Until the 14th century, there was no such word as spring. In Old English times, the word for spring was Lent. Lent is the period of fasting in Christianity that occurs for 40 days before Easter. Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Equinox. Spring is a time of flowers, the rooting of vegetables and overall happiness that winter has finally loosed it grip on the weather. The warm breezes blow and all of mankind rejoices to have survived another winter, or at least that was what it meant from 1400-1900. Now with the advent of cars, trucks, airplanes and trains, we have no wants during any season. Fruits and vegetables are brought to you from far away places and the youth of today hardly ever think of hard winter being something to fear.

Many in our community still remember harsh winters where they needed to live on the food in their cellars or do without. During the late 1800’s you could buy stuff at the store, but the problem was getting there or having money to buy it. Almost all storekeepers ran a bill for folks in winter, spring and even summer. They were paid in the fall after a successful harvest.

The word spring in the Scriptures is quite different from what we know as spring today. Primarily it was a verb instead of a noun.

When Jesus spoke to the Samaritian woman at the well their conversation went like this.

John 4:7-15 “There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”

Living water, springing up into everlasting life and she responded exactly right. “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not…” Everlasting life comes the same way today. First we must recognize who Jesus is: John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

It is quite clear in Scripture that Jesus is the only way and we cannot be good enough, or do good enough things to deserve heaven.

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

One religious system believes that if your good outways your bad, then you’ll go to heaven. If you are part of that religion…flee from it! The Scripture clearly states that Jesus is the only way to obtain eternal life.

Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Friend, it is almost spring time here in Oklahoma. We have a warm day every once in a while that spurs us to think of spring. I am looking over my garden seeds to see what I need to buy. Walmart is putting out seeds and garden stuff as I speak, and it is only February. One of my good friends, Rev. Dale Ritter usually plants his potatoes in February. I am thinking of doing the same thing, but on a much smaller scale. If the frost gets them, then I have less area to replant.

While you are planning your garden or waiting for your early beans and peas to spring up, think about where you will spend eternity. It is much more important than whether to plant spinach or lettuce. Eternal life can only come from Jesus Christ, the author of salvation.

Again, if you are not sure where you will spend eternity, read Romans 10:9-10.

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

If you are still unsure of what is required for salvation, come visit us at Vian Baptist Church. I will help you all I can to make the right choices in this life.

And if you are still puzzled about spinach or lettuce, my wife will tell you to plant the spinach.