THE POND BY THE WOOD

I hiked to the pond early Friday morn,
through rain and mist and woods forlorn,
for the winter had torn limbs here and there,
and a heaviness clung to the morning air.
 
I stood on the bank by the meadow bleak,
with my head hung low, down and weak,
for what have I done to deserve great love
from such a Savior and King above?
 
Circles spun on the water’s face
when raindrops fell softly to their place,
and clouds swirled free in the pool’s dark depths
when winds encircled off Heaven’s steps.
 
Then there on the water, the sun came shining!
His words of love to me reminding;
pledging gladness through oaks as the sky turned blue
and encouraging wonder in all things new!
 
What grace shines upon the pond by the wood!
What joy restored and understood!
For I know Jesus loves me with all His heart,
and from me, it never, nor ever, will part.
 
 
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,
to give unto them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah 61:3

THE POND BY THE WOOD

Fallen branches and debris from winter’s harshness litter the woodland floor. It's not a pretty time in the woods. There isn't any greenery to speak of and the imperfections in the domain are clearly seen. As we trek to the pond up a gnarly path, we remember the road to the cross taken by Jesus Christ.

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 

Isaiah 53:1-3

As we stand beside the pond by the wood, we contemplate these verses. The Man of Sorrows took upon Himself our sorrows for our sin debt. The Man acquainted with grief knew our grief. Only the innocent blood that was sacrificed by God's anointed could pay the price for our eternal redemption. Only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, could solve our sin problem.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 

Isaiah 53:4-5

Why would Jesus die for us? The answer is this: He loves us! In the light reflecting on the pond from morning sunshine, it is clear to see Christ's grace. Because Jesus loves us so much and went to the cross for us, should we not strive to repent of our wrongs? Because He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, should we not obey the command to repent?

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"

Ezekiel 18:30-32

Now is the time to get a new heart and a new spirit. Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to repent of not praying for our nation and president. Now is the time to repent for wasteful spending. Now is the time to repent of storing up treasures on Earth instead of in Heaven. Now is the time to repent of ill-gotten gain. Now is the time to repent of unfaithfulness. That conniving devil wants to erase any need we think we have for repentance. With this motive, he works continuously to deceive people. He is a deceiver; that is his title. He doesn't love creation because he's not the Creator. He works to destroy God's creation; that is his job. But listen to Creator God who speaks truth when He says He loves us and gave His only Son. Walk in truth. Turn and live. Repent and live.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Psalm 23:3

What joy comes from restoration of the soul! Joy comes with the dawn! Only Jesus can restore the human soul. As the sun shoos away clouds of darkness, we feel ugliness dissipate from us. As the sun beams to the woodland floor to restore the greens shoots that will come up with April rains and more sunshine, we stretch our roots and bask in the nourishing sunshine and gentle rains. Spring returns, in the woods and our souls. Renewal returns from repentance.

Delight yourself in the LORD

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything,

by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

May you spend time at the pond by the wood to contemplate and repent.