March 4, 2016
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43: 18-19
I‘ve held onto a thoughtful note sent to me several years ago when I was going through a particularly rough time. The writer sent it to me about this time of year. The last line reads, “All good wishes for the coming of Spring when God is busy making all things new for us to enjoy.”
What a lovely thought.
And how quickly I can ruin it by questioning the newness He brings. By longing to stay put and not budge from my comfortable spot. Gambling with missing the blessings of the Spring because I’ve been lulled into a Winter’s nap.
It’s not that I’m a spring scrooge. It’s just that I’m not quite ready for it.
Maybe I just want to stay curled up under blankets on the couch. Maybe I just want hot chocolate and pots of soup to still be appropriate. I’m not ready for my fair skin to be exposed to shirt sleeves, away from bulky sweaters. I want to linger for a little longer in the comfort of a warm house and sweatpants.
But it’s coming regardless. The sun that calls us outside and allows us to leave the coats on the hangers. The daffodils popping up in yellow contrast to the brown grass that surrounds them. Pollen will soon swirl in the air inducing sneezes and watery eyes, causing us to question this seasonal change.
But what if we crawled out from the covers long enough to notice that the watery eyes could be tears of joy springing from the newness He brings? The plans that had to lie dormant during the winter are now ready to pop up and be fulfilled. It’s time to remove our old, cumbersome ways that weigh us down and move freely into a new season of life.
God is at work. Watch it as the flowers bloom. Hear it as the birds sing. Feel it as the sun shines. Discover it as He works for you. Newness and life.
“Hear the birds start to sing
Feel the life in the breeze
Watch the ice melt away
The kids are coming out to play
Feel the sun on your skin
Growing strong and warm again
Watch the ground: there’s something moving
Something is breaking through
New life is breaking through
Spring is coming,
Spring is coming
And all we’ve been hoping and longing for soon will appear
Spring is coming,
Spring is coming
And it won’t be long now, it’s just about here”
Lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman/ “Spring is Coming”
What are you hoping the Spring will bring? Share in the comments.