Flowers poking through the ground. A twirling circle in the middle of a screen. A pitcher rearing back and preparing to hurl a baseball. A chrysalis starting to wiggle and break apart. A blinking cursor on a computer. A conductor raising a baton. Birds gathering twigs and other debris to construct nests.
In everyday life, we can observe a plethora of instances of the tension between anticipation and realization, a plan being formed and then watching it come to fruition, the dreaming and the coming true. It imbues the story of our world from creation to end and rebirth. It gives cadence to the seasons of our families as one generation rises up to take the place of the previous. Most importantly, it points to the tension between death in this world and resurrection into the next, as exemplified by Jesus during Holy Week and Easter. As Christians, we have a unique perspective on the natural processes that we witness around us. We see in them a reflection of the greater truth of our faith, the hope of resurrection and fulfillment in heaven. In the midst of the cycles of life and death that we see all around us, we hold fast to the promise of new life and eternal joy in the presence of our Lord.
One of the most vivid examples of this hope can be seen in the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The transformation that takes place is a stunning display of the power of growth and change. As Christians, we see in this process a reflection of our own transformation through faith. It is the process of a million tiny deaths of sin and a million tiny resolutions to leave that sin behind and be a new person, to follow Jesus. St. Paul expounds on this theme beautifully in Romans 6: "For we know that our old self was crucified with [Christ] so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over Him. For the death He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (vss. 6-11, CSB). We are called to leave behind our old ways and embrace a new life in Christ. In doing so, we are transformed from the inside out, becoming new creations in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The seasons themselves remind us of the cyclical nature of life. We witness the beauty of spring, the warmth of summer, the changing colors of fall, and the stillness of winter. Each season has its own unique beauty and purpose, and yet they all come and go in their appointed time, as Solomon noted in Ecclesiastes 3. As Christians, we look beyond the cycles of this world and place our hope in the eternal promise of our Savior. We look forward to the fulfillment of all things in Him, when all tears will be wiped away and death will be no more (Isaiah 25:8).
Ultimately, the hope of resurrection and fulfillment in heaven is grounded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through His death on the cross and His triumph over the grave, He has paved the way for us to experience new life and eternal joy. We look forward to the day when we will be reunited with Him and all who have gone before us in faith. Until that day, we hold fast to the promise of our Savior, trusting that He will bring to completion the work that He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6), perfecting and resurrecting us to reign and celebrate with Him.
So the next time you have to wait for a video to load, or for a stop light to change or a train to come into a station, or for the long-awaited beginning of vacation to arrive, take a moment to pause. To slow down. Observe your own anticipation of the good that is to come. Let the Spirit of Jesus remind you that there is a greater anticipation for you, a faithful anticipation of the perfect, eternal life with Jesus that He has promised you. It's only a matter of time. But in the meantime, embrace the journey He's placed before you, and revel in the joy of this fact:
Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron