He lives – oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to his cross and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul!
(“When Peace Like a River,” verse 3)
Scripture Connection: John 12:23-24, 32
Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit… 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Art Card Prompt
How beautifully the hymn writer describes the gift of forgiveness! Our souls can lay down every burden of guilt knowing that our salvation is assured through Christ’s death and resurrection. We are entirely forgiven! In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Jesus speaks about his impending death using the metaphor of a single grain of wheat that “dies” when buried in the soil. Once planted, the seed will be destroyed, but in its place will be a bountiful harvest that can sustain many. Jesus’ own death and burial will be like that, too. Through his death, Christ will “draw all people to himself” in reconciliation and forgiveness.
As you create your art card, consider how the nails that secured Jesus to the cross also secured the gift of God’s mercy for you and for all people. What nail imagery can you add to your card this week? Or you could use joyful images to represent the freedom of forgiveness.