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 

One Sunday morning this prayer was said at the beginning of the worship service: "Thank you, God, for the fall season we are coming into, which reminds us that God is with us in all seasons of life."

"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 that prayer 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

The glory of the season of Fall is without compare. The colors of Fall are stunning to the eye. Yes, snow thrills my heart; baby leaves in the Spring are a sign of God's Hope, and wildflowers in the summer turn out a lovely scene. But there's just something about the orange and the red and the gold of Fall that is just plain beautiful!

Just as God created the seasons for His purpose and our enjoyment, every life season we go through was ordained by God and is used for His purpose.

You can find beauty in each season of the year, and each season of your life. We are playing out our seasons just as God has planned them to be.

In this season of my life, most of my lifelong friends, and many of my friends on Facebook are snowcapped. It's what happens when you reach the age of 60 and above. I like what Charles Spurgeon said:

"What a glorious sight to watch a saint mature to the point of becoming like a mighty Alp--snowcapped, chosen of God, and magnificently reflecting the bright rays of 'the sun of righteousness' and His radiance, lifting Christ up for all to see the glory of His Father who is in heaven." 

A mighty Alp! Snowcapped! Redeemed! Living for Jesus! Dare I say it's a description most of us would like said about us?

A favorite fall picture painted by my neighbor, Norma, 

which now sits in my living room. Thank you!

Yes, Fall is a beautiful month and so is each season of our lives. There are many things we can complain about, and yet, there are infinitely more that we can rejoice in. Let's rejoice and be thankful, for every season is part of God's plan for each of our lives.

By His Grace . . .