Easter & the Renewal of Spring
04/17/2006 01:21 Filed in: Faith & Reason
I was sitting on the back patio this afternoon--first time to do that this year. As I was sitting there, I noticed something new. There was green on the trees! Now, I know that they didn't just turn green today. But over the past few weeks, I've spent six days of the week at the library working on my prospectus, with my nose in books or behind my laptop screen. It seems like the last time I really looked at the trees behind my home (picture below taken today), there wasn't one sign of green--just the dead, leafless look of winter.
These trees have only started to turn green. Soon they will be so full of leaves, the branches won't even be seen at all. I also saw bats after it began to turn dark. We have lots of bats out here where I live. I often like to sit on the back swing on a summer night and watch their sonic-induced erratic flight.
With it being Easter Sunday, my thoughts moved to Jesus' resurrection. Obviously, there was great theological significance for Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection to take place during Passover, since Jesus was the lamb of God, come to take away the sin of world (John 1:29). However, as I looked at the trees beginning to bloom, I thought to myself that even the trees were giving witness to the resurrection. Is it not also fitting that the resurrection of Christ took place during the springtime of the year?
“Let the fields and everything in them exult.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
before the Lord, for He is coming—
for He is coming to judge the earth.”
(Psa 96:12-13 HCSB, emphasis added)
Even the pagans recognize the promise of new life that comes with the spring. But they miss the point. Eternal life comes through Christ. We will live because he lives. As with the new life of spring, we have the promise of renewed life through Him.
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
(1Cor 15:20-22, HCSB)
Happy Easter.
Happy Spring.
Happy New Life.
Happy Eternal Life.
These trees have only started to turn green. Soon they will be so full of leaves, the branches won't even be seen at all. I also saw bats after it began to turn dark. We have lots of bats out here where I live. I often like to sit on the back swing on a summer night and watch their sonic-induced erratic flight.
With it being Easter Sunday, my thoughts moved to Jesus' resurrection. Obviously, there was great theological significance for Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection to take place during Passover, since Jesus was the lamb of God, come to take away the sin of world (John 1:29). However, as I looked at the trees beginning to bloom, I thought to myself that even the trees were giving witness to the resurrection. Is it not also fitting that the resurrection of Christ took place during the springtime of the year?
“Let the fields and everything in them exult.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
before the Lord, for He is coming—
for He is coming to judge the earth.”
(Psa 96:12-13 HCSB, emphasis added)
Even the pagans recognize the promise of new life that comes with the spring. But they miss the point. Eternal life comes through Christ. We will live because he lives. As with the new life of spring, we have the promise of renewed life through Him.
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
(1Cor 15:20-22, HCSB)
Happy Easter.
Happy Spring.
Happy New Life.
Happy Eternal Life.