Springing Forth

"Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert."  Isaiah 43:19

It seems that everyone I talk to these days says the exact same thing.  Spring is arriving just in time this year.  It's very slowly warming up, the snow is melting, and most people seem to have a little lift in their step.  It's wonderful.  I am always so incredibly thankful when spring arrives.  Which is kind of funny, because spring always shows up, but every year it just seems like I can't take anymore winter and then God flips the switch, and we've headed for spring.

Spring is just such a wonderful time to think on God.  It really is, because everywhere you look, there is newness springing forth. As the snow melts away, with time, the grass will begin to green up, and flowers that you didn't even know were there will begin to pop up and amaze the world with their vibrant colors and textures.  The soil will yield the frost it's been hanging on to, and accept the gift of life- seeds planted within to be turned into fruits and vegetables for the family table.

Yesterday I celebrated springs return by sowing my tomato seeds indoors.   It was almost as exciting as preparing for an exotic vacation.  As I do every year when I plant seeds, I marveled at the goodness of God, and at the wonders that He created for us.  Tomatoes always marvel me.  A small, simple seed, when planted and tended properly can yield dozens of fresh, wonderful tomatoes.  And each tomato can contain hundreds of seeds itself.  It's an amazing circle of life, and to me it's a sign that God truly does desire for us to live in abundance.   From one simple tomato, we can produce hundreds of new plants if we had the mind to.  And most fruits and vegetables are like that.  I can't think of a single one where you plant one seed and yield one vegetable with one seed.  Carrots may come to mind for some, because we usually pull up just one carrot.  But had we let that carrot produce its seeds, it would produce hundreds all by its lonesome self.

In the exact same way, Jesus has been planted inside of us.  Jesus has been planted in our hearts, souls and minds, and the seeds that produces are innumerous. But it is up to us- are we going to stifle the growth?  Are we going to keep those seeds to ourselves?  Or are we going to take those seeds and scatter them, sowing them purposely in those around us? We are a seed carrier for the Goodness of God, and we were designed to share those seeds.

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”  Matthew 13:23

Spring fills me with hope and encouragement each and every year.  As the physical world around me brightens and warms, it reminds me that God is always there, that He's always in everything that happens.  And then I read verses like the one way at the top today that says that God is doing a new thing.  I can't wait to see what the next new things is.