365 Project 2011

Surrender and Sacrifice

April 10, 2020

Precious Blood

Canon 5D Mark ll, 100mm 2.8 macro, 3.5 aperture, 1/125 shutter, 100 ISO. (The blue and white in the background is a prayer shawl with the royal colors of a priest.)

He walks in grief so heavy that even truest friends cannot bear it, as they fall asleep under its weight. He walks alone into the garden one more time to pray. The garden receives him, bursting in blooms for the one who fashioned each petal – whispered each color. All is quiet except for his sighing, his beating heart. He asks openly, earnestly of His Father. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.” He is bending, bowing. Believing.

Anguish overwhelms Him. He knows what lies ahead. It is why he came, why he put on this flesh, made from dust and the breath of the living God. It is why He lived among us, taught us, healed us, fed us, loved us. He came to die — for us.

The sorrow is so great now he writhes in supplication.  His brow is beaded with sweat mixed with blood. Crimson seeps from his very pores as he moves from sorrow to surrender. He sets his face like flint and rises to gather the friends who slumber.

The flowers wear the marks of his pain, as blood and sweat mingle down petals and stems. They weep. They remember. There is a redeemer. He has decided.

Luke 22:44,45 ~”And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.”

Hebrews 12:2 ~”fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Bearing the Marks

Witnesses

Redemption’s True Colors

 

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8 Comments

  • Reply cmo March 31, 2011 at 7:51 am

    The chair I’m sitting in just went sacred under the weight of your words.
    “The garden receives him bursting in blooms . . .” – that got me. The creation rising up in adoration and then trying to console. “From sorrow to surrender . . . ”
    I’m a little speechless. Beautiful worship.

  • Reply Mom Morgan March 31, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    Mary Anne, this is so beautiful. Your words match the beauty of your pictures. Thank you.

  • Reply Kristin Simmons March 31, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    Wow…just wow. The gifts God has put inside you are bursting out of you like radiant light & He is glorified & we are blessed & drawn towards adoration for our King! Your “fruit” is bursting forth like the flowers you described! Amazing to watch, honored that your my leader :). Love you! Btw, this should be in a book!

  • Reply liz March 31, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    truly powerful and beautiful post.

  • Reply cmo March 29, 2013 at 9:44 am

    got me again.

  • Reply Julie March 29, 2013 at 10:03 am

    Mary Anne,
    I loved this post and have shared it with everyone. Truly beautiful photography and inspiration given from Above. I needed this reminder of what our Savior has done for us, me. (I was too busy running around taking care of a sick child this week and focusing more on Easter coming up and not what he went through today. Oh how He LOVES us!)
    Thank you and God Bless!

  • Reply Easter Nails and a little blog share March 31, 2013 at 9:52 am

    […] her post really brings the last hours of Jesus to live! Check out her blog and inspired photos MaryAnne’s blog! Share this:MoreLike this:Like […]

  • Reply Dan Gilliam March 26, 2024 at 4:20 pm

    Beautiful, Mary Anne.

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