On Tuesday, the Syracuse area set a new record – most recorded snowfall ever on a day in April. With temperatures in the 20’s, 10.5 inches fell over the course of the day. And here’s a fun fact that proves how weird this year’s winter has been: we’ve gotten more snow since the beginning of spring (18.2 inches) than we got during the whole month of January (11.6 inches).
Snow in April is not novel. It’s not even pretty. It’s just cruel. But since we can’t do anything about it, let’s appreciate – just for the moment – what it can teach us. Yesterday’s unseasonable weather reminded me of one the hallmarks of Christian theology. The spring equinox is more than a date on a calendar. It is a solar event that leads to climatological changes. Spring really is here, even if you can’t see it out your window. Warmer temperatures will bring flowers, tree buds, and all sorts of frolicking wildlife to your backyard. The solar shift has occurred. Spring has come, even if it is not yet fulfilled.
That’s what Christians believe about the kingdom of God. In Jesus Christ, God’s kingdom has come. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ brought about a fundamental shift in God’s relationship to humanity. The reign of God is a reality, even though it is not yet fulfilled. We easily become discouraged by the injustice and violence that plagues our world, but cosmic forces were set in motion long ago that make the fulfillment of God’s reign inevitable. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s kingdom is in the process of being fulfilled throughout creation. The chasm between heaven and earth is not permanent. These two dimensions will be one, united under God’s reign. This isn’t just a hope or a dream. It is a promise. It is inevitable.
So when you gaze upon the snow today, you can shake your head in disgust, or you can ponder how this very un-spring-like weather reminds us that things are not as they appear. The biblical word for resurrection is anastasis – “against the stasis.” To believe in Christ’s resurrection is to know that something inalterable has forever transformed the universe, much the way the equinox changed the climatological conditions. God’s kingdom is here, just as spring is here. It is not yet fulfilled, just as spring is still buried under a blanket of snow. The kingdom will be fulfilled, just as surely as flowers will bloom and leaves will burst from the trees. Alleluia!
Copyright 2013 by J. Mark Lawson
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