Reflecting on spring

A few days ago I walked down to Founders for lunch. Inside my room I had set the AC to cool for the first time. Outside I could feel the sun. It was unusual having not felt it in so long. The burn was almost uncomfortable. I walked with my eyes to the ground as it seemed so bright. On my right I notice the first flowers of spring—bright yellow things standing proudly a couple inches off the grass. Buds cover all the trees. I then notice the tulips are starting to push out of the mulch. They reach up as if they are striving to free themselves from the soil to dance. I look up and see my first blossom on the cherry tree outside Founders. The trees are waking up from their winter slumber as well—opening their blossoms to the sun. I stepped into founders and couldn’t see. For the first time since summer my eyes had to adjust to go inside.

Just a few days before it had been cold, grey, and winter. I was gripped by a momentary fear down deep in the pit of my stomach. All that was going on around me was out of my control. It was as if there was some wild giant waking up after months of sleep and there was nothing I could do to keep it under control. The sun was beating down hotter and hotter on its own, the earth was tilting us to face the sun on its own, the flowers were coming to life all on their own, the trees were blossoming on their own. I had no control. I felt so small. What if it just kept getting hotter? It just amazed me once again to see all these huge climatic changes taking place on their own. But then it hit me.

This wasn’t taking place on its own. What a comforting thought. God is doing it all I thought. He is giving life to those tulips; he is tilting the earth so that nature may once again feel the warmth of the sun. Does all this happen by chance? What a fearful thought. Something so powerful and out of our control happening by random chance? I don’t think so! That would be too scary.

Phillips, Craig & Dean

You are not a god

Created by human hands

You are not a god

Dependant on any mortal man

You are not a god

In need of anything we can give

By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

Chorus:

You are God alone

From before time began

You were on Your throne

You are God alone

And right now

In the good times and bad You are on Your throne

You are God alone

You’re the only God

Whose power none can contend

You’re the only God

Whose name and praise will never end

You’re the only God

Who’s worthy of everything we can give

You are God

And that’s just the way it is

Bridge:

Unchangeable Unshakable Unstoppable

That’s what You are

Chris Tomlin

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

Creation's revealing Your majesty

From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring

Every creature unique in the song that it sings

All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name. You
are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go

Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow

Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light

Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night

None can fathom