My beloved spoke and said to me,

‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.

See! The winter is past;

The rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;

The season of singing has come,

The cooing of doves is heard in our land.

The fig-tree forms its early fruit;

The blossoming vines spread their fragrance.

Arise, come, my darling;

My beautiful one, come with me.’

 

Song of Songs 2:10-13

January seems to last a long time, doesn’t it? By now, we have had enough of cold, fog, drizzle and dark mornings. We long for more light and warmth. This beautiful piece of Bible poetry sums up the joy when the new season arrives – flowers, birds, fruit and fragrance. But even now, still in the grip of January, we can see the clear signs of Spring – snowdrops coming up, and the spears of crocuses, daffodils and even bluebells. We know that sunnier days are on the way, and our hearts are cheered even though those days are not yet here.

How much more should we look forward to the marvellous change that will come when Christ returns and the heavens and earth will be made new? Sometimes it feels like a long wait in an increasingly dark and difficult world. But we know, beyond doubt, that the day is coming. Peter reminds us (2 Peter 3) that ‘the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise’ and that ‘in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.’ So we can be joyful as we look forward to it.

Each time you see a Spring bulb pushing through, let it remind you that God’s promise is sure and this wonderful future is certain for those who believe.

Sarah Dodd Schools’ Worker