I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. [Psalm 143:6 (NLT)]
The question was asked, “How did the message of “Resurrection Day” [Easter] impact you specifically this year?” I never answered. The last two weeks have been hectic and, unfortunately, I allowed the busyness of life to keep me from feeling Easter’s complete impact. We had house guests until the day before Easter. After they left, laundry, cleaning and prep work for Easter dinner kept me from prayer and preparing my heart to receive the next day’s message. Easter morning arrived and we rushed to church where I took over 200 photos for the church website. Returning home, I had those photos to edit and post before our six dinner guests arrived. About the time the house was again clean and I’d nearly caught up with everything that hadn’t been done the week earlier, we had a second set of house guests. It wasn’t until today that I finally gave serious thought to how the Easter message has impacted my life.
We took a walk in the swamp this morning and I saw the resurrection ferns. Two days ago, when we walked the same boardwalk, the ferns’ fronds were brown and shriveled. While I reassured my guest that they were not dead, I’m not sure she believed me. It rained last night and I wish she could have seen the ferns this morning. Within thirty minutes of receiving rain, those shriveled leaves uncurl, green up and look “good as new.” Because of last night’s shower, the resurrection ferns in the swamp were lush and lovely today.
The Easter message is one of resurrection and renewal. Just as the rain water gives new life to the ferns, the living water of the resurrected Christ brings new life to us. The ferns, however, will again shrivel in the heat of the day; once we receive the Holy Spirit, we can thrive and blossom, even in hot dry spells. Jesus defeated death and by His power, we can defeat life! I have drunk of his water, been refreshed and renewed, and will never thirst again!
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for taking the shriveled bits of our lives and making them new again. With your living water, there is no need to wither and die. By the power of your Holy Spirit, we can always flourish in your garden!
Devotions of the Heart 