"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth,
will draw all people to Myself."
John 12:32
Years ago I heard a preacher tell an illustration about a boy flying a kite. The kite continued upward into the sky until it disappeared in a cloud. A man asked the boy, "What are you doing?" He said, "I'm flying a kite." The man responded, "I don't see a kite. How do you know it's up there?" The boy said, "No, I can't see either, but now and then, I feel a tug, so I know it's up there." We can't see God, but He tugs at our hearts with His love. His Spirit draws us to the love of God in Christ.
Jesus spoke of being lifted up. He was talking about His crucifixion. He was nailed to the cross, and the Roman soldiers lifted His cross for Him to die. We discovered from Scripture that He died for our sins. God proved His love for sinners in Christ crucified. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son . . ." (John 3:16). The Spirit of Christ uses the message of Christ crucified to draw us to the everlasting love of God. God's great love tugs at our hearts. It is never an overpowering display of force, rather, it's an overwhelming display of love.
Artists have painted Christ crucified on canvass. Sculptors have edged Christ crucified in stone. Song writers have described God's love at the cross in music. Scripture has revealed Christ suffering for sinners at the cross in prophecy (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) as well as in the gospel story of the New Testament. The message of the cross is brought home to our hearts through the Holy Spirit drawing us to Christ. An unbelieving world asks, "How do you know that Christ crucified is the power of God to change lives?" The believer responds, "This one thing I know, the message of Christ crucified drew me to God's love and grace." The world just can't see it, but the believer knows the tug of God's love drawing us to Christ.
Prayer: We praise You, O God, for Your great love for sinners like us, when we knew the drawing power of love divine in Christ crucified. We praise You for a risen Lord in Jesus Christ. Amen.
