Wow: )  What a perfect Illustration Friday topic for Easter..."Return"

John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.   In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Do you know that before I gave my life to Jesus, I did not even know that Easter was really to celebrate the resurrection of Christ...I just thought it was Easter bunnies and eggs.  But really it is about...

The Empty Tomb

John 20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

³ Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. ⁴ So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵ And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. ⁹ For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.


In these verses I want to focus on the folded cloth...Why was it folded and Why is this scripture so very meaningful?

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand little bit about the Hebrew culture of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant.  When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was set and the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating.  The servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.  If the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and beard, and would wad up his napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I’m done."  However, if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would dare not touch the table because………
The folded napkin meant, ‘I’m coming back!’

He is Coming Back! He will Return!

P.S.  Please read my post "Prepare" if you want to know how to be prepared for His soon RETURN: )

IF: Swamp

                 

This week’s Illustration Friday topic, “Swamp” was a bit of a challenge for me, as I am not too fond of swamps:)  It definitely wouldn’t be on my list of places to visit.  Trying to find the beauty in a swamp was difficult, but somehow my mind made its way to the dragonfly.  Some may not think they are much to look at but I find them beautiful.  This made me think of the importance of looking for the beauty in the not so pleasant experiences in our lives…there is beauty that can come from these places…Isaiah 61:3 says “To provide for them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

 God desires to use those difficult moments of our lives to bring forth something wonderful and beautiful!  In my life personally, I thought of how I had struggled with sickness for the last 4 years.  Although it had been the worse 4 years of my life in many ways...I have also seen the amazing hand of God moving in so many other ways...I have grown deeply in the areas of mercy and compassion for others...which I am not so sure I would have had it not been for the journey...Today I renamed my Dragonfly to “Beauty Fly” J

IF: Shades

Shades of Spring

I so love this time of year!  When the flowers start bloom and the beautiful shades of yellows, pinks, blues and greens cover the earth.  A time when new life springs forth and baby animals are born.

'For behold, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone.

'The flowers have already appeared in the land;

The time has arrived for pruning the vines,

And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.

'The fig tree has ripened its figs,

And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.

Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along!' "

Song 2:11-13 (NASB)

IF: Yeild

   

                             
                              Olive You!
                                                            
Yeilding a harvest of love...

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. Psalm 52:8

IF: Intention

Bird of Hope

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

My intention is to be all these things. However, sometimes life has a way of pulling us down. During times of struggles we can feel beat down and fall into a pit of despair. I am so thankful for a Savior who gives us Hope, teaches us patience, is acquainted with our afflictions and draws us to prayer. I named my bird "Hope", to always remind me that God takes care of His creation no matter how big or small. Matthew 6:26 says, look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? If He takes care of them, than how much more will He take care of us?

I love this verse on  "Hope",

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
 
This week I will be more intentional to cling to hope and patience, and go to Him in prayer! There is no better place to be then in the presence of the One who loves us the most!


Check out the blog feature I was recently in if you get a chance:
http://angelsneverlastings.blogspot.com/2012/03/shop-feature-gentle-whispers-visual.html