DIE TO LIVE... Sunday

Devotional for 8/10/14

I am just a lowly seed.  I came from the fruit of a plant that has deep roots. My tiny form has a hard outer shell, but inside I am actually kind of soft.  I don't feel very pretty, especially compared to those beautiful flowers praising the sun that smell so sweet, or the ripened fruit on the branches that taste so delicious.  And now I am dirty as well, having fallen to the ground, surrounded by the rotting meat of the fruit from which I came.  I am dying within as I am buried in the decomposing dirt.  But that fertilizer causes a miracle to occur as my thick outer shell falls away.  Water seeps in, and my insides swell, sending tentacles downward to soak up more, and shoots push upward through the earth that has covered me. My shoots become branches, reaching to the sky, flowering profusely and producing good fruit.  Even though I died, I live again, thriving in the sun!

I am just a lowly person.  I came from a family that has deep roots.  My hard outer shell that I have developed protects my vulnerable inner self, that soft soul within me.  My face isn't very pretty in my opinion, especially compared to those beautiful people I see on TV or in magazines.  My life hasn't always been that pretty either, when I see all my mistakes in the past.  At times I feel as though I have fallen into a deep pit, surrounded by the rotten choices I've made.  I am dying within as I am buried in sin.  But God uses all my experiences like fertilizer to enrich my life.  A miracle begins to occur as my hard outer shell falls.  God out of his great mercy chooses to forgive me for all things in my past, no matter how big or small.  The faith that was planted in my heart through baptism with water, the gift of the Spirit, takes hold. I study his Word in the Bible to soak up more understanding. My arms raise up in praise toward the heavens and do good works out of thanks to God for all he has done.  This provides a witness, and my experiences allow me to help others.  Even though I died to sin, I live in Christ, thriving in the Son!

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) 

written by Jan Andersen