I have been recently drawn to significance of thorns in scriptural passages.

Judgement – In the Book of Genesis God warns Adam and Eve after they eat fruit from the tree of knowledge in disobedience of God’s command that they will now need to be wary under foot of the thistle and the thorn.

Revelation – God speaks to Moses and reveals Himself as “I am who I am” through a burning thorn bush.

Sacrifice – God appeals to Abraham to spare his son Isaac and to offer instead a ram in sacrifice – the ram is caught by its horns in a thorn bush.

Redemption – Jesus Christ is crowned with thorns by the roman soldiers and mocked before His Crucifixion, but overcomes his suffering after three days in the tomb by His Resurrection.

The significance of thorns in the bible is that following God’s initial harsh judgement on mankind for our disobedience, He reveals Himself in various ways as if looking at us through the thorns which were inflicted upon us.

I loved hearing about the connection in the bible of this humble plant, but also it made me think that in my own life, it is not dissimilar for me to see the possibilities of a new way of being present, even at the times when my troubles are very apparent.

To think about being able to overcome adversity, even when I am in the midst of it in the present, is for me a healing balm of hope.

My next blog will be: Arc of Time

William Defoe