because you have been born again – not of perishable seed but of imperishable – through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you. 1 Peter 1:24-25
For a while now I have observed a tree in my yard slowly dying. Disease, insects, and woodpeckers have taken their toll on the poor old tree. I would occasionally pick up limbs that had fallen off and ponder just how long the aged tree would hang in there; thankfully it was not too close to the house. This spring my question was answered as I noticed that the tree did not begin to grow many leaves, and unfortunately a few days ago I was forced to cut it down for safety reasons.
We know that all things in this life – possessions, accomplishments, people, have seasons just like the grass, flowers, and trees. Let’s face it, all things on earth eventually come to an end just as our human bodies do. I recently attended a funeral that testifies to the fact that our bodies are not permanent, just like what verse 24 states: “For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls.” However, I found hope in the fact that the person was a born-again Christian. The Bible tells us that those of us who have been born again have been born of a new seed, one that is not affected by disease or the troubles of this life and will never perish. What wonderful news!
We spend so much time focused on the temporary things of this world rather than that which lasts forever. Brothers and Sisters let’s turn our eyes from the temporary “perishable” things and place our focus on the permanent, imperishable word of the Lord, “the gospel that was proclaimed to you.” There is a whole forest of dying “trees” out there that need to hear it, let’s reach them before their season ends.
Blessings,
Jeff