 Springtime
I personally like cold weather so I enjoy the winter time. However, I also enjoy the changing of the seasons. I know that most people get enough of the cold dark days of the winter season pretty quickly. With all of that said, I think we can all rejoice that spring is here. Beautiful days of sunshine and warmth that beckon us to get outside and get active. This is a great time to begin new projects or reengage in interests or activities which are unavailable in the wintertime. I know that for teachers and students in the school systems this week of spring break is the kick off for the last weeks before the end of the school year. It is also the time of year when we begin anticipating the many fun adventures of the summer season. But as we think over all these things I want to consider some of the advantages of a good intentional break. Refresh Do you ever feel like you need a time of renewal and refreshment? I think that we all reach points when we need to be refreshed mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The Apostle Paul in several of his letters speaks about how the churches or individuals to whom he is writing have refreshed him in some way (Philemon 7;20). No doubt some of them had sent him material support for his life and ministry (Philippians 4:10-20). I am sure that these brothers and sisters had also been laboring in prayer for Paul so that he would have the spiritual stamina to continue the hard work of evangelizing and reasoning with both Jews and Gentiles about Jesus being the promised Messiah and only Savior for all of mankind (Acts 19:8-10). Restore Sometimes we do not simply need the page to be refreshed but for the system or network to be restored. Restoration involves returning something to its previous condition. Sometimes full restoration of homes or vehicles may actually be brought to a better than new condition. Asaph the Psalmist calls upon God to restore His people by looking at us with the radiant beauty of His glory so that we may be saved (Psalm 80:3;7;19). We are image bearers of God and are also in many ways glory reflectors. We are meant to reflect the amazing glory of God back to Him in praise, thanksgiving, fellowship, and love. This is what we have been made for as believers. Revive At the deepest level, what we as human beings need is to be revived. We need the new life that can only come by being born again and born from above. Jesus spoke of this in His evening chat with Nicodemus. Jesus pointed out that both perceiving and experiencing the kingdom of God required this new birth (John 3:1-8). Because His kingdom and covenant do not belong to this realm or this dimension of existence. The reality is that the lost and unconverted are welcome to look into and handle the kingdom of Christ, but they have no sight or life with which to experience the kingdom. The people in the graveyard or the morgue are free to rise up and live but they do not have the life to do so. Like the valley of dry bones only God can make them live (Ezekiel 37:1-14). This is true of all of us. Only the Holy Spirit can so apply the work of Christ to us such that the Father is pleased to reveal His Son to us and the Son is willing to reveal the Father to us so that we can be revived and live with the life of Christ. The amazing thing is that God is eager to give life to those who come to Him for it. The water of life is abundant and available. The invitation is extended from God and echoed from the church and the Spirit to everyone who will, COME, and receive the eternal life that God gives so graciously (Revelation 22:16-17)!
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