All Things New: 21 Day DevotionalSample

The Winter is Past

In these verses, we see the lover coming to His beloved. He comes to rouse her from sleep, perhaps, or her inactivity, and to “arise” and “come away”. He describes a beautiful scene of a fresh season – the winter is past, the cold rains have come and gone, the earth is bursting with new life.

This is a beautiful picture of Jesus, the Lover of our souls, who comes to invite us, His beloved, into the new season that is upon us. He is bringing back to life the things that have gone to sleep and filling our hearts with the sounds of renewal just like when the cold barrenness of winter gives way to spring.

It is a call to arise. The lover calls his beloved to stir from her passivity, leave cosy familiarity, and step out into something new. In the same way, we need to respond as God calls us, to be willing to stir ourselves from passivity, and to leave the familiar behind, and be willing to step out into something new. 

It is a call to let Him lead. The fruitfulness the lover describes to his beloved – the new season, the rains are gone, the blooming flowers, the chorus of birdsong, fruitful fig trees, fragrant grape vines – were experiences waiting outside her door. Yet, she would not experience any of it unless she responded and allowed Him to lead her out. In the same way, as we follow the Lord into the new season, we can trust that He is moving us on to better things. 

It is a call to intimacy. The lover wanted to spend time with his beloved, He wanted her to enjoy him. Let us respond to this divine invitation to grow deeper in love with Jesus, to lean closer into Him and to know Him more. Let’s begin this new season by returning to our first love and to the Lover of our souls.

Reflection

In what areas of your life do you sense that God is doing a new thing? Or do you desire for Him to do a new thing?

What are some things that you need to leave behind – old habits, ways of thinking, preferences or relationships – in order to experience something new?

Prayer

Dear Lord, I say ‘yes’ to Your invitation to arise and follow You. Help me to leave behind my comforts and earthly securities. I choose to start this new season by returning to my first love for You.