Cross of Love
Expecting cold, but met with warmth—just like the surprising love found at the Cross.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Miles Stanford invites us to gaze at the Cross—not only as the symbol of God’s love for sinners but as the ongoing revelation of that love in the life of every believer. The Cross is not only what saved us—it’s what continues to shape us into the likeness of Christ.
Sometimes we mistake the crucified life for a joyless one, as though following Jesus means grim discipline and spiritual gloom. But the devotional reminds us that nothing could be further from the truth. The Cross is not a pathway into sorrow but a portal into the very heart of God’s love. It is the place where we were united with Christ, and through that union, His joy becomes ours.
The message is clear: the inward working of the Cross doesn’t strip away the love of God—it magnifies it. Through identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we begin to experience God’s love not as a concept but as a living, transforming presence. Even when our outward circumstances seem harsh or sacrificial, the Cross anchors us in the unshakeable truth of Romans 8:39: that nothing—no hardship, failure, or darkness—can separate us from the love of God which is ours in Christ Jesus.
✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, you have not stepped into death—you have stepped into Me. The Cross was not meant to extinguish your joy but to remove what once obscured it. In laying down your old life, you were not left empty—you were filled with Mine.
I did not call you to carry a cross of dread, but to walk in the love that held Me to Mine. The world may see surrender as loss, but I have shown you it is gain. The love that sent Me is the love that now holds you. And that same love flows through you, both to the brethren and to those who seem far off.
The old fears, the striving, the need to prove your worth—they were crucified with Christ. Now you live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved you and gave Himself for you. So do not resist the invitation of the Cross. Come boldly. Come joyfully. For every time you return to its shadow, you find not judgment, but the warmth of love that does not let go.
Nothing can pull you from My grasp. Neither heights of pride nor depths of sorrow can undo what I have done. My love has claimed you, and My purpose carries you forward—not to an end of sorrow, but to a future of glory.
Scriptures referenced: Romans 8:39; John 3:16; 1 John 3:16; Galatians 2:20; Jeremiah 29:11
🧺 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like stepping outside on a brisk morning, expecting bitter cold—and then being surprised by the warmth of the sun breaking through the clouds. You braced yourself for discomfort, but instead, you’re met with comfort. That’s what the Cross is like when we expect hardship and find love instead.
🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that the Cross is not a sentence of sorrow, but the declaration of Your love. I rejoice that I’ve been crucified with Christ—not to lose life, but to find it in You. Your love has anchored me beyond every circumstance. Even in dying daily, I live more fully. I rest today in the arms that bore the nails and now embrace me forever.