Watching Spring Unfold

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.”
                                                                         2 Corinthians 5:17

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I recently had the privilege of watching Spring unfold as I was visiting my Mama in Tennessee. It was so amazing to experience God’s handiwork!  Where there was just dirt in front of my Mama's porch, He brought forth lush Hosta plants. Each day, they grew and became brighter in color.  Tulips bloomed, along with a variety of other flowers my Mom grows and takes care of; beautiful, vibrant colors blossomed. Flowers would appear in random places around the yard where they weren't the previous day.

I also got to witness a hardworking Mama bird building an intricate nest that will house her and her future baby birds. Moment by moment, she would flutter about gathering moss and twigs for her dwelling place.  Oh...and the baby cows! Those little ones were so much fun to watch as they ran and jumped around the field. Two of the calves would get into a head-butting contest almost every night before dinner, which was hilarious! The joy they found in their new life was contagious.

The songs of the birds each morning awakened us to the new day God brought forth was beautiful. The sunset out of my Mama's back window kissed us goodnight with colors of pink, purples and oranges. A reminder that God is there all the time with us.  And the stars! Clear and bright under the blanket of night in the country.

As I was exploring the yard one day with my three year old son, Asher, admiring all that was around me, these encounters reminded me that God creates all things new, and along with the birds of the sky and lilies of the valleys, He clothes His children in vibrant, beautiful clothing as well. 

Last fall, I attended a Beth Moore Simulcast.  She challenged us to clean out our closets, get rid of the things that don’t fit us as daughters of the King:  shame, doubt, fear, failure.  And to put on the clothes that fit us as coheirs of Christ: 

• Romans 13:14, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the LORD Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
• Proverbs 31:25, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
• Ephesians 4:24, “and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
• Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”
• Colossians 3:12, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

These are the clothes of vibrant colors and beauty that shout forth the creativeness of our Savior.  These are the clothes that we are to wear as daughters of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  Won’t you throw off your old clothes of bitterness, unforgiveness, shame, fear and doubt, and replace them with compassion, trust, forgiveness, confidence, dignity, and strength?  God so desires to clothe you in Himself.  To wrap all that He is around you. 

Let’s clean out the closets of our hearts.  Jesus is waiting to clothe us in His beauty. 

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