Yesterday I was out working in our yard, cleaning up the garden boxes and preparing for the growth that is already on its way. Last fall I planted a number of bulbs and now I am enjoying the emergence of the crocuses and the beginnings of the tulips. Spring is a time of hope and for me that is brought to life through the renewal of the various plants and trees that I see around me.
When we lived in Ontario we had a small orchard. The trees were old and didn’t produce much good fruit but early every spring I would walk among the trees, checking to see if the buds were starting to grow. I knew there was life in the trees and I would get excited when it began to manifest itself, first in the tiny buds and then it would fill the trees with blossoms. Even though I knew we wouldn’t have much in the way of apples or pears, the blossoms filled me with joy and hope.
I know that there is a scientific explanation for the blossoms on fruit trees and it has to do with attracting bees who aid in the pollination. But I also think it is a gift from God and an expression of God’s joy in which we get to share.
This is also like the wild flowers that Jesus mentioned in his sermon on the mount. They grow out of the ground without anyone planting or tending them. They bloom for a while and then fade and we might wonder what the point is. I’m sure that there are millions of beautiful flowers that no human eye ever sees. Yet God cannot help creating this beauty. The abundance of beauty for the sake of beauty is part of the very nature of God.
The psalmist reminds us of the beauty of God and how creation itself testifies to God. So spring, for me, is a sign of the presence of God in our world, a world created by God and loved by God. God has invited us to see God’s re-creation and God invites us to participate in re-creation. That gives me hope.
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