Spring is Speaking
Spring has not yet technically arrived, but the warmer air and bright sun were inviting me outdoors—to take a break from being inside. I found myself standing beneath our silver maple in the backyard. Intent on taking in the details around me, I gazed upward and saw that the maple’s leaf buds had plumped up considerably. Nearby, chirping robins—who seemed to have magically multiplied in number—were busily scouring the yard for worms.
The day before had been one of those unseasonably warm winter-spring days, reaching 75°F. The warmth had clearly stirred something. Subtle, quiet shifts were underway, signaling that the full seasonal change was well on its way.
And there I was—getting to witness it.
I was deeply moved by the intimate relationship between all of the natural world. With the lengthening of days and the increased warmth of the sun speaking out, the maple was clearly listening—its response already underway, directing energy toward the growth of spring leaves. The robins too, no doubt, anticipating the exact right time to begin preparing nests in which to raise new families.
Surely the grass, the rabbits, the squirrels—all the rest of God's creation—were listening too, each ready to respond in their own right time. So many dramatic changes on the horizon, yet how softly, subtly, gently they begin.
What a gift—this capacity to sense and learn the language being spoken all around me! A beautiful, unending conversation that I'm invited into: speaking, listening, responding. Nature shows me the way of quiet attentiveness—and how to respond confidently to the light and warmth of God.The more time I spend in nature, the more I tune my ear to God's voice speaking through it.
I'm grateful for the gift of nature's faithfulness, and most especially for the loving God who created it all.
My friend, step outside and enter the grand conversation already underway.
Take a moment for some nature gazing with this short video of a spring sunrise, while the birds sing and the morning clouds drift across the sky.
