Spring Has Come!
Spring has come!
The first daffodils are poking out from under the thick layer of leaves in the woods beside my house. Someone tossed the bulbs into the woods, and the trees dropped their leaves to cover them up. Over time the bulbs sent roots down into the soil, and now their shoots are moving the covering off in search of sunlight. Spring has arrived and the bulbs seek the sun for the energy they need to bloom.
Every spring I feel like a bulb. I have been covered by layers of sweaters and coats, just waiting for the sun to warm the air enough so I can toss off my coat. I love winter until February, then I am ready for spring. I have had enough time in the cold and crave warmth. When I find the first crocus or daffodil, I know spring is coming and there is hope.
Palm Sunday for me is the day of hope. It is the day when we celebrate Christ’s triumphal arrival into Jerusalem. All four Gospels record the event, and it marks the start of Holy Week. Jesus entered riding on a donkey colt. People put their cloaks on the road or cut branches to cover the road and keep the dust down.
“And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’ And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.’” Matthew 21:9-11
Jesus came into Jerusalem, and the people began to shout Psalm 118:26. Palm Sunday we are given palm fronds to wave. We carry them out of the church and into the world as a reminder to tell those around us about Christ and His death on the cross. When my kids were little, they often used those fronds as weapons to hit other people. I taught myself how to bend them into a cross to remind them of Jesus and His love for us.
God’s love for us is woven throughout the Psalms. This week we will reflect on several Psalms. One of my favorites is Psalm 36:5-12.
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.
Psalm 36:5-12
Just as the daffodil searches for the
sun to get the nourishment it needs, so I turn to the Psalms for replenishment every Spring. They remind me of His love, provision, protection, and faithfulness. Spring also brings Palm Sunday and Easter when we celebrate that our Savior came to save us all. He bought us with His sacrifice, and we are a new creation.
I love Springtime. The newness, the beautiful flowers, and the leaves. Just not the allergies. What is your favorite season?
