At this time of year, when I come back to the Bield after my week working elsewhere, there are huge transformations to be seen. A lot happens in God’s creation in 10 days! Snowdrops give way to daffodils to be replaced by bluebells. The frisky bullocks in the field on the lane up to the Smallholding are, well, bigger and friskier! The lambs have doubled in size. The bare trees are laced with fresh green leaves. The flower beds are bursting with colour and the rhubarb is tall and red, ready to head to the kitchen to be used in delicious deserts. Signs of new life abound around the estate. It is wonderful to behold!
We live in a world in which there is far too much brokenness and pain. It can be easy for our spirits to be dragged into a downward spiral of despair or hopelessness. How can things possibly change? Yet, the good news of the Easter message is that, through Christ’s resurrection, death, despair and hopelessness are not the end of the story, rather the story continues with new life. There is war, poverty and hunger in our world which we must work to irradicate as we are called to, but there are also signs of new life all around us. Nature reminds us of that each spring when fresh growth emerges from apparently dead earth. But so, too, do the actions of others point to new life in Christ.
At the Bield, when one person listens deeply to another, hearing them into speech, I see a sign of resurrection. When flowers are placed in a guest bedroom saying, “We’ve been waiting for you to arrive, we’re glad you’re here just as you are, welcome,” I see a sign of resurrection. When someone sits with another and words are superfluous, but they say by their quiet presence, “I’m here with you, I care,” I see a sign of resurrection. When someone creates something in the art room that surprises and delights them and enables their inner flourishing, I see a sign of resurrection. There are signs of resurrection and new life all around us if only we stop and notice them.
I wonder what signs you will catch a glimpse of as you continue to journey through this Easter season. Whatever they are, may they fill you with hope and a deep sense of God’s presence.
Valerie
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