A Deeper Look

Yesterday morning I was awakened at 2:30am. Usually when that happens there is a stirring to go and pray. This time I woke from a dream and a loud voice saying, “Look past the baby to see the cross.” It is the same feeling and alertness you get when someone stands over you calling your name to wake up.

In the dream my eyes were focused upon an object. A tall glass cylinder – round on the top and flat on the bottom. It is something you would see when you place a candle in the center of it and cover the top with glass – a candle holder. On the outside of the globe was a painting of an angel standing behind the mother Mary holding baby Jesus. I could see it very clearly. However, I was a little confused when trying to find the cross.

I said in the dream, What Lord?”

Again, “Look past the baby to see the cross.” The Lord spoke boldly.

I took a deeper look and behold - there shining through the light was a perfect view of a cross. You see, the light shone through Mary – her upper body and lower body. It then stretched across where she held Jesus and behind her giving a clear picture of a cross. It took me taking a deeper look to see beyond the painted picture on the outer part of the globe and looking into the light to be able see the form of a cross.

Sometimes our vision is skewed and we need a different view or different perspective. What was God trying to say to me? So often we focus on the child. So often we focus on the little things. So often we see what we want to see. So often we see the traditional, the obvious, and what is known. It is only after, when we take a deeper look, that there is something more to the picture. There is something far greater. You see, the child is important, the birth was important, but we forget that in the end it was all about the cross.


For God to say to me, “Look past the baby to see the cross” looking past the obvious to focus on the cross and what the cross is all about – redemption, restoration, freedom, healing, an act of complete love for our sins.

So I gazed upon Mary holding Jesus in her arms and suddenly it turned to God holding a blood stained cross in his arms. Look past the baby to see the cross - then you'll see the real picture.