“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”

Ezekiel 36:25

I stepped out onto my back porch this morning to an incredible sight:  ELECTRIC GREEN!

You know that color don’t you?  The neon hue that adorns all the plants and bushes just as they begin to sprout anew in the springtime?    It is a different green than we see the rest of the year.  It is brand new; young and vibrant.  And when mixed with the crispness of the air, the smell of the coming rain, and the singing of the birds – it brings an amazing amount of energy, joy, and even hope to our sensibilities.

This green does more than simply herald the coming of the new season.  For me, it affirms something I know (but maybe have forgotten in the dark days of winter.)  This electric green reminds me that God is real and He is working to renew everything in my world.  Being able to touch the new growth on my backyard bushes is a visible and tangible reminder that God is always at work in my life renewing, regenerating, and helping me to begin again.

What a grace of our Father in heaven.  We are told that those who believe without seeing are truly blessed.  Those who have faith in the absence of  proof – they are held in high esteem by the Almighty.  And, sometimes, I am one of those people.  But many times, I am not.  Many times in the midst of discouragement and disappointment, it is hard for me to believe that God is still engaged in my affairs.  Sometimes when I have waited and prayed for so long with no discernible answer, I find myself doubting and wondering if He is even there at all.

But in His infinite mercy, He doesn’t hold those thoughts against me.  Instead He does just the opposite.  He gives me a sign, like these bushes that say, “I am still here with You.”  He gives me hope in a way that I can understand it.  And what a gift!  After all, He is the God of the universe, and He owes me nothing.  But His love for me is made real in these reminders that are popping up all around me.  I am humbled when I behold His handiwork – to know that He cares enough to help me over the hard days when my faith waivers and my emotions are overtaken with feelings of abandonment.  Indeed, He is my Good Shepherd.

How about you, friends?  Are you aware of God’s work in your life today?  Have you taken the time to look around for those signs that He is with you and will never forsake you?  Oh, please do.  They are there.  We just have to slow down and look for them.  Allow His grace to flow over you today and be renewed in your spirits.  Regardless of where you have been, allow Him to minister to your soul, renew your heart, and to create a new hope and way of seeing things today.  For He is good, all the time.

Peace my friends.