A Crown of Thorns

I spent a lot of time out in the yard on Saturday.  The first half of the day was mostly getting 'chores' done...  the second half was more fun, buying and planting some flowers in pots, finally.  My back porch is much more colorful and festive now.  :)

Early in the morning, I mowed the front yard, then went around to the back to get started there.  Then I had to pause, because I really needed to cut down and dig up this dead bouganvillea that I had planted last year.  It was really beautiful last summer, but since it died, it's just been a mass of long viney thorns sticking out all over the place.  Last time I mowed, I just kept having to duck by it to keep from getting scratched by it - it hurt!  So I went and got my heavy leather gloves and big clippers and shovel and got to work.   I began cutting and putting the vines carefully in the trash so I didn't poke holes in the bag - not easy to avoid with these prickly thorns.  As I was doing this, I was also listening to Chris Tomlin and these words began drifting through my headphones as I stared into my trash at this:

"And I hear the voice of many angels sing, worthy is the lamb

And I hear the cry of every longing heart, worthy is the lamb..."

As I looked at the thorns on that vine and reached in to touch the tip of one, reminding me how sharp they are, I thought of Jesus the lamb, Jesus the sacrifice, and all the pain that He endured for me as a crown of thorns was woven and shoved into his scalp...   "worthy is the lamb..."

Then came these words in the next song:

"Worthy, uncreated one,

From heaven to earth come down

You laid aside your royalty

To wear the sinner's crown...

(the crown that should be on MY head!)

And when we see your matchless face,

In speechless awe we'll stand

And there we'll bow with grateful hearts

Unto the Great I AM."

I am so UN-worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus made on that day for me...  of the pain He willingly endured so that grace and salvation could be extended to me...  of the price He paid so that I didn't have to.  I still really can't grasp it, but as I stared into that tangle of thorns, I was reminded and overwhelmed with gratitude.