The season becomes our message of hope

Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 through 8 tells us that to everything there is a season and there is a purpose under heaven.

I woke up this morning feeling incredibly optimistic, even though none of us at the beginning of the year expected that in the spring of 2020 we would be quarantined to our homes because of a coronavirus.

As I looked out my window this morning, God reminded me visually that hope is found in him.

As I stared out the window, my heart was filled with anticipation to get outdoors.

The grass is green and beautiful. The birds are singing. The red bud trees are gorgeous and in full bloom.

One of the local ranchers stopped by with his John Deere and tilled my garden for me yesterday. The soil is rich and brown and ready to be planted.

Which brings me to another thought, even in the midst of a pandemic, in our community, neighbors still take care of one another.

Through it all, I am learning more and more everyday what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote in Philippians 4:11, “...for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances.”

I do not believe it is by accident that we are dealing with this COVID-19 pandemic now. In the midst of the havoc God has reminded me that this too will pass.

Just like the season of spring that we are now in, all things will become new. With the resurrection of the roses and leaves on the trees, so is hope resurrecting in our hearts.

As we prepare to celebrate on Easter the resurrection of Jesus, we must never take for granted that the victory of the resurrection was preceded by the gruesome crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

May we also realize the heavenly father was not surprised by the gruesome atrocities inflicted upon his only begotten son.

Even though the events against Jesus were atrocious and uncalled for, they could not stop the power of God.

Evil men responded to the signs and wonders of Jesus with jealousy, envy and murder. Jesus responded back with love, forgiveness and resurrection.

I have heard it said that even Easter is cancelled this year. The truth is Easter is never cancelled because, in fact, we should live in the power of Easter every day.

After all, do we really need the chocolate bunny, those sugar covered peeps or even the Easter ham?

You may say, but we are not meeting together for church.

2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.”

When it is all said and done, we will probably find appreciation in things and people we had to do without.

Church services, maybe we will attend more often. Sit-down service at restaurants, maybe we will be nicer to the wait staff. Teachers and coaches who push our kids to be better, maybe we will take time to thank them.

Most importantly our loved ones, especially those in other states that we can’t be with face to face, maybe when we see them face to face, we will make the most of our time together.

Yes, there is a season for everything. God has a purpose for allowing us to go through this.

I believe that purpose is to remind us that love never fails. Love is always supportive. Love trusts in God’s plan even when we don’t understand.

The signs all around us point to life and prosperity. We can have hope in this: God is lord of the resurrection, and he will restore all things.

Happy Easter to you all!

Dave Truncone is the pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Van Buren. He and his wife, Heidi, have been married 26 years. They have two daughters, Hannah, 20, and Abigail, 16. They have lived in Van Buren for nine years.