The Cooing Of Doves Is Heard

Right now as I am writing this blog in the quiet of the morning and seeking God's voice, I hear the cooing of a pigeon. I have often heard this pigeon cooing on the roof next to my bedroom in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping. I thought it was an owl, and I meant to tell my sons about it in the morning, but I kept forgetting.

Yesterday at 8:00 AM, we were all up when the familiar noise I had been hearing at night was heard by the rest of my family members. My sons' first response was the same as mine: "There is an owl on our roof!"

Matthew was already dressed to go to work, so he went outside the front door to take a look. He immediately came back inside and said, "It's not an owl. It's a fat pigeon!"

And a fat pigeon it was! Here is a picture:

As I am listening to the cooing of this pigeon, (which is a type of a dove), God is speaking to me through this verse:

"See! The winter is past;

the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves is heard in our land."

Solomon 2:12

God isn't speaking to me about the weather. After all, winter in Alberta hasn't passed yet. I don't even think it has begun. The winter this year has been very mild so far with a minimal amount of snow. I can still see green grass outside and there are only small mounds of snow here and there where people sweep the occasional dusting of snow off their driveways.

No, God is speaking to me about the winter seasons we all go through during periods in our life. During these winter seasons, God teaches and prepares us for what lies ahead. During these winter seasons, certain things that were once active in our lives are dormant. These things could be ministries, relationships, jobs, health, and so on.

The long winter months can be hard to endure, but they are necessary for Christian growth and development. Depression can easily set in, so you must spend more time with God, reading His Word, praying, and focusing your thoughts more on Him than other things. The winters in your life are an opportunity to establish a closer and more cherished relationship with your Heavenly Father.

And just as the winters will eventually pass in our meteorological world, the winters in our personal worlds will pass as well. The signs of spring will be seen and heard. Flowers will appear on the earth and the cooing of doves will be heard. Doors will be opened once again and the windows will unlock to let in the fresh, spring air. The season of singing will come.

But always remember those precious, intimate moments with God. Don't forget the valuable lessons you learned during those difficult, wintery days.