Last Friday was October 19, 2007. aka...mine and Wesley's four monther. =) precious, I know. Well we planned to leave when I got off work at 4 30, grab some food, and head to the beach just to chill ( I don't do much of that). Anyways, I got in my room from a long afternoon of answering phones and saying "Enrollment Services. How may I direct your call?", and talked to Ashley for a second. Then I looked over and low and behold...I had roses on my desk! That sweet Wesley...so thoughtful. I don't think I could have asked for a better one! The roses were so pretty and full of color. They're just appealing to the eyes. I really did appreciate his sweetness.Well yesterday, I woke up and they were all wilted...=( sad day...(they stunk too). But I had heard before if you spray hairspray on them and hang them upside down that they will keep the color and last a really long time. So I poured out the water, pulled off the excess leaves, and saved the prettiest ones. One thing that I noticed that makes the beautiful roses somewhat of an eye sore (and finger sore) is the thorns. I just don't get what the purpose is. But oh well. I'm still waiting on the results of the hairspray experiment...
So back to the thorn thing. In Christian Worldview today, Dr. Rob said that if he was Adam, the would bring Eve the prettiest roses everyday, afterall they wouldn't have thorns on them. The class was confused and he said "Don't you remember? Thorns didn't come until after the Fall."
Genesis 3:17-18 says...
"And to the man he said
'Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grown thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.'"
So because of the sin of Adam and Eve, the earth has thorns. Adam and Eve represent all of the human race so basically because of our sinfulness, thorns have cursed the earth. The thorns represent our sin. And where else do we see thorns in the Bible, boys and girls? That's right...
When Jesus was being mocked before he was crucified. The Romans put a crown of thorns on His head to mock His claim of being the King of the Jews.
Matthew 27:29 says...
"They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head..."
I mean, I pricked my finger with a thorn and it hurt, but on the head?? and I seriously doubt those Roman soldiers were kind hearted and gently placed it on Jesus' head. It makes me cringe just thinking about the pain.
Anyways, let me try to piece together the puzzle I have created so that you can experience the realization I had today in class. If the thorns represent the Sin we have as humans, and Jesus was crowned with thorns, it's like a literal illustration of Jesus taking on our sins and bearing them for us. It shows how our sins caused Jesus so much pain. Now obviously, just believing that Christ was crowned with thorns isn't the way to salvation. It's believing and confessing that he DIED a HORRIBLY PAINFUL death, and rose 3 days later to tell about it, and to tell his followers to tell about it. (it being God's amazing and truly awesome power and love) It was just a cool connection for me.
Everytime I see a rainbow, I thank God for pretty colors, rain, and His promise not the flood the earth ever again. From now on, every time I see a rose, I will thank God for His simple, yet beautiful creation, His mercy on me, and the sending of His Son to bear my sins in pain. Thank you God! (and I don't think I'll ever complain about being pricked by thorns ever again...)
