Spring Time!

“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, the voice of the turtle [turtledove] is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs; the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”  (Song of Songs 2:11-13 KJV)

*Note: This is an edited post from April 10, 2015 titled Spring! 

Spring is here (may be not fully, depending on where you live)! The winter is ended for this year. Cold days slowly give way to warmer days, along with spring rain showers and thunderstorms—storms that show God’s power.   

Rains refresh the land in spring, similarly, each day we can receive refreshing spiritual “rain” through communing with the Holy Spirit.  When we lack spiritual “rain”, we discover dryness, cracks, and bareness in our spirits. 

How do you refresh your spirit? 

Photo Credit C. Meissner

A hint of spring is in the air. Hopefully, it is gentle breezes and not strong winds that cause random objects to tumble down the street!  

In some areas pollen can be seen floating in the air, covering everything in its path! Though spring may begin tentatively at first; suddenly, flowers burst out in spring time glory. Grass slowly turns from a dead brown to a lively green. Meanwhile, trees ever so slowly grow leaves that will provide shade on hot summer days.

Spring seems to be a time for renewal—renewal of creation and renewal in our daily lives. Many take time to do “spring cleaning”. Spring cleaning can be a literal cleaning of our physical environments; it can also be more metaphorical in the cleaning of our inner lives.

What do you think about an inner “spring cleaning”?  How do you “spring clean” your inner man?

Photo Credit C. Meissner

The potential of new life is waiting to spring forth from the ground.

Trees are budding—leaves beginning to appear, the grass is becoming green, birds are returning from wintering in the South. Flowers are beginning to appear, reminding us of the new life that is possible through Christ. 

Soon we will see young animals beginning their lives. There is much beauty in watching nature come to life again; but there is much more joy and beauty in seeing the transformation that is possible when people accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is here that true, powerful transformation is seen. 

Do you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord? If not, why not turn to Him today asking Him to forgive your sins and come into your heart and life? Please see my earlier posts: Salvation, A New Creation, and Counting the Cost.

Spring gives us hope that the long, cold days (mourning) of winter are over and the time of warmer days (joy) of spring are here. Likewise, Jesus gives us hope—hope for our lives here and now and hope for a glorious future for all eternity!

What are you looking forward to this spring?

How do you fresh yourself spiritually? 

From https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/aa/7c/94/aa7c945d6484e99cf215d7db3de8bfa4.jpg

Please join with me in prayer:

God of Creation, thank You for the beauty of spring with all of the new life springing forth.  Help us to stop and absorb the beauty of Your creation that is all around us.  Remind us of the new life that we have in You and that others can have as well.  We thank and praise You for that new life.  Grant us the courage and desire we need to share Jesus with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.  

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

A New Creation

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

From https://jmichaelrios.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/butterflylifecycle.gif

In Second Corinthians 5:17 we read about how we are a new creation in Christ and how old things are gone and all things are new…this is never more apparent than in the days and weeks surrounding Easter and particularly more so on Easter Day. Jesus transforms the whole of creation. Jesus transforms people!

From http://www.idio.net/sites/default/files/u19/newcreation-handsplant-logo.jpg

As winter turns into spring, we can vividly see new life emerging from last fall’s dead foliage—a visual reminder of what happens in our lives when we surrender them to Jesus Christ, asking Him to forgive our sins and dwell in our heart. In the whole of creation, if we have eyes to see, new growth springs to life, growing, changing, and developing before our very eyes. An example of this transformation is seen the process of a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly (see photo above). It is a process—a slow process—the end results are beautiful and worth the work and wait.

From https://movingnc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/daffodils_in_snow.jpg

The musical Godspell brings this concept to life, along with several additional themes from the New Testament (with a heavy 1960s-1970s feel). Early in the musical, the cast members paint each other’s faces (clowning)—demonstrating how we can be fools for Christ (1 Corinthians 4:10 read here), as well as how people become a new creation in Christ, this is shown when they remove the robe covering their clothing. Eventually, they start dancing to the upbeat music that has been playing softly in the background—slowly increasing in volume. All of this shows the changes that occur inwardly (and outwardly) in the new believer, as well as how the things of God seem foolish to men (1 Corinthians 2:6-16—particularly verse 14 read here). 

From http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jesus_new_robe_man.jpg

The old has gone and the new has come! How amazing is this thought?! God makes us new, if we allow Him to; we are transformed (a transformation that continues until our death) through God’s work within us—into the person God has ordained us to be from the very beginning. As we let God work on us—not fighting that work (it can be painful at times!)—we will find that God will lead us places we never dreamed we would go; asking us to do things we never dreamed we would or could do. Life with God can be a great adventure! Hold on tight!

From http://christianstt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/New-creation-in-Christ.jpg

In what ways did you change when you invited Jesus into your heart? What changes are you sensing the Lord is still calling you to make in your life?

What changes have you seen in others who have invited Jesus into their heart and life? 

For those of you who have Jesus Christ as Savior, what is your testimony?

Spend some time reflecting on these changes this week.  

Please join with me in prayer:

Lord and Savior, thank You for making all things new. We marvel at and praise You for the new creatures we have become in You. We celebrate new Christians who are transformed through accepting Your amazing gift of salvation. We continue to pray for the salvation of those who don’t yet have a saving relationship with Jesus that they would come to see their need and ask Jesus into their heart and life— forgiving their sins — making them a new creation in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

P.S. To my readers, it came to my attention that those of you who read my blog through email didn’t get the full post, titled Salvation. To read the full post please click here Salvation. Should this happen in the future, please click on the title in the email to be directed to the blog post. Thank you!