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New Beginnings

 

~ Ephesians 4:24 ~

Put on your new nature, created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.

 

 

Today is May 1st so I thought what better day to write about new beginnings than today. With the newness of Spring filling the air and a new month arriving for us to begin again with a fresh new approach to life, I felt led to write on this topic instead of two others that have been percolating in my mind. They will come soon! I hear the birds singing and the rising sun is shining bright through my window and the blue sky welcomes me with an invitation to cease this new day with an attitude of true gratitude for the Creator's gifts during this glorious time of year.

 

I am falling in love with Spring here in Utah. I was concerned it might be similar to Colorado, but us being at 4500 ft elevation as opposed to 7500 ft is a welcomed difference. We came here in November after living in middle Tennessee for 4 1/2 years, where Spring is long and incredible, so I was hoping for some of that instead of the unpredictable teasing of the Palmer Divide area where we had lived for 13 years before Tennessee. There, a day of warm 70s would be followed by a winter storm warning all too often and the rule was don't plant flowers until after Mother's Day. That was hard for me!

 

I love flowers and love playing in the dirt and found myself freezing on many days while doing yard work from March through May in Black Forest, Colorado. Not fun. While everyone in warmer regions (so it seemed in my mind) were planting and mowing in shorts and a T-shirt, I was bundled up with a biting wind ruining what could have been a perfect day. Oh, the memories.

 

 

Back to my topic of new beginnings. Yesterday while out for a walk on a perfect Spring weather day, I found myself really stopping to notice the change from the prior week. The fresh newly opened lime green leaves on the trees were filling in spaces that had been bare through winter. Many of the blooming buds were now transformed into a beautiful hue of green abundance covering the branches and complimenting Gods' blue sky. It brought to my attention how God takes our tired and worn sinful selves and, like nature, a metamorphosis occurs after we surrender our hearts to Him completely. We are renewed into what He desires us to be fully, a Christ-like spirit carrying His good news into this world filled with sin and darkenss. We become light. Be become a new creation that has the capacity to bring down heaven on earth and change not only the atmosphere, but also change lives. What a glorious transformation similar to God's nature changing from the dead of winter to the new life of Spring.

 

~ Proverbs 11:30 ~

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

 

As I read through Ephesians 4, I discovered that we can look forward with a newness in our attitude and mindset for His kingdom when we take our focus off our self-(ish) fleshly thinking. This was a spiritual maturity I longed to possess for many years, but was not always willing to put in the effort. Once I let go of my carnal ways and allowed God to mold me, the Lord really did a major purification in my heart on so many levels. It took time, surrender, and really looking in the mirror to be able to humble myself and arrive in a place of true gratitude where His indescribable love could enter my heart that then allowed this transformation to fully blossom. And the desire to please Him more than myself and the conviction of really wanting to be free of my dreadful fleshly attitude became more apparent each day I offered up myself to Him. 

 

~ Ephesians 4:14-15 ~

Then you will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church.

 

 

As I gazed at the tall mature trees on my walk yesterday, I also noticed the strong roots that had spread out in all directions anchored so firmly in the ground that the concrete path in several areas had been pushed upward over time. Concrete is strong, but obviously not as strong as the living roots of a matured tree. Over time these roots gain strength and begin to secure the growing tree. Wind may come and storms may pass, but the deeply rooted foundation holds its place. This can be us in this New Season. We can choose to shed our old nature and seek God's true desire for us to become what He intends to use us for. It is a choice and on this new day and in this new season, an invitation that awaits you. We can gain the strength of a towering mature tree and triumph over the winds of change and the storms of life when we begin again with the Lord as our true foundation and our deeply rooted renewed faith in Him takes hold.

 

~ Ephesians 4:21-24 ~

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature to be created like God - truly righteous and holy.

 

If each one of us, who were created by God for a greater purpose, can begin to start this new month, this new season with a renewed perspective on what it means to be "the church", to use our giftings, and to be transformed, we can collectively become heaven on earth. I encourage you to go and read Ephesians chapter 4 and ask for the Holy Spirit to give you fresh new meaning in your life today. Ask for daily guidance on how you can become more like Christ in your heart and in your attitude toward life and others. Allow His presence to fill you and to purify the areas that need attention. Ask for fresh eyes to see what He has for you. Seek His wisdom that is not of this earth and you will begin to see a new world and a new way of walking in it. You will witness a transformation in your outlook on life that brings forth a servant's heart approach and a way of walking in the spirit that spreads an abundance of love, hope, and change in this world. Be that change and be a part of the solution to the darkenss that permeates this earth. Be the light and spread God's word and His promise. I promise, you will never be the same and you will reap so much joy as you begin to praise Him for all that He reveals to you!

 

~ Ephesians 4:31-32 ~

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

 

 

 

 

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Diane :)

 

 

Encouraging Scripture to meditate on for your New Beginnings:

 

* The Lord leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way. ~ Psalm 25:8-9

* Lead me in the perfect path, O, Lord, make your way plain for me to follow. ~ Psalm 5:8

* If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. ~ James 1-5