SPRINGTIME
AND REBIRTH

Springtime is a beautiful time of the year.  I—along with so many others—consider spring to be the most anticipated, exciting, and blessed season of the year.  The cold weather, low temperatures, bracing wind, and even occasional snow and ice all pass away.  The deadness of the trees, the barrenness of the gardens, and the colorless grass pass away, to be replaced with refreshing showers, delightful temperatures, and bright sunshine of March, April, and May.  The summer’s burning rays and burdensome heat have not yet arrived.  Spring is a delightful time.

Spring seems to bring a rebirth to all of nature.  The blossoms arrive, the yellow daffodils and tulips show their colors, and the trees begin to display the light green shades of new leaves.  Our gardens begin to show signs of new life as the vegetables rise from the soil.  Spring means rebirth.

Several days ago, my niece had a baby.  The crying infant, the soft and tender skin, the tiny and delicate features of a baby—all bring delight to our hearts.  There is something simple and wondrous about a newborn that has not been contaminated by the sordid things of adult life.  Childbirth and childhood encourage us to look at life with a simplicity and freshness.

Both springtime and a child’s birth make me think of spiritual things.  First, I think of the way God wants to bring every person to a place of regeneration, something that we call the new birth.  This means that God causes us to have a spiritual birth, a second birth, a birth of water and the Spirit.  This is the way that Jesus described it when He spoke to the religious leader, Nicodemus (John 3:1-8).  It has been said that if we only are born once (a physical birth), we must die twice—a physical death as well as the “second death” of hell.  On the other hand, if we have been born twice (the physical birth that we all have, along with the spiritual birth of the Spirit), then we need only die once—the physical death that we all face, followed by eternal fellowship with God (cf. John 5:24; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 21:8).

Springtime and a child’s birth also cause me to look forward to the coming resurrection from the dead.  Jesus said that when He returns, He will raise to new life all who have died—both the righteous and the wicked (John 5:28-29).  In this future resurrection, the righteous—those who have been born of God—will be given new, eternal, spiritual, immortal, glorified bodies that will never again experience pain, sickness, sorrow, and death itself.  But those who are yet in their sins and have not been written in the book of life—those who have not been born spiritually—will go away into eternal punishment of eternal fire (1 Cor. 15:1-58; Matt. 25:31-46).  The resurrection of life is what I look forward to, and the glorious newness of springtime is a reminder of this coming reality!

Physical birth and spiritual rebirth…the freshness of springtime…resurrection after a previous death…all of these combine to fill my heart with joy and hope.  I hope that you will think beyond the fragrant flowers and blossoms, and beyond the cuddly baby you may see, and see the spiritual truths and realities that God wants to show us.  Let us have eyes that really see!

Richard Hollerman