At Easter this year I pulled a blooming tulip from its pot and showed it to the kids as a children's message, explaining how the tulip would die each year, but then in the spring come back to life. I related that to nature's annual proclamation of Christ and God's kingdom.
Then I decided to leave the tulip lay out this entire week to see how fast it would shrivel. It has turned all yellow and withered. The leaves have fallen off and lay in a heap. I am sure if I were to touch it it would fold over on itself. The roots are dry and will crumble into powder at my touch. The bulb is separating into its layers and coming apart as well. It is vastly different from the plant I uprooted just 6 days ago.
The lesson of course for us all, and what I plan on sharing with the kids on Sunday is just how quickly we begin to deteriorate once separated from the nourishment's that gives us life. That is true in every element of our life, be it psychological, physical, or spiritual. If I don't rest my mind and body, if I deprive myself of substance, if I don't challenge myself to learn more, or exercise I will soon begin to wither and die; like the tulip. In the same vein, if I don't rest in Christ, if I refrain from spending time in His Holy Word, if I refuse to communicate with Him through prayer, or ignore the leading of His Holy Spirit I will soon begin to wither and die in my heart and spirit; also like the tulip.
Now, none of us would deny ourselves of the substances of life physically or mentally; so why do we so often deprive ourselves of the spiritual substances of life in Christ?
PJ
2 comments:
And like the tulip if we do shrivel, and then replant ourselves in Him, we come back to life and have new life, new color, new beauty. Christ always gives us second chances.
We are studying about nourishment, rest, and exercise (effort) in growing a strong spirit. I have often thought I was doing well and then see a spot that is much like shrivel that needs the miracle of God's grace to send new life into that area. I have tulips that have come up in the front yard and I noticed one stepped on. It bruised it badly. Guess that is a whole different story.Thanks for the lesson.
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