December Already!
Unbelievably, here we are in December once again, and the spectacular colorful fall we’ve enjoyed is almost ready to morph into the season of frosty grays. The thick carpet of pine straw is now just about covered with an even deeper layer of leaves, the last of the trees have turned, and a few late holdouts of brilliant color are hanging on before we shift to the more muted hues of winter.
As yesterday’s view from our deck demonstrates (above, and below right), it may have been an amazing autumn here, but winter is certainly well on its way.
I find it curious to note how much we enjoy seasonal change, embracing the natural rhythms of Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall – and yet we remain so resistant to change, and growth, and rebirth in our lives as spiritual beings. We like to get comfortable, arrange everything just so, settle into a status quo, tailor our experience to our personal needs (wants, preferences, comfort), settle in, and engage the cruise control.
Have we learned nothing from the teachings of Jesus? “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies” (John 12:24-26).
Do we not listen to the wisdom of scripture? “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
There’s a season for everything
and a time for every matter under the heavens:
a time for giving birth and a time for dying,
a time for planting and a time for uprooting what was planted,
a time for killing and a time for healing,
a time for tearing down and a time for building up. – Ecclesiastes 3:1-3
God is constantly working on us, walking with us, advocating for us, and loving through us. Tomorrow will not be the same as today, because we are always being recreated, and restored, and renewed in response to faith!
The important question, however, is this: Are we moving forward into God’s new season? And do we have open hearts for the challenges following Jesus will inevitably bring for our tomorrows?
Peace, in every way – DEREK
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