...the beauty of the cross

I, for some reason, am drawn to music...I love to sing...I love to go for a drive, roll all the windows down, crank up the radio {or whatever is playing} and just sing at the top of my lungs. The other day I had about a 45 minute drive to an appointment and the day was absolutely gorgeous. I was never so excited to go to, of all things, a Dr appt. All because it meant that I would have time to SING in my car ALL BY MYSELF! So, I rolled the windows down, cranked the radio up and started driving...about 15 minutes into it I found myself NOT singing...not because I didn't know the words or the songs...I just wasn't singing. I actually startled myself. Why wasn't I singing? Had the songs become all too familiar? I was puzzled. But, on I drove. About 30 minutes into my drive on a beautiful 2 lane road full of spacious land and hills, a song I had never heard came on the radio...THE BEAUTY OF THE CROSS. I can't remember if it was the catchy tune or the words that first caught my attention but catch my attention it did. I even whipped out a pen and paper {while driving, I might add...not safe, I know} and wrote "the beauty of the cross" down...I didn't want to forget it! The next day at work, I tried to pull up the song on my phone but as great as technology is, it wouldn't play the video....RATS! So, today, I finally had some time to just chill and again, I couldn't get this song out of my head. The words are so powerful...every last one of them!

How can there be beauty in what took place for you and for me on the cross? The whole exchange of LIFE for LIFE...Beauty? In my human mind, I would say, that is anything BUT beautiful.

When I look at it with eyes of eternity...its the most BEAUTIFUL exchange ever!

Grace~Beautiful

A King taking my place~Beautiful

a Clean and pardoned soul~Beautiful

access to the Throne of God~SO Beautiful

Redemption~Beautiful

Freedom~undeservedly Beautiful

JUST AS I AM~words cannot describe how Beautiful

So many lines and words of this song catch my attention BUT the most BEAUTIFUL words of all are that HE CONQUERED SIN AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE! yes, the Cross and the BLOOD that was shed is more precious and more beautiful than anything in this world...but the REAL BEAUTY is in that He didn't stay on that cross...HE CONQUERED IT...He gave us all a reason to live...He LIVES inside of those who have accepted what He did on that cross...the beauty is that we can KNOW REDEMPTION, we can KNOW FREEDOM, we can KNOW HIM PERSONALLY. If that don't give you something to shout about, I don't really know what will...It makes me sing at the top of my lungs, with my hands raised...all glory to Him...HE FOUND ME JUST AS I AM!

I pray that everyone that reads this would know that this Redemption can be yours, if it is not already...He wants you too to experience the GREAT EXCHANGE...LIFE FOR LIFE {YOURS FOR HIS}. And for those of you who have experienced it...PASS IT ON! It's the only LOVE STORY worth sharing! "that ALL the world would see"...the beauty of the cross of our Savior, Jesus.

{i hope this link posts...if not, look it up on Youtube}

http://youtu.be/pze4kMuvcfk

At the cross I find the beauty of Your matchless grace

At the cross I see a King Who died to take my place

It's the moment that You made me clean and pardoned my soul

Amazing Grace that I would be allowed unto Your throne

Not by my own will but solely by Your will alone

I'm unworthy of this love You are showing to me

I see my desperate need

The beauty of the cross is that there's One Who has redeemed my soul

Beauty of the cross is that I'm finally free and letting go

Beauty of the cross is that Your Grace has found me JUST AS I AM

Not by my own works that I may boast or I may come

But simply through Your Son the sinless and exalted One

Only through the cross that I'm made clean and draw near to You

Draw near to You, Draw near to You

Saved so that You would receive ALL GLORY due to Your name

Everlasting God from age to age You never change

A true love story remains for all eternity

That ALL THE WORLD WOULD SEE

The beauty of the cross is that there's One Who has redeemed my soul

Beauty of the cross is that I'm finally free and letting go

Beauty of the cross is that Your Grace has found me JUST AS I AM

My sinful soul could only be

Redeemed by the blood of a sinless King

So You came to the world that You had made

Conquered sin on the cross and You rose from the grave

The beauty of the cross is that there's One Who has redeemed my soul

Beauty of the cross is that I'm finally free and letting go

Beauty of the cross is that Your Grace has found me JUST AS I AM

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE CROSS

my heart still sings of this beauty!