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| Google Images: Springtime in the Rockies |
Today I have a guest, my husband, whose pseudonym on this blog is "Beloved." He is giving a devotional thought to our nursing home ministry this morning. Since his focus is on Spring and this is the first day of the new season, I asked if I could share his thoughts with you.
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Today is the official first day of spring. It even looks like it outside, being warm and pleasant. So, what do we think about spring?
- It follows winter, which is a time of dark and cold and short days
- It transform the winter’s brown landscape into lush green landscape
- We see plants that appeared to be ill or dead renewed into growth and life
Most of us today are past the prime of our physical life. We are in the fall or the winter of our lives. Spring reminds us that we would like to be physically renewed. We don’t see that happening in our natural bodies, but the Bible tells us that a physical renewal awaits those who belong to Jesus.
1 Cor 15:42-44 So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
We also have this promise in Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. I look forward to that time when my strength is renewed and I can run without growing weary. Then I will live in spring forever.
We are very much aware that our natural bodies are perishable, are weak, and are not designed to last forever. We have the promise I just read of receiving a spiritual body – imperishable, powerful, designed to last forever if we are believers in Jesus.
In addition to the physical, we have times of winter in our spirits. We may have regrets about things in the near or far past that drag us down in our spirits today. We have pains that make our spirits into a winter landscape but – spring renewal can come to our spirits, even today.
In terms of regrets, King David regretted sinful actions in his life and wrote this plea in Psalm 50:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. We can turn our regretful attitude over to God and ask for renewal, just as David did.
Finally, do we have to wait until we see Jesus to be renewed in our spirits? The Bible says no. We read the following in 2 Cor 4:14-16 We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not loose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
So, as we look to spring today, let us remember that God gives us renewal in our spirit NOW and in our bodies LATER if we are His.
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