Saturday, April 11, 1998

"Winter Doesn't Have the Last Word"

By Dick Chaffin / Abilene Reporter-News

When I pastored in northern New Mexico, we had some pretty severe winters. It was nothing for the snow to be piled up six to eight feet. One year, after the celebration was over, the Christmas tree was a genuine disaster, there was wax on church pews from the Candlelight Service, bulletins were lying all over the place, and snow was piled high.

On this day after Christmas, in the mail came a Spring Seed Catalogue. On the cover was a picture of luscious red, ripe tomatoes, delicious sweet corn, okra and watermelons. They were not pictures of seeds, but pictures of what happens after you plant the seeds. They were not a picture of snow banks, but pictures of a garden growing in the sunshine.

On the day after Christmas, with snow piled high, this is a picture that increases a person's yearning . . . and gives one hope! That told me something very important about life. "WINTER DOESN'T HAVE THE LAST WORD."

Easter also tells us that winter doesn't have the last word! This beautiful memorial tells us that not even death has the last word!

Spring will come, life can be renewed, there is hope for the future. I am sure you have seen where someone has laid asphalt. It covers all living things. But, sometimes you will notice some strange bumps arising from the asphalt. Then, one day cracks begin to appear in the asphalt. You can look inside and see a little green plant growing there. Then you can understand the little bumps that appeared. You can imagine a little plant waking up and saying, "Hey, it's spring time." That plant begins to send roots down deep into the ground! Give it a little moisture . . . and it begins to grow. As that little plant grows . . . it suddenly hits the asphalt.

The asphalt is like a tomb for that little plant. Some plants hit it and just quit. But one says, "I'm not going to be defeated by that asphalt!" So, it just keeps pushing against the asphalt. Then as the asphalt gets warmer during the spring, one day the plant pushes its way to sunlight. Through whatever system by which plants communicate, it sends a message to the other plants that there is sunlight. Soon there are other bumps . . . other plants shooting up. It is great to know IT CAN BE DONE because we live in a day when it seems as though everybody is telling us what can't be done.

On Easter Sunday, God opened Jesus tomb. He removed the question mark of doubt and replaced it with an exclamation point. Each of us has experienced our own individual tombs -- which have raised question marks for us. We have received negative medical reports; we have buried a loved one; we have been the victim of corporate downsizing; a child has gone astray; a spouse has been unfaithful. The tombs are real -- but so is the resurrection power of God.

Easter means our winter is past . . . and spring has come.

New and abundant life is here . . . and it can be ours . . . if we will only receive it.