A Natural Transformation recently took place, practically before my eyes. Several days after I had gathered pine cones from our yard and stored them in baskets in our heated sun room, the cones completely changed their form. The warmth in the room had caused their crusty, brittle layers to unfold, making them look like little Christmas trees. The sharp thorns that had scratched my fingers when I picked the cones had now moved underneath the layers and no longer posed a threat. Upon opening up, the cones had released hundreds of seeds, which were now lying in the bottom of the baskets.
What had been scratchy, tightly wound cones became lovely, delicate shapes. I couldn't help thinking of this natural transformation as symbolic of the warmth of God's love for His creation and the effect that the Christ, the idea of divine Love, has on mankind.
Christ Jesus healed people of disease and sin, transforming their lives into lives of goodness and promise. The tender touch of the Christ, revealing the perfection of God and man, embraced and enfolded all who came to Jesus to be healed.
