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Growth in the midst of decay.
By: Ed Smith February 18 at 10:10am
I am constantly amazed as I admire God’s creation! Everything is SO perfect! Watching the seasons of the year come and go in the mountains is absolutely the grandest thing on earth, in my humble opinion. Seeing life at its fullest in the summer, then autumn comes and the trees turn brilliant colors. Winter comes along with its snow and ice, pitching all that greenery into darkness and covering it with its shimmering frozen beauty. Then, spring comes along. The ground thaws, the leaves burst forth with new life and the new tiny green plants grow again. In light of all this, how can anybody not realize that God is real. And alive. Amazing. “Little” man tries to figure all of this out. How small we are.
The real lesson for me this day is that it only through death and decay that new life can spring forth. If the leaves refused to turn colors and fall to the ground in death; if the wind and rain refused to turn cold but remained warm instead; if the planet simply decided that the seasons thing was “for the birds” and stopped cooperating; all life would cease to exist. It is through death that life springs forth. It is through rebellion against God’s plan that needless and out-of-sync death occurs. It is sin that poisons and pollutes. It is God who cleanses and purifies and restores.
I love the words to the song penned by a friend, Jon Mohr that say, “a spark ignites as an ember fades and the faith continues on…” As one dies, another is born. That is the way of things. That is the way of life on this planet.
Death is not something to mourn, if we speak now of people. That is, if that person who dies found new life in Christ during their lifetime. That new life relationship with the Creator of the Universe brings eternal life. A new life that brings a new body after death. A new life that promises an eternity in Heaven.
So, as my old and dearly departed friend, Jake Hess used to say, “Death ain’t no big deal.” Jake was right.
Remember that God loves you with an everlasting love. And, He will never let you go. But, if you realize He is no longer by your side, He is right where you left Him. And, He is waiting for you even then.
Be blessed, and I pray God’s richest favor to fall on you and your family.
In Our Master’s Joyful Service,
Ed Smith
Joy Christian Radio