The photo for this page was chosen with 
 great care as I wanted it to perfectly 
 reflect the message. Upon finding this 
 picture it took my breath away. Not because 
 of its beauty, but because of its pain, 
 and its truth. And yet no picture can 
 accurately give justice to the depth 
 of suffering Christ endured on the cross 
 on our behalf, and it is not my intention 
 to attempt to do so by the use of this 
 picture as the Bible teaches that Christ
 was beaten beyond recognition, and no 
 image is to be worshipped. Rather this 
 picture is being used only to point others 
 to the way of salvation which is through 
 Christ Jesus. Jesus died a horrible death. 
 It was a painful death. It was a cruel death. 
 As his hands were nailed to the cross by 
 the ugliness of sin, he suffered, and he 
 bled, and cried out in agony, and then he 
 died. It wasn't a pretty picture and so 
 this one can't be either. But there is more 
 to this picture than meets the eye.
 
 This picture isn't only a picture of 
 ugliness, but also of beauty. Not only 
 a picture of death, but also of life. 
 Not only a picture of hatred, but also 
 of love. The beauty in this picture is 
 that in while we were yet sinners Christ 
 loved us enough to die for us. This is the 
 beauty that can't be seen here by the 
 naked eye, but is felt in the heart of 
 everyone who believes its truth. Who in 
 believing honors the one who shed his 
 precious blood, and through his grace, 
 receives the free gift of life everlasting...
 
 By Nancye Sims
 Copyright © 2000 Nancye Sims
 

The Old Rugged Cross