New Life Follows Death

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.   Hebrews 10:20

“Let me make this clear: A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies.  Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat – all because one grain died.” John 12:24

In the past, throughout spring and Easter, I have often focused on new life.  This year, my focus has shifted.  I’ve become more aware of the death that is necessary for new life to occur.  Death is not something I like to think about or experience, and yet, God has been showing me there is often purpose and value in death.  The process of sanctification is a sort of death.  As God reveals things in my life that need to be shed, it’s not comfortable and often painful.  The actual process of truly giving up the behavior or false belief is a sort of death.  Little by little I am transformed into Christ’s likeness.  As my faith grows, I am becoming more open to the pain of death and I anticipate the new life that will follow.  As our church family is in this time of transition, waiting for a new chapter is about to begin, may we be open to whatever death needs to be worked out in us, individually and corporately, making Christ’s resurrection life more evident in us.

Prayer:  Jesus, You are our Perfect Lamb, our Redeemer & Savior, an absolute Servant of God.  Thank you for opening a life-giving way for us to be in relationship with our Loving Father and Creator.  Your life is the supreme example of the amazing new life that comes out of death.  As our church family awaits the discovery of our new pastor and a new chapter, we pray for deep spiritual cleansing, even death where it is necessary.  Transform our hearts and minds so we are willing at whatever cost, for your death to be worked out in us so that Your resurrection life would become evident in us. 

In Jesus precious name we pray, amen.

Lisa Brown