October 2024 - Page 2 of 2 - Creation Beckons

Matthew 5:14-16 Am I in Camouflage?

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV).

Do you see the roadrunner in the picture above? God created them with colors that blend into the desert surroundings so that they are difficult to see. It often takes some degree of concentration to discover a roadrunner in its surroundings. God did this for their safety.

God asks those who have accepted Jesus as Savior to do the opposite. As the verse above says, “…let your light shine before others….” No camouflage for us. We are to stand out by doing good deeds. We are not to be hidden for our safety. We are to shine for His glory. The result of our good deeds will be the glorification of our Heavenly Father. So I have to ask myself the question, “Am I easy to pick out as a Christian in a crowd?” God asks us to, not only be easy to spot, but also asks us to shine forth so that God is glorified and so that others may be drawn to Him. There’s a saying, “Don’t do as I do. Do as I say.” Jesus doesn’t live by that saying. Instead He says, “Do as I Do and do as I say.”

Galatians 6:9 Growth While Freezing

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (NIV).

There’s a plant that actually thrives in conditions that would kill most plants, including snow cover and temperatures well below freezing. And this plant is used as a food source, particularly in the baking of various types of breads. This plant that defies nature is called winter wheat. It is planted in the fall and is ready for a spring harvest. It begins growing in the fall and becomes acclimated to the cold as the fall temperatures cool, and it needs even colder temperatures in order to produce seeds in the spring. Some varieties even withstand temperatures lower than ten degrees below zero. As temperatures warm, the plants resume growing, and seeds begin to form. The plant is not harmed by low temperatures and snow. In fact, it does not grow well if the winter is not cold. Winter wheat can even be used as a cover crop to help control weeds. Okay, so what does winter wheat have to do with the life of a Christian?

Many of us experience times when we are not particularly spiritually active, perhaps a period we could call a spiritual malaise. I am not advocating that we lower our spiritual activity on purpose, but it is good to remember that the same God who created winter wheat that thrives in cold times, also created us. I am sure that if He cares enough to create a plant that thrives in the cold, He recognizes that we may experience spiritual lows, and He provides for growth during these times, as if we were gathering strength to burst forth in bloom ready for a harvest after the cooler times end. So be encouraged by the story of winter wheat which brings forth a harvest after enduring cold times. If we are willing, God will quicken the seed within us and bring us out from spiritual darkness into the light of springtime harvest.