“March winds bring April showers!” Pretty common saying, isn’t it? One of those “old sayings” I’ve heard all my life. How about you? But when you think about it, many of those “old sayings” have a lot of truth and even common sense to them.
What brought this “old saying” to my thoughts today anyway? Well, it doesn’t take much to get my crazy mind to racing. Many old sayings like this one pop into my head from time to time. Mrs. Preacher gets them quoted to her on a regular basis. She really doesn’t appreciate this one. “A penny saved is a penny earned.” I’ll let you ladies figure out why she dislikes this one so much.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s get back to “March winds bring April showers.” Two things came to mind this week as I was thinking about the upcoming pastor’s article I’m privileged to write. To me, the March winds represent the blessing of spring. The smells of new spring flowers, for instance. But this spring, and frankly, this past winter, too? Can we say WOW? I believe we’ve seen and felt some of the biggest, most powerful winds, short of storms and tornadoes, ever. Big winds seem to have become the norm rather than the exception in our weather, doesn’t it? But the thought of big wind also reminds me that the wind represents the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:2 says, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” That rushing mighty wind represented the Holy Spirit. It’s the same Holy Spirit we have residing within us today. The same Holy Spirit that has lived in us since we came to know Christ as our Savior. The same Holy Spirit which Jesus said in Luke 24:49 would imbue, or infill, the disciples with power from on high. We are blessed, during this windy spring, as we are throughout our lives as Christians, with the Holy Spirit bringing us peace, comfort, and power from God the Father on high.
So, what about the April showers since “March winds bring April showers?” Well, as is usually the case with me, I recollect another old hymn that doesn’t get sung very much anymore. “There shall be showers of blessing” has been sung in Christian churches for many years. Do you ever just listen closely to the words of the old hymns we sing? “There shall be showers of blessing. This is the promise of love. There shall be seasons refreshing, sent from the Savior above. Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need. Mercy drops round us are falling. But for the showers we plead.” Next time you have a hymnal in your hand (it’s on page 430 in the Celebration Hymnal), check out the words to this old hymn. I believe it will surely bless your soul as it has blessed mine once again as we enjoy this wonderful time of year we call spring. For truly, just as in the nature itself “March winds bring April showers.” Let’s enjoy and be blessed and thankful for the winds of the Holy Spirit and the Showers of God’s blessing.
Pastor Tim