[Faith-talk] 4/15/14 Daily Thought, and an Announcement

[Paul]

Hello all my loyal readers out there.  I hope that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that you are all doing well on this Tuesday for most of you, but early Wednesday morning for you in Australia and New Zealand as this is being written.

Before I give you the daily thought contribution for today, I've got an announcement, mainly for our U.S. and Canadian listeners, but perhaps arrangements could be made to have what I'm about to tell you available on one of the several chatroom clients that I'm a member of.

In 1978 a Dr. Bear, M.D. of the University of Nebraska, gave a fascinating lecture on the medical evidences surrounding Jesus' crucifixion, death and His resurrection.  The lecture lasts about an hour.  Although gruesome in some details, it's not as graphically vivid as the audio description of "The Passion of the Christ." Anyway if any of you are phone savvy and can spare the time between 9 and 10 p.m. eastern time, you can join the undersigned on a phone chat line called The Conversation Station with the name of the room being Pat's Place.

Here's how you get into this particular audio chat line:  If you have unlimited long distance, call 1-712-432-6499 and, after hearing a realistically-sounding steam train whistle, press the pound key on your phone.  You will hear an announcement about blocking this number by calling another number.  Anyway, to get into live chat rooms, as you will be instructed, press the number 1 and, when prompted, press the numbers 6400 and you will hear Pat's greeting.  By pressing the pound key once again you will hear the sound of a doorbell, indicating that you have successfully entered the room.  If you are unable to make it in to hear the lecture which is 36 years old, don't worry, as it will be recorded for future listening.  We look forward to your participation, and hope that it will show the extent that Christ went through for your and my salvation from sin and the right to enter Heaven.

And now after that, we begin a series on the Easter season with an article entitled "Legends that Have "blossomed Around Easter" by Michele Arrich, rendered as follows:

Easter is a joyous season, reflecting the hope of the Resurrection following the despair of the Crucifixion.  The blossoming flowers and plants of springtime also convey this eternal message of hope for mankind.  A number of plants that bloom during the Easter season have been specifically associated with the Passion of our Savior.  A variety of fascinating myths and legends have developed over the centuries concerning certain conspicuous markings on these flower plants.

One such legend involves our native eastern dogwood tree.  Although this tree was unknown in biblical lands, it remains the focal point of one of the best-known American tree legends relating to the Crucifixion of Christ.  The story goes:

At the time of the Crucifixion, the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees.  So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross.  To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus, nailed upon it, sensed this, and in His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering said to it, "Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross.  Henceforth, it shall be slender and bent and twisted, and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross--two long and two short petals.  And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember."

Red mottling appears on the tree's leaves in autumn and has been associated with the Savior's blood on the cross.  The pink dogwood is said to be blushing for shame because of the cruel purpose it served on Calvary.  The weeping dogwood further symbolizes this sorrow and regret.

Another tree legend concerns the weeping willow.  According to the myth, the branches of this tree originally had thorns which were used to make the thorny crown worn by Christ as the Crucifixion.  The tree, however, feeling great sorrow over having caused the Savior so much pain, wept and drooped, and its sharp thorns changed themselves into soft, sad-covered leaves so that they would never again cause any suffering.

Of all the flowers which bloom at Easter time, the passionflower contains the most detailed structural relationship to the tools of the crucifixion.  Its ten petals, five white and five purple, symbolize the apostles, excluding Peter who denied and Judas who betrayed Christ.  The circle of small, violet-tipped filaments is symbolic of the crown of thorns.  The three stigmata rising from a column in the center of the flower represent the nails which were used to secure Christ on the cross.  Below the stigmata is the style, which represents the sponge used to moisten the Savior's lips.  The five stamens protruding from the style are suggestive of the five wounds.  A coiling tendril which shoots off from the stem represents the lash used in Christ's beating.  Radiating filaments surrounding the crown of thorns suggest the hands of those who scourged Him.  The flower's leaves, with their three distinct points, symbolize the Holy Trinity.  It is not difficult to see why the early Christian missionaries to South America saw so many symbols of the crucifixion within this curiously constructed flower.

The beautiful wild daffodil, another flower synonymous with springtime and Easter, is also the focal point of legend concerning the Passion of Christ.  According to fable, this lovely flower first appeared on the night of the Last Supper, blooming especially for our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane to comfort Him in His time of great sorrow.  The shape of the flower's corona supposedly represents the cup or chalice used by our Lord at the Last Supper to hold the sacramental wine.  Since some species of these favorite springtime flowers are native to the Holy Land, our Lord more than likely admired their golden beauty and included them as one of the "lilies of the field."

The legends surrounding the colorful blossoming plants and flowers of Easter are as enchanting as the season itself.  Man has found within nature symbols of rebirth and renewal, viewing the beauty of springtime as a reflection of the joy embodied in the risen Christ.

And there you have this article which I possibly did not share with you at this time last year.  It doesn't really matter, though, and I pray that you found this contribution interesting.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be another Daily Thought message for you.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul