Tag Archives: salvation

His Blood Shed at Gethsemane

His blood shed

“By His Blood” (Detail), colored pencil drawing by Felecia R. Weber, OntheWingofaDove.com

His blood shed at Gethsemane – such a heavy weight Christ carried in knowing what was to be…

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”  Luke 22:44

His Blood Shed at Gethsemane

His blood shed at Gethsemane

What it demonstrated to me,

Not the loneliness wrought by betrayal,

Nor the tortuous suffering at Calvary.

His blood shed at Gethsemane

It revealed something much deeper than that,

For there is no greater suffering, no other loss that can compare.

Yet, because of God’s deep love for us, His only Son’s life He did not spare.

His blood shed at Gethsemane

Such a heavy weight Christ carried in knowing what was to be;

The agony that stood before Him; the decision that He alone did make.

I praise Him and eternally thank Him, for the gift of salvation He made possible for you and me.

Felecia R. Weber 2016, OntheWingofaDove.com

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.’…”  Matthew 26:36-46

It always touches my heart intently when I think of the grief and agony that Jesus suffered that night in the garden called Gethsemane.  Can you imagine it?  He not only had to deal with the fact that He had already been so wrongly betrayed, but He also knew that those followers of whom He had lead and loved so intimately and for so long, appeared only to have a vague understanding of what this incredible night was to hold for them in the immediate future.  His love for them and the entire undeserving world was so great, yet He knew that what He must do would be more than He, at least in His humanness, seemingly could bear.

But wait, there is more…the thing that caused His greatest anguish is something that we cannot even comprehend.  For Jesus knew that in order to make that deep love for all of us who have ever lived, and those who will come after us, be real and to free us in a way that nothing else could do…He had to make a decision that would lead Him to a place where only He could go.

I imagine we’ve all experienced, to some degree, the destitution of feeling completely alone.  With nowhere , or no one to turn to.  A place where no light shines and where all hope seems to have slipped through our fingers.  Where when we cry out for help, all we hear is silence, or worse yet, only the echo of our own tear-strained voice.  A place that is void of all that is good, and the vibrancy of life and joy.  Now try to fathom that feeling to be a million times greater and real.  Even then we cannot come close to where Jesus was to go.  For He would be completely separated from God the Father and God would turn His back on His beloved Son.  There would be no response from God to Jesus’ cries to Him.  His desperate tears would fall silently and God would not hear.

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  Matthew 26:39

For me, His blood shed at Gethsemane symbolizes the level of intensity of how much Jesus’ love is for us.  That, although He pleaded with God the Father to take that utterly bitter cup from Him, He chose to take it on, for our sake. Indeed, there is no greater love than that.

May you take the time today, Maundy Thursday, to ponder the decision that Jesus made on that agonizing night He spent in the garden called Gethsemane, and may it move you to take a step of faith and place your trust, your life in Him, who is the Light and the Life.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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All Is Bright

all is bright

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Jacqueline Green in “Cry.” Photograph courtesy of Paul Kolnik

All is bright on this holy night, hear the angels’ voices sing!

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'”  Luke 2:13

All Is Bright

All is bright on this holy night,

Hear the angels’ voices sing!

Alleluia, our Lord and Savior is born!

And the gift of salvation to us did He bring!

All is bright on this holy night,

Come and see what from long ago was foretold.

The Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Lord of all;

There is no other glory in earth or heaven to behold!

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

Wishing you and yours the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years!

Peace and love,

Felecia

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All Is Calm

all is calm

“In the Stillness,” photograph courtesy of Lisa Richter

All is calm in the stillness of this night, but through the darkness a heavenly light glows…

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”  Mark 4:39

All Is Calm

All is calm in the stillness of this night,

But through the darkness, a heavenly light glows.

As God’s peace fills the air, it filters through every heart,

And as we yield to His love, oh how that light within us grows.

All is calm in the stillness of this night,

There is nothing on earth that can compare,

For God so loved us, that He gave to us His only Son,

Oh what a precious gift that we’ve been given; and it is ours to share.

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

May you take the time to pause in the stillness of this night, and contemplate what great a gift God gave to this world, when Jesus Christ was born.  More importantly, may you receive that gift of salvation into your heart, and share it lovingly throughout the world.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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I Am

I Am

Photograph courtesy of David Brown

I Am…God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit…in all three, God is complete.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8

I Am

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

I have no beginning nor have I an end.

To those who cry out to me for help;

peace, mercy, wisdom and love do I send.

I am the God of the universe,

all creation I have intricately made;

the seas, the skies, and all living things,

and to mankind, dominion over all have I laid.

I am supreme, almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing,

omnipresent, never changing, holy, and pure.

There are no other gods but me, the only one;

some day all the world will know this to be true for sure.

I am he who came down to earth as the Son of Man,

to save the world from eternal death caused by sin.

The one who offers the gift of salvation, free to all to receive.

I am the way, the truth, and the life…won’t you open your heart and let me in?

Felecia R, Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” John 8:58

Peace to you,

Felecia

 

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It’s All Right

It's All Right

“After the Ball,” (Detail), 1874, Alfred Stevens. Image from a page of the 2014 Desk Calendar, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

It’s all right…when we feel vulnerable, when we are afraid or just unsure; that is when we can become the most secure.

A  mental image came to mind when I was singing praises during our worship time at a recent church service.  I can’t quite remember now what it was in the songs that made me think of it; perhaps I was just feeling a little misunderstood and insecure that morning.  We all have days and periods in our lives when we are just not at our best.  When those times come, I feel anything but “all right.”

My faith in God and my eternal salvation are the most important things in the world to me..for without that hope, that truth, I am nothing.  At the same time, I am in this world and I live my life uniquely.  I interpret the world through my own vision, and what I see is filtered through the eyes of the abiding love that God showers upon me.  Still, I don’t always make the right choices. I make mistakes everyday.  Sometimes I feel so lost and so not knowing what to do…so not “all right.”

Whenever I feel vulnerable and insecure, the same mental image plays over in my mind; as if I am watching a movie.  I am on a stage, like an actress playing the part of that moment in my life.  I tremble as I peer out into the audience, until my eyes search out the familiar faces of my family and friends clapping, cheering me on and mouthing the words,”You’re doing fine!” and “We love you!”  That same image played out in my mind on that Sunday morning, but the face that I saw in the audience was that of Jesus…and he said, “I love you no matter what.  I will never leave you, nor forsake you.  Abide in me and I will abide in you.  For I have already paid the price. Indeed, when I focus on these promises, it is then that I know, it’s all right.

“Here is what I am commanding you to do.  Be strong and brave.  Do not be terrified.  Do not lose hope.  I am the Lord your God.  I will be with you everywhere you go.” Joshua 1:9

Peace,

Felecia

 

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