The Mysterious Cross

"The earnest prayer of a righteous man or woman

makes tremendous power available."

(James 5:16)

The Amplified Bible

The mysterious cross which washed up recently on a Florida beach.
  Where did it come from?

Some have speculated it may have come from Puerto Rico or the

Florida Keys and was washed out to sea during one of the recent hurricanes.

According to Frank Talerico, the cross was a welcome sight.

He believes the appearance of the barnacle-encrusted,

twenty foot wooden cross washing up from the ocean on his

property is a sign of protection from God.

The owner of the Ocean Manor Beach Resort claims that 

his sister was praying on the property after having a bad dream.

He was incredulous when guests at his hotel told him about the cross

which had washed ashore only hours afterward.

"You know what? I'm glad it's here," Mr. Talerico told reporters.

It's staying here, and if anybody wants to come and see it or 

take a picture with it, they're more than welcome."

My own thoughts on this story is perhaps the cross is

an affirmation that God always answers our most heartfelt

prayers.  He does not always answer in the way we want,

but, in the way that He sees best for us because He loves us.

God sees what we often do not see in different situations.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are My ways, your ways," says the Lord.
(Isaiah 55:8-9)

I also believe that only days before President Trump's

wonderful State of the Union address, in which, despite

the hostile air of scorn and defiance, he defended the

sacredness of human life, perhaps God sent the

cross as a sign of His blessing and His approval!
After all, God knows the heart of man.
He knows what we think before we think it, and,
  He knows what we are going to say before we speak it!

Hail the Sign, the Sign of Jesus,

Bright and royal Tree!

Standard of the Monarch, planted

First on Calvary!

Hail the Sign all signs excelling,

Hail the Sign all ills dispelling,

Hail the Sign hell's power quelling,

Cross of Christ, all hail!

Sign the martyrs' strength and refuge,
Sign to saints so dear!
Sign of evil men abhorred,
Sign which devils fear:

Hail the Sign all signs excelling,

Hail the Sign all ills dispelling,

Hail the Sign hell's power quelling,

Cross of Christ, all hail!

Sign which, when the Lord returneth,

In the heavens shall be;

Sinners quail, while saints with rapture

Shall the vision see:

Hail the Sign all signs excelling,

Hail the Sign all ills dispelling,

Hail the Sign hell's power quelling,

Cross of Christ, all hail!

Lo, I sign the cross of Jesus

Meekly on my breast;

May it guard my heart when living,

Dying be its rest:

Hail the Sign all signs excelling,

Hail the Sign all ills dispelling,

Hail the Sign hell's power quelling,

Cross of Christ, all hail!

In the name of God the Father,

Name of God the Son,

Name of God the blessed Spirit,

Ever Three in One:

Hail the Sign all signs excelling,

Hail the Sign all ills dispelling,

Hail the Sign hell's power quelling,

Cross of Christ, all hail!

"Hail The Sign, The Sign Of Jesus"

(1866)

Reverend Sabine Baring Gould

(1834-1924)

English author, theologian, artist