Like A Tulip

My mother loves tulips. What a joy we shared together a few years ago when we made a trip to Holland just to see the fields of tulips. The colors were magnificent! Just yesterday, a dear friend gave my mother and I a bouquet of tulips; some purple and some yellow. The bulbs are opening this morning. Gorgeous. We are enjoying them so much, although the truth is — these beautiful flowers — are already dead. They have been cut from the source of its life. In time they will wilt away. That sounds harsh, doesn’t it, but like so many things in our physical world, it’s a picture of spiritual truth.

Remember the story of Adam and Eve when they intentionally disobeyed God concerning eating the forbidden fruit? In Genesis 2:17, God clearly tells them, “If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Now, as we read on we see that Adam and Eve continued to live for hundreds of years. Genesis 5:5 tells us Adam lived for 930 years. Most of us reading will know that the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they immediately died a spiritual death. This sad event of broken fellowship with God is recorded in Genesis 3. While sin did indeed bring about their eventual physical death, it was the spiritual death of broken relationship with God that is so tragic.

After this event of being broken away from God, to look at them walking about the garden, they appeared to be alive, but they were slowly dying, physically and spiritually. Therefore, God, in His perfect love, made a plan to pay for their sin, offering them both restored spiritual relationship and eternal life where death is no more. They did not deserve this, but God’s love compelled Him to make a way. This gift to pay for our sin is on offer today to every one of us. Through accepting Jesus, we have promise of forgiveness of sins and of beautiful, unblemished, eternal life with Him.

There are all sorts of people walking around the earth today. Some are alive through Jesus Christ. Sadly, others appear alive, but like a beautiful tulip cut from its life source, they are already dead. Is there any hope? Always, until the last breath on earth is drawn, because of God’s love, there is hope. If you already know Jesus, be blessed in the following reminder of what He did for us; if you don’t yet know Jesus, be blessed in receiving the truth of this reminder found in Romans 5:17-19 & 23

“The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater, is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death, through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because the other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous…..For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We are all born beautiful, like a tulip, but unless we connect with the life source found only in Jesus, like the tulip, we will eventually fade away, and eternal life of the greatest of joy, will fall eternally from our grasp. I hope you choose Jesus. He loves you abundantly! He offers help for today’s troubles, and life with Him for all your tomorrows,