Now that the snow has almost all melted, we can see the blooms of the snowdrops and crocuses and the shoots of early bulbs like tulips poking towards the sun.
It’s a hopeful time of year.
And it’s how God works, not just in our gardens but in us and in our communities.
Isaiah 43 tells us how God led His people and reassures them He is at work. Starting at verse 16:
This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
It is one the psalmist, King David, is thankful for. Those who sow in sorrow will reap with songs of joy. Just imagine: you’re going through a tough, sad time yet you go in faith and sow – sow seeds, sow hope, begin working on a project. In these uncertain times, investing time or energy in anything can seem like a gamble.
To know that God is at work and doing a new thing is so inspiring.
At St. Andrew’s this week, we dedicated our Butterfly Tree. The Women’s Missionary Society ran this fundraiser to support an array of projects and organizations in Barrie and beyond.
Each butterfly represented an investment in hope. The tree is a collection of many people’s hopes and investments and faith that God will do a new thing.
Each one of us can take a step towards new – new relationships, new projects or simply choose to learn and consider how we can be part of something new and better.
One option is to consider us on our journey of healing with our Indigenous neighbours. On the fourth Wednesday evening of April, May and June, we are hosting a speaker series that will undoubtedly provide insight from Indigenous leaders about the trauma of residential schools and what we can do to increase understanding and enhance healing and reconciliation.
