Last month unseasonably warm temperatures in the 60’s thawed the frozen landscape of Nebraska.  I excitedly exchanged my drab, olive-green, winter coat for my bright red, spring jacket.  I kept both eyes glued to the weather forecast hoping the numbers would stay above 40 degrees for an extended period of time.  But to my utter dismay the numbers dropped and frozen precipitation fell from the sky in big fluffy orbs, looking as beautiful as any Hallmark card.  The forecast called for 4-6 inches of snow, but I rejoiced that the ground was warm and those lovely white orbs melted on contact with the earth.  I went to bed desperately hoping the entire 4-6 inches of predicted snow would melt before it could accumulate.  My disappointment the next morning when I peered thru the oversized picture window to a world covered in 5 inches of snow was in direct, opposite proportion of Aspen’s enthusiasm.  Aspen rejoiced with our neighbor’s children and exuberantly spent 30 minutes layering up to go sledding in 5 degree weather.   Every day after until the weather warmed enough to melt most of the snow she donned her winter gear and spent as much time outdoors as responsible parents of a child getting over a cold would allow.

I don’t enjoy the cold days of winter.  Layering up in long underwear, a hat, gloves, winter boots and itchy wool to go outside makes me feel like a cross between a duck and a snowman waddling around.  If we could afford the heating bill I would turn the thermostat up to 80 degrees, but since we like to eat, use the internet, and enjoy hot showers, I compromise and keep the thermostat set at a frigid 68 degrees.  Though I dread winter and the cold temperatures it brings with it, winter is doing what winter does in the northern hemisphere.  It’s cold.  Even when the temperatures were in the 60’s for a few days in January, the wind was cold and was not reminiscent of the beautiful 60 degree days of spring.

Oddly enough, all this made me think about Jesus and our own human nature.  Let me explain.  When Jesus lived on this earth He didn’t work a side job so He could buy a pair of Nike’s to increase His status.  No, He was the Son of God and with that came a humility that didn’t need things to prove His worth.  Just like winter is inherently cold in the northern hemisphere, as a child of God, Jesus heart was inherently like the heart of His Father.  Everything He did, everything He said, was meant to heal the hearts of men and bring them back to our Father in heaven.  In fact, He said the He and the Father are one (John 10:30). Therefore, it was Jesus’ nature to act and be in His Father’s will.

We too, are sons and daughters of God.  John 1:12 tells us, “But as many as received Him, He gave the right to become children of God.”  As God’s children part of His work in us is to change our hearts so that we Know Him better, and will begin to naturally act and be in His will for us (Philippians 2:13).

So, just as it’s the nature of the cold to come, the wind to blow and the snow to fall here during winter, the closer we get to Jesus the more we will think and do the things God has in mind for us, naturally.