Leviticus 26:4 “I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.”
Praise the Lord! We have rain! As the drops fall, the ground almost seems to be sighing with relief. The leaves of the trees are unfolding with joy. Flowers are blooming. Spring is here. While my allergies are complaining, I enjoy the smell of spring. The green grass, the new leaves, the colorful flowers, and the other signs of spring bring about a sense of hope. While we have been surrounded by death through fall and winter, that death is not the end. New life sprouts out of the decay of the dead. Spring reminds us of the hope that Jesus offers. The Apostle Paul writes that everyone is dead in their sins, like plants during winter. This deadness dooms us to destruction like I remove dead branches from trees, or like you might till up dead weeds from your garden. While we experience destruction through death, sin, and suffering, we will ultimately experience destruction in an eternity separated from the life-giving God. However, God sent rain. Jesus, His Son, came to earth to live among our deadness. He ultimately died for us, spilling his blood like rain. Anyone who comes under the blood of Jesus is reborn. New life sprouts from the decay of the dead. We can experience this life now in a personal relationship with God, a relationship that brings the blessing of love, hope, and peace. We will ultimately experience this new life in eternity with God on this earth, basking in perfection with no more death, sin, or suffering. Just as grass cannot do anything to earn rain, so we cannot do anything to earn the new life Jesus offers. All we can do is admit that we are sinners and that nothing we do will save us. Then, we ask Jesus to save us. As the Apostle Paul says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The moment we do that, the blood of Jesus Christ is showered on us. We are saved for eternity and can have a personal relationship with God. I am so grateful for spring and the promise of new life.
1 Comment
Steve Hoefer
4/4/2023 01:39:49 pm
Pastor Sample:
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Peter SamplePastor of Calvary Bible Church, Neligh, NE. Missionary with RHMA. Husband to Maggie. Father to Grace, David, and Daniel. Saved by Jesus Christ Archives
April 2023
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