Spring is probably my fourth favorite season. I don’t want to say least favorite or something that designates spring as last, because I truly love spring. Spring, to me, is a new beginning, an opportunity for renewal and growth. We’re coming out of the hibernation of winter where everything hides away from the bitterness of the world. The weather is slowly working its way to being warm. The flowers and trees are budding. It’s so beautiful to see nature wake up!
While nature is sprucing itself up, we do that in our homes as well. Spring is a time to reflect on our spaces - the way they are and the way we want them to be. Perhaps it’s time to shed the stuff that has accumulated by decluttering or a spring yard sale. Maybe you like to give your home a deep cleaning. Or you might be taking on home projects that were shelved last fall. We recognize that we need to do some work to make our houses sparkle during this transition.
We have been doing our own spring cleaning here at Lord of Life, too. Easter is coming and we want to look our best. Our property team has been working on things such as painting and upgrading to LED lights. We had some maintenance completed such as having our HVAC system inspected and filters replaced. We revamped some of the signs and boards around the church. We’re making sure we are decluttered and ready to sparkle on Easter!
But it’s more than just needing to work on physical appearance. Lent represents a transition for us spiritually as well. We did devotions, read, prayed, enjoyed fellowship, ate and worshiped together. We talked about some hard things like our sin and the way we damage our relationship with God. We grappled with the need for death in order to have new life, like a seed that must enter the ground and die before a plant can emerge.
During Holy Week, we remember Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and what happens when fear takes over. Fear led the religious leaders to arrest, torture, and assassinate Jesus. Fear led the disciples to hide and deny Christ. Fear is a powerful emotion that lies to us and changes us such as becoming controlling, selfish, or greedy. However, because we have the Holy Spirit, we are called to embrace courage. We are called to stand up against the lies that fear wants us to believe and the harsh actions it calls us to take.
We have done all these things to freshen up our minds and hearts and put a shine on so that we are ready for Easter. Through our Lenten Journey, we remember that when we sin, God meets us again and again with grace and forgiveness. When Peter denies knowing Jesus, we can feel conflicted remembering our own times falling short. But Jesus meets Peter in Galilee after the resurrection and charges Peter with tending and feeding his lambs and sheep. Jesus still has work for Peter just as Jesus has work for us.
Jesus calls us to do the work that glorifies God. Maybe that’s serving at Tikkun Farm or in worship. Maybe it’s something you do alone or with a group such as prayer or Bible study. Maybe you share a laugh or a cry through ministering to friends and strangers. However you are being called, this Easter celebrate the new life that is in you through the resurrection of our savior, Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Laura, Seminary Intern