A few days ago, a little bird came on our covered porch and began to tear down an old nest up in the rafters. She has worked diligently each day to clean out all the old rubble and lay a nice strong base to begin a new nest. Last year I watched her build the nest and raise three babies, so it was very exciting to see her return. Guess what? it means spring is coming and it won’t be long! Our little bird knows this, never-mind that Sunday morning it was snowing! She knows that it is time to clean house and get ready to lay new eggs, no matter how the weather looks.
Even though this year has been a rather mild winter for most of us, there has still been many gray and wet days. Dreariness and depression are too easy to slip into during the cold and dark months. Hey! It’s a good time to shake it off like an old rug that’s been laid out all winter! Begin to dig out and tear down all the old straw, dirt and leaves that have gathered. Spring is coming soon!
Today (Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012), is called Fat Tuesday. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is Ash Wednesday and the first day of the Lent season. Many years ago, before there was a printing press and people could buy books and Bibles anytime they wanted, information could only be passed on by word of mouth. No one could just go down and buy a book or a movie to learn something new. God helped them set up a calendar of feasts for each month teaching His truths, history and about the Messiah.
After Jesus came, the church people began to set up a calendar to teach the Bible and the story of Jesus. It took three years to go through the entire Bible each time, but they taught the life of Jesus every year. Lent was the season where they taught the story of how Jesus went into the wilderness to fast and pray for 40 days before starting on the road to preach. This was a time to learn how he chose to commit himself totally to God’s will for his life. This is where Jesus showed us how to make decisions that have lasting results over just choosing something that feels good at the moment. During Lent people began to teach this by either fasting, putting an activity away for awhile, or by giving special offerings or doing acts of kindness. And they began ‘spring cleaning’!
Yes, whatever they were going to fast or put away during Lent, they would clean out of their homes. Some groups even chose to fast any rich foods, meats, and different dairy products such as cheese, so they would spend several days cleaning out and cooking these products up. They just didn’t throw all that food away, they had a big feast to use it up and to celebrate the beginning of Lent. This day became known as Fat Tuesday.
Just like the little bird on my porch, they were cleaning out what was from the last season and preparing their hearts and their homes to focus on what God had coming up next. Yes, Jesus had to walk through the 40 days of discipline (training), but angels fed him at the end! Yes, he had the cross ahead, but he looked past that and on to the resurrection! He faced it with joy knowing that no matter how circumstance looked at that moment, eternity was just ahead! Because of his obedience and sacrifice, we can face the future knowing that we are becoming like Him!
And yes, we face winter every year; and even though last year’s nest was good and strong, built for that time; now is a new season – Spring is coming! Don’t keep trying to hang on to last year’s nest – clean it out and rebuild one that is prepared especially for today!
cool picture!