theROCK

The Magnolia Tree

Each spring, as the winter finally releases its frigid grip on us, the trees in my neighborhood all come to life. One of these trees is a Magnolia that proudly stands in my front yard.

For a few days in May, this Magnolia is filled with creamy white and ivory flowers, tinged with various shades of pink and purple. I'm always excited when I see the first buds, and I marvel at how quickly the flowers bloom.

And I marvel at how quickly the flowers fall to the ground and make way for green leaves. The entire process is over in several days, shorter if it rains.

During this time frame I do what I can to appreciate their beauty. I know it's fleeting, so I want to savor as much as possible.

Sound familiar? What is fleeting in your life? You can certainly fill in the blank with your blossom time: your children living at home before they begin their own life, special vacations with family and friends, game night with a big bowl of popcorn and lots of laughter, or a glorious sunset on a summer night. 

How are you savoring the moments of your life? Are you admiring the beauty and appreciating every single minute? 

Or are you letting the busyness of life sweep you away?

Take a moment today to discover your Magnolia Tree.

Trust

In the past three weeks, I’ve had my credit card compromised, I’ve received three fraudulent emails (hackers trying to get me to click on a link to steal my identity), and one suspicious phone call with a man asking me for money.

My trust level is at an all-time low. And I know I’m not alone. We live in a world of looking over our shoulder and questioning “does this look and sound right?” Unfortunately, we have to be prepared for the worst as the scammers are out in full force these days.

But then I think about my faith. Has my trust worn thin in my faith? Do I truly “put things in God’s hands” and let him guide my life? Or do I worry and obsess over things? Do I let the little things in life bother me? 

True trust means letting go, even when we’re afraid. God has told us so many times, “I’ve got this. Trust me.” Yet we don’t always let go of our anxiety. Isn’t it time we let down our guard? Isn’t it time we let God lead the way.

You can check your email and watch your credit card. But when it comes to your faith, just remember one thing. God’s got this.

Fear

We know that when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning and saw the stone removed from the tomb, that Jesus had risen from the dead. But at the time, the disciples were not quite sure what had occurred. In fact, they locked themselves in a room, afraid of what would happen if they appeared in public. For those many days, they lived in fear.

So, what does Jesus do to address these fears? He says four simple words: “Peace be with you.”

He wanted them to truly believe in the resurrection, to know that they had no need for fear, that he would be with them every moment of every day (especially when he gives them the power of the Holy Spirit).

Today, many of us have our own daily struggles. We worry about money, about health, about relationships. We lock ourselves in our own rooms, and we try to solve all of our problems alone.

We live in fear.

But just like the disciples, we soon discover that we can’t do it alone. That we need God every moment of every day to guide us and show us the way. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to fill our minds and hearts. That’s why the same words are just as effective today as they were 2000 years ago.

“Peace be with you.”

If we listen to these words, we will truly begin to understand the power of the resurrection.