It’s a beautiful Spring day, and Easter is only a week and a half away. Our temperature here in Houston is quite mild and it’s one of the few days where the humidity is relatively low. It’s the time of year that we think of planting flowers or vegetables, and want to be outside. Even with Spring just upon us, we must never lose sight of an Autumn harvest. This morning, I wondered am I planting and watering the correct seeds?

Long before Jesus was born to the virgin Mary in Bethlehem, the Lord’s Word told us that Jesus Christ would come and overcome the works of the devil. The first man and woman disobeyed the Lord and caused all of us to be born into sin, which broke our fellowship with the Lord (Gen. 3:14).  In the next verse the Lord foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ arose from the grave (Gen 3:15). A blow to the head is deadly, but the strike that the devil makes to the heel is not, but is designed to focus our attention on the chaos he can bring.

Just this morning we heard on the news that the serial bomber in Austin, TX killed himself by a bomb to elude being captured by police. What this young man wrought is chaos, and was being used to put attention on the works of the devil; to distract us from focusing on the Lord. But as Christ followers, we must remember there is hope, love, joy and peace. We remember that we have a living hope (1 Peter 1:3); that we have a lasting inheritance: (1 Peter 1:4);  and because of our hope, trust, and confidence in the Lord, we have the perseverance and courage to walk in the steps He provides:  “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14) We focus on His glory and give thanks for all that He has done, and press on toward our lasting inheritance, and thank Him. In other words, we put our attention and focus on the Lord, who is more than deserving of our focus.

There are many times in the Old Testament where the coming of Christ was revealed, although it wasn’t understood at the time. “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Is. 53:4-5) But we now understand, and that is where our joy, peace, hope and confidence comes from–that Jesus Christ was killed on the cross, buried, and overcame death and sin for our sake.

When we believe and hope in His Gospel (Eph 1:12), we are “included in Christ”; and “when you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:13-14)  This morning I was thinking of the hymn “Because He Lives”: God sent His son, they called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives.

It’s in Jesus where we put all our hope because He not only holds our present and all the circumstances, He holds our future. This morning I am grateful for all those who planted and watered the seeds of the Gospel, so that I do believe, and in Him I am justified before the Lord. What seeds have you planted or watered today? Plant the seeds of the living hope in Christ Jesus with someone today. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy this Spring day.