The Dogwood Tree

The dogwood tree is small yet special.    It has life the whole year long.

Even in winter, it seems to keep singing “its” song.

Of the marvelous story so long ago when it became a cross for our Lord to bear,

And he saved our souls as he lingered there,

From our evil ways with his head hung low.

On us his love he did bestow, to save us from the mighty foe.

The story tells that once in time, dogwoods were strong like the mighty oak.

And hanging from it, he took our yoke.

After he rose to be by his father’s side,

He looked down on the dogwood and said it would never again be,

Tough and strong like the mighty oak tree.

Instead would be twisted, weak and relatively small, and from that point on it should never grow tall.

Yet now through the seasons, God has his reasons,

That it now stands firm upon the soil, never again to take its’ toll.

On anyone that should hang from a cross

Taking with it, our greatest loss,

But much more than this our Lord did give

For because of his death, we would ever more live.

And so does the dogwood through every season,

At any one time is still quite pleasing.

Even in the winter’s cold, the dogwood may appear,

A small, seldom noticed plain, gray tree.

Withal, it lives on, new life to be.

For if you look closely it holds on to the promise of life,

With the winter buds she clinches so tight.

And inside, life yet to be, are the glorious blossoms of the dogwood tree.

Lending in spring such beauty when they appear,

Coming closer we feel his presence near.

For each bloom carries the nail imprints

Of the one who hung there years ago, but has been in heaven ever since.

Dying for us to regain all of our loss,

As he hung there on the dogwood cross.

Blooms slowly fading into each new day,

The dogwood follows with another display.

She’s dressed in green in all her glory,

Another season of the dogwood’s story.

Fall arrives, so crisp and clean,

Her dress then changes from green to red.

Blowing in the wind, she dances,

Then another season quickly advances…

Now she’s adorned with berries of red,

With which many species of birds are fed

On and on this tree still gives,

In every season which it lives.

Following too soon, winter takes hold,

Stepping in boldly spreading its’ cold…

The blossoms and berries and dresses so bright,

Give way to a season settling into a dark long night.

Alas, still holding on to the buds of life,

The tree lives on in this season of strife.

Promising again, life yet to be,

We know it’s there, though not yet to see.

We should pause to contemplate the seasons of our lives,

We too will have a season of new birth

But first we must turn back to earth,

From whence we came before our birth…

And when I realize and understand His great sacrifice,

He suffered in order that we would have life...

I bow my head to Jesus, and proudly stand for all he is,

Acknowledging him each new day and in every way,

Especially for his gift of grace.

Mindful of sin, but who he is,

Our mighty Saviour, so willing to forgive.

Oh the dogwood tree,

Tells quite the story,

Of the one who paid the price for glory!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY….

SHOULD WE NOT BE COMFORTED IN THE WINTERS OF OUR LIVES, KNOWING THERE IS THE ETERNAL PROMISE OF OUR SPRING’S REBIRTH?