April 8, 2026 – Daily Devotional
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” -Philippians 3:10-11
We have just come through Holy Week and the great celebration of Easter. This past week was filled with beautiful stories of the work of Jesus in the world. Throughout Holy Week, the love of Jesus was on full display as he entered Jerusalem, was arrested, and hung on that “Old Rugged Cross.” This past week has reminded me, once again, of just how much God loves and cares for us.
As Holy Week came to a close, I could not help but remember the powerful words from George Bennard’s beautiful hymn, The Old Rugged Cross. George Bennard, a Methodist preacher and evangelist, wrote:
On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So 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
This hymn has helped Christian people sing their gratitude for the salvation that was offered to the world on that Old Rugged Cross. It also serves as a reminder that the cross is not the final act of our Lord; rather, it leads to joy, peace, and a hope for a future more wonderful than that old cross on a hill.
What songs remind you of the great love of our God? What hymns help to give you a sense of peace and hope? Perhaps you could keep those words before you over the next few days and be reminded that, although Easter was just celebrated, our hope, our joy, and our peace is still with us today and will always be with us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. This is the good news of Easter and something to be actively cherished.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
