Suddenly it’s Spring

Have you experienced Spring yet. We had one day in the past couple of weeks, but that was it. I think the long, long winter has many people tried of snow and cold.

Here’s the weird thing about me. I just seem to experience each day as is. And although I am tired of winter, it does equate as a long time to me. Kind of weird. I know I will enjoy nice days when they get here, for today I enjoy what today has to offer. The big question is how heavy of a coat will I need.

Psalm 147, another praise song sounds much like the others. The writers finds as many ways as possible to speak of the infinite goodness of God.

147 Hallelujah!
It’s a good thing to sing praise to our God;
praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.

The Divine heals what needs to be made whole. I wonder if the line about God naming the stars is in this verse to emphasize God’s strength so that we can trust that God has the power to heal us?

2-6
God’s the one who rebuilds Jerusalem,
who regathers Israel’s scattered exiles.
He heals the heartbroken
and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
and assigns each a name.
Our Lord is great, with limitless strength;
we’ll never comprehend what he knows and does.
God puts the fallen on their feet again
and pushes the wicked into the ditch.

God is power that bring rain to a desert land. And for a people who relied on physical strength for their daily work and to win wars; the writers says God is not impressed with that muscle, but with those who have a right relationship with the Divine.

7-11
Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn,
play music on your instruments to God,
Who fills the sky with clouds,
preparing rain for the earth,
Then turning the mountains green with grass,
feeding both cattle and crows.
He’s not impressed with horsepower;
the size of our muscles means little to him.
Those who fear God get God’s attention;
they can depend on his strength.

This verse has the line, “who can survive his winter?”. It feels like a really good question right now and it is what got the thinking about our long winter. I have never through of God as a “weather God”, but I do give thanks for the whole of creation that God has given us. More than that I believe God has given us care of that creation which we are destroying. The intense storms that we are now experiencing too often are a testament to our care-less use of God’s gift.

12-18
Jerusalem, worship God!
Zion, praise your God!
He made your city secure,
he blessed your children among you.
He keeps the peace at your borders,
he puts the best bread on your tables.
He launches his promises earthward—
how swift and sure they come!
He spreads snow like a white fleece,
he scatters frost like ashes,
He broadcasts hail like birdseed—
who can survive his winter?
Then he gives the command and it all melts;
he breathes on winter—suddenly it’s spring!

Even knowing that we are killing our planet, I have hope that we will discover a way to reserve the damage we have done and stabilize our climate change. And, well, I just love to hear the birds singing this morning. As God travels with me today, I know I can find beauty and peace.

19-20
He speaks the same way to Jacob,
speaks words that work to Israel.
He never did this to the other nations;
they never heard such commands.
Hallelujah!