The annual season of SPRING has arrived. For me, even the word “Spring” has a kind of energetic and vibrant ring to it. It is a word pregnant with anticipation and action. It identifies a season of the year that I most enjoy, because it is the season when both the earth and its creatures give birth to new life. There is a fragrant freshness in the air as trees blossom, flowers bloom and the grasses burst green with beauty.
In the Old Testament book, Song of Songs 2:11-13, Spring is called “the season of singing” and certainly it is that. “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.”
The Message paraphrase reads, “The whole world’s a choir – and singing! Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet arpeggios. Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.”
What a delight it is each year to welcome the newness and freshness of springtime, with its annual reminder that resurrection and renewal amazingly happens. It is a most wonderful and beautifully refreshing time. It awakens our hearts to sing and pray with Ralph Waldo Emerson.
For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
For blue of stream and blue of sky;
For pleasant shade of branches high;
For fragrant air and cooling breeze;
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
It is also the time when many people do “spring house-cleaning” which is a process of thoroughly cleaning house and property. This is a vigorous activity of washing away the grime and dirt, gathering up trash, and getting rid of clutter that has accumulated over the past months.
I think it is significant and helpful that the Church season of Lent leads us into this season of Spring. This should remind us that the physical effort of “spring house-cleaning” activity should begin with a similarly needed cleaning of our spiritual house.
For Christians, the Lenten season is seen as a time of repentance and forgiveness as we allow God’s Spirit to do a thorough cleaning of our spiritual house. This cleaning work is best done as we focus our thoughts on Christ’s suffering and death for us during these weeks leading up to his resurrection on Easter Sunday.
As we think about God’s amazing love for us, the light of Jesus reveals the accumulated grimy dirt of pride, envy, and selfishness that clutters and corrupts our relationship with God and with others. Acknowledging what is revealed, we repent and invite God’s Holy Spirit to enable us in a thorough cleaning of our spiritual house.
The smelly garbage of resentment, anger, and bitterness needs to be buried. The ugly trash of prejudice, gossip, and a critical spirit needs to be discarded. Broken and injured relationships need forgiveness, repair, and healing. The clutter of unnecessary worry, doubt, and fear needs to be sorted out and given away to Jesus.
These are but a few of the things God will take care of when we come to him in repentance. God has promised that if we repent of these things, he will both forgive and “thoroughly” cleanse our lives. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9).
Springtime and the Lenten season both speak to us of cleaning up our lives through repentance and forgiveness so that we can experience the invigorating freshness, beauty, and music of new life and relationships. Let us do so now in preparation for the best Easter Sunday yet!
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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – March 24, 2021
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
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