“It will seem like all hell has broken loose — sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.
“And then — then! — they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style — a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”
[Jesus] told them a story. “Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner.
The same here — when you see these things happen, you know God’s kingdom is about here.
“Don’t brush this off: I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too — these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.” (Luke 21: 25-33)
Monday was the first day of Spring!
The days are getting longer, and everything seems to be turning green. It made me think of Jesus’s words to his disciples about how the signs of spring are also a promise of summer - my favorite season.
The context of this verse tells us more about what Jesus meant. He seems to be telling the disciples that when things seem to be at their worst, those are the signs that God is coming to set it right. Even when circumstances seem dire and you might be tempted to lose hope, that is when God will meet you to give you new hope, new life, resurrection. Just like when things are gray and dead in the cold winter, spring buds are a sign of hope that the world is being brought back to life.
What a beautiful promise!
I love the green buds on the trees, and especially the deep pink redbuds that dot the mountain this time of year. The mama cows, sheep, pigs, and horses are all having babies, and the spring rains are turning all the dull fields into bright green pastures again.
I think these are such wonderful visual reminders of God’s promise to not leave us in the dead, gray winter but to bring us back to life and fill the world with beauty, color, nourishment, and new life.
I hope you’ll notice the springtime around you in a new way today. As you take in the bright spring greens and notice new growth on the trees and spring flowers popping up, maybe you’ll hear God’s voice carried on the breeze, telling you how much you are loved, and maybe you’ll hear the voice gleefully whisper “See? My promises always come true!”
"... the flowers they bloom all day long, so why shouldn't we praise God all day?"
