PLAYING GAMES AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS.
From Mark 15:24 we read these words, “And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.”
PLAYING GAMES AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. Most of us have read our verse for today many times, but have you ever really pictured it? Jesus is hanging on the cross… wounded, bleeding, struggling for every breath… giving His life for the sins of the world. And just a few feet away, Roman soldiers are casting lots, much like rolling dice today, to see who would get each piece of His garments. Just think about that for a moment. Right above them hangs the Son of God. Right before them is the greatest act of love the world has ever known. And yet, at His feet, these soldiers are playing a game.
They were so close to the cross… and yet so far from understanding what was happening.
THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY. Before we are too quick to judge those soldiers, we should pause and look at our own lives. Is it possible to be near the things of God… and still miss the importance of them? We attend church. We sing the songs. We hear the Word. We give our offerings. We may even serve faithfully. But do we truly stop and consider the cost of Calvary? Do we live each day mindful of what Jesus has done for us? That scene at the foot of the cross is more than something that happened long ago on that first Good Friday… it is a mirror. If I’m not careful, I can see myself doing just as those soldiers did. Even today, it is possible to live in the shadow of the cross and yet treat it lightly. We can become so familiar with the story of the cross that we’re unmoved by what Jesus did for us! Let me ask you a personal question: have you ever found yourself spiritually “casting lots” without even realizing it? Maybe we put off dealing with sin in our lives, convincing ourselves we’ll take care of it later. Maybe we allow small compromises in our attitudes, the choices we make, or become careless in our priorities. Maybe we focus on outward appearance…doing the right things, but start going through the motions instead of from the heart. While we may excuse these things, they reveal how easily we begin to treat spiritual things lightly, just like those soldiers did at the cross. But God sees beyond the surface. Proverbs 15:3 reminds us, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” He sees, not to push us away, but because He desires to draw us closer. What better time to draw closer to the Lord than as we approach Good Friday and Easter?
LAY DOWN THE DICE. Perhaps the best thing we can do in this season is come honestly before the Lord and allow Him to search our hearts. The psalmist prayed in Psalm 139:23–24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ask Him to reveal anything that doesn’t belong in your heart…any hidden sin, any hurt we might be holding on to, any area of compromise. And whatever He brings to light, bring it to Him. Lay it down at the cross. Place it under the cleansing blood of Jesus, and surrender it fully. He longs to fill us with His Spirit, with His peace, His presence, and His joy, but that can’t happen until we stop playing games. Today, let’s not stand at the foot of the cross distracted or indifferent just as those soldiers did. Let’s humble our hearts before the Lord, surrender afresh, yield our all to the One who gave His all for us. Think it over… 🙏