Learning To Linger

“I will repay,’ says the Lord’

Romans 12:19


Charles Haddon Spurgeon the great British preacher once said, “Let us go to Calvary to learn how we may be forgiven; and then let us linger there to learn how we may forgive.” I don’t know about you but I find it much easier to linger at the Cross when it comes to me finding forgiveness and basking in God’s grace for my own sin and yet I find it extremely uncomfortable when my lingering requires me to forgive others. We all for the most part love the thought of being justified by the blood of Jesus and yet we at the same time believe we are justified in our harshness and unforgiveness towards others. The latter simply proves we have not lingered at the Cross nearly long enough.

The ground at the foot of the Cross is level meaning there is room for us all. May we linger long there today appreciating afresh the broken and bloodied body of our Savior who gave Himself for you and for me. May we linger long enough at the Cross that the same forgiveness that flowed to us, would flow through us to any and all who might have offended us. In other words may we linger at the Cross until it hurts, for its in the pain that we identify with the price that was paid for us and its in the pain that we experience like Jesus the joy that is set before us in bringing glory to the Father. Yes, loved one, love suffers long because love lingers long at the Cross.

“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

Mark 8:34–35


I LOVE YOU!