Hope of Spring

1 Peter 1:3-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

Hendersonville, NC

After a long, cold winter, the daffodils and tulips dance in the breeze. Red buds bloom in hues of pink, and green pops on the trees and lilac bushes. Spring! What a joy to witness the renewal of life after snow and freezing temperatures. As much as I get frustrated with Ohio weather and the sinus troubles that come with it, I love that we experience four seasons. I’m not sure I could live where the weather’s always the same. I met a couple from California who lived in a zone where the temperature remained between 70 and 85 all the time. That sounds great, but I know I’d miss winter and the hope of spring.

Like the varied weather, life comes and goes in seasons. Some are mild and ordinary while others cause heartache and pain. No matter what’s happening, whether I struggle with difficult circumstances or bask in contentment, I hang on to the hope I have in Jesus. What a comfort to know that heaven is on the other end of this life. As much as I enjoy my family, friends, and pursuits, I have a greater joy in the hope I place in Jesus. Praise God for his son who gave his life for me.