A Word from Numbers 21

In churches that celebrate this kind of thing, today is "Holy Cross Day" -- a time to reflect on the cross of Jesus and and the salvation that comes through it . Now, historically, Holy Cross Day is celebrated today, because -- on September 14 of 326 AD -- the mother of Emperor Constantine reportedly found the original cross in Jerusalem. And in the years since then, pieces of this cross have been passed around the world, with plenty of debate about which ones, if any, are real.

Of course, a lot of us Protestants tend to be a little suspicious of those ancient traditions, and perhaps with good reason. But we still recognize that remembering the cross plays an important role in our faith. And in fact, today's word from Numbers 21 tells the story of how the Israelites had sinned and were being afflicted by poisonous snakes. And when they cried to God for help, the Lord said Moses, “Make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” (Num. 21:8) And years later, Jesus told Nicodemus, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." (Jn. 3:14-15)

Now, does this mean that you get "brownie points with God" for looking at a cross today? Probably not. But it does mean that today's a good day (just as every day's a good day) to remember what Jesus suffered, so that our sins could be forgiven, and we could be reconciled to God. And if taking a moment to look at a cross -- and to think about Jesus giving his life on it -- helps us to remember...well...then I'd say that's a good thing.

So, what will you remember on this "Holy Cross Day"? 

May it include the promise that even though "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor. 1:18) Amen.