As my vehicle climbed the hill I was on a picturesque scene unfolded. In the center of a beautiful sunny and cloudy sky rose a spire. The copper-roofed spire was part of the buildings that comprise Huron University College. Huron University College, originally Huron College, began as a theological college affiliated with the Anglican church. Thus, the aforementioned spire was topped with a cross. I knew that as I admired the scene, but I immediately noticed that from my vantage point I could not see the cross. Because my line of sight was parallel to the cross, the top of the spire simply appeared as a straight line.
Immediately to my mind came the thought "Never lose sight of the cross". Of course, this got me to thinking. Particularly, I thought about the reasons I had taken this route which allowed me to encounter this scene where the cross had been lost from view.
I determined four reasons, in no particular order, why I had chosen this route home: 1)for pleasure, 2) for utility, 3)for novelty, and 4)to avoid difficulties.
The first reason for my chosen route was that it was a pleasurable route to take. The roads I chose took me through some nicer neighborhoods with as much pleasant scenery as can be expected on a city drive. The second reason was a utilitarian reason; it got me to where I was heading, which was home. The third reason I chose this particular route was for novelty. It was a new way of coming home from the camp I had dropped my kids off at the past 3 days. The variety was appealing to me. And finally, I chose this route because it avoided some difficulties; namely construction and traffic.
As I continued to ponder my losing sight of the cross on top of the spire I prayed a few things. I prayed that God would help me to realize that nothing is more beautiful than the cross and what He accomplished there. Losing sight of the cross for something pleasing or pleasurable would be a grave error. For when true perspective was regained, I would find that what had appeared as beautiful or enjoyable when compared to the cross was filth. Never lose sight of the cross.
I prayed utility would never cause me to lose sight of Christ's atoning work. Even in trying to get done what needs to be done, we need to make the cross a priority. If the cross seems to cause us some inconvenience or lack of efficiency, so be it. But in the long run, with eternal perspective, the route in which we keep the cross in view is the most fruitful and sensible path available. Furthermore, there is no goal or end that we seek that should come any where near rivaling the cross. Never lose sight of the cross.
I prayed that the novelty that I am constantly bombarded with in this culture would never lead me on a path in which I lost sight of the cross. Novelty comes from the secular world but it also comes from within the church. I have seen, and got caught up in, some church 'fads' that did not keep "Jesus Christ and him crucified" as the focal point. It seems that novel is often akin to trivial. Not worth it. Never lose sight of the cross.
Finally, I prayed that trials and tribulations, difficulties and dilemmas, would never cause me to trek on trails that obscured my view of the cross. The trials we face are from a loving Father for our discipline. Avoiding them may cause us to lose both the benefit of the discipline as well as the displacing the priority given to our Savior's redeeming life, death, and resurrection. Never lose sight of the cross; not for trials, tribulation, or even death. Never.
The path I take, when it comes right down to it, is irrelevant as long as the cross of Christ remains in view as the focus of my vision, the means and end of my actions and with the unrivaled primacy of my heart and soul that it requires.
Below you can scene a view that was close to the one that I had driving up the hill. My view I was a little more to the right of this one and the cross at the top of the spire was not discernable as it is in this picture. Never lose sight of the cross!
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