New Growth

Recently I saw pictures of a friend’s beautiful yard/garden. The yard was in color! I responded to her by saying how much I have enjoyed my pink dogwood this year, but it is “now beginning to make its transition from pink petals to green leaves”. It is a sad time for me because those petals are so gorgeous, and the same happens with the azalea bushes. So beautiful for 2-3 weeks, but then the color begins to fade, and you know what’s coming - the everlasting green leaves. I love the green which comes but miss the colors.

After texting “now beginning to make its transition from pink petals to green leaves”, my thought was that this may mean something spiritual. So here I am asking God to help me discern this time of “transition” or “a change from one form or type to another”.

Easter is a time of transition - a change from the dark days following the Last Supper to the Crucifixion of Jesus.

But then we move to the empty tomb, and the excitement that Jesus is risen!

What a transition that is - from a really big LOW to a really big HIGH of emotions. But it is more than emotions. It is a TRUTH that He died for us to save us from sin and death.

Another example of a time of transition, or change, is when a person - who doesn’t think God could ever love them or choose them for His purpose - gives their life to God and brings Jesus into their hearts! What a joyous decision that person made - from the LOW to a really big HIGH. Again it is more than emotions. It is a change from death and darkness to belief and faith in an e.v.e.r.l.a.s.t.i.n.g God!

This leads me back to the illustration of the pink dogwood tree. To me it represents a new Christian who has just accepted Christ. The buds on the tree begin to bloom with that decision, and the excitement lifts high the beauty and joy as the buds begin to open and deepen in color. This is a new born Christian whose old life has passed away. This is God’s new life; new creation!

This joy and excitement lasts for a while, but eventually, the excitement settles, and that person is changing into a joyous state of learning about Christ. He/She is hungry for the Word and its meanings and needs a really good teacher(s)!! Being a new Christian doesn’t mean that there will be no more trials, temptations, or bad things happening in their lives. But it does mean that we have a Savior who is with us ALWAYS and will never leave us - someone who will walk with us through these tough times. The book, Jesus Calling, says it this way: "You are Mine for all time: nothing can separate you from My Love...Each moment you can choose to practice My Presence or to practice the presence of problems." He is with us, but we have to stay connected to the Word and the people and situations which teach us.

Thus the pink petals begin to fade to a white colored petal, just as the excitement does, and the green leaves begin to burst forth to cover the petals. The color green in God’s language means life; new growth; everlasting life. It's longer lasting leaves overtake the beauty of the blooms.

We must keep our "faith roots" connected to the Living Waters of the Word so that we can withstand the heat and the drought and never stop producing fruit regardless of whatever transition we may be going through.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,

who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.

They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.

7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.

Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.

Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Thanks for stopping by,

Rachel