Think Spring!

(click the pic to get the code)
Let's THINK SPRING and spread the joy of life abundant. Here's how you can participate:

1. Write a Spring-related post (mine is below).
2. Find & link to three other Spring-related posts.
3. (Tell them you've linked so they can join the fun.)
   
4. Add the Think Spring button/code to your blog.
5. (Also, let James know you're thinking Spring!)
   
6. Then comment at RoseWoman, the meme host.
   
7. (For more info and to join the blogroll go here.)
   

Okay, time for some Spring Thoughts...

First, some selected quotes from the Apostle Paul as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15 (NIV):

Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet."

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is often said that the changing of the seasons is like the cycle of life. There is birth, there is youth, there is maturing, there is death. And then re-birth! We are taught that Spring is the continual reminder that all things are re-born.

Nice sentiment as far as it goes. But one day this cycle will end. For the winter of life is actually a disruption of God's good order. Death was never meant to be, as some put it, a "natural part of life." Winter's Death is the enemy, and it will be swallowed up in toto when Christ's eternal Spring arrives at his coming.

C.S. Lewis describes a land where it is "always winter but never Christmas" in the Chronicles of Narnia. It is an unnatural occurrence. But one that all the creatures held captive by the White Witch have come to accept. Until the whispers of Aslan's return begin to circulate. (If you're unfamiliar with this literary work, go here.)

How like those spell-bound creatures we are. We've come to accept as final this seasonal cycle - as wonderfully refreshing as it may be this side of heaven.

But it is not the last word. One day death and pain and weeping and suffering and war and violence will end. The last vestiges of sin will be destroyed never to be "re-born" for another season. Eternal Spring will dawn. Christ will reign. Alleluia, He is Risen!

Other Suggested Readings for Spring:

• Wayne at Q&A titles a piece "All Alone" - I want to call is "Almost Spring"
• Barbara at Tidbits & Treasures has posted "No Room For A Savior"
• Paint at Play is "Back to Work" with another piece that's almost Spring.
  

Are you thinking Spring? Spread the word.

On the Road to Easter

For those who are interested, I've posted an Easter Sermon (or pre-Easter, as we are still in the Season of Lent) at my other site, Fwd: Thoughts titled, On the Road to Easter - Can You Hear Him Call? Here's a paragraph:

Traveling heavenward requires a different mind than the way of the world. It is a life marked by service and humility, not greatness and control. This is a hard message to hear for modern day followers of Christ. Jesus would indeed have us experience a vibrant, wonderful life, but first he beckons us to follow him to the cross and die to ourselves so that we can take hold of the new life he offers.

Just Walk

Possibly young Noah's favorite story...

"Tell me about Great Grandpa Enoch again, Papa," young Noah might have said. "Did God really take him away?"

"Yes," Lamech assured his son. "He walked with God every day. He loved the Lord and taught his children and grandchildren to love God as well."

Noah nodded. "Go on," he said.

"Well, one day my Grandpa Enoch said to me, 'Lamech, be sure to tell my great grandchildren to walk with God. I won't get a chance to tell them myself.' He was thinking of you, Noah, even before you were born."

"And then what happened, Papa?" Noah liked hearing this part.

"Then he said he was going to meet with God as he usually did in the evening. We watched him go. He was there, and then he was not. God took him."

"Do you think God will take you, Papa, or me?" Noah wanted to know.

"Walk with God, my son. That is enough. God will take us home; how and when are of no concern. Just walk with God."

Today's Affirmations

Daily Affirmations, Part 1
Today's Truths are from the Scriptures

• The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31.8)
• Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1.9)
• Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5.7)
• The Lord knows how to rescue godly men and women from trials. (2 Peter 2.9)
• There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8.1)
• If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8.31)
• Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4.4)
• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4.13)
• And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4.19)
• Put [your] hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (1 Timothy 6.17)
• For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4.4-5)
• Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1.17)
• Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4.16)

Life's Wild Expedition

It strikes me that we embark on some wild expeditions in life. But do we know our destination? I'm sure we have a vague notion of where we're going, but maybe we aren't certain on how to get there or what it will take to actually finish the adventure successfully.

What's more, we're often loaded down with supplies that are cumbersome, even useless, and may in fact be liabilities. For the journey we're on, the baggage we hold dear is revealing. For instance:

Sir John Franklin sailed from England in 1845 to find the rumored northwest passage to the Pacific Ocean across the Canadian Arctic. He and 138 officers and men sailed in 2 three-masted vessels equipped with an auxiliary steam engine and a 12-day supply of coal for the entire projected 2 to 3 year voyage. Instead of additional coal, each ship boasted a 1,200 volume library, a hand organ, china place settings, cut-glass wine goblets and sterling silverware. The expedition carried no special clothing for the arctic. They were last seen alive entering the Lancaster Sound.

For the next 20 years, search parties found the remains of the Franklin expedition scattered across the frozen sea. Many, on their way for help, died far from the broken ship, stuck in the ice pack. They were found carrying the supplies they deemed important. One search party, for example, discovered among a clump of frozen bodies, some guns, chocolate, tea and a great deal of sterling silver flatware. This was the Franklin expedition of 1845.

(Note: I first read about this tragedy in Teaching a Stone to Talk, a collection of narrative essays by Annie Dillard, and have adapted her account here.)

A sad ending. And although our life adventure may at times be dangerous, Jesus does not intend for our expedition to end in tragedy. He has a clear goal in mind for each of our lives and has a plan that, if followed, will take us to our destination with banners waving. And along the way we will find satisfaction, refreshment, joy and purpose. In a word, success.

So what is the goal that Christ has in mind? What's the plan that we should follow if we don't want to end up "frozen in the pack" with only a bit of silver to show for our efforts?

An important text of scripture to meditate on is Galatians 5.22,23.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." ~ The Apostle Paul

This passage speaks of the character that the Holy Spirit is developing in each of us. In fact, it is the character of Jesus that Paul is describing. A quick preview, then, of our destination: What makes for a successful life expedition is wrapped up in the person of Jesus Christ.

Since he created us, doesn't it follow that he knows what it takes for us, the creation, to find fulfillment? Doesn't it follow that he is himself the answer to our most basic needs? The clear goal for our lives and the route that will take us across our own "northwest passage" is Jesus himself.

We're each of us on a wild expedition called life. Will there be uncertainty along the way? Yes. A life of adventure with our Creator guarantees unexpected twists and turns. We have an incomplete map to follow (or rather, an incomplete understanding of the map); but God is the cartographer and because he is good will lead us every step of the way. Are we trusting in his direction?

Where are you on this journey? Have you just begun? Or are you over halfway done? Take some time to evaluate the baggage that you're carrying. What does it reveal about your life? If you are burdened down with supplies that you don't really need, what could you throw overboard? Since we can't take it with us anyhow, let's dump the flatware here and now.

A God of Refills

Want a life-changing prescription?

A distraught patient called her physician. "Tell me, Doctor, do I have to take the medication you prescribed for the rest of my life?" "Yes, that's right," the doctor replied. "Then how serious is my condition?" the woman wanted to know. "Why do you ask?" "Because," the patient cried, "I just picked up my prescription and it's marked 'No Refills!'"

Humor aside, some people believe life is a "no refill" proposition. You only live once, they say. "So eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die." Many people buy into this bit of cultural wisdom. We place a lot of stock in what we can see, smell, taste, hear and feel. But by focusing on the world around us we often forget about the view from heaven.

This is especially true in decision making. We research, we estimate, we cost-factor, we analyze. We take a look at the bottom line and then we decide. Necessary, but worldly by itself.

While we shouldn't ignore our 5 senses, I believe Jesus would have us add another set of indicators - spiritual indicators - to our decision-making dashboard. These supernatural "senses" give us a heavenly perspective that our natural eyes will miss.

The three senses I'm referring to are faith, hope and love. In discerning God's will, our plans, projects and programs need to be examined in the light of these spiritual realities. Sure, review the facts, use the natural resources God has made available to us. We should analyze all the available data. But realize that supernatural resources are also available.

Think of faith, hope, and love as three divine guideposts, pointing us in the right direction. These virtues are powerful resources.

• Faith is based on God's faithfulness to us in the past.
• Hope is based on God's commitment to us for the future.
• Love is based on God's present ministry of grace and mercy in our lives.
  

A bit too abstract? Think of a decision you are facing right now. You know the details, what your 5 senses tell you about the situation. Now check your spiritual indicators. Ask yourself if you're viewing this decision from heaven's perspective.

• Are you trusting God that he is willing and able to help? That's faith.
• Are you confident that the Holy Spirit is good and that He is working for your best interests and for God's glory? That's hope.
• Are you seeking to fashion your life into a life of service like unto Jesus Christ? That's love.

Is this easy? No. But it leads to an abundant life, a life beyond simply "eating and drinking." When we add faith, hope, and love to the mix, great things will happen.

And don't worry about messing up. God is a God of "refills" and second chances. He simply asks that we keep trusting, obeying and responding to his Word and Spirit. He's given us both natural and supernatural resources. Let's utilize them all.

Now that's a life-changing prescription.

The Eagle

A Fable

It was raining in the forest. It had been raining for days, and all the birds and animals were drenched. The eagle, too, was drenched, and his spirit dampened as well, for his mate lay with a chill, a victim of the constant rain. He could not keep her dry, and so looked on with despair as her life slowly drained away. His tears mingled with the rain when she died.

It was raining in the forest. The eagle could not stand the rain. It brought back memories too painful for him to bear. He rose up from the trees, hoping in flight to escape his thoughts. Higher and higher he climbed until finally he broke through the dark clouds into the dazzling sunlight that shone above the despair. As the warm sun dried his wings, he suddenly realized that the healing sun had been there all the time his mate had needed it. The pain of knowledge learned too late was more than he could bear, and there were tears for the sun to dry.

It was raining in the forest. It had been raining for days, and all the birds and animals were drenched. The rabbit, too, was drenched, and her spirit dampened as well, for her child lay with a chill, a victim of the constant rain. She poured out her sad tale to all who would listen, but the other creatures, too, were victims of the rain, and none could help.

An eagle happened by, and the rabbit began to tell her tale to him. She'd hardly started her story when the eagle suddenly lifted the rabbit's dying child onto his wings and began to circle quickly up into the dark and stormy clouds on an errand he did not take time to explain.