Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
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.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

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Written and composed by George Bennard (1873-1958)

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Here’s a little background of this hymn and the writer:

George Bennard was born in Ohio and later moved to Iowa with his parents. It was here that young George made his personal acceptance of Christ as his Savior.

He was ordained by the Methodist Episcopal Church and he was involved in conducting revival services, especially throughout the states of Michigan and New York.

One day, after returning to Michigan coming from one of his ministries, Bennard passed through a challenging experience and it caused him to reflect seriously about the significance of the cross and in particular, what the apostle Paul meant when he spoke of entering into the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. While contemplating on these truths, Bennard was convinced that the cross was more than just a religious symbol but rather the very heart of the gospel.

In 1913, Bennard was inspired and he started writing “The Old Rugged Cross”. He composed the melody first and the words of his completed hymn were put into his heart as answer to his own need.

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Today, this song (coupled with today’s sermon) reminded me how every repentance MUST essentially be linked with the understanding of the cross, of Christ and of the forgiveness sin. Otherwise, a change in one’s life is probably caused by the transformation of one’s ‘morality’ that has no base on the very essence of Christian faith.