Today outside my windows is something weathermen call a “wintry mix.” This forecast includes a potpourri of snow, rain, sleet, ice, and hazardous driving conditions. Welcome to late-winter in the Midwest.
We’ve all heard the description of March as “in like a lion and out like a lamb,” and the weather can’t get much more beastly than it is today.
But on my front door is a wooden plaque that says, “Winter Welcome.” I won it in a Christmas grab bag 16 years ago and like to display it until winter finds its way out of the neighborhood. I’m not sure if the plaque is meant to welcome wintertime visitors or to welcome winter itself, but if it’s the latter, I’m going to take it down. Winter and its “wintry mix” has worn out its welcome.
Often we feel this same way about life’s struggles, especially the ones that are long-lasting and particularly harsh. It’s easy to become immersed in the misery of our troubles, and just when we think things can’t get any worse, they do. Like the deep snow outside my windows is getting slammed with an ice-coating today, a season of suffering makes us ask, “What next? Will this season never end?”
Traveling through life’s “winters” reminds me of C. S. Lewis’ books about Narnia, a magical land “where it’s always winter but never Christmas.” In other words, all the negatives of winter dominated Narnia without even the Christmas season to bring light and warmth.
Against all odds, though, Narnia’s 100-year winter did eventually melt into springtime, and it had everything to do with a lion named Aslan. In Lewis’ allegorical story, Aslan represented Jesus Christ, the only One who could rid Narnia of the evil White Witch and her desire to keep Narnia trapped in the debilitating deep freeze of winter.
But Aslan was “on the move,” and as he was, Narnia began to thaw. The warmth of spring came to the world and ruin came to the wintry White Witch.
As we slog through circumstances that feel like we’re trudging through hip-deep snow, we should remember that the Lord will, indeed, bring an end to our “wintry mix.” Along with a new season, he’ll bring relief and warmth. That’s because Jesus is on the move in our world much like Aslan was moving through Narnia. The big difference is that Aslan was a fantasy; Jesus is real.
Though our problems often come to us much like March comes “in like a lion,” according to God’s control of the calendar, they will “go out like a lamb.” And isn’t it interesting that two of the names of Jesus in Scripture are “The Lion of Judah” and “The Lamb of God.”
We go into our struggles with The Lion and move out of them with The Lamb.
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons….” (Daniel 2:21-22)