It seems like things in my life happen in seasons, particularly in the ministry.  I find myself at the hospitals frequently enough, sometimes days at a time.  Then inexplicably, I seem to be in the funeral home rotation with the grieving.  Recently, I've been involved in a rash (funny how that word fits) of weddings.  Looking at my records, with the exception of one ceremony, I hadn't pronounced 'husband and wife' in over two and a half years.  And now I'm singing 'here comes the bride' in my sleep.  I officiated at a wedding last week, had the pleasure of helping some dear friends of ours renew their vows just the other day, and have a ceremony to perform this week.  Hey, it gets better--I've got three others waiting in two months!  It must be springtime after all.  Anyway, Solomon was right; to everything turn, turn, turn.

Speaking of weddings, Ann and I have a picture in our house of us on our wedding day.  We're in the back of a convertible Cadillac on a warm summer afternoon, well, let's just say a few years ago....Every time I look at that picture I remember that day like it was just a few years ago (that's sayn' a lot for me) There we are, young, smiling, giddy, naive---and still in love today. Come to think of it we're still all of the above except for the young part, and giddy has its moments.  Inevitably, when I look at that picture, I find myself going back to where it all started....but that's a story for another time.

It's important to remember and to revisit where it all began in any relationship; especially in your most important relationships.  That's why Jesus invited us to often revisit that place where we began with Him.

His invitation comes from I Corinthians 11, beginning in verse 23-26.  It says,

"The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks,

He broke it and said, 'This is my body which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' 

In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying,

'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink, in remembrance of Me.'

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes."

Obviously, this is the familiar passage about the Lord's Supper.  And Jesus is saying "Remember Me ....remember My cross."  And, in a sense He's saying, "Come back often to the place where it all began."  Now this passage clearly establishes the practice of communion, but I believe there is also an underlying principle here that we need to regularly visit the Cross where we were bought and paid for.

That can certainly happen at the Lord's Supper.  But a heart-visit to Jesus' Cross can happen in your bedroom or your kitchen as you let yourself wander mentally to the foot of that old rugged cross.  You can do that as you're on the lawn mower or in the garden.  You may go there at a time when you're feeling great guilt, great pain, great doubt, or great praise.  But you need to remember Jesus there, bearing the weight of your sin.

The Hymn writer expressed it this way: "Beneath the cross of Jesus, my eyes at times can see the very dying form of One who suffered there for me.  And from my smitten heart with tears, two wonder I confess--the glories of His wondrous love and my unworthiness."

I was reminded of this a few Sundays ago during worship.  The worship team led us in an awesome song about the amazing grace of God raining down on us. You kneel at the Cross and you remember how serious, how ugly, how deadly your sin is;  the sin that maybe you've been trying to justify or rationalize; nonetheless, sin that has been forgiven.  And you again let His mercy give your soul a shower.  You realize again how much your are loved by God.  This love causes us to turn around and go in the other direction every time.

It's there on Skull's Hill that all of our Christian meetings, Sunday School awards and activities are stripped away.  Our doctrines, creeds and rules pale in comparison.  And you remember that Christianity ultimately boils down to two people--Jesus and you at the foot of His cross.  It puts every thing back in perspective.  Where your relationship began is where the spark of first love will be rekindled.  Let your heart go to that sacred spot often.  You'll come away different every time when you back to where it all started.

Even as our relationship begins at the cross, it was solemnized at the empty tomb.  As we leave the tomb, we live our lives in anticipation of our wedding supper with the Lamb. 

Here comes the Bride.