April is here and it is going to be a great month! And that is no April fools! We have a lot happening at the father’s house so please come as often as you can and enjoy what He is doing in our midst. This is the month where the trees and flowers begin to come alive. After a hard winter a spring is always welcomed. It reminds me of new beginnings, just like the one we all had when we gave our hearts to the one who died and rose again for us.
Yesterday I was returning home from the church when I saw three young girls walking home from school. With one look I could tell they were all Muslims. It wasn’t because I have the keen insight like Sherlock Holmes and can read a person like a daily pod cast. No, I can barely find my toothbrush some mornings. What gave them away was the traditional head covering that Muslim women wear. The hijab the three had on their heads let anyone know where their faith lies. The next day while waiting at the dentist office, one of my least favorite places to go, a man came into the waiting room and immediately I knew by one glance at him what faith he lived by. He was sporting a Yarmulke on his head, that is what Jewish men wear to identify to the world who they are and what faith they believe in. I began to think that many religions have such a tradition. Muslim women have the hijab, Jews have the Yarmulke, Hindus have the turbans, Buddhist have their robes, and lastly the Catholic priests have their collars. Any one of these traditional pieces on a person tells us what god they believe in and where they go to worship their god. I began to wonder if we as followers of Jesus have something like they do. And the answer is yes. But it is not something that we wear, but rather something we carry every day. It is called a cross. Not like a cross that someone wears around their neck. Our cross is something we carry on the inside of us. It cannot be seen with the natural eyes. However, a follower of Jesus who is carrying their cross will be obvious to all that encounter them. Because the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance will be pouring out of them like a soaking spring rain. So as a follower of Jesus, don’t forget to take your cross with you as you leave today to go into the neighborhood!
Taking up my cross up and following Jesus,