Winter's Bend

As I sit, deep in thought, I stare out the window.  The sky is cloudy; the ground has patches of snow leftovers from the last winter storm. The grass is stretching, and peeking through the white icy crust.   The peaks of the nearby roofs are covered in a white thick blanket.  As I focus, and begin to keenly look, I see one isolated little snow flake fall, it seems very lonely as it gently floats down.  Then I gaze a little longer, I see yet another tiny flake flurrying in the air.  I realize this is very similar to life at times.  We often feel very lonely and isolated in the world. Sometimes we feel we are one lone flurrying flake. But if we give life a chance we will realize that we are not alone. 

The truth is, we gently fall into our explicit defined places, and we gather and unite, softly dusting our surroundings.  In time, more and more will congregate; soon the land will be completely covered.  Nestled under this layer of glistening goodness, the earth is resting, preparing to give life once again.  Just around the winter’s bend, the sun will shine, the wind will blow. There will be a thaw, a melting.  The earth will be watered.  Winter will end; spring is just around the corner, something special waits for us, at the winter’s bend.

The scripture tells us, that God gives to the earth snow like a blanket of wool; He scatters the hoarfrost [frozen dew] like ashes.  He casts forth His ice like crumbs; who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word, and melts the ice and snow; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow (Psalm 147: 16-18).

“ I prefer winter and Fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape — the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show.”  ~Andrew Wyeth

Untold stories are the souls of mankind that are covered with frost and ice, yet God promises a defrosting.  This thawing will melt away heartache, shame, sin, doubt, despair and brokenness. This thaw will give way to wonderful stories full of epic characters, conquering insurmountable conflicts, etched upon the canvass life.

 “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

God sent for His Word, and the Word is God Himself and His Word brings forth life.  Jesus thaws the frozen land, He melts the frigid heart.  He speaks life into death; He chisels away at the cold hardened heart.  He looks at His Father’s creation, and does not see frozen tundra; He does not see a wasteland.  He sees a world worth saving, a people worth dying for.  Jesus was sent into the world to bring salvation.  Jesus came into the world so that we could be delivered from the harshness of the world, that we could be protected from the world’s stinging, bitter frost.  Jesus came to the world, that it would be made safe and sound through Him. He stretched out His life, opened His arms, and He shrouded our sins with His blood and His blood washes us whiter that snow. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Knowing this makes my soul rejoice, my spirit spring to life and sets my mind to rest.

Soon, yes very soon the snow covered land will bring forth fruit, all those seeds that have lain dormant, will spring to life. The fields are filled with winter wheat. The harvest will be plentiful!  The vine will be filled with abundant fruit, flowers will bring forth divine fragrance, and herbs will savor the sullen, taste will be awakened and bud in delight. “O taste and see that the Lord our God is good” (Psalm 34:8).  He has made everything beautiful in its time; He has planted life and purpose within our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3: 11).

Look ahead; see the curve that is before you, it is the winter’s bend.  Before long, you will be able to declare, “Winter is past, spring has sprung!”