Happy Easter to you all, and yes, it is still Easter.
9 God said, “Let the waters under the sky come together into one place so that the dry land can appear.” And that’s what happened. 10 God named the dry land Earth, and he named the gathered waters Seas. God saw how good it was. 11 God said, “Let the earth grow plant life: plants yielding seeds and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind throughout the earth.” And that’s what happened.12 The earth produced plant life: plants yielding seeds, each according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was. (Genesis 1:9-12; CEB)
May has always been this month of transformation for myself. The school year is ending, the teachers and students become restless as they watch out the window and feel the warm rays of sunshine gleaming through the glass of their classroom, waiting for the bell to ring. The grass begins to become greener. The birds chirp loudly as they come back to their summer homes. Yes, nature is one of God’s greatest creations, isn’t it?
When I think of nature, I also think of Jesus’ time on earth after his resurrection. We all know that during this time, before he ascended, that many people saw him. Mary Magdalene was the first, then three more women, the disciples minus Thomas, a group of 500, and so on. It is this time that Jesus spent with the people that gave us the realization that resurrection is possible, that the world and its people can be made new again.
The reason that I mention this is because seeing Jesus in our lives in important, see a loving God in our lives is also important. What is also important is taking care of what God has given us, like this glorious place to live. The world was created for us to live in and for us to take care of. We watch our families grow, and we all hope that the planet is safe and prosperous for the generations following us.
As we worship our resurrected Christ over the next month, let us also remember that each spring our world is resurrected to give us what we need to live, our food to eat, and our water to drink. And I hope that as you look out your windows, and watch the buds begin forming on your trees. Or as you get ready to plant your gardens, that you all understand why we are here. And I believe that is to proclaim a resurrected Christ and a God who provides for each one of us.
So, I ask you to all begin looking for God in your lives today and begin proclaiming the goodness that we see and feel each day. Remember “God saw how good it was.”
Blessings,
Pastor Greg
