God Scatters Snow Like Wool...

Isaiah 55:10-12 (Click link to read passage)

Reflection:

It was hard to see any good in it. Snow was everywhere. We don’t own a snowblower, so it meant hours and hours of shoveling. I was scheduled to leave for a conference out of town, so it meant cancelled flights and non-refundable hotel rooms empty.

It was hard to see any good in the massive storm that hit the Midwest yesterday, and Spring seems so far away.

And yet, as neighbors emerged from their houses to help one another out, a sense of community developed in my neighborhood like I haven't seen in the two years we've lived there. Everyone was helping everyone else out. My kids were playing in the middle of the street while neighbors talked and joked. It was a blessed, peaceful moment in the midst of an otherwise crazy day.

In the passage linked above, Isaiah is reminding his listeners, and us, that whether we can see past current obstacles or not, God is busy bringing about new life. Isaiah is reminding his listeners, and us, that even when it isn’t obvious, God is weaving all things together to accomplish his purposes.

Isaiah uses the image of snow, which speaks to me today. Just as I can’t yet see the new flowers and grass that will sprout in months thanks to the healthy dose of water, so sometimes the “good” in some situations in our lives seems buried beneath a mountain of obstacles.

So I’m rejoicing in Isaiah’s words today -

Don’t forget – Spring is coming!

Don’t forget – Easter is coming!

Don’t forget – Jesus is coming!

Prayer:

God of every good gift, help me to put my trust in you today so that I might not miss the buried blessings springing forth all around me. Amen.