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“It is Finished!”

Beautiful pictograph of Christ in the Garden!

Bill Sweeney's avatarUnshakable Hope


garden praying

Sweating drops of blood, in anguish I prayed,

asleep

While friends sleep in the cool of the night’s shade,

 betrayed

A crowd, a commotion; with a kiss I am betrayed,

crown

Scorn and ridicule; with a crown of thorns and a royal robe I am arrayed,

 stripes

With the shards of a crude whip my body is beaten and flayed,

crucify

“CRUCIFY HIM” came the verdict of the angry brigade,

jesus on cross

Hands and feet nailed to a cross, as a trophy I was displayed,

jesus tomb

“It is finished!” In a dark tomb my body was laid,

 risen jesus

Hell and death defeated; for you the price of sin I paid!

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

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In The Garden

How many times is a garden pictured in the Word?   Whether it is in the Garden of Eden or the Garden of Gethsemane it seems gardens are a popular place to meet our Lord.

images

Meeting Him in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:6-7   Before God even planted the garden He put man in it.  What might be the reason for this?  I think God wanted Adam from the very start of his life to know that God is THE CREATOR.  That everything needed for life is from Him.  Look at what God did on the sixth day of creation.  He created Adam and Eve, the flora and fauna, the animals of the land, sky and sea…everything that exists He created.  Later on in Genesis we are told it was common for God to walk in the garden and commune with Adam and Eve.  Every day they could meet Him in the Garden and create a relationship with Him.  Oh, my, what they gave up for an apple.

Andrea Mantegna's Agony in the Garden, circa 1...

Andrea Mantegna’s Agony in the Garden, circa 1460, depicts Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Travel with me through several centuries to another Garden.  This time at Gethsemane (on the Mount of Olives).  The story is in Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42 and Like 22:40-46.  Jesus had asked James, John and Peter to go with Him while He prayed.  What was His expectation?  I think He wanted them to support Him physically and spiritually.  Physically because He knew what was about to happen and He wanted those He loved around Him.  Spiritually because He was about to spend serious time in prayer and He wanted the support of their prayers also.  But, guess what?  Once again God (Jesus) is disappointed.  Each time He returned to them they were asleep.  He says pretty much what He said in the Garden of Eden…What are you doing/What have you done?  Oh, my, what they gave up for a nap?

hanginggardensofBabylon

These are the two most well-known gardens in the Word, but there are others.  One the Ancient Wonders of the World was the Hanging Garden of Babylon built by Nebuchadnezzar.  The entire book of the Song of Songs takes place in a garden.   I think I can safely say, God really likes gardens.

Worship Him with song:  In The Garden/There is None Like You

Abba, there is None Like You.  Let me join You in the beauty of my garden.  The day lilies, ferns, and hanging planters are just a bit of the beauty You created.  Praise You and thank You for the colors, the smells, the blooms…Grow me as You grow them, set apart, sanctified for Your purpose only.  Make it so!

I follow this blog regularly. What she says here is so, so true. Why is my/your church no longer open 24 hours per day for prayer, quiet time, or whatever?

Although I don’t usually reblog this is so appropriate to Ray and my experience with his injury that I wanted to take the opportunity to say – “God never left and He still does miracles.”

Brad Strait's avatarceltic straits

(Updates follow article)

Four years ago today, I posted a blog about my emergency room “miracle experience” after the Aurora Theater shooting. The post went viral, and created some controversy. Does God really do miracles? Why for one person and not another? Does a good God even exist?

I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I saw the miracle with my own eyes. Thank you to those who have asked me to repost this story for a reminder: God is still at work.

July 23, 2012

At Columbine High School, I have seen this before. But not up close.  As a church pastor in Denver, I have worked as a chaplain alongside several police and fire departments. I was privileged to counsel parents just hours after the Columbine shootings. However, in this new tragedy at the Aurora Theater Dark Night shooting, one of the victims was a 22-year-old…

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Gifts

Gifts

Gifts (Photo credit: Guudmorning!)

Why do we give gifts?  For birthdays?  Just because?  Anniversaries?  Christmas?

I recently really struggled with what to give my awesome husband for his birthday.  This is a really big deal for me because gifting is my primary love language.  I really wanted to give him a new truck or motorcycle but I don’t have the money for that.  I did tell him that’s what I wanted to give him just to make him smile…He was delighted with a motorcycle print shirt, a soft eagle print sport shirt, and a hand tooled leather belt (He had worn out his favorite one.)

John 3:16-17  God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.

I have received many incredible gifts over the years.  Special things designed just for me.  Yet, none so special as the gift of eternal life.  A gift that will be mine simply because I believe without question that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God.  I believe that He personally saved me and would have even if I were the only person on earth.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible, undeserved gift of my Lord, Jesus Christ.  Keep me always aware of Your presence.  Grant me the peace that comes with knowing who You are and Whose I am.   Make it so!