Are there signs of life, signs of the resurrection, and is there hope for newness, new life in this world? Where? How do I know?

If I am honest I can say that there are days or seasons in life when I cannot see so clearly. But then, there are also days and seasons in life when signs of life and beauty are easily visible. And then there are those seasons when I must look harder, since it isn’t so obvious.

Sometimes it’s my own blindness, my own pain and suffering, that makes it harder to see, or perhaps jealousy, pride, or other sin blocking my view. Other times, it’s watching loved ones grapple with illness or pain, that clouds my vision. And even other times, I may be too busy to stop and take notice.

But, God gives words of love written down, there are signs of life, when I see Him doing this in my own life and those around me… these are truths that sometimes I remember, and sometimes I fail to remember:

God’s mercies are new every morning.
God’s love is so great that he sent his son to die my sin on the cross. (John 3)
God is all-powerful.
God’s compassions do not fail.
God keeps his word.
God is the creator of everything.
God is the beginning and the end.
God is holy. (Psalm 22)
God’s ways are higher than mine. (Isaiah 55)
God knows my heart.
God knew me before I was born. (Psalm 139)
God knows how many hairs are on my head.
God is an ever-present source of help.
God doesn’t let the righteous go begging for bread. (Psalm 37:25)
God is a refuge. (Psalm 62)
God sets captives free. (Isaiah 61)
God knows what we need. (Luke 13)
God forgives. (I John 1:9)
God is slow to anger.
God says to put my hope in him. (Ps. 62:5)
God is gracious.
God is merciful.
God is just.
God will avenge (Psalm 18)

{There is more, much more… I’m sure dear readers can add abundantly to this list …}

Even though there will be times I will remember His promises to me above, and times I will not, that does not change Him or His promises to me… His character does not change.

Because God is who He is, because He has given His word and poured out mercy here below, signs of life can be seen on this mud-crusted earth, filled with imperfect beings. When I am looking, and when I am seeing life and beauty (and this is ever my goal, even though I fall short), here are signs of life that I have seen, reflections of beauty in this broken world:

Forgiveness
Relationships restored
Words, kindly offered
Hands, freely given, for holding, and being
Friends, offering listening ears
Words of hope and life, written to bless, encourage
Songs of hope and God’s goodness sung out to Him
Knees bent in heartfelt prayer
Tears of joy and sadness, expressed with others
Babies, newly arrived, fresh from heaven
Hearts which assume the best

{and much more could be added to this list…}

But yet, here are also some signs of life… in disguise…

Trials
Temptations
Suffering
Pain
Loss
Death
Illness

…While I don’t choose these hard things for myself or those close to me, I believe that His glory and truths gleam behind curtains of suffering and trials (and sometimes I see this with only eyes of faith… when my circumstances don’t look so lovely). If this is true: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corin. 4:17), then I know His mercy still reigns, He still cares enough to mold me into His image, into someone fit for the kingdom, preparing me for my real home in heaven. In addition, if I can learn to see sufferings as rains of mercy instead of simply drudgery to endure … then those indeed are signs of life!  I’m not saying I’m there… it can be in my head but not in my heart, or it can be in my heart but not yet in my hands… but, God has set out the goal before me, to do this: “…do not look at the things which are seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18). So then, signs of life may also be seen in what is unseen. So profound, only God could have made such a thing that seems impossible, actually possible. Beautiful, our God is.

If love is patient and kind, and if God is love, then He is patient and kind and forgives (I Cor 13), and ready to show me more of Him. Thankful for Him– for any sign of life in my messy life is a sign that God is working in me… and the same goes for anyone reading this.

How much I am awed by Him… how much I am awed by how much He loves me! There is no such love like this. Nothing even comes close. What kind of God is this, that loves like this? Jehovah. Jehovah God. There is none like Him!

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sharing with Emily at Imperfect Prose:

and sharing with Ann at Walk With Him Wednesdays: