Spring – Hot and Cold

[David Simon]

    Spring is a season with many variables.  Temperatures run from cold to hot, precipitation goes from dry to wet (from snow to sleet to rain), and wind velocity can make March end as a lion or a lamb.  We love the warm days, and complain when the weather turns too cold.  But that is the nature of the season.

    For the gardener, Spring is a great time.  I always enjoy the time I can till the garden and plant seeds. With great care I look at the weather; not just what it is today, but I watch what will happen tomorrow.  I don’t get to select the day I will prepare the ground, conditions must be dry for several days. If the ground is too wet I get clay lumps rather than fine soil when I till the ground.

    I carefully select what to plant in my garden and its location.  I select seed which will produce what we will eat or share.  There is no room for much else.  Some plants need to be in the shade, while others need full sun. I carefully plan for space so vines will not overrun smaller plants.

     After planting comes the waiting time.  I watch daily to see what seedlings have poked their heads out of the ground.  There is great joy when I see the rows of plants springing up; the new seedlings represent new life and the hope of a harvest.

    But Spring can be unpredictable.  There are times when the weather is warm, and in hope I plant my garden, But then the late Spring freeze comes.  If I plant too early, I will lose my crop, and have to plant ahead.  Generally I get it right, but there are times I see the plants sprout and leaf only to wake up one morning only and mourn my loss.

    Our spiritual life can be like this, running from hot to cold.  You know the routine.  For a period of time you go to your Bible daily to read the Word, and have regular prayer time.  Then something comes up, and you miss one morning, then two; and your daily reading stops.  You must start again.

    There are times in my life when I can focus on my reading and daily routine; then comes the busy season, when my time is stolen.  In a time of crisis, the time I desire can be frozen out, unless I purposely force a time to spend with God.

    Over time, a cold spell can change a nation, such was the case at points in Israel’s history.  You can read more about this in chapter four of Spring: Connecting with God.