What season is it in your life? Are you living in July? Or, is it late February or early March full of slush?
I remember an Easter morning when I must have been about 10 years old. We were waiting upstairs in our farm house for the Easter Bunny to finish hiding candy when my sister Shelley spotted a robin in the back yard. The Brauns crew erupted. We yelled down to my parents, “We saw a robin.”
Why the excitement over a common bird? It wasn’t like we were great nature lovers. To be honest, if my brothers and I had been outside with a 410 we might have even take a shot at it.
For that matter, a robin isn’t a particularly incredible bird. A pheasant is bigger and brighter. A cardinal is more vivid, bald eagles are more spectacular. But, you know why we were excited. A robin in the Upper Midwest is one of the first signs of Spring.
I still smile when I see the first robin of the year. I know if Spring doesn’t show up with the robins, it won’t be far behind.
No robins yet. In fact, they’re a few weeks out and it’s about an ugly a time of year as we have in the Midwest. The snow that remains is gray slush. But, it will only be a few weeks and the first brave robins will fly north and freeze for their tail feathers off for a few days before the warm spring rains arrive.
Life is seasons. There are warm summer days in July, and, flaming maples in October. There are tulips and geraniums. But, there is also late February and early March. And, on those gray days, spring seems decades away.
It may be that your life is in the month of February. If you look out the window of your circumstances, all you see is gray slush and icy rain. But, be assured of this. If you know Christ, Spring is not far away.
Go to your window right now. Open up your Bible and read the Psalms. Listen to Christian music. You may be surprised to see a robin. And, even though Spring may not come at exactly the same time as the robin, it won’t be far behind.
Look to Christ for Spring.
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul (Psalm 143:8).”
This is beautiful, Chris.
I pray you will see robins soon, my friend. Winter has been brutal for all my northern friends.
On that note, there were several painted buntings in the backyard today, but they have been low in numbers this year. I’m not sure if it’s related or not, but we haven’t had a cold winter, either. Only one frost and freeze about 2 weeks ago. But I probably shouldn’t tell y’all that.
I think y’all probably appreciate spring and summer more than we do. Oh, how easy it is to take our subtropical life for granted.