I've never heard this song before, but I ran across (and liked) it. It reminds me of the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross."
On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our defiance of God' law. He died in our place... paid for our sin... took our judgment on Himself. He died on the cross, so that we can live.
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21)
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18)
The cross forever freed us from the fear of death. Through the perspective that the cross gives us, death is only gain.
"For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man" (1 Corinthians 15:21)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16)
"I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown" (The Old Rugged Cross)
But, the cross also frees us from the fear of life. Before Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, man was living without power against the temptations that come with living in a fallen world. But, the cross of Christ allowed us access to God's power... enabling us to say "no" to sin. It's through Jesus' death that we are freed from sin's tyranny, and that we can pursue holiness and righteousness.
"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin... For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:6-7, 14)
"Each moment of every day we choose whom we wish to follow. If it's the Savior, the benefits are many. If it is sin, the consequences are destructive and miserable. Before Christ, we had no choice. Sin was our one and only route. All of life was marked by unrighteousness. But once we came to the Cross and gave the Lord Jesus the right to rule our lives, we were granted a choice we never had before. Grace freed us from the requirement to serve sin, allowing us the opportunity to follow Christ's directives voluntarily" (Charles Swindoll)
Every time we are faced with temptation, we can find strength in Jesus. Perhaps this is one of the reasons we cling to the cross, as someone clings to a life preserver after falling overboard.
"Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16)
The cross shows us that God has loved each of us "with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3) from the dawn of time.
So, we cling to and cherish the cross because we know that Jesus died on it for our sins, that it's through the cross that Jesus freed us from the bondage of sin, and that it's the clearest revelation of God's love. But, it's also an invitation to all to enter into relationship with Him. The cross invites each of us to turn from sin, and enter into a relationship with Christ. God wants to walk with us through life, guide us when we face tough decisions, bear our burdens, share our joys... God wants a relationship with each of us.
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:14-17)
Clinging to the Cross by Tim Hughes & Brooke Fraser
My soul is weak
My heart is numb
I cannot see
But still my hope is found in You
I’ll hold on tightly
You will never let me go
For Jesus, You will never fail
Jesus, You will never fail
[Chorus]
Simply to the cross I cling
Letting go of all earthly things
Clinging to the cross
Mercy’s found a way for me
Hope is here as I am free
Jesus, You are all I need
Clinging to the cross
Even darkness is as light to You, my Lord
So light the way and lead me home
To that place where every tear is wiped away
For Jesus, You will never fail
Jesus, You will never fail
[Chorus]
What a Saviour, what a story
You were crucified but now You are alive
So amazing, such a mystery
You were crucified but now You are alive
[Chorus]
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