“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:20-22
As I stepped out the door the other day to go running, I felt the shift in temperature. I thought to myself, fall is on the way. And that brought to mind some great memories.
I really love the fall. Feeling the heat of summer fade away and coolness come upon the earth. I enjoy needing a sweatshirt or something with pumpkin in it and the leaves changing colors.
And then I thought, I really love the winter. The feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket and reading a good book, drinking a nice cup of coffee. Celebrations of Christ’s birth. One year ending, another one beginning. Even though, as I get older, I’m not as much a fan of snow, there is something about snowflakes falling to the earth and pondering how unique each one is.
And then I thought, I really love the spring. Dead branches give way to new life as the trees start to bud. The weather getting warmer so one can escape cabin fever. The flowers are in bloom.
And then I thought, I really love the summer. Sitting on a beach watching and listening to the soothing sounds of waves crashing with sand between my toes. A refreshing dip in the ocean. The warmth of the sun on my face. The longer days.
And then I thought, isn’t it sad when we don’t enjoy all of life in the various seasons that God takes us through. We can have favorite times of the year and things that we enjoy more than others. But we should always be content with where God has us and when he has us. Just like the seasons of the year there are various seasons of life. As a child I looked forward to summer because of summer break and no school. Or winter because of Christmas presents.
As we move through the seasons of life, let us encourage each other in the body of Christ. Some seasons are easier than others. The young mother needs encouragement and reminded that soon she will blink, and those little children will grow up with families of their own. Those who are older and struggling more with the frailty of life and health need to be reminded and encouraged to stand firm to the end in their faith and that God is faithful in spite of the failings of the body.
As we move on to a new season, encourage one another in the things of Christ and enjoy the season that God has you in right now. Take some time to laugh and to dance. Take the time to sip a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy a slice of pie. And here’s hoping we can do some of that together this fall.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”Ecclesiastes 3:1-8