Joining with the Beauty of May
In the Roman world of our New Testament and early Christian history, Maius was the name for the goddess of Spring. The Latin understanding of the world in those days was not so different from our own: they observed life blossoming and the land around them once again offering a blooming sustenance. Hillsides began to shout with color and floral fragrances wafted over the land. For them, as for us, May signaled the full return of the earth’s fertility.
Things are not that different in our own day. If you are like me, we experience a new sense of energy and a surge of hope. Spring crops offer a bounty of freshness and the first signs of summer reveal themselves to the world. And perhaps most important: Georgia peaches are once again ready to be enjoyed!
Hearing the following verse from the beginning of our Bible is appropriate:
“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form, and darkness was over the face of the deep. Then the spirit (the wind, the breath) of God blew over the face of the waters, and God said: “Let there be light!” And there was light”
Notice again this first verse of the Bible: “The earth was without form, and darkness was over the face of the deep.” It is not so much that God created something out of nothing, but that God created order out of chaos. Think of times in your life when all that you attempted seemed out of place or mired in difficulty. Returning to the resurrection theme of April devotions reminds us of redemption and transformation that can take place in the lives of believers with proper perspective.
And yet, God’s redeeming work also calls for partnership. God invites us to care for, work with, and heal our world. This, too, remains a vital part of God’s imperative from the very beginning.
Therefore, this month, look for something beautiful in God’s creation. Give thanks and share in the wonder of God’s good work. Also be ready. Whether there is confusion or order, know that God is beyond, within, and overall, the author of this holy creation. And know further: we are called to be full and necessary partners in God’s ongoing work of redeeming our place and time. I look forward continuing in this sacred task together.
David Jordan
Senior Pastor