SpRiNg

I love that word.  Do you?  What does it mean to you?

To me it means new life.  I love the green I see on the trees, the pinks, whites and purples on the azaleas, the tulips, the clematis vines on mailboxes, the knockout roses in my neighbor's yard.  All of it, every single bloom, makes my heart sing with happiness.  I love nature.  My God has given us some glorious creation to enjoy and I am so thankful for His beautiful artwork I see all around me.

With all these beautiful colors around me, I am reminded of Him.  Spring to me is new life.  I have a new life in Him.  Lately I have been "stuck" in the book of Colossians.  There are so many wonderful truths in this book (well, in the entire Bible) that I cannot get out of it.  I keep going back to chapter 3.  In my Bible, the New Living Translation, chapter 3's header is "Living the New Life".

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.  Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory."  Col. 3:1-4

Isn't that just something?  Those of us who have Jesus Christ in our hearts have new life in Him.  Praise God for that!  I think of the "old me", and the way I lived my life to please only myself.  I was selfish, greedy, immoral, rude, condescending...I could go on.  Not that I am perfect now, I am a constant work in progress!  But I have new life with my precious Jesus.

I didn't have to do anything to earn it, either.  I just had to ask Him into my heart.  I had to ask for His forgiveness for all the sin I'd committed.  I didn't have to do any good deeds, I didn't have to do anything within my community...I simply had to ask...and then I had to receive.   I had to ask for His help in giving me a new way of thinking, and I had to ask Him to change me.

I could no longer let sin control the way I lived and I quit giving in to my sinful desires (Romans 6:12).  I had to give myself completely to Him (Romans 6:13). 

It's simple.  It will be the greatest gift you ever receive.  God the Father allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to be born a man.  He lived a remarkable sin-less life.  And then He died a criminal's death on a cross...beaten, tortured, broken...all for us.  For ME.  For YOU.  All you have to do is ask Him in...and let Him do the rest.

"Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life.  So use your body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."  Romans 6:13

If you have not...it's because you ask not (James 4:2).  Ask Him.  Receive Him.  New life...doesn't it sound amazing? 

Love to all.