Emmanuel Lutheran Church

April 2019

Spring is here! Well, on the calendar anyway. As I write this article, snow is coating the ground. The nice thing about snow this time of year is that you know it is not going to last. Though we are all tired of the long, cold winter, warmer weather is within sight. It won’t be long and we will have the lawnmowers out once again.

Winter has taken its toll outside. As I look around our yard, I see the results of God’s cleaning of the trees all around. J Branches cover the yard and pine cones lay all over just waiting to be raked up. God has cleared the trees of the dead branches and made room for more growth.

Our little chipmunk “Chippy” has come out of his winter hibernation and is scurrying around collecting birdseed from the feeders once again, and he has a lady friend with him now. J Last night we pulled in the drive and saw a rabbit enjoying some grass. If this is like year’s past, a nest is somewhere close by and baby rabbits will be forthcoming.

Spring is indeed near. The darkness of winter will give way to the colors of spring. God designed it that way on purpose, I think. For me, some of the most beautiful flowers bloom at this time of the year - tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths - all have such beautiful color.

Sue and I are doing some spring cleaning, going through boxes of keepsakes in the basement and cleaning away some of the “clutter” that has accumulated over the years. The church is in the thick of the season of Lent right now. Lent is like the winter of our spiritual life. During Lent, there are no flowers on the altar. We don’t sing “alleluias” during worship. No banners hang during this “dark” time of the church year.

In this time we take time, time that God has given us, to slow down and reflect. Like winter, we are “shut in” for a while and our focus changes as we look at ourselves and are gifted time to do some “house cleaning;” to take a look at our spiritual lives and enter into faith disciplines such as prayer, study, worship, giving and others that help us to center our hearts and minds on the one who created us, who shapes us and forms us. The one who leads us to the cross where we see God most clearly.

But then, something wonderful happens. God opens the tomb and the days of Lent are over and Easter Sonrise happens. Alleluias spill forth from our lips. Flowers of all colors adorn the altar. Joy abounds. The tomb is empty. God has done God’s “spring cleaning” of our hearts through repentance and forgiveness shines like the colors of the daffodils and tulips of spring. Hang in there, Easter is right around the corner!

Blessings,
Pastor Alan