For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
This Easter season had my brain going off on a strange trip today. Many would say that isn’t too unusual but wait until you hear where it’s taken me this time. Wildfires. I think I can connect this for you if you stick with me. My thoughts aren’t as random as my hubby might think. They make sense to me anyway!
I was thinking back to 2016 when a wildfire took place in Virginia. I remember hearing about the thousands of acres that were burning from the Shenandoah forest fire. It took me back to the visits with the beautiful hills and turns of Skyline Drive. I’ve been there with my parents, with my hubby, and with my own boys. Thinking the beauty of that area was being lost really bothered me.
My dad needed to put things into perspective for me. Even though it looked bad, not all forest fires are bad. Actually, they can be incredibly beneficial for our ecosystem and quite natural. I had to do some looking into this. I suppose I knew about controlled burns, but did I know why they were even used?
Time for me to do some digging to find out how beauty could be made from ashes. The article “How does a forest fire benefit living things?” by Laurie Dove answered many of my questions. Here’s some positives I learned.
- Nutrients return to the soil.
- Underbrush and invasive species are cleared.
- Sunlight can get to the forest floor.
- Native species can return.
- Diseases and damaging insects are eliminated.
- Wildflowers bloom abundantly.
- More diverse species in animals and plants can be seen.
Easter is all about rebirth and new beginnings. Jesus showed us mercy in such a magnificent way when we didn’t get the punishment we deserved by taking it on Himself. He extended such grace to us when He blessed us with that direct relationship with God by no work on our part. He died so we’d receive a new life. It was ugly, painful, and horrific. Yet, if we keep looking at the cross, we miss the beauty of the resurrection. Accept the wildflowers!
As more land is being developed, not only are animals and vegetation being harmed, but property and people are too. That’s the heartbreaking part. I hate to see the suffering and pain families are dealing with after a wildfire has swept through their neighborhoods. I pray that anyone who’s been caught in this situation remained optimistic that there is new life after fires. Not only for the land but for them too. If this was you, turn your eyes from the scorched, hot places and see promises of the future.
We can receive the Easter gift anytime and anywhere. We can go back to it during each difficulty we face. When we see nothing alive and good, we’re looking at the destruction from what happened and not the resurrection of what’s to come. Wildflowers are coming. Greater and more diverse blessings will be upon you even if things look dead, dark, and dismal. Accept what can happen in this season of your life with the hope of a new chapter. Your greatest chapters aren’t behind you.
What’s happening during your own personal wildfire? Nutrients are returning to your heart as the decay turns into ashes. All the bad weeds that took over are being cleared away for healthy seeds to sprout that were lying dormant or even being choked out by the invasive species. God’s light can now reach you! Halleluiah! The diseases and damaging things that have been in your life are being eliminated. The blessings, the beauty, the wildflowers are coming. A greater and more diverse world is being prepared for you! Let the wildfire be beneficial to you.
Oh, one more thing I learned. Most animals can smell the fire from miles away, even if it’s small. Pay attention to your nose today. Sometimes we can tell there’s trouble coming. Don’t freeze from the destruction, rather run to the reconstruction. Get out of the way so you aren’t trapped by the wildfire while waiting for the wildflowers! It’s your Easter gift…He has risen!
