Spring Time

One’s ability to see or recognize the involvement of our Father’s activity in our lives is imperative.
There are so many that grow up either with an absent father that was never a part of the picture or one that was there but still absent, MIA, missing in action.
It is very easy to transfer the hurt, blame (rejection) pain and confusion onto this God that calls himself Father, especially when it says He is taking such an active role in your life.

The devastation that has traumatized the human race having been born separated from God has many repercussions, from the sublime to the ridiculous, but all spelling a lost alienated and separation from the true source of Life.

It is nothing short of a miracle how God is able to cut through, pierce the darkness that has invaded our soul, bringing into the prison house we have been shackled to, the temporal, physical world, the only world we have ever known, the revelation that not only is God love, but of the intensity of His love for us.
It is this truth, unfolding reality of the Father’s intense love for me that continues to open doors that were formerly nailed (spiked) shut.

My job is one that has put me outside daily in the process of delivering the mail, and along with that comes a real mixed bag of good, bad and ugly pertaining the outdoor elements, the weather.
Right now, very slowly spring is trying its best to convince us to believe it really is here, but there continues to be lingering evidence that it has not fully kicked in. Be that as it may because of this very hard, cold very long winter we have experienced here, whenever we have a reprieve from winters relinquishing taunting and the temp’s begin to be somewhat normal and even exceed the norm, people crawl seemingly out of the wood work, outside want to do whatever they can do lawn, yard clean up wise.

It was these actions of many folks that caught my attention the other day who were eagerly and aggressively out raking their lawns, using broom rakes, comb rakes, and even some using brooms to try and squeeze in as much time as possible to make as it were hay while the sun shined.
I saw others busy pruning dead branches from trees, and other lawn cleanup activities. Suddenly seemingly from nowhere, I hear my Father’s loving but firm voice, ‘Son what are you seeing in all of this’, I thought on that for a few seconds and said, Lord I’m not sure other than it is so cool seeing what the sun can do in drawing folks outside when they have been cloistered in their house all winter, and enjoying not only being outside, but being able to be part of seeing the miracle of spring replacing the naked season of winter.’
It was in His question to me that the answer seemed to suddenly appear to me, it was so simple, it always is when He allows us to see isn’t it!
I began to hear His heart afresh for me, ‘Son, these people are doing all they can with what they have, no matter the tools they are using to rake their lawns for the purpose of getting rid of the old dead growth, and to stimulate the new life that is about to turn their dead brown world into a world of vibrant and living colors.’

It was as if He was saying to me, ‘Do you want to bear that which I want to produce within you, because if you do then just like the aggressive and very caustic measures these people are taking to see new growth, life spring forth from their lawns and trees is what is needed and necessary in your life.’
In a moment my mind was recalling so many things that I have been facing lately and beginning to see how it was these seemingly very aggressive and caustic (pain filled) events that had been and are being used of my loving Father to prepare me for a whole new season of Life that is about to spring forth!
In the blink of an eye, it was so humbling to see the lies I had embraced about this Father’s seemingly inactivity, being removed or not actively involved in my continued growth.
The lies were displaced in one quick moment, ushering in such deep appreciation for a Father that uses ALL things to prove, demonstrate His unrestrained commitment of love to me, His son!

Rich