Springtime is one of my favorite seasons of the year. Everything is fresh, new, and in bloom. If you are like me you go stir-crazy if you are inside too long, so after a long cold winter how can you not enjoy the warm temperatures and the bright sunshine upon your face. I love it!
Changing seasons can teach us spiritual lessons. God’s nature is revealed in his created world and we are to learn about Him through the world he has created. So what are the spiritual lessons to be learned from the changing seasons, and the beautiful springtime that we are enjoying?


1) God’s Faithfulness
The first lesson that we need to learn from the changing seasons is that God is a faithful God. We take it for granted that spring follows winter, summer follows spring, etc.… What have we done to bring about this change in seasons? Absolutely nothing! God has done it without any of our aid or help. Yet while we sleep and wake, day after day God has been faithfully caring for his earth – upholding it while it makes its yearly revolution around the sun. The earth never speeds up; it doesn’t slow down; it doesn’t veer off course. Rather it consistently rotates day after day while revolving around the sun. Why? Because God by the power of His might keeps it directly on course. So perfectly in fact that each season comes in due course. That is none other than the perfect faithfulness of our God.
As you enjoy spring do you need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness? Perhaps it has been a particularly challenging year and life has been anything but consistent for you. Isn’t it good to be reminded that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever? That his faithfulness is ever the same, and that faithfulness is applied to you as His child. That he loves you and never leaves you or forsakes you. We can rely upon Him as the firm foundation for our feet and more faithful than the changing seasons.


2) God’s mercy
As we were driving this last week and seeing all the blooming trees and flowers, my wife said to me that you often forget what a beautiful part of the country that we live in. That is absolutely true. During the spring everything looks fresh and new. That newness reminds me of Lamentations 3:22,23 “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” God’s mercy and love to us His children is new every morning. It is never used up or spent, but as infinite is God - so too is His love and mercy for us in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What a wonderful promises to store up in your heart and your mind as you see the newness of spring all around. The flowers will bloom but eventually the petals will fall off. The grass will grow and need to be cut for a season, but it too will go dormant again. However there is never a time that God’s love and mercy is out of season, or dries and shrivels up. It is new to us with every passing day.


3) Spiritual Renewal & Growth
We have been planting some flowers and trees lately because we know this is the time for them to get established and grow. It is the same in our spiritual life as well. Now is the season for spiritual growth. The Bible frequently uses the metaphor of plants growing to symbolize spiritual growth in our life (Mk.4:14-20), and in the kingdom of God (Mk.4:26-32). God expects growth and fruit. If a plant is alive, it will grow and thrive. This is true of those that are spiritually alive as well. If the Spirit of God has made us new then we should be continually growing and bearing fruit.
What ways have you seen growth in your life? Sometimes that is difficult to tell on our own, but hopefully those around us see that growth and fruitfulness. Perhaps in a renewed commitment to the Word of God, or to service in your church? Perhaps in loving the things of this world less? In various ways our lives should be continually conforming to look like the Lord Jesus Christ. This season is also a wonderful time of growth in the church – hopefully by adding new families to our fellowship. Spring (and summer) is an excellent time to invite friends, coworkers, and neighbors to be a part the Worship of our God here at Smyrna Presbyterian. May we by God’s grace be growing individually and collectively.
These and many other lessons can be learned from God’s creation all around us. May we have the eyes to see our Great God and apply the lessons of nature to our hearts and minds.
Happy spring everyone!