Lead Me to the Cross

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Recently, my dear friend and coworker Joy Lucuis wrote a powerful blog about how and when Jesus became real to her, leading to her salvation. If you haven’t read it, it is called “The Need for Jesus,” and I encourage you to check it out. Yet, as I read her words, I thought about my own life and the moments I have experienced in my walk with the Lord.

As I did, the instance that I recalled wasn’t my salvation experience. It also wasn’t about overcoming great sins, although He has both saved and delivered me. Instead, I was reminded of a time I was singing on a church stage.

Growing up, my parents paid for and drove me to countless vocal lessons. I sang in talent shows, at Disney World, and in duets and trios. Most importantly, I sang at our church.

From childhood to college, I attended a large church with my family. And it was filled with some of the most amazing singers I had ever heard. Many of them could out-sing most of today’s touring Christian artists. Their voices were beautiful and resounded with conviction as they sang about the One who was the subject of all of their songs.

When our music pastor asked me to sing a special, I was always beyond flattered to be among this list of Christian vocalists. The only thing was that I was asked to sing on Sunday nights. Sunday mornings were for the best of the best, and I just wasn’t quite there.

One day, my parents talked to the minister about me singing on a Sunday morning, which was also the day one of my younger sisters would have a baby dedication. We had family coming into town, and they thought it would be a special memory for all of us. Our minister agreed.

I couldn’t believe that I was getting to sing on a Sunday morning. I practiced every single day. I knew the song like the back of my hand. I had chosen to sing Francesca Battistelli’s version of “Lead Me to the Cross.” It was powerful, and it talked about Jesus and how much both He and the cross meant to believers. I had every note perfected and was ready to prove I belonged with the best.

Yet, Jesus had different plans.

I started strong and made it through the verses with powerful vocals. When I reached the second chorus, I suddenly stopped, while my accompaniment track kept playing. The lyrics were supposed to say,

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord, I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

However, no words would come out of my mouth. Instead, tears began to swell.

In that instant, I realized that if I was going to sing about my Savior, I had better be willing to do what I sang about doing, from a stage or not.

That line, “Rid me of myself, I belong to you,” was powerful, and something I obviously hadn’t been practicing in my life up to this point. The cross meant everything.

The pride that I carried to that stage didn’t stand a chance in light of the cross and what Jesus had done for me. It was the entire reason that I was there – and the entire reason I am writing this blog to you today.

When Jesus died at Calvary, he didn’t just die for the drunkards and the addicts; he died for the prideful and those who participate in the “little sins” (although there is no such thing in the eyes of a holy God).

As He was dying on the cross, He even looked to the men who were crucifying Him and pleaded with His Father to forgive them.

When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves (Luke 23:33-34).

Jesus died for each and every one of us who walks on the face of the earth – whether we acknowledge that or not – and I believe that it is something that we should. We serve an amazing God who not only saves us from hell, but also sent His only Son to suffer and die so that we could be forgiven for whatever our transgressions are (or will be).

This week – this Holy Week – let’s take a step back and celebrate the resurrection and hope of the grave being defeated, and let Him lead us to the cross, where His blood completely changed our lives.

Without Him and His forgiveness, how lost would we be?

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