Signs of Life!
by Malcolm Wood
We all have favourite seasons of the year. Times when we seem to respond more readily with joy and excitement to all that is happening around us. For me it’s the time when the daffodils eventually emerge in all their glory, after what seems an impossible task of surviving the harshness of winter, to declare the arrival of spring and the hope of warmer days to come. The arrival of spring is announced in many ways - increased bird activity as they prepare their nests, green shoots appearing on the hedgerows and trees and baby lambs in the fields. All of these bear witness to new life which means the coming of spring.
The Scriptures make it clear that those who have accepted Christ are born again and have new life within them. Like the arrival of spring signs of this new life should be evident for others to see.
The most dramatic examples in Scripture of signs of new life are the ones seen in those who have been raised from the dead. As life returned to the boy raised from the dead by Elijah, he ‘sneezed seven times’ (2 Kings 4:18-36). A sneeze is such a small thing, almost insignificant, but it’s a sure sign of life. After Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter to life in Mark 5:35-43, Jesus told them to give her something to eat. She was hungry and a good appetite is a sign of life and health.
Similarly, a healthy appetite for the things of God is a sign of His new life in all of us. We should be hungry to read His word, to be with His people and to have a deeper relationship with Him. Are we bothered about these things? Do we pay attention to the details of life? If there are no signs of life then there are reasons to be concerned!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to look for and encourage the signs of your life in mine, and to have a deeper hunger for You and Your word. May the signs of new life You have given me be more evident to others. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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