Longing for the light

Photo by Suzanne Rushton on Unsplash

Last weekend, my 5-year old’s school homework was to complete a seasonal scavenger hunt. Whilst there aren’t many lambs to be found in southwest London, there was ample evidence that spring is on its way, including blossom, buds, bird nests and lots of daffodils. 

 

This isn’t just an activity for children anymore. I’ve been really struck this year by how many people seem to have been actively searching for signs of spring. The other day, I turned on BBC Radio 4’s flagship news programme, Today. Usually purveyors of early morning gloom and seriousness, the presenters were instead inviting listeners to let them know what signs of spring they had spotted locally.

Some argue that this is a trend that’s emerged since the pandemic. A renewed interest in the natural world, stemming from a time when we were all at home with little else to do. Equally, you only have to glance at the news to see why people might be seeking signs of better things to come.

 

Tomorrow, 20 March, is the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, when the length of the day and night are equal, and spring is deemed to start. From here, the days will steadily get longer. In the UK, it now won’t go dark before 5:30pm until November. The damp greyness of winter will soon be behind us, replaced by the colour of spring and all that summer will bring.

 

I wonder though whether this longing for spring isn’t just a reflection of a deeper yearning. War continues to rage in Ukraine, Gaza and South Sudan, whilst political instability threatens peace in many other regions. Five years on, we are still living with the effects of the Covid pandemic, including impacts on health, education and the economy. The climate crisis increasingly threatens the natural balance of the world.

 

We are tired of the darkness. We know that things are not as they should be and we long to see change. Our hearts ache for the light to return in the way we witness in nature at springtime.

 

But what does this mean for us as Christian writers? We know that Jesus’ resurrection has ushered in the Kingdom of God. His promise to redeem all of creation is now underway. However, the fullness of that kingdom will only be displayed when Jesus comes again.

 

In the meantime, I see two responsibilities. The first is to give voice to the longing we see around us. To call out injustice, create space for lament, and acknowledge that things are not as they should be. Second, we have an opportunity to proclaim hope . Hope that a day is coming when God will reconcile all things on earth and in heaven to himself (Col 1:20), and there will be no more mourning, crying, or pain. (Rev 21:4)

 

The arrival of spring and the long-awaited return of the light point us to the greater and even more satisfying re-awakening that soon will come. I wonder how you can use it in your work this week?

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Helen Hewitt lives in southwest London with her husband and two young daughters. Formerly a doctor and clinical academic, she now runs a social enterprise which combines a microbakery and community gardening project (@nourishandgrow_food). Helen is a member of the Community of Hopeweavers.