The Cross of Jesus

To the people in her Edinburgh community, Elizabeth Clephane was known for her commitment to serve the poor and sick. Although physically frail, she was such an encourager that she earned the nickname Sunbeam.

She enjoyed writing poems, but most were never published in her lifetime. After her death, they started to appear in publications, many anonymously. One was a poem she wrote in 1868 called “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” This poem was filled with quotes and symbols from the Bible. But the most important symbol was the cross.

She described taking a stand beneath the cross. She would take her stand in “the shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land.” This provided “a home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way.” The cross is a refuge from “the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.” She was “content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss.” Her
only glory was in the cross!

Today, remember that you owe everything to Jesus! Regardless of any problems you face, make the cross of Jesus your abiding place. You can find contentment simply by looking at His face. Don’t be crippled by fear and anxiety. Let your heart overflow with praise and thanks for all He has done for you.

Rest in Him and His finished work. Let Him renew you and give you His peace and joy.