This coming Monday a certain town in Pennsylvania will be looking to a rodent to see how long winter remains for us. Still whether the thing sees its shadow or not we still have the same amount of time one way or another, until spring comes. In reality seasonal spring is typically several weeks later, May 1. This winter has been seemingly longer, colder and snowier than what we have seen in recent years. Already there is another storm this weekend effecting the mid Atlantic region. Will it stop? Yes, but it seems a long way off. One way or another it will. If we are not careful we can let it get to us and stagnate until the weather breaks. We still have to live every day to the best of our ability regardless of the weather.

One thing many of us already are doing is counting the days until all the snow is gone and we see the grass trees and flowers in bloom. It seems after a winter like this we look forward to the warm weather more and it feels like it is hear and gone so quick before the cold is back again.

One has to wonder what it would be like in certain parts of the world where they have much longer winters. Some places they can go without seeing the sun for several months. Regardless there is hope every year that is fulfilled in the arrival of spring. For now we do our work towards that end with planning and enjoying it to the fullest when it does come. Already some vegetable planting indoors takes place in February fueling the anticipation of a crop in the harvest time.

One set of scriptures we see in the Bible in the book of Hebrews reminds us of another hope.

Hebrews 4:

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This rest is the rest from the cars and worries of this world. It seems like this winter, every week that goes by has something tragic and awful that has happened in the world. His rest is the rest that takes us away from this in the future.

For now though living a Christian life to the best of our ability is how we labor to that rest. We get a taste of it when we practice what the bible teaches us and apply it to our lives. That labor keeps the hope alive in us every day to the time when it is fulfilled for eternity.

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Koenig

Lake Shore Fellowship