C’mon Spring!
Dear friends and family of Hilton Baptist Church,
Okay, show of hands – who is ready for Spring?!
As I type these words the world outside my window is gray, dreary, and water logged from all the rain. My mother sent me a picture about an hour ago of the creek behind their house. The water level has risen to the bottom of the footbridge crossing the creek and has begun to creep up into the yard. Along with the picture she sent me the message “Should I build a boat?”.
A few days ago the trees were covered in ice and in some places there was still some stubborn snow on the ground. Today I even heard reports of possible snow showers. I admit my patience is growing thin and in a private moment by myself I blurted out, “Enough already!”.
I recently had a conversation with some people a
bout our ‘Spiritual Temperaments’. These are the ways each of us most naturally connect with God and faith. Some people find it easier to connect with God through contemplation while other people may feel closest to God through acts of social justice. These are just two of the nine temperaments one author suggests into which people can be categorized. The ‘temperament’ I find myself drawn to is called “Naturalist”, which means I connect best with God through nature and being outdoors.
Therefore, it should not be a surprise that I see a spiritual lesson in the apparent delay of Spring’s arrival. Sometimes faith can feel like one long unrelenting winter. The soul is cold and dark and it feels the signs of life are asleep in hibernation.
Yet we are people of the resurrection! We are the people of hope and tenacity to keep holding on. Even when our souls are surrounded in gray, we are the people who keep believing, we keep trusting and we keep saying, “C’mon Spring!”
It is not easy to keep holding on and believing. Yet, did you notice in the cartoon above the one hoping for spring was not alone? He had a friend beside him. As we continue to walk by faith may we be persistent in our faith, may we be determined in our hope and may we find faithful friends to stand beside us as we eagerly await a season of new life and possibilities!
C’mon Spring! Dan
Categories: Pastors Message