May 2008

Dear Friends,

I notice that every church newsletter in May starts the same: “I look out at the budding trees and see the blossoming forsythia, and I am grateful to God for the new life we are promised in Christ.” I’ve written that opening paragraph for a number of Shingles myself. Therefore, I was determined to go a different direction this year, and avoid the stereotype. After all, while surely all of us are glad to stop shoveling the white stuff and thaw out a little, and most of us are grateful for some color in our gardens, some people are going through trials & tribulations, death, disease and loss; and the promise of new life sometimes rings a wee bit hollow in the midst of the pain, even if a robin begins to chirp outside the window. I hope some of you are experiencing the thrill of new seasons of joy in your spiritual or physical lives, but I know not everyone has made it through the metaphorical winter. That said, I was determined not to write about spring in this May’s Shingle. And after a week of putting off the secretary, who was reminding me my article was due, I realized something—

I couldn’t think of anything else! The impulse is too strong. The image shines too brightly. The metaphor of new life in spring makes sense. Why does nature bloom and grow in the spring? Simple: the heat of the sun warms the earth to release the seeds that were planted in the fall, and the light of the sun shines on the new sprouts, so they begin to be fed and nurtured, shooting forth new leaves and climbing up out of the ground. Note this, however – the sun was always there, throughout the winter, and the sun did not move away from the earth; the earth seasonally orbited away from the sun, and returned in due course. The image, of course, is of Christ as the Son-Light that warms and nurtures us, and it’s important to remember that he never moves away from us; we move from him, and also, this is a natural aspect of life. God created every part of us, and designed us to be in constant movement, cycling between planting, germinating and blooming in mind, body and spirit. We were created to choose him, to choose life. Without a season of winter there would be no choice; a constant summer of lying in flower, with no death or decay would mean no growth, no desire, no true joy or bliss, for we cannot know the height of grace if we have not known the depth of despair. We cannot know what it is to be in flower unless we have spent a season in the frozen earth. In other words, when we thank God for the coming of spring we should also thank God for the ice and snow (harder to do when you’re up to your neck in a snowdrift, I realize).

For anyone out there who isn’t feeling it, I understand completely. I’ve been there, too. We all have. And will again. I merely hopefully offer the comfort of a reminder that outside of metaphor, in the real world of our development as spiritual beings, while our time of trial may well last far longer than a three month celestial cycle, it doesn’t last forever. And it is a natural part of God’s plan. God has never moved away from you, and never will. Your world will turn again; I promise. My favorite Scripture is this one, written by a man who knew more than most what it is to suffer, and yet trust in the joy of Christ’s redemption:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now. . . 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. . . 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:18‑22, 28, 31-39.

Love and light,

Martin

To read Martin's letters from past months, please click here.