There are some things in our lives that we can control. As human beings endowed with a variety of gifts, talents, resources and time, we have the ability to direct and manage a number of aspects of our lives. For Christians, our management of these resources is the work of stewardship.
There are, however, other aspects of our lives over which we have absolutely no control. Birth and death top this list. Between these parameters, however, are a whole host of other small births and small deaths. These are the things that belong to God and God alone.
For the last two Sundays we have sung Hymn 204. This is a French carol from the 19th century called “Noel nouvelet”. The first line of this carol begins, “Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain.” Of course this line refers to the life cycle of which all living creatures take part. We sing it during the Easter season, however, because it refers to the sacred life story which Christians believe we are also a part. The great and wonderful mystery of God is that he takes death and transforms it into life. This happens with the “dead grains” that are buried and yet in the springtime burst forth out of the ground. This happens with our Lord Jesus who was crucified, dead, buried and yet after three days bursts forth from the tomb. This is the great promise for all of us who claim the wonderful truth that God takes the death of our physical bodies and transforms us into new life.
And while we can control some things in our lives, this new life we cannot control. Both the promise and its fulfillment belong to God. So what is the duty of Christians with regard to these aspects of our lives? Acceptance and gratitude. When it comes to the things of God, may we be grateful for all the forms of new life that God initiates in our lives. And may we accept with patience and perseverance those things which appear as death and yet in truth are “buried grains” waiting to burst forth into “green blades.” Art+
Through out our faith history God has also taken what is bad and turns it to good. Sometimes in our own trials we find that it has been preparation for us to minister to others in time of need. Turning a trouble into a gift.
What a paradox.
Whether we want to accept this a God’s plan is a personal theological question that only we can answer. But the truth lies in that good can come out of bad, life can come from death, hope can come from despair; and our Judeo-Christian heritage proves it time and again.
We truly have a loving, compassion, all soverign God who keeps his promises. Maybe not on our timeline but certainly on his. The certainty and belief in God’s promise gives us hope, fortitude and perserverance to carry on in our lives proclaiming his good news through word and deed.
I believe the one who celebrates this the most is God himself.
Testing to see if I am connected into the blog. Like the message Art!
God makes all things new. The website pictures of the church look really nice!
God’s peace to all at Ascension.