New Life
In the past few days, everything has begun to change here. The branches on the trees have gone from being brown sticks, to having lively green buds and little leaves. The grass is still mostly brown, but there are bursts of new green here and there.
Creation is being called forth to new life by the One who is upholding it by the word of His power. He calls the new spring life out of the winter deadness in a yearly recreative act. It's a little mini-creation, and it reminds me of how he called the world into existence.
It reminds me, too, that those of us who belong to Him were also called into existence.
He spoke the word, and the light shone in our hearts, and we were raised to new life. We are no longer brown sticks, but lively new green branches. We have been "called out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9 (NASB)
We have been "begotten again to a living hope," but this new life of living hope is not like the life of the cyclical seasons. It doesn't fade away, because it is being sustained by the power of God. We will continue to grow in this new life, this new hope, this new sort of existence, until our full salvation is revealed at last.
While I'm revelling in this wonderful newness of life in my world and in my own life, may I not forget that the chief purpose in all of this is that I proclaim the excellencies of the One who called me out of the deadness of winter into the newness of spring.
Creation is being called forth to new life by the One who is upholding it by the word of His power. He calls the new spring life out of the winter deadness in a yearly recreative act. It's a little mini-creation, and it reminds me of how he called the world into existence.
It reminds me, too, that those of us who belong to Him were also called into existence.
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV)
He spoke the word, and the light shone in our hearts, and we were raised to new life. We are no longer brown sticks, but lively new green branches. We have been "called out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9 (NASB)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 NKJV)
We have been "begotten again to a living hope," but this new life of living hope is not like the life of the cyclical seasons. It doesn't fade away, because it is being sustained by the power of God. We will continue to grow in this new life, this new hope, this new sort of existence, until our full salvation is revealed at last.
While I'm revelling in this wonderful newness of life in my world and in my own life, may I not forget that the chief purpose in all of this is that I proclaim the excellencies of the One who called me out of the deadness of winter into the newness of spring.
posted by Rebecca Stark at 5/14/2004 01:22:00 PM
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