Isaiah 42:9
See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth, I tell you of them.
Forgive my poor grammar but I knew that title would get your attention. We all WANT to know “what’s gonna happen” to our lives, our loves, and our world. Such knowledge is sought to bring about peace in the uncertainty of the chaos that often surrounds us – certainly, it surrounds us “right now.”
But here is THE GOOD NEWS. God is bringing about the complete and total restoration of all of God’s creation. That’s the ultimate “what’s gonna happen.” But if that seems too distant to you to bring about a renewed sense of peace “right now,” let’s turn our attention to the very next new season moving towards us “right now.”
Something magical happens each February. It will happen this February too. Those little green spikes will begin to silently push through the red dirt. First, you will barely notice them – beside the road, along the hedges, and in the flower beds. Then (almost simultaneously, as if coordinated by a grand conductor) the yellow burst of color on top of all the extended green clumps will demand your attention as daffodils foreshadow the coming of spring…not yet here, but now within reach.
That’s when the saucer magnolias will pick up the Divine Song of renewed life. Those trees will burst forth shouting to the glory of the Lord in a splendid shower of purple and pink blooms that race towards the ground as fast as they arrived – serving their unique purpose – a holy sprinkling of glorious petal blooms on the ground preparing the way for the renewing of all life.
Next, the bradford pear trees will pick up the melody and carry the symphony forward with each white bloom cluster. As the bradford pear trees turn from white to green, the dogwood and redbud trees become a crescendo of white and pink harmony fully proclaiming the new life that bursts forth as every tree, every bush, every blade of grass follows their lead and SPRINGS FORTH into renewed life. Green! Green!! GREEN!!!
But this year it will all have new meaning to me. I believe our lives, that in so many ways went dormant LAST winter, will be springing to life right along side the renewing creation. For me, each bud is a shot in the arm. Each new leaf is a renewed lease on life for another person – and another – and then another.
Renewal comes. Watch for the signs – patiently and steadfastly. It comes.
That’s what’s gonna happen!
