What’s the most amazing natural sight you’ve ever seen?
Recently I had the chance to visit South America, and among the natural sights I saw were Iguazu Falls. Iguazu Falls are an immense span of 275 waterfalls over 2.7km on the border between Brazil and Argentina. For me, the natural beauty there really reflected God’s love in creating the world for us to live in.
It’s great to visit far flung places, but there is beauty in nature much closer to home, too. Have you seen the beautiful daffodils on Abbey Road or the wonderful blossom trees on Flass Lane in Barrow? They are a true sign that Spring is here and, along with the clocks going forward last weekend and Easter only 2 weeks away, are a sign of longer days and more sunshine.
Springtime is when the earth comes to life and in the church, it includes the celebration of Easter. We give each other eggs at Easter as a sign of the Spring with its promise of new life. An egg is the way animals come into being. For new life to come from an egg, the shell has to break and the egg has to change into a creature. In the church, an egg reminds us that, though Jesus died on the cross and all looked bad on Good Friday, it was actually good as three days later Jesus rose again to new life. That’s the offer Jesus makes to each of us today. If we believe in him, he will create new life in us and help us to live our lives in a new and different way.
Change can be frightening and we often just want things to stay as they are. But change can lead to better things and the good news is that if we turn to Jesus and follow him, we are never alone. However following Jesus calls us to change, he’ll be right there with us, guiding us and challenging us to be better people. The new life we gain by following Jesus is a loving way of living, ultimately loving God and each other above all else. So, this year in Spring and at Easter, enjoy the new life all around you in the plants and animals and take hold of the new life Jesus offers you through the Easter story.
Every Blessing,
Hayley Edmondson, Beacon Hill Methodist Church
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