Time to Blossom!

As you can see, we're anxiously awaiting the blossoming of our giant Hibiscus bush in our backyard. Purchased last year, we reluctantly pruned it down to near extinction upon the recommendation of our all-knowing nursery. Then we had one of the hardest winters in recent memory and while other flowers in our yard rejoined the living, our Hibiscus showed no signs of life.

Pina and I though prayed and followed Jesus's example with the fig tree in Mark's Gospel, only that instead of cursing we blessed our seemingly lifeless plant. Death and life are in the power of the tongue but you have to add some faith horsepower to it otherwise you're just talking! Plus we didn't fully understand that God, in creating this most beautiful of flowering plants, had added a remarkable resiliency to it.

Soon after taking the photo, I saw similarities in the "living stones" spiritual house of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul described the church as "His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" [Ephesians 1:23]. It's those who found grace and forgiveness of sins through the Cross of Christ. It's the people of God, the royal priesthood, who live for God through the power of His Spirit.

And just like our gorgeous Hibiscus which will soon be the envy of our neighborhood, the church of God has endured a long and terrible winter of fear, threats, and confusion. Our churches were emptied, our lips were covered, and we wondered "what in the world is happening?"

But take another look at the photo...the Blood red bloom depicting the life of God is emerging within His people. A great awakening has started and the winds of the Spirit are beginning to swirl again to bring new life to a teetering nation. We have always been a people for God...the covenant was struck at the very beginning. Our currency and historic documents affirm it: In God we trust. We are one nation under God and although not everyone has called on the name of the Lord, the church is the resident force of good, the salt of preservation that remains to help ensure that all men remain free and able to hear the Gospel's Good News!

Consider the following from the Song of Solomon: “My beloved responded and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along. For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land..."

Folks, it's time to bloom again!