Nearly everyone enjoys the signs of Spring – the warming weather, the blossoming trees, the daffodils, crocus, snowdrops, the butterflies, the singing of birds, etc. It is a lovely time of year and awakens our senses to the beauty around us. Many people attribute all of this to “nature”. But it is not accidental that when God put in place the seasons of the year, He planned for Spring to follow Winter. But there’s more to God’s plan.

Our Old Life

Since mankind had rebelled against Him and wanted to be in His place, directing and choosing his own way, God graciously provided the only way back – the perfect sacrifice for mankind’s sin – His Son, Jesus Christ. But that happened thousands of years later, letting mankind try and fail, try and fail again and again. When God chose the exact time to enter into mankind’s realm as a human being, His plan was being fulfilled, right on schedule.

butterflies and flowers on a tie button — “Butterflies and Flowers II” by Willina Lueb, Fit-to-be-Tie’d Buttons

As Jesus lived among people, it became obvious that He was not like any other man. He was God in a human body. At the God-appointed time, Jesus became the perfect sacrifice – the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world. Interesting enough, God’s chosen time was at the Jewish Passover, which was for all those centuries a foreshadowing of this moment in time. But His death was only a part of God’s plan.

Three days later, He had conquered death proving He was indeed the God-man. This is why we celebrate Resurrection Sunday since it was on Sunday that He arose from the grave. By the way, that is why many churches worship on Sunday. It’s really a reminder every week of His resurrection.

Since the first century, this celebration was tied to the Jewish Passover. However, because the Passover is determined by the Jewish calendar (14^th of Nisan – this year on April 10), the day set aside to celebrate the Resurrection varies a little. But it is always in the Spring, the time of “new life” in the plant kingdom. God obviously knew what He was doing in His eternal plan. What a reason for us to rejoice and give honor to God as we observe creation bursting forth with new life and beauty around us.

Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know when God dispatches them, And causes the light of His cloud to shine? Do you know how the clouds are balanced, Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge? Why are your garments hot, When He quiets the earth by the south wind? . . . Teach us what we should say to Him, – Job 37:14b-19a

Our New Life

But let us not stop with just admiring God’s creation. As was mentioned in a blog a couple of weeks ago by Shaun, God desires to bring His new life into mankind’s soul, to create a new life because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

This “new life in Christ” is what motivates each of us to do what we do to bring honor to Him. If we eat, or drink, or whatever we do (carve spoons, make knives or rings or cards, or Scrub-Bees, or buttons), we do it out of a desire to bring Him glory, through careful workmanship and right attitudes.