“And He who sat on the throne said^◦, Behold^◦, I am making all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:5

Spring seems to be here early this year. New life is evident all around us. Sprouts and some flowers are already up. Easter is coming soon too. It seems like a perfect time to turn my thoughts to renewal; A new dedication to learning about how the Lord ordered heaven and conquered temptations. Warmer air and sunlight has a way of giving hope and inspiration that were harder to find in the darker days of winter. 

“In the world regeneration is represented by various things, as by the blossoming of all things on earth in spring, and by the gradual development of the blossoms even to the fruit; also by the growth of every tree, shrub and flower, from the first warm month to the last. It is also represented by the progressive ripening of all kinds of fruit from the earliest germ to the end of the process; then again by morning and evening showers, and by dews, at the coming of which the flowers open, while they close at the approach of the darkness of night; also by the fragrance from gardens and fields; by the rainbow in the cloud (Gen. 9:14-17); by the resplendent colors of the dawn; and in general by the continual renovation of everything in the body..” True Christian Religion 687

“The reformation of man is altogether similar to his formation in the womb, with this difference only, that for a man to be reformed he must have will and understanding, while in the womb he has no will and understanding; but this difference does not exclude the likeness and analogy.” Divine Wisdom 4 

The Lord has decided to bless us with another new life to add to our family.  So this analogy of the formation of that human, along with reformation of ourselves, is especially meaningful right now. 

These images of regeneration, new life and gradual conjunction with Lord are warm and beautiful. And while parts of our lives, regeneration, learning to listen and become closer to the Lord can seem dark and hard, these give me hope. Winter is cold and darker, but serves the purpose of contrast. The bulbs and trees need that rest in the frozen ground to come back strengthened in the warmth, ready to serve their use again renewed.  

“By the eternal union of heat and light, our Lord breathes forth nothing but uses. From this, moreover, come the germinations on your earth in the spring-time, and the matings of your birds and animals; for the vernal heat opens their interiors even to the inmost things thereof which are called their souls. These it affects; and it imparts to them its own conjugial, causing what is prolific in them to come into its delights, and this from a continual striving to produce the fruits of use, the use being the propagation of their kind.” Conjugial Love 137