It has already been a busy week for me and tomorrow I will be having some knee surgery. Nothing too complicated I hope, it is being done on an out-patient basis. I have spent a good bit of time in the car, and as I have traveled, I have wondered about what God is teaching me. The Psalmist said he was willing to wait all day long to hear what God wanted to teach him. That is hard for me to do. But I caught a glimpse of something this week.
On Tuesday I traveled to New Hampshire and was surprised to see how much snow they still have. The ground is still covered and the snow banks are still high. It will be some time before their snow is gone. The next day, while watching my son play basketball in the driveway of our Connecticut home I saw something amazing. There, beside our driveway amidst the leaves and dead grass, just peaking up through the soil, were some crocuses. How exciting to see these sure signs of spring!
It was as I thought about this contrast that I was impressed by the realization that spring arrived everywhere March 2oth, but will be realized in different places at different times. My family members who live further south, have already been enjoying the arrival of springtime flowers for several weeks. My family who live in New Brunswick are weeks if not months away from even seeing the ground come from under its snowcover.
It occurs to me that the same thing happens in our spiritual lives. People become new creatures in Christ when they experience God's grace personally, but they grow in grace at different rates and with varying consistency. And it occurs to me that this is why God wants to see us committed to sharing that journey with others as part of the body of Christ, as members of His church. While some may be enjoying the bright flowers of spiritual growth, others may be shivering under the snowcover of personal failure and disappointment. How important to be able to help and encourage each other when the blizzards come. And how exciting to hear about the blossoms that represent new growth and spiritual victory.
If we can hang together in Christian community, we will all be able to witness the excitement of Easter lillies!
1 comment:
Good morning big brother! I so enjoyed your most recent entry! Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Love, Sis
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