FROM A PURE STAND

Jesus, the Christ, suffered,
like what falls from a pure stand,
with all majesty stripped and beauty no more,
bearing all our sin and a whipping strand—
the punishment He bore.
 
Jesus, God’s Son, perished,
like what dies dead on the ground,
left to waste and decay, where graves take back,
cast away and disowned but not making a sound—
obedience, no lack.
 
Jesus, our Lord, descended,
like what goes under the floor,
where there is no esteem in sorrows laid,
smitten and stricken, in shadows, gore—
the price for us paid.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isaiah 53:3

 

FROM A PURE STAND 

Like Advent for Christmas, Lent for Easter has begun. We prepare for the coming Good Friday, remembering how Jesus willingly went to the cross and bore our sin on it. He could have called a thousand angels to His side. Jesus went, knowing not everyone would believe in Him. He obeyed, even to death on a cross. He provided the way for salvation. And we prepare for Easter Day, the resurrection of the dead. God raised Jesus three days after He died. This is possible from the Living God!  

The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Psalm 99:1-3

A wooded area that is not mixed with any other type of tree is said to be a ‘pure stand’. There are pure stands of oak trees, pine, beech and maple trees. In these splendid groves, one can be reminded of our Creator. Creation itself speaks of the holiness of our Creator if we have the ears to hear.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

Faith is being sure of what you believe. Vibia Perpetua was martyred for her faith on March 7^th in AD 203. This brave twenty-two year old young mother took a stand for her belief in Jesus Christ. She faced the wild beasts in an arena in Carthage (modern Tunisia). Her death would be entertainment in front of an assembled mob for a birthday party for the emperor’s son. When asked, she did not denounce her Christian faith.

Martyrs, like Vibia Perpetua, made a stand with their lives. John the Baptist was beheaded. On a dreadful beach, Christian men in orange suits were also beheaded because of their belief. God sees all things. And I think He remembers martyrs.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4

We are encouraged by martyrs to keep the faith. Pray persistently. Pray for faith sustenance. Call on God to help. Let us promote our recognition of the Holy Creator in the human flesh of Jesus Christ because, like the martyrs, we also believe that:

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5

We are still locked in winter’s hold, here in Veery Glade. It will be a while before the snow melts completely above the snowline and in the depths piled high in the woodland. But robins have been spotted. That is a welcomed sign of spring!

Better than waiting for spring to return is our anticipation of Christ’s return! When Jesus returns, as the Bible declares, He will not come as the sacrificial Lamb but the reigning Lion. He will return with justice and vengeance. Prepare for that coming day, too. Make sure your sins are covered by the blood of the Lamb.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God.
Ephesians 2:6-8

I encourage you to pray for strength to endure hardships. Remember that Jesus loves us very much. Stand with beautiful feet, looking ahead and speaking salvation and kindness.