Season of Singing 

God on Monday
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‘The winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come’ (Song of Solomon 2:11-12a) 

Reflection

In the news every morning I see wars, conflict, and the breakdown of relationships. It disquiets and disturbs me. I feel the same about the disruptive forces and strained relationships I experience in my sphere of work, even though they are not always obvious. Opening up my work emails on a Monday morning brings me mixed emotions, knowing that some of them may not be comfortable to read. 

In the Song of Solomon, a couple sing to each other. She urges him to see and hear the signs of spring. It can inspire us to look out for the thawing of frozen or frosty relationships and for the arrival of a “season of singing.” It can encourage us to pause and to pray for the working week ahead, bringing before God all the people with whom our work will bring us into contact. They are created by God for a good purpose. While spiritually they may be in a cold and dead winter, God wants to bring them, through Jesus, into a springtime of new life, hope and joy. 

Response

How does life feel for you right now? Enjoyable, like glorious summer? Rewarding, like fruitful autumn? Depressing, like cold winter? Pause to see and hear the sounds of spring. Let them remind you of the hope and promise Jesus brings. Look out for glimpses of that hope – in a smile, in a deed of kindness, or in a problem resolved.  

Prayer

Creator God, thank you for the new life you bring to nature when winter turns into spring. Thank you for the reminder this gives of the new life offered to all through Jesus. This week help me to see and hear - amid the challenges and difficulties - signs of hope. My I also be a sign of hope in the things that people see in me and hear from me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This Week's Author

God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the next Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up here to receive each God on Monday instalment.

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