Father, thank You for the blessing of my wife, Karen! We had such a nice day together. You have gifted me in such a great and wonderful way! May our love grow stronger the older we get. Hardships may come. I am sure that time will take its toll on our bodies and minds but may we continue to consider all of life a privilege of service and devotion to one another. Our strength and love are most assuredly found in You. Praise Your holy name!
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On one of my hiking endeavors this past week, I noticed that even though we are but a few days into spring in this fickle state of Ohio (there were intermixed snow squalls and sunshine Friday afternoon!), there were already plants breaking out along the hiking trails. Now they may be a half inch or less above the surface but the tell-tale signs of green were there!
As I walked, I got to thinking, the old (last year’s growth) has died and there they have sat under a layer of dead foliage and leaves for months. If they were beings of thought, would they consider not coming up? It can’t be easy! Snug in their little pockets and the ground above them and everything that lies on it, they have to push their way through. There is nothing to part their obstructions for them – it is totally up to their built-in nature to do what they do. For the new to come, the old must be pushed aside. And what is old, that which is dead, they don’t just ignore but use to build upon for the growth they will need for this new time in their lives.
Life can be a real challenge. Many times, it is so, so difficult to push ourselves beyond the old, the past…but all of that is behind us! God has gifted us with the ability to leave the old, decaying past behind – but we can learn from that and under His leadership and guidance and love and strength, we move forward to become what he has for us in the here and now. We can no more stay snug in our little pockets of doubt, and self-pity – no matter how “comfortable” they may seem – than the plants along the pathway!
Lord Jesus, as you Word proclaims,
Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP (emphasis mine)
May we embrace You and Your perfect will for our lives. Amen.

Mar 24th, 2019, Sun, 7:17 pm