Full Circle
The evergreen is aptly named.
To state an obvious point, its leaves are always green.
To state an obvious point, its leaves are always green.
Even after it is broken off of its source, the green holds for a long while.
At Christmas time, about four months ago, I purchased a festive door decoration for the season. After the holidays, during a snow squall, the ornament was battered to the point where it was falling apart and was knocked off the door. Eventually, I just threw it down into a corner of the patio where it lay snow-covered for three months. The other day I saw it lying there, its green needles looking fresh. And I thought for a moment about the profundity of that little branch.
A decoration for Christmas.
A remembrance of the birth of God's Son. Jesus.
The Christ. The Messiah. The Saviour. The King.
The branch on the door. Like a bow on a present. Representing a gift.
A few days ago it was Palm Sunday.
A celebration of remembrance of honouring the Messiah as He entered into Jerusalem.
When crowds of people made shouts of joy and praise, of thankfulness, of salvation.
"Hosanna!" they called. Save! Rescue! Saviour! Their King was coming!
The King has come!
And now, those who believe make shouts of joy and praise, of thankfulness, of salvation.
A celebration of remembrance of honouring Jesus as He enters in, dwells within.
Into Jerusalem; into our hearts.
A decoration for Christmas.
A remembrance of the birth of God's Son. Jesus.
The Christ. The Messiah. The Saviour. The King.
The branch on the door. Like a bow on a present. Representing a gift.
A celebration of remembrance of honouring the Messiah as He entered into Jerusalem.
When crowds of people made shouts of joy and praise, of thankfulness, of salvation.
"Hosanna!" they called. Save! Rescue! Saviour! Their King was coming!
The King has come!
And now, those who believe make shouts of joy and praise, of thankfulness, of salvation.
A celebration of remembrance of honouring Jesus as He enters in, dwells within.
Into Jerusalem; into our hearts.
And the branch was lifted up and placed back onto the door.
Today the Passover celebrations begin.
A remembrance of sovereign, mind-blowing protection.
A time when evil passed over the people of God; they were saved and delivered.
And now, a recollection of a time where God did something that was beyond human ability; where He covered His people with the blood of a lamb; where God saved a people from tyranny, evil, death. In a way that only He can.
This is particularly significant today when the world is gripped in the vise of a quick-spreading virus.
God still saves. In a way that only He can.
He saves His people from evil; He covers His people with the blood of The Lamb.
The lifeblood of One for the living hope of another.
And the branch covers the door.
This coming weekend it will be Easter.
A remembrance of the death of the Saviour. The One who gave His life for me. For you. Who gave His all so we could have all. Who hung on a cross and bled out for us.
Who entered in, protectively covered, and sacrificed, all for life and love.
A remembrance of the life of the Saviour; the resurrection of the King.
A mindfulness of the hope for the future, of a joyful eternity.
His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His life.
And the branch hangs on the door.
For what was battered in a storm, tossed about by hardship, beaten down and damaged, came out of the cold to an elevated return.
What was broken down, still had substance.
What was thought to be destroyed, breathed new life.
What had been taken down, was lifted up.
What was buried, became a covering.
What was lifted up, was hung.
What was hung, has new life.
Jesus.
Born to save.
Lived to save.
Died to save.
The Branch of life, of righteousness.
Jesus as the Branch ~ aptly named. The ever-present hope, the everlasting love.
" 'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will raise up for David, a righteous Branch. A king who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.' " (Jeremiah 23:5, NIV)
A remembrance of sovereign, mind-blowing protection.
A time when evil passed over the people of God; they were saved and delivered.
And now, a recollection of a time where God did something that was beyond human ability; where He covered His people with the blood of a lamb; where God saved a people from tyranny, evil, death. In a way that only He can.
This is particularly significant today when the world is gripped in the vise of a quick-spreading virus.
God still saves. In a way that only He can.
He saves His people from evil; He covers His people with the blood of The Lamb.
The lifeblood of One for the living hope of another.
And the branch covers the door.
This coming weekend it will be Easter.
A remembrance of the death of the Saviour. The One who gave His life for me. For you. Who gave His all so we could have all. Who hung on a cross and bled out for us.
Who entered in, protectively covered, and sacrificed, all for life and love.
A remembrance of the life of the Saviour; the resurrection of the King.
A mindfulness of the hope for the future, of a joyful eternity.
His suffering, His death, His resurrection, His life.
And the branch hangs on the door.
For what was battered in a storm, tossed about by hardship, beaten down and damaged, came out of the cold to an elevated return.
What was broken down, still had substance.
What was thought to be destroyed, breathed new life.
What had been taken down, was lifted up.
What was buried, became a covering.
What was lifted up, was hung.
What was hung, has new life.
Jesus.
Born to save.
Lived to save.
Died to save.
The Branch of life, of righteousness.
Jesus as the Branch ~ aptly named. The ever-present hope, the everlasting love.
" 'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will raise up for David, a righteous Branch. A king who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.' " (Jeremiah 23:5, NIV)
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