When I was a little girl, someone pointed at the Dogwood tree and taught me to think about Jesus and the Cross.
It went something like this:
The tip of each pure white petal looks like nail prints… brown with rust and stained with a slight red hue. The center is like a crown of thorns. And the timing of its bloom… Easter.
I don’t know where these thoughts originated. But as I walked where Jesus walked in the Holy Land, my mind came alive with how many common things Jesus pointed at or referred to when he taught.
Fish. Salt. Flowers. Mustard seed. Gate. Field. Sheep. Shepherd. Water. Wine. Bread. Storms. Coins. Mud. Clothes. Oil. Door. Lamp.
And on and on went “the pointing finger of Jesus” as our teacher called it.
Ordinary objects reminding us of divine thoughts.
Jesus used objects we’d encounter often to draw our minds to think on truth. After all, of all the reasons Jesus could have stated for coming to this world…
He answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth,” (John 18:37).
Truth. It’s what Jesus wants us to see. To know. To live. To remember.
So, I look at this Dogwood tree in my front yard and see a reminder. And I remember the glorious gift of grace given on a cross and life resurrected in an empty tomb.
Squee! I love the timing of me seeing your post fresh off the press!
I love this Lysa…
Taking a deep breath… soaking it in…
I have struggled to find the words to draft my post for Friday and Easter Sunday. It’s almost too powerful for words… His Crucifixion and Resurrection… belong to words far greater than my own. I keep praying through the weight of my heavy heart in anticipation of His agonizing death… I see the resurrected light piercing through the darkness, but I live in this moment…and can only wait for the next. How on earth do we put the depth of his death and the height of his rise into words?
I continue to pray…
Yes, Chris, I very much understand. Write from your own personal encounter and others will experience their own. I love how individually Jesus can speak to people all reading the same text but with different personal applications. Happy Easter friend!
Well I did it… I deflated the heaviness within my soul and purged some stuff I pray I don’t regret! I realized what my heart was most heavy about was all the mess that I read every day…
On Christian sites.
So much yuck. So many battles. Ugly words and such vile weapons used.
I am stirred and sad.
I also read a lot of blogs- many friends who are not believers, and my heart aches at how they have chosen to NOT follow Christ… because of the church, the leaders and the distorted truth.
I find myself burdened and needing to call to them to be alone and still with God… as I was when I found Christ.
I know you are exposed to such madness over big issues flying around this world- and I wonder how you handle it all. I thank you Lysa… for your light in the midst of such dark times.
YOU- are a pillar of radiance shining His Light.
From one believer to another.
Thank you.
Here’s the post- (I know you may not have a chance to read it- I get that.)
http://themomcafe.com/christs-crucifixion-lives/
Thank You Lysa, I was excited to see a post from you this afternoon.
Truth. It’s what Jesus wants us to see. To know. To live. To remember.. This stood out to me today. I am still soaking it in.
Thanks for your thoughts Debra… Soaking it in indeed.
“The pointing finger of Jesus.” Love that.
I read your post today on Bible Gateway, and You never mentioned baptism in following Christ. The bible teaches baptism in order to receive salvation. Matt. 3:11-16
1 Peter 3:21
I love how plain and ordinary Jesus was. I mean, in between dead-raising, leper-healing, and voices from Heaven. I love how the Bible records Him eating and walking and doing ordinary things. I Googled up historical references to Jesus once, and found several accounts of Him from Jewish or Roman historians or soldiers. I don’t know if they are authentic or not, but they talked about him laughing and talking and just being an amazing Man. I wish I could have seen Him then. I’m so glad I’ll get to see Him When, though. 🙂
Thank you for this……………… So many thoughts to think on. As others have said, these stand out to me personally, too — To know. To live. To remember. Thank you for the ripple effect that your thoughts and words have — we never know how far reaching they can be! Happy Easter!
I love how things in God’s creation points to or reminds us of HIM and HIS great love for us.
I walk everyday and if I can’t ..I never complain the weather..but to take it all in from a deep breath too take and see the beauty around God has created …and I Know God Has Blessed me.
tonight I attended a program at my small church, “God’s Not Dead”, seeing 3, 4, 5 years old children up there on the stage praising God and showing that He lives today made my heart rejoice on this day Good Friday and to also know that 3 days later he arose, praise God he arose, no God’s not dead and we should live as he does, reaching out to others as Christ did when he walked on this earth. Thank you for the Holy Land Blog, may God keep you in his mercy and may you continue to do his work many years to come, God bless you. Brenda
I’m so glad I found and subscribed to 1dsciple.org and found this website today. I love landscapes and my life list includes going to the Holy Land for a first visit.
I would love to read this book and the adorable tea set. Having lost my Mother 3 years ago this devotional hit home and was so encouraging. Thank you for sharing this. It spoke deep into my heart and was just what I needed to read today. God meets us where we need to be met. And today was not different. Thank you! God Bless, Carol