Burst of Flavor, Lingering Sweetness

So, who invented orange juice?

It is, no doubt, my favorite fruit juice of all time.

Each morning when I wake up,

it is with joyful anticipation,

and even a bit of salivating,

that I approach the refrigerator

and reach for the container

labeled “Lots of Pulp”

Mmmmm!!!

Orange juice is deliciously appetizing any time of day,

a cheerful accompaniment to any meal,

and effective to chase away any hint of unwanted aftertaste

with its refreshing burst of full flavor

and delightfully lingering sweetness.

Well, in all honesty,

I actually do know Who invented orange juice.

He is the same One Who so aptly displayed the reality of

God’s ultimate expression of love for us.

Like the orange,

Jesus became vulnerable 

yielding the depth and width and height and breadth

of His goodness

as He was crushed.

As the orange is squeezed until it no longer resembles its original shape,

His self-sacrifice was made complete on the cross,

paying for the wages of our transgressions in full.

As what is left of the orange is gathered into a glass,

so His blood was poured out,

His body placed in the tomb,

His obvious destiny sealed behind the lifeless, merciless, unforgiving stone.

As I drink of the vestiges of what was once an orange,

I am reminded of my need to

partake of His Body, of His Blood, of His sacrifice for my redemption.

And just as the torrent of succulent,

thirst quenching flavor of orange cannot be contained,

Jesus burst forth from the grave in glorious display

to the joyous elation of hundreds who loved Him
and billions to hope in Him.

Ultimately,

there is no sweetness that compares to that of

the purest, most holy expression of God’s love;

Jesus is Risen…

…He is Risen Indeed!

~ae

“Do not be amazed;

you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,

who has been [crushed]. 

He has risen;

He is not here;

behold, here is the place where they laid Him…

“And He said to them,

‘Go into all the world

and preach the gospel to all creation.’” 

~Mark 16:6,15

“The righteous cry

and the Lord hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.  

The Lord is near

to the brokenhearted

and saves those

who are crushed in spirit.“

~Psalm 34:18