In The Garden
"Declared Love"
Good Friday
Osella Clabaugh

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Scripture: "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:26 (KJV)

As we look out at the sunrise, or the clouds today, whether today is dreary or sunshiny where you are at on this Good Friday, I can think of no other message of the WORD of God that is more productive than John 17:26

"...that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."

As we come to the cross today, what does that mean to you? In all of your dealings with your children, with your spouse, your boss, your best friend, the person who is the office cast-a-side... has the power of God's love so saturated your mind, soul and spirit that you can share His love with them? Are you so impregnated with the Spirit of Christ that your "feelings", your "needs", your "ambitions" in life have been nurtured by the hot tears of surrender as you kneel before the cross? Have you experienced a new birth within you that is unexplainable and wonderful and so blessed with the miracle of a kind word, a thoughtful smile and a hand of hope stretched forward without reservation or thought of counting the cost... then you, will have known, will know, what it means to not only know the Love of God, but to have lived the Love of God.

My life must be Christ's Broken bread
My love His outpoured wine
A cup o'erfilled a table spread
beneath His Name and Sign
That other soul's refreshed and fed,
may share his life through mine.

My all is in the Master's hands
For him to bless and break;
Beyond the brook his winepress stands
And thence my way I take.
Resolve the whole of Love's demands
to give, for His Dear Sake.

Lord, let me share that grace of Thine
wherewith thou didst sustain
the burden of the fruitful vine,
the gift of buried grain.
Who dies with thee, O WORD DIVINE
Shall rise and live Again
-- Albert Orsborn-- (1886-1967)

Let's pray:

Father, thank you so much for Jesus Thank you Lord for giving your only begotten son that we might have life. Thank you Jesus for your willingness to bear the cross all the way to Calvary, so our lives might be changed. For the blood you shed that we might be healed from all our infirmities. O precious Jesus thank you for walking that hill so many years ago with me in mind.  Lord may we not fall short of sharing your love with all we come in contact with. In Jesus name I pray.  Amen