Is It Spring Yet?

Why does spring feel so good? I asked that of my online search engine this morning. In one second, I had this:

“Spring has many good things to offer. The warmer weather and increased daylight hours boost mood, well-being, and energy. Sunlight exposure increases the release of serotonin in the brain, making people happier. Spring is a time for fresh starts, including spring cleaning and ridding your life of things you don't need anymore. Open windows and fresh air can be enjoyed during spring. Animals return and birds chirp, making it a great time for bird watchers. Spring allows for a transition from heavy clothing to lightweight clothing and trying new colorful outfits.”

Yes! Those are all great answers to the question “Why does spring feel so good?” It is all of that and so much more.

I love this time of year when nature starts to awake from its winter slumber and stretch. And I am so very thankful for seasons. I am thankful that I live in a part of the world that truly has four seasons, and as I look around my yard, and others, I see spring beginning to say ‘hello’.

In fact, the official start of spring was March 20th this year. One month ago today! Winter has been hanging on by its fingernails. I’m ready for spring. I hope it gets here before the summer.

Solomon wrote a beautiful description of spring’s arrival. “For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell…” Solomon 2:11-13 NKJV

What a loving Creator to give us change. “Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;” Genesis 1:14 NKJV

For signs and seasons, and for days and for years..

Genesis chapter one is of course the history of creation. Anything you need to know about where we came from and how our planet was created, can be found in chapter 1 and chapter 2 of the first book in the Bible.

I want to look at something today that I am just now realizing. And this time not from reading it, but from a friend mentioning it. She said, “the thing that surprised me, is God created grass and trees before he created the sun.”

What? Wait, what?

Why had I never thought about the significance of that before? Why had I never seen it or realized the importance of it? Because, of course, trees and plants need the sun to survive. And of course, one day would not be life or death for plant material, but I wonder why our Creator, did it in that order?

Day 3: plants, grass, and trees

Day 4: Sun, moon, and stars

Now wait a minute. God does nothing by accident. What could the most reasonable explanation be for this? I came up with an idea or two. I also started reading various commentaries and found one that lined up with what I was thinking. (Disclaimer: I am not a Bible scholar, but I am a Bible reader and when something rings true, you just know.)

I actually have a couple of thoughts. I have a friend who believes, or at least presented it to me in question form, “could it be possible that during creation, each day was a thousand years? The Bible says that a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.”

It was a legit question, but my quick reply was, and always has been, if that was the case, I don’t believe the verbiage would have included, “and the evening and morning were the first day…” I believe those few words were very intentional in their placement. Evening and morning…24 hours…1 day.

But let us say, we don’t have that to fall back on. Then we could address the fact that plant material would never survive for 1,000 years before the sun was created! Yes, I believe it was a well thought out plan. The Word knew exactly what He was doing.

“In the Genesis account, God recorded that he created the heavens and the earth, but he didn’t tell us why he followed this order. We may conjecture two possible reasons why the sun was not created on Day One.

“First, God may have wanted to underscore the supernatural origin of life, clearly showing that life did not come from the sun but from him. To be sure, in God’s design the sun is critical for the continuation of life on earth, but life on earth did not come from the sun. “John Calvin, commenting on the text of Genesis 1, says, “The Lord, by the very order of creation, bears witness that he holds in his hand the light, which he is able to impart to us without the sun and moon.” This, of course, is contrary to the evolutionary idea that the preexistent sun (and other stars) contributed to the rise of all life forms on earth.

“Second, God may have wanted to undermine humanity’s inclination to worship the sun as the originator of life, by which they would have regarded the sun as a deity. God specifically forbade his people from worshiping the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven...” (Source: answeringgenesis dot org)

I love learning new things and this was one of those new things.

I also love God’s timing. My desk calendar for today reads: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2 NIV

Why does spring feel so good. It’s a reminder of renewal. It’s a reminder that even when things are bleak and dreary, renewal is coming. And one day soon, and I believe very soon, Jesus is going to make everything new.

“Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:5 NKJV

by Jeanette Stark – Thursday, April 20, 2023