A Simple Cross

After many years of keeping this story to myself, I have decided to give this Christian inspirational free short story to the world wide web for basically anyone who needs a quick "pick me up" testimony. Please enjoy, I will see you again at the end of the story.

A Simple Cross

by
Judy M. Speake

In the year 1995, I began looking for a "simple" cross that was made of gold and large enough to be seen from a distance so that people would know that I was a Christian. Though this may seem like an easy cross to find, many months of searching led to unfruitful results. Surprisingly, one Sunday morning in August, my mother came to church and showed me what I considered the perfect cross. My parents found the cross at an antique auction in North Carolina. Along with the “perfect” cross, Mom purchased an eighteen inch gold rope chain. The cross and chain were to be a Christmas present.

Tragically, the following October, my parent's house burned to the ground. Realizing very little could be salvaged, my family searched for weeks for any remains. Dad found a sapphire ring, a loose diamond that had been in a ring, Mom's charred Bible, and a few other things that were damaged. Even the silver utensils were melted together into one large clump. Only about ten feet from where the silver was melted together, Dad found the box that held my cross and chain. The box was burned on the outside, but in tact. After opening the box, Dad discovered that both the cross and chain were charred but not melted. This fact was amazing considering silver, with a much higher melting point than gold, was only ten feet away. Dad, who did not think the cross or chain could ever be cleaned, took them to a local jeweler for his professional opinion.

After looking at the cross and chain, the jeweler just shook his head, not believing they could
ever be clean again. He did, however, attempt to clean them by soaking them in a cleaning solution for three days and three nights. Amazingly, both the cross and chain came out of the cleaning solution sparkling clean. Amazed by this transformation, my parents could not wait to give me the cross.

Since their house was burned, they were living in a place we called “the hut,” which looked somewhat like a marine barrack, but was decorated like an apartment. After eating lunch one November day, Dad said that he had something he wanted to give me. As anyone could imagine, I was thrilled beyond belief. I remember him making the comment, “It must have been meant to be for you to have this.” Truly, only God could have saved this cross from the roaring flames that should have destroyed it.

Later that same day, I was sitting outside alone. The door to the hut was closed, but not latched. I was still thanking God for saving the cross that I had been looking for. Suddenly, the door to the hut cracked open about four inches and I heard the radio that was playing inside singing, “I wish you a Merry Christmas, I wish you a Merry Christmas, I wish you a Merry Christmas.” This was all I heard because the door to the hut shut by itself. As I was looking around for wind or anything that could have shut the door, I realized God had just said Merry Christmas to me!!! Instead of being a spooky experience, there was exuberant joy. God Himself had not only saved the cross for me, but had wished me a Merry Christmas!! Although some people reading this may be muttering to themselves, “yeah right,” many others know that God can do anything He wants to do. That warm November day, God chose to tell me in His own special way, “I love you, Judy!”

To this day, I cherish my “simple gold cross.” Does this sound like the end of the story? No, the drama continued the week prior to Easter. At the time, my husband, Gary, and I had three young sons who lived, it seemed, to get into absolutely everything they could get there hands on. One Tuesday morning, I noticed my cross was missing. One of my sons had taken it outside in the backyard. While frantically looking for the cross, I could not help but ask God, “Why now, why this close to Easter!” I desperately wanted to wear the cross on Easter Sunday. Although Timothy knew the proximity of where the cross might be, we could not find it. The next day, Wednesday, we went to a home Bible study with some friends who were great people of prayer. After making a request to find the cross, they prayed believing the cross would be found. In addition, they let me borrow their metal detector, but they had no batteries in the house. When arriving home, my disappointment continued when I discovered we did not have the right size batteries either. Since I did not shop every day, the search would have to wait.

The following Friday morning, Timothy, my second son, prances inside from playing and smiling, announced, “Look what I found,” while handing the “simple gold cross” and chain over to me. He was shocked by my exuberant joy because he did not realize what an outstanding job he had accomplished. When asking him to show me where he had found it, I realized we had searched that particular area thoroughly. It was as though the cross had been hidden from sight. The cross was missing three days and three nights.

After contemplating the events surrounding this golden cross, a few things became clear. Initially, the cleaning solution took three days and three nights to completely restore the cross. The following Easter week, the cross was missing for three days and three nights. According to Matthew 12:40, Jesus was in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights before raising from the dead on the third day. This miraculous significance is too extraordinary to ignore. After three days, Jesus accomplished complete victory over the sin of mankind and we still have victory and forgiveness today because of what Jesus did so long ago. My cross reminds me of this victory and the promises of eternal life that I now have.

Many people think they have lived a life that is far beyond any one's capacity to forgive. Again, my simple golden cross brings insight into this matter. Remember earlier when both my parents and the jeweler thought the sooty cross was beyond repair? Just as this cross became like new again, Jesus restores our life to new again by his unconditional forgiveness and love. He just wants people to come to Him because His love is far beyond anything we can imagine. Asking Jesus into your heart brings this forgiveness and eternal life in Heaven no matter how “sooty” you think your life is now.

The miraculous events just described actually happened. It is my desire that many people will read this story of my “simple cross” and be inspired that God loves them as much as He loved me when He saved my cross from a devastating fire. Saving all mankind from an eternal devastating fire, Jesus is looking forward to giving you the love you have always deserved as well as life eternally with Him in Heaven.

Well, that is the end of the story, and I hope everyone who reads this will be inspired. As I am posting this blog, the Easter season approaches. Please pass this story to a s many people as you can so it can bless others. If anyone reading this feels a tugging at your heart to get to know personally the Jesus who would love to meet you today, please visit the following website for free information about salvation as well as many other personal or spiritual needs you may have:
www.kcm.org
Near the bottom of the page, you will see the link for salvation.

If you would like a cross like mine or any other type of cross, please visit this link
www.heavenlytreasures.com
You can find a cross like mine by searching item # PE7188. They have numerous beautiful gold crosses.
Now I will ask the ultimate favor. Please add my blog to your favorites and use my link each time you need to purchase jewelery--you would be helping support my family of five boys. Thanks a million.

Judy Speake