Crisp and crinkly leaves line the sidewalks, a briskness fills the air early in the morning and the promise of change is around the corner.
These are days I dread. Somehow, today was different though. I embraced the coming change and the shifting skies. My heart was hopeful.
As I fulfilled my daily responsibilities, a song played in my head-Arise, My Love by Newsong. I tried desperately to sing the words, to myself, properly, but I knew I didn't remember them correctly.
Sin, where are your shackles?
Death, where is your sting?
Hell, has been defeated
The grave [has no hold on me.]
"No, I know those aren't the lyrics." I told myself. "But it still works."
I continued the morning with those words ringing through my ears.
It's true. The grave can't hold me down, because I am in Christ.
I have been feeling quite defeated lately. I can't really explain it, but I have felt overwhelmed and discouraged. I feel like nothing and no one can help me, I'm doomed.
Without Christ, this is true.
After work, I hopped on my bike and came across a monarch butterfly. Those creatures make me so happy. They take an incredible journey to change, it's inspiring. Then I remembered, I am that butterfly.
A Jesus-loving woman once told me our walks with Christ are very much like the butterfly's life. We eat so we can grow. Once we're grown, we prepare ourselves for change. Then we die. We come back transformed into something new and incredible. This repeats throughout our lives. I think I'm currently at the preparing for change part and it's scary.
But I don't need to be scared, because my King has defeated death by rising from the dead. With this truth, I can hope in the fact that I will become new.
On the way home, I decided to bike a longer way to enjoy the fall morning air and the confidence I have in my resurrected Savior. I played the song on my phone. The right lyrics cheered my heart.
The grave could not hold the King.
Amen!
Riding past all of the decorations for Halloween, I rejoiced in my "zombie King" Who rose from the grave. How could I possibly fear death and dying when Jesus proved that it doesn't have a hold on me anymore?
As I was thinking this, another monarch flew past me and my heart burst with joy.
Lord, change is hard and scary, but I'm not alone. I die with You and will raise to life again.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." II Corinthians 5:17 ESV
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