devotional thought: all things new

so even though the weather hasn't quite figured out what it's doing, we are solidly pushing our way into spring. i've seen the flip flops, sun burns, and plaid shorts. and in my world, that's spring. it was raining when i went into work this morning, but when i came out at one, i smelled it. not the gross, dank wet smell you sometimes get. no...

it was fresh.

and everywhere i looked, i saw new things popping out of the ground. i mean, first of all, have you even seen how green the grass is? stunning. i saw some tulips start to make an appearance. and boy howdy...there are birds everywhere you look!

life is returning.

people have a little more bounce in their steps. they have more energy. they're excited about doing yardwork and going for long walks.

the awesome thing about spring is that this happens every. single. year. winter bears down and crushes our spirits and seems interminable. even though you know spring has to come at some point, it still always seems like it just might not come this year.

but it does.

and like most things in life, we wouldn't deeply appreciate and humbly marvel at the glorious and wondrous (and, dare i say it...completely normal) things that are spring if we hadn't suffered through the long and dreary winter.

spring is amazing because it is such a vivid picture of how our creator makes all things new. he melts the snow and ice from our hearts. he cleanses us with rain. and then he cultivates...he stirs us up...he brings new life into our weary souls.

***

oh, and one more thing...easter's coming soon.

then bursting forth in glorious day...up from the grave he rose again.

the tomb is empty, friends. because he chose to make all things new.