Every leaf

Today is a national holiday: Spring Equinox Day.

Although Japanese may visit graves (see "Smelling the Equinox"), the coming of spring reminds me of a great and hopeful Luther quote.

Our Lord has written
the promise of the resurrection
not in books alone,
but in every leaf in springtime.

~ Martin Luther

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.