Thank God For Spiritual Spring!
Bound in each blossom and the green of the lawn
Is a message for the whole world to see
Witnessed by each person who beholds the dawn
Or every bush, plant, and flower, each tree
The deer, the rabbits, the birds of the morning
So many testify of its coming
As God brings new life, His gracious performing
Is heard in their songs, sounds, and humming
Nature displays in graphic depiction
How God brings life after death
Look up at His Son and His cruel crucifixion
As He yielded and breathed His last breath
The cold of the tomb could only envelope
God in the flesh for so long
The faithful writers with words develop
How a dirge became a victory song
“He is not here! He is risen!”
The angels their chorus related
His grave was a powerless prison
His disciples would soon be elated!
The good news spread like a blanket of flowers
In the field of men’s hearts full of trust
It still bursts forth in fruitful bowers
That new life can spring up from the dust
Dear friend, you may be in the winter of despair
The icy grip of sin bringing guilt and strife
Believe that the Son can make your skies fair
Defeat death and bringing you new life!
"The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I have hope in Him'" (Lamentations 3:22-24, NASB).
Have You Had Your Water Quota Today?
We’ve all heard the age-old advice to drink eight cups of water a day. But if you fall short of drinking your 64 ounces, don’t worry. New information published in the journal Science suggests that advice is wrong anyway.
The results of this new research says that for most healthy adults, drinking eight cups of water a day is completely unnecessary. The advice is misguided in part because it doesn’t take into account all the water we get from our food as well as other beverages like coffee and tea. The research found that our water needs vary from one person to the next depending on factors like age, gender, size, physical activity, and the climate we live in.
The advice to drink eight cups of water a day stems from a 1945 recommendation from the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council, which encouraged adults to consume about 64 ounces of water daily.
The advice is so widely ingrained that many companies use it to market products. We can buy 64-ounce water bottles designed to motivate us to drink the equivalent of eight cups of water daily. There are even water-bottle sensors that will track our water intake and remind us to “hydrate” every 30 to 40 minutes.
"So how much water should you drink?" asks Washington Post journalist Anahad O’Connor. "The answer is simple according to this research: Drink when you’re thirsty. Prioritize water. Try to avoid sugary drinks. Coffee and tea are fine. Keep in mind that we get water from our food as well. Some water-rich foods are fruits, vegetables, beans, yogurt, brown rice, and soups."
This research helps us learn how much H2O we really need. But what about our need for Living Water, as Jesus describes Himself. How much of that water do we really need?
We both drink of Him, once unto salvation, and we drink of Him daily, moment by moment, unto our sustanence and sanctification.
Prioritize the Living Water! Come to Him. Drink Him in, and you will never thirst again! What other motivation do we need to drink a steady stream from this well?
As Jesus said to the woman at the well,“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water” (John 4:13-15, ESV).
Put The Leash Down
A recent viral video posted on Youtube sets forth a beautiful picture of stopping to enjoy the simple things in life. A tiny toddler is walking his dog when he comes across a puddle. Torn between the responsibility to continue walking the dog or stopping to enjoy the moment, he decides to set the leash down, taking several trips back and forth through the puddle. Once he's satisfied, he walks back over to his dog, picks up the leash and continues on. It's a must see!*
*Click the link to source to watch video. If you show the video illustratively, we found it more effective to show it without the music, which can prove to be a distraction from the poiniency of the moment.
Notice that when the boy was done enjoying the puddle, the dog and the leash were still there waiting for him. Sometimes it's necessary to break away from the burdens and cares of life to simply enjoy a time of rest. Never fear, the leash of life's responsibilities will always be there waiting. But sometimes, you just need to set it down and enjoy a refreshing puddle.
"And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat" (Mark 6:31, ESV).