05/18/2024
Here is my article from my May newsletter. I hope you enjoy if.
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:7-9)
MAY FLOWERS
Dear friends,
I love flowers—more than that, I love planting them, caring for them, looking at them. May flowers are great! Tulips come into their own in May. Right now Virginia bluebells have bloomed, violets and forget-me-nots are doing their thing everywhere, the periwinkle ground cover does most of its blooming now, and even the Persian onions are out. The flowering trees made their debut early because of our unusually warm spring, especially my favorites—cherry trees and rosebuds. Lilacs are already here!. (Taking care of the flower garden is the closest I can get to my farming roots, both at home and at the church. Incidentally, I took care of Mom’s flowers AND huge vegetable garden—in those years I thought I would end up a biology teacher or horticulturalist, but God had other plans!)
In April we sing about April Showers. Who wants them, except we can’t do without them. We would be deprived of tremendous beauty that is the result, namely May flowers. “Showers” can often be a metaphor for pain, suffering, discomfort, discontent. And of course the “flowers” represent the blessings that will come our way.
So what are those blessings? How do we get them? The passage above from Galatians says that whatever we sow is what we will reap. (That’s farmer talk for the kind of seeds you spread out—are we living in a way that is “all about me?” Or are we living our lives with Holy Spirit values?) This is not some sort of eastern spiritualism like “karma”—what goes around comes around. Neither is it a spiritual bribe—IF I do good, THEN God will bless me (sometimes the expectation of a material blessing is part of this idea). No. We are talking grace here, so the blessing is not “earned.”
As Christians we know that sin has consequences, so of course there will be pain in its wake. But choosing the ways of God also have “consequences”—good ones. Philippians 4:7 tell us that when we put our trust in God, the peace of God will be on us. Galatians 5:22-23 tell us we will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. I like the sound of these! I also know that God produces these in the crucible of my life—under circumstances that test me—when I am under discomfort or pain. Do I like these “tests?” Not necessarily. Do I like being blest? Absolutely.
How about you? It is like Moses’ question he posed to the people of Israel before he died: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.” And in case we still miss the point, he goes on to say, “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
Time to smell some May flowers! God bless. With love, Pastor Randy