Spring Always Comes

That’s odd. It looks like something’s growing outside my bedroom window. I bent down to take a closer look. How strange! Not only is something that I didn’t plant growing there, whatever it is, they’re lined up in as perfect a row as you’re ever going to see. 

Intrigued, I began walking around my house every day when the weather permitted. We’d had a rough winter in Illinois. It started too early for my liking and was hanging on far too long. It didn’t help that my personal life seemed to mirror the season. 

As the mystery plants grew, I realized they were tulips. “I’m sure there’s no such thing as volunteer tulips,” I said to a friend. “But how did a row of tulip bulbs get planted under my nose without me knowing?” 

As the weather warmed up, so did my spirits. I began to believe the icy season in my heart might melt away too. One morning when I opened the curtains I saw a splash of color. The tulips! I jogged out the door and knelt in the dew soaked grass. I traced the graceful lines of the blossom. What artistry! And the color! “These tulips are amazing,” I said as I stood to my feet. “Simply amazing.” 

Excited to share my news, I called a friend to meet for coffee. “The mystery tulips bloomed! And they’re the most vivid red I’ve ever seen! I still don’t know how they showed up in my yard, but I’m sure glad they did.” 

Heather laughed. “Finally! Now I can tell you the story.”

 “What? You were in on this?” Heather smiled. 

“Oh yes. It started last November. Remember when you went to the retreat in Indiana?” 

 “How could I forget? What a snowstorm we had!” 

“That’s the one. Friday I bought the tulip bulbs and came to your house with my gardening tools. I dropped each bulb into its cozy winter home, spread dirt over them, and said a prayer. The timing for you being away from home was perfect: if I planted the bulbs then, they would bloom near Easter. The only concern I had was that you might notice someone had been digging in your yard, but God already had a plan in mind.” 

“He did?” 

“The storm. God delivered an early winter storm so all traces of my digging in your yard were covered by snow. When you pulled in your driveway Sunday evening there was not a trace of my—literal—dirty work.” 

“Wow…that’s quite a story. I feel loved!” 

“That was the idea. You’ve been so discouraged. I knew the tulips would remind you that spring always comes, Kim. Spring always comes.” 

Spring always comes. Her words resonated in my weary soul. Heather interrupted my thoughtful silence. “There’s one more thing. There are dozens and dozens of tulip varieties. But I chose yours with special care. Yours are called Kingsblood. Happy Easter, Kim.”

"But now, because of Jesus the Anointed and His sacrifice, all of that has changed. God gathered you who were so far away and brought you near to Him by the royal blood of the Anointed, our Liberating King" (Ephesians 2:13, The Voice).