A cross is part of every day life. When I was a young boy my school teacher put lots of them on my exercise books, telling me I frequently got it wrong! In February lovers send cards to each other on Valentine's Day with lots of crosses on to tell each other how much they're in love with each other. When we're out driving sooner or later we will come across a road sign with a cross in the middle which means we have to stop and make a decision as to which way to turn … left, right or straight on?

The cross of Jesus carries those same messages today. It tells us that if we try to do things our own way and leave God out of the picture we get it wrong. But the cross of Jesus is also a message from God saying "I love you passionately!" And sooner or later we come to a point in our lives when we have to make up our own minds which way we're going … our own way or God's way? Only we can choose!