“In Christ, your old life is gone and a new life has begun." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
To say Nadia hated winter was an
understatement. The heater under her
desk and blanket over the back of her home office chair proved it!
So today, she smiled when she saw the first flower of Spring
- a lone daffodil popping its head through the ground on a cool, April morning
walk. New life sprouting always brought
hope and happiness that drew Nadia out of her wintertime doldrums.
Daffodils represent
friendship. These golden stars trumpet
the rising greens; a silent choir which predicts a kind of love story between the
sun and its flowers.
Nadia wasn’t sure what’d made the lone daffodil finally decide to end its long sleep. Perhaps it had noticed that the adjacent dirt was no longer frozen. Maybe it heard singing birds announce Spring’s arrival. Tree roots had possibly whispered that it was now safe to come out as its own limbs were already budding.
Whatever the reason, it was a joy to see the little guy
calling out to its fellow flowers to join in the revival of life once again.
All God’s creation awakens in springtime; warming up softly
in ways that bring optimism to hearts and souls.
Bird songs reach their peak during spring; the perfect time
to enjoy this treat for the ears. As
migrant birds return throughout the season, songs grow in volume and diversity.
Hibernating animals wake from their winter nap. Spring means food is back in ample supply and
it’s time to eat.
There’s nothing quite like the excitement of seeing your
first bumblebee or butterfly of the year. They’re one of the feel-good sights
that give us a little taste of the summer to come.
We too are a part of that creation, but unlike the flowers
in the field we can bloom even when the world around us is cold, dark, and
harsh. We have the ability to share our
beauty in the face of ugliness, our joy in the face of fear, and our love in
the face of hate. We’re capable of
making every day feel like the first day of Spring.
But only God can take away the cold and dark of sin, refill
us with His sweet Holy Spirit, and make us new again. Only He can bring back the springtime,
renewing our hearts to the warm and tender state they were when we first
accepted Him.
As daylight increases, rains fall, and flowers grow again,
may your heart for God – Our Creator and Sustainer – flourish like never
before. Breathe deeply and enjoy the
invigorating feeling the spring air brings and allow God to align your heart to
the freshness He has in store for you.
