Today I noticed that the trees are beginning to color with the signs of budding. To see such a beautiful sight against the blue of the sky caused me to think & wonder about the hope of spring. We so enjoy the smell of spring air, the brighter skies, crocuses bursting through the ground, green grass beneath our feet. The robins return, busily pulling worms from the muddy ground. The turn of each season is a wonder but I don’t think there is any as grand as when spring is fully displaying itself!  And today was the day that I noticed that it has indeed sprung.

Spring causes us to think of “hope”:

• We hope the trees will bud with leaves.
• We hope our flowers will come up again. That the harsh winter did not destroy them.
• We hope the birds will once again enjoy our feeders.
• We hope the temperature will warm up & we will once again get to enjoy the wonderful outdoors.
• We hope that the wind will become softer & gentler against our faces.
• We hope our grass will be greener. We also hope it will have less weeds 🙂
• We hope it will be a long season.

Hope – “an expectant anticipation, thus the underlying sense of “hope” in expectation of a particular result” (from the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words).

The psalmist expresses it so well:

“Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior & my God.” Psalm 42:5

When there doesn’t seem to be any change, any signs of anything happening – put your hope, your expectant anticipation, in God. Wait & trust for that particular result that only He can bring.

William Cowper, an old church hymn writer, was a man given to bouts of discouragement, anxiety & great depression. Yet he wrote a song that expresses an unwavering trust in God. He wrote:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy & shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.”

Hold on!!! There are signs of spring everywhere!!!

Today I linked with: Soli Deo Gloria and Playdates With God and Teach Me Tues. and Titus 2sdays and Titus 2 Tuesday and Unite .