Christ, A Rose

Isaiah 35:1-2  King James Version

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

Song of Solomon 2:1

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

Lord Jesus,
You are called by many names.
During Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas,
I hear you called, "The Rose of Sharon."
A flower of hope from the Prophet Isaiah,

A bloom in the barren dessert wasteland.

A flower of beauty from the Song of Solomon,

A bloom to adorn the groom for his bride.

Lord,

this year on a particularly cold December day

in the garden outside my office

I saw a white rose blooming.

When I saw it,

I thought of you,

and I began to sing,

"Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night."

Lord Jesus,

Rose of Sharon,

Thank you for coming

when the night was far gone.

Thank you for coming

into our lives when the darkness seemed 

unbreakable, unbearable.

You bloomed
and broke the chill
with beauty --
such beauty
that inspires
wonder and hope.


"This Flow’r, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load."

Amen.

The hymn referenced above is linked here: "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"