As we talked to locals and the park rangers, we learned that the last time this desert had bloomed like this was in the 1940s. That is, some of these wildflower seeds hadn’t bloomed for 80 years. They lie dormant in the drought for years, being preserved, able to bloom when the time was right.
When these dormant seeds have the right combination of rain and warmth, they come to life again. They bloom! And this is what we took in: the desert in full glory blooming with color. Beauty everywhere! The conditions were right. Seeds that had been dormant for 80 years blossomed! A miracle!
The walk through the desert in Joshua Tree this March became a way for me to think about Easter. I don’t know how to explain what happened on that first Easter morning but I can see how conditions were right for the miracle of new life to burst forth! For the impossible possibilities of God to blossom!
Jesus gave his all for God’s mission. He remained true to himself and true to God’s way of nonviolent, active, self-giving love. Jesus gave his all, and that self-sacrificing love (his choice -- not forced on him) released something into the universe.
Conditions were right, enabling us to see evidence of the mighty power of God. God burst forth with the miracle of life, raising Christ from the dead. From Christ’s death came new life! God took what Jesus offered and released a super bloom!
By Jesus Christ’s self-giving love, God released, empowered, and raised up a whole community of people to carry on Jesus’ Way of self-giving love. The good news of Easter includes this: we can be part of God’s super bloom. |
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