Amidst patches of snow, my little daffodil shoots are out there screaming at the peak of their lungs this morning, "Spring is coming, spring is coming!" and they will defy anyone to try to keep it from happening. I also noted the birds, and particularly the crows, shouting the same. It is like all of life, dearest friends; dense cold and darkness haunt the corners of our hearts, and then GOD shows up, and we see hope.
My heart is grieved for the rise in disasters around the world. it seems every time we take a breath a young athlete falls over dead on the football field or basketball court, terrible, tragic accidents occur daily on highways, babies are born without the ability to breathe on their own, in Pennsylvania, devout Mennonite parents lose seven of their eight children to a late night house fire, and on a larger scale, earthquakes and tsunamis wipe out whole cities and massive volcanos erupt, spewing red-hot lava down mountainsides.
What does it all mean? Is God trying to send a message to the universe that He still reigns, that He is in control of all things, good and bad, and that in the end, HE WINS? Really, I don't know. I do know this - we live in a fallen world rife with SIN and EVIL. Is that God's fault? No, certainly not. It is the result of mankind's first sin, which, in turn, left all of us (including our world) in an imperfect state. God LOVES us one and all and wants nothing more than for His creation to share in His redemptive plan - the hope of salvation. Yes, there is hope amidst the chaos and confusion; there can be joy in the middle of strife; and healing is available in the center of our pain and suffering.
Psalm 22:24 says it most eloquently. "For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help."
Spring is COMING, dear friends - as sure as JESUS is coming. Prepare your hearts and spirits. It is just around the corner.
