I am going to reprise this post, which is as relevant today as the day it was written. This previously appeared February 1, 2018, on the Beach Walk Ministries Facebook page.
Did you know that flipping a coin would give you more accurate weather prediction than watching the groundhog? Groundhog Day is a silly holiday. And that’s part of why I love it. At this time of year, most of us are tired of winter and a little light-hearted fun is welcome.
First, there’s the DRAMA. Imagine yourself standing in front of the Groundhog’s hole. What will happen when the little critter comes out? If it’s sunny and he casts a shadow, they say we’ll have to deal with another six weeks of winter. If it’s cloudy, we can look forward to an early spring. Or… what if he wakes up on the wrong side of his hole, and is in a feisty mood?
Whether winter, where you live, means months of cold, snow and ice, or months of chilly, dark, damp weather, most of us are eager for spring to come. What I love most about Groundhog Day is, ultimately, it is a day of HOPE. It reminds us—regardless of what the groundhog does—spring will come.
While waiting, I’m trying to put less energy into complaining about the dreary weather, and more into noticing the first signs of spring. I’ve been hearing more birds singing. Just today, I noticed the yellow flowers of one of the earliest bulbs, Winter Aconite, blooming in my yard.
There are innumerable seasons of our lives in which we need to wait. It’s easy to get impatient, and find ourselves saying, along with the Psalmist, “How long, O Lord?” But as people of faith, we trust God is with us as we wait. We can wait with hope and expectation, watching for signs of God’s presence, and ultimately look forward to the day His Kingdom will prevail, bringing justice, peace, mercy, and healing.
Have a happy and hopeful Groundhog Day!
-J.B. Hazelton
