Nailed to the Cross

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14, NIV).

One thing I love to do during warmer seasons is go to the basketball court to shoot hoops. It’s a place of silence, solace, and a simple connection with Jesus. We moved when I was 5 years old into the house where my parents still live. My favorite thing about that place growing up was the concrete pad, and the accompanying basketball hoop that still stands today.

Fast forward 30+ years later, and I still find myself drawn to outdoor hoops where the sounds take me back to a place where Jesus was present even when I wasn’t fully aware. A place that held a lot of frustrations, some wins, some losses, but most importantly, a lot of joyful memories.

I’ve always loved practicing free throws, because I think it’s the most important shot in the game. There are distinctive markings on every basketball court that designate rules, how the game is scored, and so on. The free throw line is one of them. But unless you’ve played a lot of basketball, you may not be aware that there is a nail along the free throw line of almost every court that marks the center. It is part of the engineering, is driven directly into the wood of the court, and it’s what every player uses to line themselves up in the center before taking the shot.

That particular day, I did something I’ve done a million times over the years–looked down to find the nail in the court that marks the center of the free throw line in order to line myself up. But this time, the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me of what the nail truly represents.

In basketball, the nail represents the spot on the court where your attempt is completely free. It offers the opportunity to take the shot without distraction or defense, and to score points toward a victory for your team.

When it comes to the cross of Christ, the nail represents the painful, loving, and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. When he was nailed to the cross, it was to save us from all our sins, for all time. Colossians 2:13-14 says: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against ust and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Wow! What freedom. My debts are paid. The victory is won.

Each time I step up to the free throw line and look down at that nail, I want to remember that the outcome of the “game” is not dependent on my ability to make the shot. The nails in Jesus’ hands and feet represent a gift that we cannot earn, but freely receive through the belief and expression of Jesus as the Son of God. And the best part of all? Jesus’ sacrifice secures the victory of salvation no matter how bad our performance has been in the past, or what our performance might look like in the future.

#colossians #christ #thenarrowpath #faith #basketball #hope #jesus #nail