I am loving these beautiful spring days! We have been blessed with some great weather recently. While, I enjoyed the snow for a brief period, I much prefer the beauty of a warm spring day.
The Bible rarely mentions the season of spring, but it is used significantly in regard to when kings go out to battle in the Old Testament. From ancient times, all the way through the Civil War armies would go into winter quarters to break from fighting and then embark on new campaigns in the spring. We see the prophet of God warning the king of Israel he will be attacked by the king of Syria when spring comes (1 Kings 20:22). Sure enough King Ben-hadad of Syria will attack when spring comes (1 Kings 20:26). Nebuchadnezzar embarks on a campaign against King Hezekiah of Judah in the spring of the year (2 Chron. 36:10).
It was the spring of the year when David was supposed to go out to battle with his army, but he stayed behind wandering on his rooftop spotting Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:1). David was not where he should be, and his idle time led him into the terrible sins of adultery and murder.
It is the spring of the year, the times when kings go out to battle! What does this mean for your life this spring?
First, what battles or missions should you be embarking upon? The spring gives life! Hope and optimism are filling the air. The pandemic is receding. The temperatures are warming, fields are being prepared, and the grass is greening. What projects do you need to tackle? Spring is a time for vision, purposes and pursuit. It is time to get serious and quit delaying. Maybe the first mission needs to be coming back to church. Maybe its time to committ to getting out and living life again. The time when kings go out to battle is here!
Second, what will you avoid by finding a purpose, rather than straying into idleness and sin? David should have been with the army. He should have been taking the next victory. Yet, he was arising from his couch and walking around his rooftop looking at a woman bathing next door! See the difference? An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. It is spring, which means we must also avoid temptations that come our way. We need to make sure we place our energy, enthusiasm, and desire for life again in the right places!
