FAY ROWE

In the past few days here in Southern Ontario, we have welcomed the late but long-awaited arrival of Spring. Not Official Spring, which came back in April, but the “verdant-trees-on-Louise-Ave., rainbow of bright daffodils and tulips around every corner, relaxed-patio-lunches” kind of Spring that we longed for. Real Spring.

We called it Spring weeks ago, but we didn’t see the hoped-for signs of its presence. So it remained Winter in our hearts. It was Spring, but our hearts didn’t believe.

It’s not unusual that our hearts don’t believe what our minds know to be true. Decades ago, I experienced the first deep loss in my life. For help and comfort, I went to the Book I had read a thousand times before. I had read it often throughout my then thirty-five years because it was beautiful. Because it told stories of courage and goodness and faith. Because it was a Christian’s duty to read it.

But that night, I picked it up with shaking hands and prayed a new prayer.

“God,” I said, “I’m going to read this as if I haven’t seen it before, and I need you to talk to me through it.”

And then I saw it, clear as day.

The head knowledge had never reached my heart and become true belief, active faith.

That night changed me. From then on, the Book became the source of “everything that pertains to life and godliness” and brought a faith, hope, and peace that I hadn’t known before.

That is not to say that my faith and hope and peace have not been challenged in the years since. There have been days when tears came easy, just as they did to young David at Ziklag, where life dealt him a devastating blow. Family, friends, allies—all appeared lost to him. But, eventually, what his Heart knew brought courage back. The Bible says “he encouraged himself in the Lord”.

I imagine David’s encouragement came in remembering the covenant God had made with his forefathers and, as well, in remembering the many times God had showed up strong and faithful in his own life. David’s heart found hope and courage in the truth he knew.

How often God’s promises and my own stories of His faithfulness keep me on track with Him, holding fast to his truth and hoping in Him.

Today, when you open the Book, let your heart believe what you know is true. And, no matter what circumstances surround you right now, expect to see the truth fulfilled before your eyes.

Expect to see the promised Abundant Life spring forth.

‘Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life‘” Proverbs 4:23