“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” – Lamentations 3:22-24

I know that many people love winter and the many fun activities that come with it. I am not among that crowd. I tend to fall more in the group of people who start the “First Day of Spring Countdown Clock” sometime in late September. So, I guess you could say that the first day of Spring is a big deal for me.

This year, the joy of that great day was diminished by the global coronavirus pandemic. In many ways, it seems as though it may have been lost on many people that March 19 was the first day of Spring. This is understandable. There are a lot of stressful things happening in the world right now that are giving all of us reasons to be distracted, worried and a bit fearful. But what I find myself thankful for this morning are the little reminders that God has given us that He is still here and will with us to guide us through these difficult days.

I own a puppy whose idea of sleeping in differs greatly from my own. This gives me frequent opportunities to wake up early and greet the coming day in its infancy. This morning, as I opened the door to let her out, she was startled by an unusual noise and didn’t want to move. Knowing she needed to get outside, I decided to step out and face the scary noise with her. Reassured by my presence, she agreed to go out and do her duty in the backyard. So, what was the sinister sound from which I was protecting her? The morning songs of the birds in our maple tree. One cardinal was in a very good mood as he chirped to celebrate the coming of the sunrise.

I laughed as I thought of my dog’s fear of something so harmless and simple, but the more I thought about it, her fear made sense. We adopted her in December. Every morning she has gone out at our house featured the tranquility of winter. She is learning something new about mornings. I am sure that in a day or two, she’ll recognize the chirping as normal and it won’t phase her. But after processing all of this, something finally dawned on me as well.

Spring is here. The birds have returned to their active morning patterns. The sun is rising earlier. The grass is starting to get a bit greener. The trees have buds and the crocuses and daffodils are starting to emerge from the ground. The long winter is coming to an end. Warmth and light are returning.

With that in mind, allow me to share a similar thought as we face the uncertainties of this pandemic. God is here. He always has been. He always will be. For a time, our patterns and routines are going to change for us to stay healthy and safe. But this change, like the winter, is only for a time. Soon we will return to our active patterns. Soon we will be celebrating warmer temperatures, blooming flowers, and the resurrection of the Savior God sent forth to save us from sin and its consequences.

Keep your faith firmly planted in the garden of our Lord. He will keep His promises and will deliver to us the warmth and light we seek in all things.