Marching along

It's March.  I could hardly believe it when I flipped the calendar over to look
at the new month.  As I was driving this evening, I noticed that it was after
6:00 pm and it was still light outside!  This wonderful realization came to me
just days after we saw snow covering our yard.  It's hard to believe, but spring
really is on it's way.  I've never really been one for spring cleaning, but as I
look around my home that has been shut up for the long winter, I see the appeal
of having everything aired out and freshly scrubbed.  We'll see if I can bring
that image to reality!

Spring brings us a chance to get out and enjoy God's creation.  My camellia
bushes are blooming and the daffodils are popping up everywhere.  The birds are
visiting more frequently and their song wakes me up just before sunrise.  While
it's not quite planting season yet (someone told me tax day was a good time to
plant around here to avoid late frosts), when the warm days arrive I will be in
my yard planning for planting. 

This month, we are focusing on the Growing Adventure.  Let us take some time to
really observe how God works all around us.  The plants that we see are a great
word picture of how God works in our hearts.  A seed must die in order to become
fruit the following season.  We bury it in the ground and soon a shoot pushes
through the dirt and mud towards the light.  The shoot becomes a plant that will
blossom and produce fruit, from which more seeds will come.  And the cycle will
continue.

We are those seeds, and good works are our fruit.  Only when we die to ourselves,
our sinful selfish nature, can we be planted in the dirt.  We will be drawn to
the Light that is the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will coax beautiful blooms and
fruit from us.  Growing is hard work, but if we can just get out of God's way,
He will do the work in us so that the Light of His Son can shine before all men
and they will see the good works and glorify the Lord.  (see Matthew 5:16)