Remembering That God Remembers

March & April are wonderful months. St. Patrick’s Day & Easter bring cheerful images of pastel colors & sunshine. The bright, Kelly green, Irish shamrock is not just about leprechauns & good luck. The shamrock represents God in three persons – the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit.

Even the “lion & lamb” idea of March winds comes from scriptural references in the book of Revelation. April is a great relief to the winds of March. The light rain showers refresh us & settle the l& making it ready for the new birth about to take place.

When the sun breaks through the clouds after an April shower, another God-given image – the rainbow – appears. It is an awe-inspiring moment when we first see a rainbow. As it appears in the sky in colorful transparent splendor, we know that God is looking at it too & is remembering His promise to us. He has given the rainbow to us as a sign – not that He might forget His promises, but to reassure us that He remembers.

As we go about our daily lives trying to meet the heavy dem&s of caregiving, it helps to have clear reminders of God’s love & attention. The suffering that oppresses our families can drown our cheerfulness. I remember a particularly bad flare-up in my husb&’s illness when severe leg cramps would disable him & leave his legs sore & painful for days. The seizures were frightening, especially to my children, & it was hard to remain calm even though I knew that the episodes were not life-threatening.

In situations like this, our hearts beg God to remove our loved one’s illness even while our heads know that it will not go away. There is a final image of April that enables us to cope with this reality. The Easter lily reminds us that we have a risen Savior who has defeated suffering & death. He has promised us the same victory if we are faithful to Him. It is a promise filled with hope, joy & reward. So, during March & April, let the images of shamrocks, rainbows & lilies reassure you of God’s presence & abiding love.

Lora Ch&ler has been in a care giving role since 1982 when her husb& began his life-long struggle with pain due to a bone disease. Lora welcomes your comments at lorac@yucca.net.