PUT ON A HAPPY FACE

PUT ON A HAPPY FACE…

As I was out walking my dog this morning, I discovered hanging on one of the shrubs outside of the church the most perfectly formed tiny bird’s nest peeking out from one of the branches. Have to tell you, it was a stunning work of natural creative design and simplistic beauty. Now this, in and of itself, would be no big deal, there are plenty of bird nests everywhere this time of year, except that this particular nest was different. It was carefully and strategically positioned on a shrub that had been deemed as sickly beyond any hope of recovery and was slated for removal due to the level of destruction inflicted upon it from the natural elements of life. Lack of necessary nutrients, lack of natural sunlight, lack of moisture and of course the invasion of deadly insects all played their part in the destruction of this otherwise lovely shrub.

How could something like that shrub be so “dead” yet shelter something so precious where life itself was being joyfully regenerated within the very depths of its innermost parts.

My friends, isn’t life just like that? How many times do we face situations whereby things look completely dead yet are still miraculously yielding life. How many times do we submit to fear or to defeat when all that is needed for a turnaround is a genuine renewal of HOPE… Hope in the ever-present person of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

It wouldn’t be too farfetched to conclude that our great country as we speak is in dire need of Hope. Everything at every level of our way of life is being challenged and picked apart by corruption, greed, hatred, violence, and lawlessness. From our federal government down to our local communities, to our families…everything that we as a nation once held dear and honorable and holy is being desecrated. No need to go into all the problems plaguing our society, all we need to do is turn on our TVs for a daily line up of situations becoming more chaotic and overwhelmingly stressful with each passing day.

So, what do we do… where do we go from here…how do we stop the insanity… where can we find the peace and stability to sustain our lives and our civilization for generations to come? Is there any Hope at all??????

It’s encouraging in times like this to know that with Jesus, nothing is ever hopeless… nothing. Jesus is the giver of life and therefore the giver of a perpetual Hope that anything in this life that has been declared dead can be resurrected and brought back to life. No amount of “death” can ever overtake the power of the love of our Lord towards all of mankind.

All we need to do is recognize the simple truth that God can and does make all things new and that He makes all things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose. That would be you. You were born and called to be a child of the living God and to inherit all the riches of eternal life through Jesus Christ. No one or no thing can stand in your way or stop you if you only believe. Your destiny in Christ Jesus is one of absolute certainty and victory. No deadly thing can harm you, no deadly thing can stop you, no deadly report can hinder you, no deadly enemy can stop you. You are a Child of God. Living in daily fellowship with Almighty God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and choosing to walk in Faith, HOPE and Love will conquer any and all enemies or seemingly hopeless situations that come against you in this life.

Just like the dead shrub generating life through that tiny little nest, there is beauty and life in all things. Turn your hearts toward God and put your trust in the HOPE that is exhibited all around us every day in such extraordinary ways. Jesus took all our sins, and all our insecurities, all our pain, and all our fears upon himself and died on that cross so that we could have life and life more abundantly. He forever sealed that covenant of salvation with us when He came back to life and resurrected from that grave. If you haven’t already done so, ask Him into your hearts today, He is waiting. Revive that Hope within yourself that no matter how dark this world becomes, everything is going to be just fine because, guess what… everything is going to be just fine in Christ Jesus… it always has been, always will be and there is never any reason to fear.