As
the sleet pounded the ground outside our den, Jerry pointed to the window and remarked,
“That tree has buds on it.”
He’s not a big noticer of that kind of thing, but our Japanese Magnolia is loaded with buds right now. I always hope the tree will hold off blooming until the last cold snap so that the flowers don’t get zapped.
I
suppose Jerry, like me, was looking for a sign of spring in the midst of these
frozen days. Looking ahead, there’s only more of the same in the forecast.
But
the buds are tight, safely enveloped in their icy cocoons, holding the spring that is yet
coming.
As the magnolia blooms hold fast in this hard winter, when we face our metaphorical hard winters, it is sometimes challenging to continue holding hope in our hearts. When tomorrow and the day after just seem like more of what’s happening at present, it can feel as if we’ve sprung a leak, with the hope ebbing away.
The
apostle Paul wrote, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he
who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
The
many variations of what the NIV translates as hold unswervingly are hold fast,
keep secure, keep firm possession of, retain, seize, hold firmly, hold tightly,
and the list goes on. But you get the picture.
What
he is saying is we must hold on to our hope in the Lord and never let go. No matter what’s coming at us
or to use the sleet as an example, falling on us. Because the hope we profess in Jesus is secure. He never lets us go or lets us down.
And
in that hope, we may find the next season of our lives.
So,
friends, remember these Japanese magnolia blossoms in this hard winter--hold on and hope
on.
When
the tree blooms, I’ll post a picture. It’s worth waiting for.