Lent Book: https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/an-ocean-of-grace
My jottings:
(Comments welcome)
Ocean of Grace (43): WEDNESDAY – All
Things Applaud You (p143ff)
It is perhaps not too fanciful to see the
pattern of death and resurrection as written in to creation in the form of
night and day (sleep is a picture of death followed by resurrection) and winter
followed by spring.
The continuation of the seasons is a sign of
God’s faithfulness and kindness to humanity (Genesis 8:22).
Jesus himself frequently drew upon creation in
his teaching, not least when he spoke of his body as a seed which must die and
be buried in the earth that it might produce a harvest of life (John 12:23-25).
Jesus means to redeem and renew the whole
cosmos and bring in a new creation. His own resurrection body provides a kind
of pattern for the renewal of all things. The same body rose from the tomb but
it arose a spiritual body, transformed, renewed, glorified. Similarly creation
will be renewed. See e.g. Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21. Our hope
is not just for a disembodied “spiritual” heaven, but for resurrection bodies
and New Creation (the renewal of all things). God’s plans for this creation
will not be thwarted by sin. He means for his kingdom to come on this earth in
all its fulness. He will take the world he has made from one degree of glory to
another.
Jesus’ resurrection is a kind of first fruits
of the resurrection. His rising from the grave proves that death is defeated
and a great harvest is coming. Jesus is like the first bluebell of spring. Soon
there will be a great multitude that no one can number.
Hymn: How Great Thou Art
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc0QVWzCv9k
Words: https://hymnary.org/text/o_lord_my_god_when_i_in_awesome_wonder
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