Seasons of Life

"Each moment of the year has its own beauty . . . a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882 

Beauty to come . . .

Seasons. I'm so glad I live in a part of the country that experiences all four seasons. They are all beautiful in their own way. I especially like fall because of the beautiful color displayed in nature. Spring brings us new birth in animals, plants and lovely blooms. Summer brings us giant, white, fluffy clouds and lightening bugs, and winter brings us snow. We can experience in our mind just what God says about "washing our sins as white as snow." for the beauty is exceptional!

On a recent Sunday morning a prayer was said at the beginning of the worship service. God was thanked for the fall season we are coming into, and we were reminded that God is with us in all seasons of life. I hadn't heard that said before and it really touched me.

"There's winter, spring, summer, and fall. Just like the natural seasons change, so do the seasons in our lives. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1, 'For everything there is a season.' It tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:11, '[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.'"

Two days after I heard those words about reminding us of our seasons of life, I read these words in "Beautiful Wisdom":

"The Bible teaches us that God ordained the seasons. He set them in place and wants us to enjoy them. In the same way, we go through different 'seasons' in our spiritual lives too. Think about it. Our hearts can get frozen over (winter). Then God breathes new life into us, and a thawing begins (springtime). From there, we move into full blossom, a season of productivity (summer). Then, as with all things, we slow down, preparing for change (autumn)."  Beautiful Wisdom, Barbour Publishing

It always makes me smile when I read or hear something that touches my heart and then a few days later it is confirmed somewhere else.

Just as we enjoy the seasons in nature, we can look upon the seasons in our own life and know God is in charge and will care for us just as He cares for nature. His creation is beautiful, and a life living for Christ is beautiful too. No matter what season we are in, because of His care and love for us, we will get through and He will make something beautiful out of it.

"'Paul told Timothy: Preach the word of God, be instant in season and out of season.' We can be confident that God is working things out for our good no matter how things are going in our external world. God's main purpose is to prepare and form us for eternity, to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. When we understand that, we can understand that we are not going to have easy seasons all the time. Even the blessed man of Psalm 1 who meditates on the world bears fruit 'in its season' Psalm 1:1-3. Whether we see fruit in our current season or not, God is still at work, preparing something good for us."

Unknown

A favorite hymn of mine is "This is My Father's World." He has made His world beautiful, all seasons of the year!

"This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears,

All nature sings, and round me rings -

The music of the spheres.

"This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought

of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

"This is my Father's world, The birds their carols raise;

The morning light, the lily white Declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world, He shines in all that's fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere."

Maltbie D. Babcock, 1858-1901

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By His Grace . . .