Stranded at Calvary

Calvary: The place of the Crucifixion.  Bible Dictionary

Calvary: (2) an experience of usually intense mental suffering.  Merriam-Webster.com

This devotion is a little different from the ones I usually write.  This one is more a sharing of my thoughts on paper.

Recently, my niece, her husband and their 16-year-old son took part in a mission trip to Canada.  I have no reason to think that their flight there was anything but normal.  What happened with the return flight is another story.  First and foremost, let me say right here that the tech glitch being referred to as the global IT outage of July 2024, was not a surprise to God.  My God is an all-knowing God and is in control even when I wonder who’s at the controls.

Our family learned of the plight of the mission team and as did many others, we lifted them in prayer.  The original flight was to come through Chicago to Charlotte.  They ended up having to leave Canada and fly to Denver before flying home to the Charlotte airport…this after two days of waiting.

On that Sunday I asked our church to pray for them as the Pastor asked for prayer needs.  I erroneously said that they had been stranded at CALVARY!  Well, I should have said Calgary, and everyone had a chuckle over my misspeaking.  However, the more I thought about what I had said, the more I felt a “devotion” developing.

As Christians, we all (should) know about Calvary, the location of our Lord’s death on the cross.  Which, in my opinion would have been a place of intense mental suffering.  Don’t you know that mission team was suffering?  Mental and physical suffering no doubt.   Calvary is perhaps not the best location to be stranded.

Calvary or Golgotha meaning the Place of the Skull is not where I want to be stranded.  I much prefer the other side of Calvary!   Stranded in the light, hope and promise that is Jesus and His resurrection is where I want to be!

As you roll these thoughts around in your minds, I want to leave you with a verse from On Calvary by Songwriters: Gloria Roe / William R. Newell / Daniel B. Towner.

Oh and now I've given to Jesus everything Now I gladly own Him as my King Now my raptured soul can only sing Of Calvary!