foot of the cross.
He calls my name at the foot of the cross. He longs for me to come to Him at the foot of the cross. I call to Him and he answers me at the foot of the cross. His will for our lives is to meet Him and believe in Him at the foot of the cross. He holds our hands and carries us at the foot of the cross. He fills us with joy and peace at the foot of the cross. He completes us at the foot of the cross. His promises stand firm at the foot of the cross.
I see salvation at the foot of the cross. I see hope at the foot of the cross. I see eternity at the foot of the cross. I am humbled at the foot of the cross. It is finished at the foot of the cross. I must live at the foot of the cross. There is no other Way but at the foot of the cross.
