This is about the time of year that I get totally sick and tired of winter – even the relatively nice winter we’ve had this year. I’m eagerly anticipating spring, seeing the green sprouts of bulbs I put in last fall, and shedding that bulky layer of outerwear required in Winnipeg. We moved into our home in August of last year so this will be the first spring in this yard. Without knowing much about the amount of sun the backyard would get in spring, or even if other bulbs were already there, I planted about 25 daffodil bulbs. There are lots of rabbits around so I’m hoping they’ll leave those shoots alone and I’ll see the golden trumpet blooms of spring. I wouldn’t have gone to all the work of digging and planting if I hadn’t been anticipating the change of seasons we Canadians experience. Oh sure, sometimes we complain about the weather – after all, isn’t it our favourite topic of conversation? But deep down we know change is coming. Winter to spring to summer to fall and back to winter.
Could we be so eager about change when we worship? I’m not referring to the parts of worship such as the sermon, the scripture readings or the music. Those are things I think generally speaking we expect to change from week to week. No, I’m talking about ourselves. Do we expect to change when we worship? Do we expect that God will speak to us in some way? Do we eagerly anticipate the change God will make in us when we are faithful? Here are some of the words of a chorus by Eddie Espinosa which frequently resonate with me; maybe you will find them meaningful too.
Change my heart, O God, make it ever true;
Change my heart, O God, may I be like You.
Words and Music by Eddie Espinosa, c. 1982 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP)
