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“Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore His sacred name. All newborn soldiers of the Crucified Bear on their brows the seal of Him who died.”
Many people like to mark or distinguish themselves in some way to demonstrate their allegiance. On game days sports fans dress up in team jerseys, colors, and caps. Members of a country’s armed forces wear distinctive uniforms to indicate the different branches of service. Special insignia are worn to designate ranks and military units. On the country’s holidays people may wear national colors. We want everyone to know where our loyalties lie. We proudly display the logos and colors of our chosen teams and communities.
God has chosen us in Christ and in Baptism He marks us as His own. As noted in the Lutheran Service Book , the sign of the cross is made over the person to be baptized, as these words are spoken: “Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” Infant, child, or adult, “all newborn soldiers of the Crucified bear on their brows the seal of Him who died.” The sign of the cross reminds us that in Baptism we are united to Jesus’ death and buried with Him. We are raised to new life with Him as newborn soldiers who now bear the insignia of the Crucified. We are marked for service to our crucified and risen King. As the apostle Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20a).
That seal of the cross is invisible. We cannot see that mark, but God sees it. We are His precious sons and daughters, servants and soldiers of His crucified and risen Son. We do not necessarily show our loyalty to our crucified King through special colors or team logos; although that is sometimes done with clothing or jewelry. Our allegiance to the King is best demonstrated, not with logos, but with love. As Jesus loved us and gave His life to save us, we dedicate our lives to serving others, to loving them in the self-sacrificing way that Jesus loves us. Very often we fail in demonstrating our allegiance to Jesus. We do not represent our King as we should. Yet we are still marked with the cross, the sign that our King died and rose to save us. He calls us to repentance and forgives our sins, sending us out again into His service. Forgiven and marked with “the seal of Him who died,” in words and actions we continue to “lift high the cross” and proclaim the love of Christ the Crucified.
WE PRAY: Jesus my King, I am marked as a soldier of the cross. Lead me to demonstrate Your love through my words and actions. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Lift High the Cross,” which is number 837 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
- If you like to celebrate a sports team or other organization, do you feel your persona changes when you wear their jersey or colors? How so?
- Can you imagine the apostle Paul wearing a cross around his neck? Why or why not?
- How is the cross of Christ demonstrated in our lives, even without wearing any special jewelry or clothing?
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