April Showers Bring May Flowers

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Spring is in the air. The beauty of this time of year is testimony of the majesty of its creator and the providential plan He has established for the refreshing of His creation. Following the destruction of the flood God promised Noah "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22). The fears of a global warming are denied by this promise that the seasons will all continue as God has prescribed. David declares in Psalm 8, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him” (Psalms 8:3-4)? Spring reminds us of the presence of our Creator.

There is order in creation. Moses recorded the account of the creation of earth with the division of light and darkness, the firmament from the waters, dry land from the seas and then the process of plant growth over the face of the land. On the fourth day the lights in the firmament of the heavens were established “for signs and seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14). Then the animals began to appear in the waters and the skies filled with the “every winged bird according to its kind” (Genesis 1:21). Finally on the sixth day the land animals were created and the highest of creation the man and woman.

Paul reminds us of the testimony of the Lord in creation. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20). The cycle of nature is a testimony to the power of God and is infinite wisdom. Rains are governed by His omniscience and come when according to His design they nurture the ground in bringing forth the beauty of Spring. Summer, Fall and Winter serve their own purposes in the design of God.

It is impossible to look at the striking beauty of this earth and not stand in awe of the powerful message from God. His thumbprint is all over the landscape and the heavens above. Abraham Lincoln said, “I never behold them (the heavens filled with stars) that I do not feel I am looking in the face of God. I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist – but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say, ‘There is no God.’” Jesus used creation to affirm His Father’s care for His children. “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them  … consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matthew 6:26-29).

The power of God. How awesome. If God can cloth the earth with garments of beauty and order what would limit His omnipotence to care for His creation beyond the grave. The beauty of God’s love is not found in a field of lilies or the majesty of the heavens above. The greatest gift of love is found at a place called “the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha” (John 19:17). All the beauty of the earth will be taken away but the gift of God’s love is eternal (John 3:16). Thank you God.