Return of spring reveals to us hope with rebirth
As I was walking our neighborhood, I thought about the struggles and unknowns of this threat to our world, our daily lives, and our families.
Yet as I walked, I noticed the beginning of early leaves on our deciduous trees, bulb flowers starting to peek out of the ground, and birds raising their song in the fields near my home.
The cacophony of sounds and motion of birds flying in the trees remind us of the new life that will soon become apparent in the weeks ahead. In another month, I look forward to setting up my hummingbird liquid feeder and welcoming back the smallest of birds that left last October and are now returning after long flights from Central America. I look forward to hearing their buzzing sounds and watching them hover over my feeder.
As the spring days increase with daylight and warmth, we are reminded that the world of nature, God's created world, is once again coming back to life after a long cold winter.
The cycle of nature assures us that despite the coronavirus pandemic, life goes on, revealing hope with rebirth in these darkest of times. I am reminded of how the 1918-1920 Spanish flu pandemic affected our family.
My husband's grandmother died at 28 years of age. His father was only 9 years old at the time. Later, his dad had to quit school to help the family, but eventually he got a GED and served in the Navy during World War II.
Despite the adversity, he grew up to be a compassionate and caring man of faith who never needed much in life but a loving family. I was blessed to know him well as Grandpa to our children. His resilience reminds us that there is always hope, there is always tomorrow, and we do not need to face it alone.
I am always fascinated how this unseen virus, too small for the naked eye to see, can shake the very foundations of our faith and spiritual well-being. According to the Bible we are reminded that “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).”
Our faith and spirit give us strength against the unseen forces of this coronavirus. We do not have to fear or panic for God is on our side. We can fight this with the power and assurances of God's love. We may not be able to be physically close to our loved ones and friends at this time, but that does not mean we cannot reach out to others in ways that are safe and to help to make a difference in the lives of those in need, who are especially impacted by this pandemic.
Verna Call is a retired pastor who last served St. John's United Church of Christ in Evans City.
