Groundhog Day

Have you watched the movie 'Groundhog Day'? Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in a small town and finds himself re-living the same day over and over again. After indulging in all kinds of pleasure and numerous suicide attempts, he begins to re-examine his life and priorities.

Sometime ago I felt like Phil in 'Groundhog Day' because nothing in my life seemed to be moving. I felt like I was trapped in an endless cycle. Yet God is faithful. He kept bombarding me with different devotionals, sermons and messages about Isaiah 43:19 'Look! I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?' God is reassuring me that even though things seem like unchanged on the surface, the new things He is doing in my life will manifest very soon.

I was prompted to find out more about Groundhog Day and I discovered something really interesting. Firstly, I found out that Groundhog Day is a day celebrated by Americans and Canadians. It happens on 2 Feb every year. The significance of this day is the prediction of the arrival of spring by a groundhog. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on that day, then spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow. Winter will continue for six more weeks.

I believe it was no coincidence as Heng and I were just talking about the change in seasons, how the sign of the fig tree tells us of the season change - tender twigs, leaves coming out signalling that summer is near (Matthew 24:32). Indeed God has confirmed again to me that this is really a season change. I am no longer in the winter, in the waiting period. Spring has arrived and spring always brings hope of new things!

Secondly, on 2 Feb 2012, I was reading Max Lucado's book which talks about how the darkness, the shadow has to go because God has brought me out of the darkness and the valley of shadow of death. Shadows are only temporary and will pass. It's the shadow that the groundhog is afraid of and hence it goes back into hiding. But since the shadow is no more, the groundhog will emerge and spring will come early. Then on 3 Feb 2012, I read a devotional that says 'Out of the shadows'. God is telling me I am out of the shadows! Just like the guy in Groundhog Day, he broke out of the cycle when he awoke one day to find that it is 3 Feb! 

The turning point in the movie was when Phil found true love and as they kissed, snow began to fall, which surprised him because it was a departure from his recollection of the day's events. True enough, he woke up the next morning to find out that the time loop is broken. True love conquers all. I am reminded of how Jesus' love is the only thing that pulls me out of the shadow & the valley of Achor (trouble) every time. How great is His lovingkindness towards me!