Spring has come early in Southern Indiana arriving weeks ago. We have many trees in bloom. The dogwood is one of the most beautiful that we have. Either with white or pink blooms, these trees have the prettiest shapes. I love them. Don’t you?
There are many details about the crucifixion of Jesus. How He was beaten, stumbled and fell as He carried the cross, and was between two thieves are just some of the things the Bible tells. However, it does not tell us what type of wood the cross was made of that Jesus was nailed to and crucified. Legend and some Roman history states that the cross was made of dogwood.
Because of its firmness and strength it was chosen as the wood for the cross, but to be put to such a cruel use greatly sorrowed the tree. Knowing this, the crucified Christ in His gentle pity for the distress and suffering of all said to the tree: “Because of your sorrow and pity for My sufferings, never again will the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a gibbet. Henceforth it will be slender, bent and twisted and its blossoms will be in the form of a cross — two long and two short petals. 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 this will remember My crucifixion.”
This is yet another sign in nature to remind us of the great love and gift from Jesus. I don’t know about the legend but that aside, the flowers have four petals that form a cross. Each petal looks like it has a nail print stained with blood. The center of every blossom looks like a crown of thorns. All of this is a lovely reminder of God’s wondrous love and Jesus sacrifice for our eternal life. Abba has left reminders all around. We just need to open our eyes and hearts. We need to keep remembering.
“They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”
Matt. 27:29 NLT
“…He went out to a place called The Skull. In the Aramaic language it was called Golgotha. There they nailed Jesus to the cross…”. John 19:17-18 NIRV
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