Rise Up...Winter is Past
“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land; the fig tree puts forth her green figs, and vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
John Wesley White, who was born in Canada, recalls a horrible winter from his boyhood. “I saw the snow blizzards bury a mile-long freight train for 33 days. My father came in out of the cold one deep-freeze morning and announced that the temperature was 51 below zero. Mid-winter snow storms were so dense, and the darkness so intense, that often it felt like we were huddled in an Arctic cave.”
We have just experienced a pretty rough winter, but glad it was nothing like that. Springtime is here and aren’t you glad? This past Thursday, March 20, was the first day of Spring. Those of us who live where God has created the four seasons, greatly appreciate the Spring after a rough winter season. The promise of the four seasons is found in Genesis 8:22. The Lord says, “While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”
Solomon implies that Spring casts its magical spell over young lovers. The farmer rejoices, while the gardener is smiling again. It must have been Springtime when Isaiah wrote, “The trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55:12)
Charles H. Spurgeon shares in his message, “A Sermon for Spring,” “The things which are seen are types of the things which are not seen. The works of creation are pictures to the children of God of the secret mysteries of grace . . . The very seasons of the year find their parallel in the little world of man within. We have our winter-dreary howling winter, when the north wind of the law rushes forth against us, when every hope is nipped, when all the seeds of joy lie buried beneath the dark clouds of despair, when our soul is firmly fettered like a river bound with ice . . . flowers of hope appear in our hearts, the trees of faith put forth their young shoots. . . and we have joy and peace in believing through the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Spring reminds us of new life. Some things that have life lie dormant all winter, but when the south winds begin to blow and the temperature warms up we are glad to see the trees bud, early flowers spring up, and the grass begins to grow. The fields are being “dotted” more and more with new born calves, and other of God’s creatures. A few nights ago, my wife and I were watching a movie on TV, and someone who had gone through a crisis which turned out good, responded to the situation and said, “It’s a miracle.” At the same time someone else turned and looked at a mother holding a new born baby and said, “No, that’s a miracle.” God’s creation of life is a miracle.
When one turns to Christ Jesus in faith for salvation, to which Jesus referred as, “Born again,” this is also a miracle. The apostle Paul said, “Wherefore, if any man (person) be in Christ, he is a new creature, (creation) old things are passed away and all things become new.” (II Cor. 5:17)
Spring awakens in us a sense of life. It awakens in us the sense of the new and abundant life we have in Christ Jesus. The Spring flowers raise their heads above the soil and brighten the earth with their beauty, but sad to say, they are short lived. Unlike the Spring flowers, when one is “born again” it is for keeps.
As you walk with the Lord though this Spring Season, enjoying Him and His creation, rejoice and enjoy what He has provided in Christ Jesus.
Reflection: Romans 1:19b-20 “. . . God has made it plain . . . since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what He has made, so that people are without excuse.”