This morning, as I was getting breakfast for the kids, I looked out and saw a small bird lying on our deck in front of the sliding door and figured it must have run into the door. I’ve seen it happen before a couple times in front of a larger window. I checked 10 minutes later and thought I needed to get rid of it before the dog or kids discovered it. I looked out again 5-10 minutes when I had a break and saw a small bird sitting where the dead one had been and thought it must have just been stunned, but is sat there for another 10-15 minutes. When I got a chance to go outside, it immediately flew up into the door again, then turned and flew toward a tree 200′ away as normal as could be. Did I just witness a resurrected bird of some sort, or was it just a reminder during Lent that Jesus did even greater things?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
If you are a born again Christian, do you recall how you felt when you were first ‘born again?’ If anything like me, i felt as if I truly had a new life and much of my worldview changed, though I may not have described it as such at the time. I just knew my life was different and I had an eternal hope in the unconditional love and redemption found in Jesus. This was the fuel in my faith for quite some time, but eventually the busyness of live and other demands seemed to drown out these feelings from years before, and though my thoughts had not changed, my passion seemed to subside from time to time. There were many reminders that helped compel me to rekindle that fire again, but I knew like feelings, it tended to come and go. But that joy is still there in my heart and mind that just takes a simple reminder to bring it back again in an instant!
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
As we go through lent toward Easter, let us look to the reminders that this season holds as we soon celebrate the resurrected Christ again. Let us also look to the reminders that each day holds as Spring unfolds before and new life blooms as well. Let us be watchful for opportunities to share these illustrations of our faith with our family, friends, and anyone who will listen to the reason why you believe what you believe. May you find joy in that experience as well!
Yours in Christ,
Clark
