Is It Spring Yet?

On the way out of church on Sunday, there was a flurry in the air. As I let out a rather loud sigh, I was reminded that it wasn’t but a few months ago that I was celebrating snow. Now it seems in many ways that I am now contradicting myself with my lament. The truth is that we do live in Pittsburgh and we should expect this kind of weather. It was just 15 years ago that we experienced the Blizzard of ’93 on March 13. So with just a few flurries in the air, I shouldn’t be complaining.

As I sighed, I tried to explain that the earlier post about winter is all true. I love snow, and I love winter. But there comes a time in the season when that feeling wears off and I begin to look forward to spring. Regardless of what the furry rodent says, I am never ready for spring on February 2nd. But now I am.

But this year, I am more anxious for spring than other years. I think it has to do with several things. The first is the time change that already happened. This is the second year that we’ve experienced the earlier shift. Couple that with what is the earliest Easter in my lifetime and I think that I am growing anxious. In previous years, spring happens on its usual day, and I probably wouldn’t think twice about it. But for some reason, daffodils are an early signal of spring, and that hasn’t even happened yet. I’m anxious for spring and an early Easter is the capstone of the entire feeling.

But warm weather and sunshine will have to wait. We have a week of rain, snow, and low pressure systems in the forecast.

Sunday is Easter. It is earlier than ever before in my lifetime, but nonetheless it is Easter. I am anxious, but like the warm weather, I will have to wait. For before the Easter Celebration is the rain, snow, and low pressure system of Holy Week. Before Easter, Jesus Christ must go through the pain and agony of the cross. He must go through it – so that we can get to Easter. We too have to go through it.

One of my favorite hymns talks about this spring and Easter moment for us, “Hymn of Promise.” While the hymn best talks about the hope of resurrection that awaits us all as part of God’s plans in eternity, I think it speaks well to the promise of Spring and the promise of Easter as well.

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, and apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. (Words by Natalie Sleeth).

It’s Winter, but Spring is just around the corner. It’s Holy Week, and Easter is coming!

My prayer is that you will experience Holy Week in a whole new way this year, either through scripture reading, attending a production with your children, or even in worship. Come and share in the experience of winter, so that when Sunday arrives, you can celebrate the good news that God has overcome death, the victory that is unrevealed until its season. God sees it, and I hope that you experience it new this year.

Please pray for me, and know that I am praying for you.
Greg