From grief to hope…

Our family is very blessed to live very close to a National Park.  We enjoy the nearness to this spectacular natural wonder: the exquisite sounds of the native birds, encountering all manner of fauna as we enjoy walking the trails, and of course the amazing wildflowers!  Even the gum trees waft a tantalising scent.

Recently the park had a controlled hazard reduction burn designed to reduce the risk of a catastrophic bushfire in coming seasons.  I must say I am grateful.  But let’s be honest.  A walk along the trail and witnessing the ensuing blackness and almost lifelessness leaves one with a sense of sadness and grief.  Where there was once vibrance and life there seems to be little but charcoal.  The smell of smoke smothers the perfume of the eucalypts.

Of course, experience teaches that our native forests spring back to life.  So I photographed some native plants that appeared doomed.  Then a few days later I returned to snap another image.  Sure enough.  There was life!

The Good Friday story tells us at noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, when Jesus cried out and breathed his last. Blackness. Lifelessness. Sadness. Grief.

Whether we like it or not sadness and grief are part of our lives.  Yet, even though they may scar us, they grow us as well.  Because we learn that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  When Friday is gloomy and hard, we can find hope on Sunday.  Just as in God’s incredible creation, what appears to be death becomes life.

Easter Sunday will come around.  There death is overcome by life.  There we see light in the darkness.  There we are inspired by hope and transformed by love.