A Hill Far Away, Moved Closer

Yesterday at sunrise, I stood on a hill at the foot of a cross with 300-400 early risers.  We sang, prayed, and proclaimed the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  It was a celebration that was full of excitement and opportunity.  The weather was perfect with a gentle breeze blowing as the sun rose over Hanging Rock.  I held the tiny hands of two little girls and watched them take in the excitement of this great gathering of believers.  Just like the old hymn, I stood amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazerene.  Yes, Jesus was there.  I heard Him in the chirping of the birds.  I saw Him in the faces of brothers and sisters who know Him personally and obviously weren't ashamed to show it.  I felt Him as the breeze blew and as I snuggled with two of my daughters and my wife. In just a few minutes, I experienced all of these things.  Then I looked at the cross.  Even though I knew this hill on a Christmas Tree farm in Avery County, North Carolina was not Golgotha, just for a moment in time that "hill far away" was suddenly very close.  I was there and that cross was real, but what I experienced in the greatest of ways was its emptiness!  The cross extended towards the beautiful sky and the cross beam pointed toward the ends of the earth; the symbol of all the pain of humanity becoming reconciled with the Holiness of God.  The reconciliation was complete, the price was paid in full, and forever more the cross would remain empty.  This particular Easter morning, I was able to be reminded of a powerful truth that the Psalmist wrote about thousands of years ago: 

 

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

                              Psalm 57:10 (NIV)

How did he know, centuries before this happened, that God's love could be so great?  How did he know that it would reach to the heavens and God's faithfulness reaches the skies?  Obviously, the Psalmist experienced this great love and knew of His faithfulness first hand.  I wonder though, could the Psalmist have pictured the height of the cross as God's great love reaching to the heavens?  And could he have pictured the width of the cross as God's faithfulness reaching across the skies?  Works for me!  How about you?