Welcome Springtime
Springtime is a wonderful time of the year! As the seasons roll rapidly by, it is good to pause at this point and say, “Welcome Spring!” Here are some reasons to welcome spring:
I. Because It Reminds Us of Re-birth and Renewal
Once winter has done its work, it leaves its mark on the creation. The grass is brown, many of the trees have lost their leaves, flowers are missing in flowerbeds, and the air is cold. As spring begins its work, green shoots force themselves past the brown, dead grass; the bulbs that died in the winter have broken and green stems with flowers reaching for the springtime sun begin to appear.
Because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, winter passed upon all mankind. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19).
Since Christ went through the “winter” of the cross for us, when we believe in Him we experience the breaking forth of springtime in our souls. “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6). Christ’s death, burial and resurrection assures us that we, too, have gone through the spiritual equivalency. He died; we died with Him. He was buried; we were buried with Him. He rose again from the grave; we have risen from the grave spiritually. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
Then we also welcome spring…
II. Because It Reminds of the Possibility of Having Dreams Rejuvenated
Every year around this time I hear the sound of birds coming through the corridor of our chimney interior. This seems to be a favorite nesting place for our yearly visitors. In the early morning hours I hear the chirping and interspersed song. In the life of birds, I don’t know everything that has transpired from last year to this year. I don’t know if it is the same mother or one of her offspring coming back to the place of its birth, but I am refreshed to know when I hear the song of the spring bird, we can begin again; we can dream again.
Is there a person reading this that feels like your dreams have been dashed to smithereens and you just can’t attempt to do what you were planning to do? Let me give you some advice on dreams.
(a) If you can still fulfill your dream, dream again and start over. There is nothing wrong in admitting mistakes that have been made or opportunities that have been lost. If God has given you one more shot at a job, your marriage, your goals, or your miracle, take that risk and “go for it.” If you slide back on the rails of life, be like the little train engine that thinks he can. Keep chugging until God gives you speed!
(b) If the dream is at this time beyond recovery, test the waters for plan “b.” How thankful we can be that if God vetoes our plans, it is only to bring about His greater plan. God will not detour our directions unless He has a better direction for us to follow. One of the worst things we can do is try to make happen something He does not want for us. One of the most traumatic forms of discipline is to have fulfillment of a dream that is not God ordained. That is a dream that can turn into a nightmare.
(c) While waiting for your dream to come to pass, see if God will use you as an instrument to help someone else see their dream come to fruition. As I write this I am thinking of Dr. J.R. Faulkner, associate pastor for fifty years or so for Dr. Lee Roberson of Chattanooga, TN. J. R. Faulkner was a budding actor, ready to climb the highest pedestals of Hollywood when God arrested his heart and won him for service. Had he stayed in the Hollywood business, you could have easily seen him go into directing and producing. He had those gifts of administrating and leading. Yet how he humbled himself and as Dr. Roberson preached at home and abroad, Dr. Faulkner kept the home fires burning with innovative Sunday School planning and soul winning visitation efforts that helped build the largest congregation in the world. I was thinking about Dr. Lenny Willinger, associate pastor for Dr. Bob Gray in Jacksonville, FL. This extremely gifted, Ivy League educated man placed himself under the ministry of Dr. Gray and freed up Dr. Gray to do the work of preaching and pastoring while he was enmeshed in the detail of daily grind. The continuation of Trinity Baptist’s strength even after Dr. Gray retired to work in the mission field of Germany is a credit to a man who found his greatest fulfillment in helping someone else’s dreams come to pass.
Finally we welcome spring…
III. Because It Reminds Us That Jesus Is Coming Again
Listen to Divine inspiration: “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 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 is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song of Solomon 2:10-13). Our Lord depicts the time of His return as springtime. How can we not love this time of the year?
In just a few days we celebrate the anniversary of my father’s home-going. It was April 16 and how appropriate he went home to Heaven from a town called Spring. Daddy loved spring. I still remember that cold February afternoon in Solgahatchie, a community in the northwest corner of Arkansas at the foot of Petit Jean Mountain, when Dad said the final words over my grandmother’s grave. He said, “As you ride back home today you will see the trees have lost their leaves, the grass is brown, but remember, come Spring, the flowers will bloom again. Come Spring, the trees will bear leaves again. And come spring, we’ll see our mother again…come spring.” Dad would not always be in a romantic mood in front of us kids, but we could tell when he felt romantic, he would sing “When It’s Springtime in the Rockies” to my Mom. Today I think of the line that I so often heard him sing to Mother, “I’ll be coming home to you.” And he will…. come spring!
When you smell that fresh Spring air, see that blooming bud, even catch the yellow haze of pollen, remember, Jesus is coming again. One day the whole world will cease from wars and rumors of war; the lion shall lay down with the lamb; the lame shall leap like a deer; there will be peace on earth…come spring! Welcome spring! Welcome Jesus!
-Pastor Pope-