Another day of winter. Sigh.
Freezing rain. Grey, foreboding skies. Wetness and cold that seeps down to your very bones. Father, I am so tired of this. I'm so weary with winter.
Just this morning, I shoved on my way over-used snow boots yet again, put on multiple layers in a futile attempt to keep my old bones warm, and drudged down to the snowy, icy greenway with Mr. Bingley. As usual, he seemed to delight in the freezing rain, miserably cold temperatures and mud. Oh my, so much mud interspersed between snow, ice and a few patches of pavement peeking through.
For the record, the greenway was definitely NOT beautiful this morning. In fact, as I gingerly walked along, trying desperately not to hit an icy patch and wipe out, I looked around and thought--this looks horrible. Seriously. Dark, soaking wet, dirty snow, muddy, bare pathetic-looking trees, branches strewn everywhere. Lord, I silently prayed, we can't stand this much longer. We are all so weary of winter. The world just seems so depressingly dark, cold, and messy.
And it suddenly hit me. One day--even in the not too distant future--we will be walking along that same greenway and green will be everywhere. Those muddy, ugly fields will be sprouting with bright yellow dandelions--creating a beautiful carpet of happy color. The trees will be dancing in the breezes, clothed with that lovely new spring green color that speaks of rebirth. The scents of spring will waft upon the air.
This will happen. Spring will come.
Winter will have to give way to God's inevitable gift of spring...and new life...and fresh hope. I walked along, cold and wet, surrounded by bleakness, yet suddenly buoyed by the clear knowledge and certain hope that this deadness all around me was passing away. Every bit of it would one day soon be gone. Warmth and Easter and resurrection were coming. Spring is coming, despite how it appears today.
Sure, I couldn't see it yet...but I knew, I absolutely knew--it's coming. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb.11:1) Just because we cannot see the evidences of spring, doesn't mean that they are not sure and absolute reality. Sometimes the truest, realest things in life are those things we cannot see. Love. Hope. Joy. Kindness. Faith.
And I thought of something I read from Beth Moore: "This may be the worst winter of your life, but make no mistake, your Spring is coming and that cold dead ground beneath your feet will sprout." Yes, yes it will. Because God is more powerful than your greatest fear, your deepest pit, your hardest sorrow. He is the Resurrection and the Life. (John 11:25) Our most intractable enemies of sin and death have already been decimated at the cross. Jesus has won the victory on your behalf.
So make no mistake about it--spring is coming.
No matter what might be going on in your world right now, be encouraged in the certain hope and sure conviction that Jesus has won and will win the victory. Aslan is on the move. No matter how you feel or what you see, know that winter is receding, spring is coming, and rebirth and renewal will happen. Hope will be revitalized.
Even now, that cold dead ground is sprouting. Praise God. Thank You, Lord Jesus.
To God be the glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment