4 Born to New Life
Stand in front of the second viburnum tree near to the large cross.
Sometimes, new life can emerge from something seemingly lifeless. A few months ago, this tree was simply a collection of bare stems – and look at it now! Or take an egg: it looks completely dead, but we know that it has the potential to hatch into something that will grow far bigger than its shell. That’s why eggs are associated with Easter, and Jesus coming out of the tomb and back to life. Once he had done this, he opened up the way to life for all of us with him in heaven.
Perhaps thinking about the Easter story in the garden today has encouraged you to look for where there is room for change in areas of your own life that you don’t like, or where you can grow more into the person you feel God wants you to be.
Take an egg made of card out of the wallet at the bottom of the board, and think for a few moments about your response to your experiences today in this garden. You might want to write something that came to you while you were doing the activities, or note it down on the egg and take it away with you to hang it up at home to remind you to think things over. Or you might like to try your hand at writing a prayer yourself, which you could hang on the tree or take away with you. If you ask something in your prayer, don’t forget to wait for an answer and be alert, it may come seemingly out of nowhere and be something completely unexpected!
As you leave the garden and set off again on your journey through life, remember that Jesus is always with you and only a prayer away – even if there are times when you don’t recognize him.
May the Lord God bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
