For many, Labor Day marks the end of the summer season. Like it or not, winter is coming. This is hard for me to say, being a summertime girl.
That’s why with this long holiday weekend upon us, we loaded up and headed for the lake, trying to squeeze the last bit of summer out of it. With the blue skies and the sun shining, I found myself floating with friends on Sunday afternoon. This is my happy place.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-14;says;
What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 
There is something about being at the lake that makes me feel closer to God. I’m not sure if it is the water, the trees or the big sky views, but being able to enjoy creation is a gift from God.
While floating in our favorite cove, this leaf caught my eye. I scooped it up out of the water to admire the beauty of its redness. Another reminder that the seasons are changing. I cannot stop it or slow it. It just is. But I can, however, embrace it and enjoy the beauty that the change brings. For there is a time for everything.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says,
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
There is a season and a time for everything. That beautiful red leaf reminded me of the changing of the seasons. But, just as everything dies with winter coming, there is a rebirth that naturally happens. Come spring, we get to enjoy the beauty of the newly budding blooms and the green of the grass.
Even we have seasons in our own lives. Times when we bloom and seasons where we must drop our leaves and give way to the winter within. Our seasons come and go too, like it or not. We just need to learn to embrace them. There are things we must die to in order to give way to the new things Christ longs to birth within us.
In the winter of our souls, there is a rebirth that is happening. You may not even be aware of. But we aren’t there yet. I’m not anyway. I am only entering into the fall of my life, where the colors bloom out and give way to amazing new colors. Our lesson is to learn to enjoy each season, whatever season you find yourself in. Embrace the change. And know this, there is only one thing that never changes. That is Jesus!
Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
No matter what season you find yourself in, I hope you can not only embrace the change but enjoy it. This life is a gift from God. Our seasons (fall, winter, spring and summer) are all one big gift from God.
James 1:17 says; “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change….”
Psalm 145:9 says; “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”
Psalm 107:1 says; “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.“
Let us pray: God of the all the seasons, thank you that just as the seasons change, so do we. Thank you that you, however, never change and your love for us never ends. Teach us to embrace each and every change we face. And show us how to enjoy this gift of life you have given us. In Jesus Name, Amen. -M
- Here’s the link to my Jesus Calling blog I wrote a few weeks ago entitled, New Beginnings.
- Be sure to pick up your copy of The Me Disease in print or digital, available on Amazon.
- Check out my calendar for upcoming events, such as First United Methodist Dinner September 9th at 6:30p and Barnes and Nobles book signing September 28th at 1pm in High Point, NC.
- Leave me a comment below because you know I love to hear from you.
