Lent Week 6: New Life (Romans 6:4)
Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
A Picture of Holy Week
We are almost to Holy Week! Jesus’ death and resurrection is the destination of this Lenten Journey to Jesus. This week, our Bible art journaling printable is of a tulip. Tulips bloom from bulbs at the beginning of spring. Because of that, they are seen as a symbol of new life.
The death of winter is ended with a burst of color and life shooting up from the ground. The symbolism is not lost on me! Jesus bursts from the grave three days after His death on the cross for our sin, bringing the promise of eternal life for all who believe.
A Wonderful New Life
I love the way that The Living Bible puts our verse in Romans 6:
Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died; and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy. (TLB)
We are given a “wonderful new life to enjoy” by the sacrifice and triumph of Jesus that we celebrate at Easter.
A Perfect Love
However, tulips are not just a symbol of new life. They are also a symbol of “perfect love.” There is no more perfect love than the love that Jesus demonstrated for us.
No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
He willingly laid down His life so that I might have life. So that you might life. He said so Himself.
“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10
As we reflect on the gift of new life from Jesus, we should keep in mind that it is a perfect and beautiful demonstration of love.
All who believe
If you are starting to see tulip plants popping up as winter comes to an end, let them bring to mind this perfect love of Jesus that leads to new life for all who believe.
“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24
The suffering Jesus endured was not lovely to watch, but the love it displayed is beautiful and perfect. When the tulip plants die, they are not beautiful. When the bulbs are hard and seemingly dead, they are not beautiful. When we plant them in the ground, it is not beautiful. But when they spring forth from the ground and bloom in radiant color, it is one of the most beautiful sights to behold, especially when you see an entire field of tulips. The end of the story makes the entire story so much more beautiful and perfect.
Lent Week 6 Action Step:
Let’s remind ourselves of the end of the story of the Easter. The pain and suffering of the week is made so much more beautiful by the new life at the end. Let’s take some time to thank God for the perfect love that brought Jesus to die on our behalf. Let’s tell someone about this perfect love and share the possibility of new life with them.
Share your thoughts in the comments on this post or under the Lent Week 6 post at www.facebook.com/devoinaction – we’d love to hear what you think and see pics of your Bible journaling!
Lent Week 6 Prayer:
Dear God, Thank You so much for Your perfect love that brings us new life. Help us to share it with others. Give us a new appreciation for the beauty of that love for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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