Lent Day 23.
Another gift from the Lord on my beach vacation last week was a great find, so rarely found.
To see one whole, buried in the sand, is like discovering buried treasure.
But, I found three!
All whole.
All perfect.
All telling a story for our #lentenjourney.
The story of Jesus, which is found in a sand dollar.
The story of His birth.
The story of His resurrection.
There’s another story, too, but one that will wait for tomorrow…
To find the sand dollars in triplicate was significant, I thought.
To me it meant “IMPORTANT”…
Indeed, we can’t journey through Lent, without reminiscing.
Here is the story the sand dollar tells.
On one side of the sand dollar, at it’s heart, is a very defined STAR: a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem that led the “wise men” to Jesus. Their visit was important. Scientifically, from their research, in conjunction with prophecy, they declared Jesus to be the long awaited Messiah. We know they came. We’ve reduced them to wise, but we minimize the science behind their arrival and their declaration. The very stars had declared His Glory!
Surrounding the center star, the Easter Lily. Symbolic of purity, hope, innocence, and peace, it’s reminder is of the purity and innocence of the crucified Savior, the peace He died to purchase for mankind (as well as, the peace He will come again to bring), the hope of Heaven to which we cling…all because of Christ’s VICTORIOUS RESURRECTION.
On the backside of the mollusk is another flower – a poinsettia – the flower most recognized at Christmas. Colored blood red, the poinsettia reminds us of the blood that the Christ child would have to shed. It tells the story of Isaiah 53, the suffering Christ. A visit to that passage is vitally important during Lent.
Finally, the five holes commonly found in most sand dollars. These remind us of the high price of His death – the nail holes in Christ’s hands and feet, and at the center, in our Savior’s side, the final crushing stab of the centurion’s spear.
Today, once again, I’m taking the time to reflect on the STORY OF JESUS.
His Story.
Undeniable History.
So, tonight…after we finish packing for a two-week trip to London, we plan to re-visit that remarkable piece of history by streaming it as told through a director’s visual.
It’s your invitation, as well, re-visit HIS STORY as you re-set your heart for Easter’s Celebration!