It’s really hard to tire of talking about how much God loves us. I just can’t seem to get enough of it. Every time I turn around I find yet another example that God cares. If there were only one thing that spoke to me about God’s love, the animal kingdom would win my heart
We have a one-week-old baby goat. Daffodil has discovered that she can run! I could easily pick her up until a couple of days ago. Now she can go full speed ahead and runs around the stall and paddock lickety-split! She has learned that her legs are full of rubber so that not only can they run but they bounce as well. She is learning new skills every day. Bucking, zooming, and twirling are some of her new favorites. She still stays up on her old skills of eating and sleeping in between. I think she may have a future in dance, but I’m a bit biased.
There is just so much joy and love in observing new life; the mother carefully watching over her little one to protect it, the loving little sounds she makes to speak in her secret mother/baby language, and the complete innocence of a life fresh out of the womb.
There is a story in the Bible that is found only in the book of John that talks about birth. It is about a religious leader, Nicodemus, who met with Jesus after sunset so as to go undetected. He wanted to find out more about this man whom many thought to be the promised Messiah. Nicodemus starts the conversation by flattering him with supportive words about his miracles, which Jesus ignores and cuts right to the heart of what Nicodemus really needs to learn. Jesus tells him that unless a man or woman is born from above or born again they will not see the kingdom of Heaven.
Nicodemus is baffled. “How can a man be born when he is old? Is he to go back into his mother’s womb?” Jesus then goes on to explain that this happens through the power of the Spirit. This is a Gnostic teaching—that God lives in you—that unless you receive a new heart, a new mind, and the Spirit of God dwells in you, you will not see the kingdom of Heaven.
The principle of the Kingdom of Heaven is love. We are not talking about the earth made new, although the earth will be new when it is inhabited by people whose hearts are filled with love towards others. To receive the Kingdom of Heaven is to receive God’s Spirit within your heart and allow yourself to be re-made or re-created by the power of the Spirit.
You become like a new child. You learn a new way of thinking and being in the world. New skills or fruits of the Spirit start showing up in your life—kindness, goodness, patience, gentleness, self-control, and love. Your future looks very bright. God sees endless possibilities for you!
The love that is witnessed between a baby and its mother is evidenced in the gentleness and kindness of the Spirit gently breathing out words of hope and encouragement to us. Just the right book comes along when we need it, a friend calls on the phone with support, we finally have a light-bulb moment regarding an issue we’ve been struggling with. Ahh, the Spirit breathes, they are learning. They hear my voice. If we only knew, if we could only see the great love that God is trying to shower on us, then we would understand.
That’s why I love the little vignettes I see in nature of the tenderness and love of a mother towards a child. They are little reminders to me that I am loved. I think that maybe I have a future in dance!
We have a one-week-old baby goat. Daffodil has discovered that she can run! I could easily pick her up until a couple of days ago. Now she can go full speed ahead and runs around the stall and paddock lickety-split! She has learned that her legs are full of rubber so that not only can they run but they bounce as well. She is learning new skills every day. Bucking, zooming, and twirling are some of her new favorites. She still stays up on her old skills of eating and sleeping in between. I think she may have a future in dance, but I’m a bit biased.
There is just so much joy and love in observing new life; the mother carefully watching over her little one to protect it, the loving little sounds she makes to speak in her secret mother/baby language, and the complete innocence of a life fresh out of the womb.
There is a story in the Bible that is found only in the book of John that talks about birth. It is about a religious leader, Nicodemus, who met with Jesus after sunset so as to go undetected. He wanted to find out more about this man whom many thought to be the promised Messiah. Nicodemus starts the conversation by flattering him with supportive words about his miracles, which Jesus ignores and cuts right to the heart of what Nicodemus really needs to learn. Jesus tells him that unless a man or woman is born from above or born again they will not see the kingdom of Heaven.
Nicodemus is baffled. “How can a man be born when he is old? Is he to go back into his mother’s womb?” Jesus then goes on to explain that this happens through the power of the Spirit. This is a Gnostic teaching—that God lives in you—that unless you receive a new heart, a new mind, and the Spirit of God dwells in you, you will not see the kingdom of Heaven.
The principle of the Kingdom of Heaven is love. We are not talking about the earth made new, although the earth will be new when it is inhabited by people whose hearts are filled with love towards others. To receive the Kingdom of Heaven is to receive God’s Spirit within your heart and allow yourself to be re-made or re-created by the power of the Spirit.
You become like a new child. You learn a new way of thinking and being in the world. New skills or fruits of the Spirit start showing up in your life—kindness, goodness, patience, gentleness, self-control, and love. Your future looks very bright. God sees endless possibilities for you!
The love that is witnessed between a baby and its mother is evidenced in the gentleness and kindness of the Spirit gently breathing out words of hope and encouragement to us. Just the right book comes along when we need it, a friend calls on the phone with support, we finally have a light-bulb moment regarding an issue we’ve been struggling with. Ahh, the Spirit breathes, they are learning. They hear my voice. If we only knew, if we could only see the great love that God is trying to shower on us, then we would understand.
That’s why I love the little vignettes I see in nature of the tenderness and love of a mother towards a child. They are little reminders to me that I am loved. I think that maybe I have a future in dance!