{"id":31935,"date":"2021-04-23T03:30:12","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T10:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=31935"},"modified":"2021-04-21T09:42:16","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T16:42:16","slug":"april-23-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/04\/23\/april-23-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"April 23, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cAll things were created through Him and for Him.\u201d<\/em> Colossians 1:16b<\/p>\n

Facing the Son<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One day I was sitting on our deck enjoying the sun.\u00a0I looked over at an old wine barrel that has some flowering plants in it.\u00a0A couple years ago I had a large plant in it\u2014but it died during our drought.\u00a0I then bought a few\u00a0very<\/u>\u00a0small plants with gray\/green leaves and tiny pink flowers to replace the plant. They have now grown into an abundance of flowering plants.<\/p>\n

As I looked at them I realized that they were all positioned towards the sun.\u00a0They strain quite dramatically towards the warm rays of sunshine…and as they’ve done that, they have grown, multiplied, and flourished. The few tiny plants are now many, many plants with an abundance of pink flowers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Of course I thought of the lesson this gives for our lives.\u00a0As we turn towards the Son, taking in His strength and grace, we can then grow and flourish as well.\u00a0 We often feel small like those plants were in the beginning… but with the warm rays of truth, love, encouragement, and support from the Son, our lives are changed.\u00a0These lovely plants are a valuable lesson.<\/p>\n

“We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen.\u00a0We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created.\u00a0For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels\u2014everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.\u00a0He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment.\u00a0And when it comes to the church, He organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.\u00a0So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding.\u00a0Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe\u2014people and things, animals and atoms\u2014get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down from the cross.\u00a0You yourselves are a case study of what He does.\u00a0At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of Him, giving Him trouble every chance you got.\u00a0But now, by giving Himself completely at the cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in His presence.\u00a0You don’t walk away from a gift like that!\u00a0You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust\u201d<\/em> (Colossians 1:15-23\u00a0 The Message).<\/p>\n

I think the overwhelming message to my heart this week is that a worldwide pandemic doesn’t hinder the outpouring of God’s love and goodness… primarily through His dear people, like each of you.<\/p>\n

Father, we are amazed when we consider all You have done, and we praise You! May we keep our faces pointed in Your direction.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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