Season of Renewal

by Lynn Mosher
(Louisville, KY)

“For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth.” Isaiah 61:11 NKJV

It’s here again…spring! However, before creation blossoms forth with spring beauty, nature endures a season of transformation. During their time of travail, the trees stand lifeless, branches withered and devoid of blooms and fruit, unproductive to all who look upon them.

The Lord once said to me, "During the long winter months, when nature has seemingly lost all its beauty, life still flows deep within its darkest recesses. The trees appear naked and dead without their leaves and blooms. The ground seems hard and bare without the beauty of flowers and grass. But, in reality, life is ever-flowing, ever-present.

"It flows in the sap that is deep within the trees. It stirs within the seeds of flowers yet to bloom. Both are quietly at work, awaiting their appointed time to be awakened and spring to life..."

As the gloom of winter slides into the past, nature awakens from its seasonal slumber and spring poises to pounce out from behind winter's shadows. After their hibernation, the trees’ inner vitality sends forth blossoms of growth to replace the external, faded beauty.

"...Sometimes My people also must endure their long winter months of travail when their fruit seems to have withered and their branches seem bare. But deep within their roots, My Spirit moves with eternal life.

"All may seem dark, lost, and devoid of life and beauty, but, in such a life lived with Me, My work still goes on...Allow My Life to flow through you, especially in the darkest of times, and then all will be yours."

Sometimes I must endure those tempestuous seasons of life as they swoop down upon me through raging storms of temptation, cold winds of isolation, or swirling cyclones of adversity, leaving me devoid of the blooms and fruit of my life.

Spring brings a message of hope, proclaiming the truth that God’s creations arise from their time of decay and darkness to new life, producing the fruit of regeneration only after their time of dormancy.

Spring offers that same message of hope to me, even though the darkness of circumstances surround me, causing a period of suspension, I can trust that God’s timetable for renewal always comes. I know that I still have eternal, divine Sap flowing through me, bubbling up with new life. The Sap must flow if inward growth is to take place and the signs of outward progress make a showing.

Just as the trees must have a widespread root for stability to withstand the strong winds of adversity, I must have the same. The sap of the Spirit flows freely because I have allowed my roots to grow deep into the soil of the Word.

Though Paul was speaking of the engrafted Jews when he said, “If the roots of a tree are dedicated to God, every branch will belong to Him also…remind yourself that you do not support the root, the root supports you,” (Rom. 11:16, 18 Phillips) this is applicable to us as Jesus is our root; we are the branches. If we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit.

Does your life feel as though you have lost all your beauty? Are the first signs of decay setting in, causing you to feel lost and fruitless? God’s work still flows within you until the appointed time to be awakened and spring to life.

When your roots spread deep into the Word, the sap of the Spirit will move with Eternal Life. As David said, "Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." (Ps. 92:13 NKJV)

In this season of renewal, may all the dark circumstances of your life awaken the Eternal Sap of Life within you, and may you experience a time of growth, to blossom for the Lord.

Until next month, be blessed…