After crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel began their journey toward the Promised Land. The route would be through the wilderness where their surroundings required constant miracles for survival. Three days into their trip they began to grumble about lack of water. After finding undrinkable water, Moses called upon the Lord. He was instructed to place a "tree" into the bitter water of Marah. The waters were transformed into sweet, drinkable water. At this spot, God introduced Himself to the Israelites as Jehovah Rapha, "The Lord Who Heals You." From Marah, the Lord led them to an oasis called Elim or "The place of great trees." Not only were there twelve springs of water but also seventy date palm trees. Scripture says, "So they camped there by the waters." (Exodus 15:27) What a miraculous encouragement!
 
I thought back on this section of Scripture this week as I looked at pictures of the desert in Israel today. Normally, the expansive southern portion of Israel, known as the Negev, is characterized by brown, rocky, and rugged mountains because there is so little rainfall and sparse vegetation. However, the rainy season that comes during the winter months brings the desert to life. This year there were uncharacteristically heavy rains that transformed the wilderness into a vibrant landscape of green ground cover sprinkled with a plethora of flowers.
 
Psalm 126:4 invites us to compare the wilderness seasons of our lives to the transforming landscape that comes about when the wadis or dry riverbeds of the desert overflow with water after the rains. The water brings what seems like instant life to the desert, and pictures how our lives can be transformed from barren and desolate places into those of hope and renewal. The children of Israel were returning to Zion after years in captivity and sang out, "Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev."
 
The Desert show in the Negev is so spectacular this year that many travelers have been drawn to the region to witness the amazing transformation of the landscape. Portions of this desert were inaccessible to the people because of the Hamas-initiated war on October 7, 2023. So, it is with great joy that the people of Israel have returned to look at the spectacle of beauty that speaks of hope to them. The God who makes the flowers grow in such harsh conditions is also the God who will help them triumph over adversity.
 
Those who live in the Negev celebrate the spectacle of flowers with a yearly festival called Darom Adom. It is named for Israel's national flower, the red anemone, or Kalanit in Hebrew, which means "The Red South." For about six weeks while the desert blossoms, there is a period of time when the hills are covered with a carpet of red anemone. Among the sea of red, one can also spot white iris, yellow mustard, and purple lupines. The transformation of the desert is truly a spectacle to celebrate that draws our attention to the God of creation—Elohim.
 
This amazing display of God's glory on earth recalls His promise from Isaiah 35, verses 1 and 2. "The Desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God." We too can blossom as we ask for the water of God's Spirit to be poured upon us. Hallelujah! 

Environmentalist Rachel Carson said, "Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life." It is incumbent on us to deliberately slow down to contemplate the creativity and majesty of the Lord. Doing this puts life into perspective and repositions us to renew our awe of God.
 
Sadly, I believe that our society has lost its awe of God. David's Psalm 8 reminds us of the Lord's excellence. "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor...O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!" (Verses 3-5, 9 - NKJ) When I want to reinvigorate my awe of God at this time of the year, I look outside at the snow-covered ground and am reminded that every one of the millions of snowflakes is unique.
 
Henry David Thoreau says it so well in writing about snowflakes: "How full of the creative genius is the air in which these are generated! I should hardly admire more if real stars fell and lodged on my coat. Nature is full of genius, full of divinity: so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand." As I contemplate this statement, I look at a book that I have come to treasure over the years. It shows me individual pictures of over one hundred snowflakes. The author of the book called The Little Book of Snowflakes, Kenneth Libbrecht, explains that the images are of "freshly fallen snowflakes, captured using a special photo-microscope. The most symmetrical crystals are usually found during light snowfalls, with little wind, when the weather is especially cold."
 
Mr. Libbrecht includes some interesting information about snowflakes in his book. He writes, "Many well-formed snowflakes have six nearly symmetrical branches. Sometimes you may find twelve-branched snowflakes as well. One thing you will not find falling from the sky is an eight-sided snowflake...A symmetrical snowflake is not a frozen raindrop, but rather a single crystal of ice that grows directly from water vapor in the air. The process takes about fifteen minutes, as the snowflake slowly drifts to earth...We do not yet understand all the subtle mysteries of snowflakes. Exactly how the simple interactions of water molecules produce such a dramatic diversity of structures remains a puzzle."
 
The author of my snowflake book is optimistic in his evaluation that scientists do “not yet understand the subtle mysteries of snowflakes." I believe this is a mystery of God that we should accept and then let it grow into an amazing awe of who He is and what He has done. God has left us clues about Himself in what He has created. I am reminded of the song, "How Great Thou Art." "O Lord, my God, when I, in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made. I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder; Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art, how great Thou art." Why not spend this week contemplating the mysteries of God? It will increase our awe of Him. 

It is a mystery of nature! On the first week of January my husband and I saw a large flock of robins as we took our afternoon walk. They were enticed to gather around a crabapple tree in our complex that was still laden with tiny crabapples. My first thought was, "Hooray! Spring is coming early this year." When I returned home, I did some research and learned that this is not necessarily so.
 
The migration pattern for robins is variable. As the breeding season ends and the babies have been raised, robins begin to gather in flocks. At times they will head south, but not always. Some just move to the nearest woodland, especially those with evergreen cover. Here they are still able to find some grubs, worms, and insects. In the winter, the robins also depend upon fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, and vines for sustenance.
 
Some of the robins who stay in their home territory will be joined by other robins who have migrated from areas further north. This is when large nomadic flocks are formed for the winter. These flocks are formed for safety from predators and for greater ease in finding food. Robins need to be flexible about their habitat. Some years fruit seems to be produced in greater abundance than others. The birds instinctively know if they need to migrate or can "stay put." For those who do migrate, we can expect them to return home on or about the time of the vernal equinox or March 20th.
 
I have believed for years that the appearance of flocks of robins in the winter is a harbinger of spring. Sadly, my bubble has been burst. Still, anytime of the year, when flocks of robins gather to peck the ground for the easily available worms after a rainstorm, there is an excitement that wells up inside of me. Their appearance excites me, and a reawakening feeling comes upon me. I am finally able to identify this as an assurance from my Heavenly Father that He cares for me and demonstrates His love and provision even through the birds.
 
This brings to mind the Scripture in Matthew 6:25-34 where we are told to entrust our lives to Him. "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet their heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life...So, do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
 
In the future, I will use my robin sightings as a reminder of the faithfulness of God and will let His peace and encouragement wash over me. I will end this meditation with Psalm 100 and hope that it reminds you of the love and faithfulness of God for us. "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. The Lord is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." 

 If you have recently gone past a vineyard, you may have seen the rows of grapes covered by netting. This netting is a critical tool in protecting the fruit of the vine. Certain threats can reduce the yield of the crop and negatively affect the quality of the grapes. Vineyard netting safeguards the grapes from birds, insects, and harsh weather conditions. Vine growers want their crop to reach optimal ripeness without damage.
 
Netting is usually applied to the vines before the stage of fruit development called veraison. This is a time when the color of the grapes changes and the fruit softens. It means that the sugar levels in the fruit are rising, and the acidity levels are falling. In addition, the size of the fruit is increasing, and the aroma is developing. All these signs mean that the harvest is about thirty to sixty days away.
 
We can trace the history of God's desire for us to bear fruit back to creation. Genesis 1:27 talks about the creation of mankind. In verse 28 it says, "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.'" From the loins of Abraham came God's chosen people, Israel. When He brought them into the Promised Land, the Israelites had an up and down relationship with the Lord, but He remained faithful to His covenant with them. The prophets frequently refer to Israel as a vineyard. The restoration of Israel is written about in Isaiah 27. "In that day sing to her, 'A vineyard of red wine! I the Lord, keep it, I water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day.'--Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." (Verses 2, 3, & 6)
 
The secret to bearing fruit is in one’s relationship with the Lord. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in the year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7 & 8) In Zechariah 8, the prophet declares God's desire to be faithful to His people. He tells them, "I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be My people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God... The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people...I will save you, and you will be a blessing..." (Verses 7, 8, 12 & 13)
 
In the New Testament we can read the words of Jesus about bearing fruit. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15: 1, 2 & 5) Like the children of Israel, we are not perfect. However, Jesus made provision for every sin. It is His love that protects or covers us. The prophet Isaiah gives us the Lord's response: "I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand—I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundation of the earth..." (Isaiah 51:16)
 
Just as the Lord loves us, He calls us to love others. Let us remember the words of Jesus in John 15:16 and 17. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other." We are meant to bear the fruit of the Spirit talked about in Galatians 5:22 and 23, ("Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.") and we can count on God to cover and protect it.

​One of the fascinating displays at our local Grange Fair was of honeybees. Not only were there posters explaining the process of making honey, but there was also a beehive frame with hundreds of bees around the queen bee. One of the posters told us that the bee is the first animal domesticated by man thousands of years ago. The poster went on to say, "In Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, India, South Africa, and the Americas, people have harvested since the dawn of time the nests of wild bees, then began installing colonies in wooden, ceramic, mud, or straw habitats."
 
Bees make and store honey so that they have something to eat when there are not enough flowers in bloom. They find both pollen (their source of protein) and nectar (their carbohydrate) from flowers. Every flower produces a unique flavor and color of honey. Bees collect the nectar through their tongues, called the proboscis. Those who do the collecting are called forager bees. They bring the nectar to the hive in what is called their "honey stomach." The enzymes in their stomachs begin to break down the nectar into simpler sugar. When back at the hive, the forager bees pass the nectar on to the younger bees called house bees. The nectar is passed from one house bee to another which further breaks down the sugar and reduces the water content. It is then deposited into hexagonal-shaped honeycomb cells. The water content of the honey must get below twenty percent to be ready. The bees then seal the honeycomb with a wax cap.
 
I read on "honeyflow.com" that it takes two million flower visits for a honeybee colony to produce one pound of honey. This must be why there is a need for so many bees in a colony. Every bee in a colony becomes essential to the protection of honey. Recently, there has been a decline in the bee population due to pesticides, habitat loss, diseases, and parasites. Shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns can also affect a colony. Bees cannot fly in the rain. Without honeybees our diets would suffer greatly. They are necessary for pollination. There is an organization called The California Almond Board that has been campaigning to save bees. They say that almonds would not exist without the pollination of the honeybees. Apples, avocados, onions, and some berry types also rely on bees for pollination.
 
In the Bible, honey is associated with abundance, provision, sweetness, and blessing. Multiple times, when God was bringing the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, He told them He was bringing them into a land "flowing with milk and honey." Moses reminded his people of this: "Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you." (Deuteronomy 6:3)
 
The Psalmist writes about honey from the rock: "If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways...You would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock, I would satisfy you." (Psalm 81:13, 16) Here, I believe the rock could represent Jesus—our source of sustenance, blessing, and grace. Even during challenging times, God's goodness brings us blessing and joy. We should also remember that as honey is sweet and nourishing, so is God's Word. "How sweet are Your words, to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth." (Psalm 119:103)

​Treasures hidden below the sea are revealed when the tide goes out. The coastline of Maine is known for its boulder-strewn edges. When low tide occurs, you have the opportunity to climb up on some huge boulders and look out on the expansive ocean below. The boulders in Maine fascinate me as I look at their variety of layers laid down over thousands of years. The ocean has managed to place some grooves in the rocks, but the larger ones are immovable because they are deeply anchored into the ground.
 
At low tide one may hear the sound of the life that lives on the ocean floor. Habitats formed below are revealed and life comes alive in a new way. Rocks and sand are covered with varieties of seaweed that provide shelter and food for crabs, oysters, and snails. Sea birds peck at the seaweed to find gourmet morsels to digest.
 
Tidal pools become visible as the ocean pulls away from the shoreline. Waves that crash ashore leave deposits of crustaceans, fish, and plant life in hollowed out areas surrounded by large rocks, and small habitats or microcosms of the ocean beyond develop. New life appears in these small places, and a community grows. It is the large rocks and boulders that protect each community from being destroyed. Standing at the edge of a tidal pool, I remember how the Lord is our Rock. Psalm 62:2 says, "Truly He is my rock, my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." 
 
Our lives, like the life that appears in tidal pools, also have moments of ebbs and flows where we feel exposed and vulnerable. It is during these times that we need to remember our Creator, the One who gives us life and encourages us to grow where we are deposited. During challenging times, He is the Rock who lifts us up and gives us new vision for life.
 
2 Samuel 22:2 and 3 says it this way: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies." When we feel like we are being deposited in new areas of life, we must evaluate what is happening to see if it is time to start some new relationships and begin to explore possibilities that we never thought about before. God has a plan and purpose for us, and we must move with His flow. May He introduce us to some new and exciting possibilities.

​One of my favorite summer-flowering shrubs is the Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). The large, round, showy flower heads are made up of clusters of small individual flowers. It has always been fascinating to me that we can change the color of the flowers by treating the soil with different kinds of fertilizer. The pH of the soil, or its acidity or alkalinity, is measured by a scale from zero to fourteen. Seven is the number of a neutral pH. When the soil pH changes by one point there is an increase or decrease of ten degrees. Soil solubility of nutrients impacts the health of a plant.
 
In the case of the hydrangea, if you prefer blue flowers, the soil pH must be reduced by adding aluminum sulfate to it. As the plant absorbs the aluminum, its flowers will begin to turn blue. If you prefer pink flowers, lime should be added to the soil to make it more alkaline. I see a Biblical principle here: What we take in impacts our output. That is why it is so important for us "consume" the Word of God.
 
A few weekends ago, friends cut some beautiful blue hydrangeas from their garden and brought them to us as a gift. I was so thrilled with the clear blue color that I wanted the flowers to last as long as possible. I know that the key to sustainability of any flower placed in water is its ability to continue taking it in. I cut the flower stems at an angle so there would be a maximum absorption area. Then, I made it a point to change the water and recut the stems daily. My efforts gave me great reward as our flowers lasted for three weeks.
 
Each time I cut the stems so that they did not harden off I realized that God was using my exercise to teach me a spiritual principle. The primary Scripture He brought to my mind comes from Psalm 95:7 to 8. "He is our God, and we are the people of HIs pasture, the flock under His care. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert." This passage refers to the time after the Israelites had been miraculously delivered from Egypt yet began to grumble about their lack of water. The Lord told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water poured forth.
 
What we need to know about this situation is that God was testing the faith of the Israelites. He does this to confirm the strength of our faith and the degree of our commitment to Him. He selected a place named Massah, meaning testing, and Meribah, meaning quarreling, for this encounter. (Exodus 17:7) Isn't this fitting? The Israelites failed the test, but God would use His test as a reminder of His faithfulness in the future. Proverbs 28:14 tells us, "Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble."
 
When we harden our hearts, we cannot take in the spiritual blessing that God has for us. He wants us to stay soft and pliable so that we can take in all that He has for us. Let us remember the example of the lovely blue hydrangeas to keep ourselves open to the flow of the Holy Spirit who wants to fill us with amazing nutrients.

​It seems to have happened so quickly! The fields of winter wheat standing tall with their blue-green color caught my eye. Almost overnight the color of the fields of grain turned into a golden tan. This color against the green trees and blue sky drew me in. Harvest time is coming!
 
Winter wheat is planted in the fall so that it can be harvested in the spring and summer. After the harvest, the farmer has several options for his next step. Some farmers choose to leave their fields fallow so that they can rest and nutrients can be replenished before planting another crop. Others will plan a cover crop like rye, vetch, or oats. Their purpose is to improve soil health, prevent erosion, and suppress weeds. Some will decide to double-crop and plant soybeans or sorghum that need to be harvested before the next winter wheat seed is planted.
 
Like physical harvesting, spiritual harvesting has a process. The most important part of seed planting involves preparing the ground. This includes plowing and adding fertilizer and nutrients to the soil. In the spiritual context, seeds of faith are sown when we share the Gospel after the heart is prepared to receive the good news. A farmer nurtures his crop with water and fertilizer and removes the weeds that compete with the crop. A Believer in Jesus should be fed by reading the Word, praying, interacting with other Christians, and resisting negative influences. Just as the farmer must be patient and persevering in tending his crop, a Believer needs these characteristics to grow in Christlikeness.
 
A farmer knows the signs that indicate harvest time is near. Likewise, the community of faith can see a transformed life. Believers are called to be laborers in the harvest. Luke 10:2 tells us, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field." The parable of the growing seed appears in the book of Mark, verses 26 to 29. "Jesus also told them this parable: God's kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how. All by itself it sprouts, and the soil produces a crop; first the green stem, then the head on the stalk, and then the fully developed grain in the head. Then, when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts the sickle to the grain, because harvest time has come." (TPT)
 
As we approach end times, we know that the Lord is looking for helpers in the harvest. Mature saints, who continue to grow in wisdom and faith, are needed to sow into the lives of others. It is expected that we will persevere in the process of nurturing those who are newer in the faith. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that "He does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance." Harvest is a time of celebration. We are reminded of God's faithfulness and that we are part of His plan that we bear fruit. Our challenge is to deepen our relationship with God so that we can share our faith with others. Let's be cognizant of any opportunity to share the good news of the Gospel with those that God brings into our lives.

It is all about seeing if the wind will carry you. I've watched the eagles’ nest in Big Bear Valley with Mom and Dad, Jackie and Shadow, and their two babies almost daily for the last three months. The “cam” has given millions of us a "bird's eye view," so to speak, of the babies, Sunny and Gizmo, growing from grey fuzzy balls into feathered eagles about the same size as their parents. It has been determined that both babies are girls.
 
Practice is what makes any task doable. Such is the case with the eaglets who are now called fledglings as they prepare to fly. Preparation includes jumping up and down, and flapping their wings, and testing the wind currents. I read that birds have an inherent ability to fly that develops during their physical maturation. Daily, Sunny and Gizmo step out onto the large branches around the nest and do wing exercises to help them build up strength and agility. Monday morning, we were all treated to the exciting view of Sunny finally taking her first flight. Her confidence combined with the draw of the wind convinced her to spread her wings and soar. She did not return to the nest until the next day, when she shared a fish with her sister. Gizmo, the younger of the eaglets by a few days, waited until yesterday to take flight from the nest tree.
 
Watching these eagles prepare for their flight showed me that they are made to fly. Like the eagles, Christians are also made to soar in heavenly places. The prophet Isaiah encourages us in our call to fly with the Lord, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) When it is time for us to fly, God stirs up our "nests" just as the eaglets’ parents do. He does this so we learn to soar on heights. Like the eaglets, we must learn to fly on our own and feed ourselves daily.
 
Learning to fly can be a metaphor for life. There is a process involved that we must embrace so we reach our destinations. Taking flight releases us from our limitations. As we begin flying, we should recognize that flight presents us with opportunities and challenges. A comforting thought should be that the Holy Spirit is with us to help us make the right decisions about how to negotiate the terrain that is before us. In addition, we have an example that was set by Jesus so we can soar like Him. Recall how He regularly spent time waiting on His Father and resting before "taking flight." As we wait on the Lord, we rest and bind together with Him so that our weakness becomes strength and power.
 
The secret to the flight of eagles is their ability to use air currents to soar. They only flap their wings in preparation to reach the good air currents. God has given them an innate ability to sense the motion of the wind currents. Eagles will intentionally head into the winds of a storm, because the strong winds will take them higher and they will have the ability to see things from an expanded perspective. This is our call. God takes us over the clouds of our difficulties so that we can see life from His perspective.
 
Here is our challenge: We must spread our wings of faith to catch the winds of the Spirit and soar to greater heights to live like Jesus did and realize the destiny God has for us. 

​Today we begin a new month, the first month on the Biblical calendar as ordained by God. It seems so appropriate as we look outside and see the budding trees, the blooming daffodils and forsythia, and the robins pecking the ground for worms. Deuteronomy 2:6-8 describes what the children of Israel experienced during this time. "So, the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders." The name of the first month is Nisan which means beginning. God desired that His children begin their new year with the remembrance of HIs mighty signs and wonders that brought to their memory how He set them free from the bondage of Egypt and then began leading them to their Promised Land. Thus, He said to Moses and Aaron, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year." (Exodus 12:2)
 
The month of Nisan has become known as a month of miracles. During this time God was preparing the way for the freedom of the Israelites through a campaign of miraculous signs. These signs came in the form of ten plagues: The Plague of blood in the Nile River, frogs, gnats, flies, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness that could be felt, and death of the firstborn (man and animals). While the Egyptians were contending with these plagues, the Lord made a distinction between them and the people of Israel. There was no plague in the land where the Israelites lived and they watched as God fought for them and prepared the way for them to begin a new life. It was time for them to “spring” forward.
 
Just as the Lord stretched out His arms to show miraculous signs and wonders, He did so on the Cross for our redemption. Jesus said in John 12:24, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." His desire was to redeem us through our acceptance of His blood sacrifice and repentance for our sins. All creation shows us the process of death and life throughout the year. Now is the season of new life as the blossoms of spring are reappearing.
 
God is calling us to new life during this set-aside time. He has paid a price for us to be free from all bondage and to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit that He placed within us. Those who start well usually finish well. We must start by acknowledging and thanking the Lord for His deliverance and redemption. Then we should step forward on to the path where we are being directed. Each of us is positioned for victory as we align our lives with God's plans and purposes.
 
Nisan 1 is one of God's appointed times that is meant to draw us into a life-giving encounter with Him. I believe that on God's appointed dates there is a thinner space between heaven and earth and that our pursuit at these times brings His presence. Our goal must be to host His presence and to dedicate our lives to blessing Him and the lost world.