Mid-Week Musings

February 28, 2024

Suggested Reading: Philippians 3:10

Dear NBRC Family & Friends,

If I would you to name one of your favorite hymns to sing, especially during the Lenten season, I have a hunch more than a few of you would name “The Old Rugged Cross” as one of them. I know I would!

The words and music of this familiar and much-loved hymn were written by George Bennard. He began his Christian ministry with the Salvation Army and was later ordained by the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The theme for the hymn began formulating in Bennard’s mind when he was having a particularly trying experience in his life. That experience led him to not only seriously reflect on the significance of the cross, but also on what it means to participate in Christ’s sufferings.

Some time passed between when Bennard initially began thinking about the hymn’s theme and when he began composing its words and melody. After sending a manuscript to a leading gospel hymn writer of that time, the hymn eventually became a widely published song throughout America.

The next time you hear or sing the words to “The Old Rugged Cross,” maybe you’ll seriously reflect on what it means to participate in Christ’s sufferings. To personally know Christ includes sharing in His sufferings. Whenever a Christian suffers for following Christ, even in the most mild of ways, he or she is somehow sharing in the suffering of Christ.

Pastor Ron

Prayer suggestion: As you pray, ask God to increase your willingness to share in Christ’s sufferings.

(On Sunday morning, March 3, the sermon title will be Jesus’ Words from the Cross: “‘Woman, here is your son . . . Here is your mother.’” The Scripture lesson will be from John 19:25-27.)

Some of the information for this article is from the following resource:
Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1990), 112.