Where I grew up, Spring begins about the second week of March; the danger of frost has usually passed, the temperature has risen, and the rains hit! Everyone begins to think about coming out of hibernation in front of the TV. We begin to plant in our gardens, and we get serious about diving into the Spring Cleaning. The purpose of Spring Cleaning is to get rid of all those unused, broken, or just plain ugly things laying around that are no longer useful for the future.

Well, I am still trying to figure out the seasons here in SE Washington, but that is no reason to put off some personal "Spring Cleaning" of the heart. In fact, for a long time, the Church has valued this time of year for just that very thing. We are currently in the middle of the Lenten Season: the 40 Days (not including Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Lent is a time of repentance, and often fasting. We might refrain from coffee, junk food or TV so that we might open up time and energy to reflect on what really gets us through the day: Jesus. Maybe we already realize this. Maybe what we need to do, rather than removing something for a season, is to add something. Where can we carve out time to add something so that we can grow closer to God this year?

What's all this really about? Spring Cleaning. It is easy to see the clutter and mess around the house that interferes with the home, but it is far harder to see the mess that piles up in our hearts, especially after a tough year like 2020. The past 12 months gave us plenty of opportunity to see what "junk" stills hides in our hearts.

Easter is coming. Christ will rise: the First Fruits of life, like the first crops of Spring (almost like God planned it...). What do you need to clean up within yourself to be ready for new growth? Christ will help. You don't have to be clean already before seeking Him out. That would be like saying you can be too dirty to take a bath. On the contrary, we come to Christ because we are dirty. Jesus has been in the business of Spring Cleaning for 2,000 years. There is no one better to help us out. Have a great Lent everyone!

Rev. Evan Elwell,

Pomeroy Church of the Nazarene