Saturday, March 26, 2016

Legend of The Dogwood and He Lives !




Legend of The Dogwood Tree


Two thousand years ago, few trees in the middle East were big enough to construct anything. However, one tree was valued above the others for its thick trunk and fine, strong wood.
When the Romans came to rule over Jerusalem, their government used this same timber to build the crosses for executing criminals. A group of workers were assigned to gather wood for the crosses. Before long, every Roman official knew the best wood came from these gatherers of execution wood, so those workers became popular.
One day, the wood gatherers received a special request. An officer of the Roman court came and said, "The King of Jews is to be put to death. Deliver an extra-large cross made from your finest wood." So, a fresh tree was cut from the forest of the trees with thick trunks and fine, strong wood. An extra-tall (and extra-heavy) cross was quickly made and delivered.
Legend of the Dogwood Tree

Three days after the death of Jesus of Nazereth, the chief wood gatherer got alarming news. "All of our finest trees are withering!" the messenger whispered. The wood gatherer hurried to the forest and saw that it was true.
Several years later, the chief wood gatherer heard that, every spring, many people visited the old forest that had once made his job so easy. Despite his advancing years, he set out to discover why. He saw the remains of forest, now like a salty bottoms, with only a few trees still standing tall, bare, lifeless and rotting.
But what was this? As he drew closer, his feeble eyes could make out the people walking among thousands of beautiful, flowering bushes. Seeing one of his own workers there, the old man said, "No one could ever make a cross out of this twisted wood. Our finest tree has gone to the dogs!" He noticed the beautiful white flowers, each blossom looking as if it had been burned from the touch of a miniature cross.
As told to Ben Baston by his grandmother, Louise Brown.

There Is A Legend

At the time of Crucifixion the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross. To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus nailed upon it, sensed this.
In His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering Jesus said to the tree:
" Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross--two long and two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember."










 Internet Photo





Crucifix GlowingInternet Photo



Have a Blessed and Happy Easter

Sylvia

10 comments:

Pamela M. Steiner said...

I love this story. So thankful Jesus came down off of that cross, and three days later He arose victorious over the grave! Hallelujah!!! Happy and Blessed Easter to you and yours!

Sandi said...

I have never heard this story before! I had to look up a photo of the flowers just to see.

Beautiful! Beautiful!!

Linda said...

I've never heard this story before, but I like it. Thanks for sharing.

Susie said...

Thank you Sylvia for this story of the dogwood tree. I had heard this a long time ago and am glad to read this again. We blessed today because our God loved us. He is risen. Bless you and yours for a wonderful Easter Sunday, xoxo,Susie

Lady of the Manor said...

I've never heard that story. It's beautiful! Thanks for sharing it and may you and your family have a blessed Easter. Zenda

Kelly @ Homespuns 'n Hayfields said...

What a wonderful story. Have a blessed Easter!

Stephanie said...

What a wonderful post, my friend! I have never heard the story about the legend of the Dogwood so I thoroughly enjoyed reading about it.

May you have a blessed Easter! We serve a RISEN Savior! Love and hugs!

Breathing In Grace said...

That's such a beautiful story. I love dogwood blooms. Hope your Easter day has been blessed.

Row. said...

I truly enjoyed reading this story Sylvia, I had never heard it before. So Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

Margie said...

Thank you for sharing these legends, Sylvia. Enjoy the final days of March!