Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not; thy compassions, they fail not– As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above: Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness. Great is Thy faithfulness; Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided: Great is Thy faithfulness, LORD unto me.
According to the calendar, it is spring in Michigan right now. But we’ve experienced nearly all four seasons in the past two weeks! Some days were mild and sunny, others were rainy, windy, chilly, and a couple of days were even blustery with snow and sleet! Flowers have started popping up, birds have been chirping, even as the snow flies! My hall tree is covered in jackets, winter coats, hats, scarves, and caps. A few days, I’ve been in short shirt sleeves and sunglasses; the next days, I’ve needed a coat, hat, and gloves!
But even in days of chaotic weather, God is faithful! Even when I can’t decide what to wear, God is with me. If it should suddenly snow in June (and that HAS happened in Michigan before), God will not abandon me. Just as each day brings its own weather, each day brings God’s blessings.
Some days those blessings may include sunshine and bird song. Other days may include a much-needed hug from a friend, or a shoulder to cry on. Some days will bring both joy and sorrow, with God in the center of each. Each raindrop, each chattering squirrel, each beam of sunlight– all testify to God’s enduring presence. Each bud on the tree, each new tadpole, each wildflower in the forest, remind me that God is faithful to bring new life out of even the dead of winter.
Spring is a wonderful time to reflect on the goodness of God, and His wisdom in creating seasons– wet, dry, cold, hot, restful, chaotic– God is master of all the seasons, and all the days of our lives. And that is a bright thought, no matter what the weather brings today!
A few days ago, we had to reset all our clocks for “daylight savings time.” This is an artificial construct whereby we pretend that seven o’clock is really eight o’clock for several months in an attempt to “gain” more daylight hours. Several months from now, we will “move the clock back” to its “real” time. We talk about a “lost” hour which will be “regained” in the fall, but time is constant. There are still 24 hours in each day throughout the year. We are simply playing a game with time.
We live in a time of great changes. Whether it’s a “time change”, a change of government officials, climate changes, technological changes, and even physical changes as we age, we must learn to “roll with” and adapt to the many changes around us.
God does not change. All the changes in our life can leave us confused, frightened, agitated, and even angry. But God is constant. His love is constant. His nature does not change. His Word does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). We can trust Him to do what He has said He will do. We can rely on Him to be the same, regardless of the changes around us; regardless of the changes within us; regardless of our circumstances, our reactions, our failures, and our best efforts. Other people will let us down. Their love may be conditional or fleeting. Their promises can be broken. And the fact that we are so hurt by broken promises and sudden changes points to the reality of the unchanging God, and of our need for Him.
It can be tempting, with all the change around us, to doubt God’s faithfulness; to wonder, or even wish, that He, too, might change. Sometimes, we want Him to “bend” to fit in with our own desires, or to fit in with our society and culture. Surely, if the majority of our culture has changed, we believe that such change equals growth. We look at the past with disdain. “We just didn’t know better, then,” we say. And surely, if we know better now, God will recognize our new thoughts and attitudes as a positive change– in fact, God will change to fit our new awareness, our “better” way of thinking.
But that is not how it works. There are millions who believe that the “bad” days of slavery are behind us; others believe that the “legacy” of slavery is the greatest problem of our age. All without acknowledging that there are still millions of people who are enslaved– victims of the sex trade, victims of organ harvesting, victims of debt and war–even in our “modern” world. Abortion-on-demand still slaughters millions of human beings every year–in spite of our culture’s acceptance, and even championship of abortion as a “woman’s right.” Hundreds of thousands of young people are being mutilated because of our society’s growing belief that gender is “fluid” and God is not a good and wise creator.
While God’s unchanging nature can be a great comfort to the believer, it can be a stumbling block for those who listen to the roar of cultural voices, instead of the still small voice of the lover of their souls. And it can mean that Christians face misunderstanding and persecution as we hold God’s truths to be unchanging and unfailingly good.
I am choosing today to be grateful for God’s unchanging nature. I choose to celebrate that His promises are true; that His love never fails; that He is eternally wise; that His compassions are new every morning, and great is His faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Yesterday was Boxing Day– a day for boxing up the Christmas decorations and finding places for all the gifts we received on Christmas Day. Traditionally, this includes donating things that we do not need or sharing some of our gifts with those who did not receive gifts on Christmas. Not everyone does this on December 26. Some people will exchange gifts on January 6. Some have already donated gifts to others to receive on or before Christmas. Many families leave their decorations up past the New Year; but most people are ready to put away all the trappings of Christmas and move on to other things– last minute cleaning, New Year’s resolutions, looking ahead to changes.
There is a sadness about putting away the lights and tinsel, candles and manger scenes. There is a melancholy that comes with taking down the lights, putting away all the ribbons and greeting cards, the candles and such. We have waited so long for now the wait has ended. And there is something about wrapping up Baby Jesus and putting Him in a box to sit on a shelf for most of the year that seems to mock the very celebration of Christmas. Jesus CAME! Not just for a day; not just as a newborn. Jesus didn’t come to sit on a shelf in the attic, carefully wrapped in paper waiting for His next birthday. He LIVED. He GREW. He LOVED. Jesus, and the message of His life, death, and resurrection cannot be contained in a box. It cannot be relegated to a shelf. Jesus is not just the baby of Christmas. He is the Lord of Life, the Light of the World, the teller of Parables, the Lamb of God, and the Risen Messiah!
But in another way, Boxing Day is completely appropriate for the season. Jesus came to be “regifted” and “passed on” to those in need! Jesus did not stay in the manger; the angels did not camp out with the shepherds; the wise men returned to their homes after giving their gifts. Life goes on! And it IS appropriate to put away the baby Jesus and focus on what comes next– Jesus living out His life and His mission; Jesus preparing for His Ministry, as well as preparing for the Cross and His Resurrection. Jesus returning to Heaven, where He is “hidden” until His coming again.
Today, my prayer is that we will not hide Jesus on a shelf or in a box, but “hide” Him in our hearts as we prepare for the coming year. And, just as we celebrated the Miracle of His first coming, that we would continue in a spirit of Advent as we await His Return! Let us prepare for OUR mission– to share the Gospel and spread Joy and Peace to others, whether with gifts, encouraging words, or just making connections and listening. May we anticipate with wonder and excitement the work He is doing even now among His Disciples and Followers, and the coming Fulfillment of His promises to make all things new!
As we put away the lights, and take down the ornaments, may we save the warm glow of remembering– He Has Come! He is Here WITH Us! Emmanuel! May we let Him shine Through us in the days to come, spreading Hope and Joy and Peace. And may we look forward to the day when we won’t need to unwrap Jesus from a box on the shelf– He will be our very present Source of Light, our King and Ruler, Forever, AMEN!
The other day, a local artist stopped by our shop. He commented on the giant mirrors we have lining the north wall of the store. I explained that when we first moved in, the mirrors were left over from a dance studio that had once inhabited the space. They left the mirrors and the barres on the opposite wall. We liked them and left them in place. The mirrors bring in a lot of extra light, and they make our space look bigger than it actually is. The barres make convenient spaces to hang linens and other items for display.
The artist nodded. I went on to explain that we hated the thought of someone removing the mirrors (four panels that run about 7 feet in height and stretch about 30 feet along the wall) because of the risk that they would be shattered and ruined. Then, the artist told his story. One of his early studios was in a small garage lined with large mirrors. Like us, he liked that the mirrors made the small space feel lighter and larger. The extra light was also helpful in creating his art. But when he moved to another studio, the panels were removed, and they broke into several pieces. Instead of throwing them out, however, he glued them into a new pattern on the walls of his now larger studio. He used the broken mirrors to create light and beauty– different from before, but with new meaning and renewed purpose.
And it reminded me of what Jesus does for us. We were created to reflect the light of God’s love, to bring light into a dark world. But often, we feel shattered and useless. Sometimes, God is trying to move us into a different space; different circumstances; a different outlook. From our perspective, it looks like failure. We might even try to glue ourselves back into the same old pattern, but without success. And often, we expect God to see us as just so many shattered pieces, ready to be swept up and thrown out. Or something so broken that we no longer have the power to reflect His light.
But God is an artist. He delights in rescuing those of us who are broken. God redeems our purpose and our worth, giving us new and abundant life. He finds beauty in the broken, and a message in our mess. The prophet Jeremiah speaks to this through the artistic metaphor of the Potter and the clay. (see Jeremiah chapter 18) God molds us and shapes us; He has the power and authority to reshape us for new beauty and usefulness. God was speaking to Jeremiah about the nation of Israel. They had broken their covenant with God, and He was about to punish them. But God still had plans for their renewal and their future– including their ultimate redemption at the hands of His Son! God doesn’t give up on us. Of course, God’s message through Jeremiah is not only about renewal, but about submitting to His design and purpose for us. We cannot reshape ourselves– whether clay pots or shattered mirrors. Only God has the power to shape our purpose.
But more than that, God can reshape our outlook, so that WE too can see the beauty around us, in spite of the brokenness. We see people differently; we see situations differently. We see possibilities where we used to see only problems. We see hope, where there used to be despair. And we are empowered to reflect that hope to those around us. Even though we have been broken, we can still fulfill our God-given purpose of reflecting light and love and beauty.
God has been preparing me for a big move lately. After several years, David and I will be closing our shop at the end of this year. Someday, another renter or owner may remove the lovely mirrors that line our north wall. And part of my heart feels broken at the thought of “moving on” and starting a new chapter. But my artist neighbor reminded me that there is often great beauty in the broken– if we have the eyes to see it. God isn’t finished with me– I will find a meaningful way to serve and share and reflect His love. It may be in a different way or a different place. And our shop will go on to be used for another purpose at some point. And even if the lovely mirrors are no longer in place, the north wall will have beauty and purpose for someone else.
The month of June is “Anniversary Month” in much of my family. My parents and one set of grandparents were all married on June 1st. My brother and sister both celebrate anniversaries next week, as does my one of my brothers-in-law. Marriage is in trouble in our society– many marriages are ending in divorce, while others are choosing to wait longer before making a commitment or choosing not to marry at all.
We tend to celebrate marriage as being all about feelings of love, but marriage is really about making and keeping promises. Two people stand before witnesses and take sacred oaths to be faithful, to love, honor, and cherish (and yipes! sometimes even to obey) one another for the rest of their lives. And most people who take such oaths do so with honest intent. Why, then, does it seem to be failing so often?
One of the reasons has to do with expectations. We expect the same giddy feelings of delight we have during courtship to carry us dreamily into the future. And we expect that the way we act during courtship will be the norm– the “happily ever after” fairy-tale life of story books and romance novels. We expect that we will always be the same as we are now: young, carefree, beautiful/handsome, and eager to please and be pleased by the boy/girl of our dreams… This is unrealistic. And even when we say we know better, we hang on to unrealistic expectations for our relationships, just as we do for other situations and circumstances. Even our “soulmates” can disappoint us, fail to understand us, suffer failures and setbacks, battle depression or addiction, lose their youth and good health, and even question their feelings for us.
Another related issue is that we usually take vows when we are young and our future looks bright. Circumstances can change; plans can fail. War, disease, financial ruin, the loss or miscarriage of a child or children, forced changes in living arrangements or work schedules– all can put enormous stress on a marriage.
But not all marriages crumble under the weight of unusual or unexpected circumstances. Some seem to erode slowly, even under “good” circumstances. Why?
One reason I’ve seen as I look around is a seeming inability to make and keep small promises. We make big, broad promises at a wedding– “for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health..” “’til death us do part…” But we don’t promise to forgive him when he leaves the toilet seat up for the fifth time this week, or wait for her while she tries on every one of the six outfits she can’t decide on for the upcoming class reunion. We don’t promise to compromise on which family we will visit for Christmas each year, or what color we will have in the dining room. We think of marriage as a series of negotiations (which it IS), but ones in which one of us “wins” and the other “loses.” And if we consider that we are the “loser” in enough negotiations, we feel entitled to “break” our little promises.
Almost two years ago, my husband suffered an injury at work. He “punctured” his leg–the injury wasn’t huge, but it was deep, and on the back side of the leg, where he couldn’t see it. He knew it hurt, but thought it would heal up. Instead, it became infected. We had to go to the local wound clinic for several months, but between visits, I had to change the dressings, wash the wound, apply the various antibiotics and salves, redress the wound, etc.. David was still working full time, so the dressings would sometimes get sweaty and dirty on top of everything else. I promised to be faithful “in sickness and in health”– and that included washing out the pus-filled wound and caring for the pus-soaked dressings; it included wrapping his leg every other night for weeks. We went through hundreds of yards of gauze and anti-stick dressings, tubes of several different antibiotic salves, special compression socks, etc. Hundreds of dollars and hours later, his leg is slowly getting back to “normal.” During this same period, I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes. David has had to be patient with me as I learn to eat (and cook) differently. He has had to help me with glucose testing, dealing with low-sugar episodes, and put up with mood swings (even more than normal!).
And our health odyssey could be much worse– what about those who have to deal with cancer or dementia? But I think sometimes we minimize the commitment needed for the smaller, chronic conditions. The stress may be smaller, but it piles up, just the same. Our promises need to hold in the daily crises– big and small. And our promises need to hold when there is no crisis– and no adventure, either. Many marriages fall victim to “smooth sailing.” Things settle into a routine, and promises that were made to sustain the marriage in the face of “richer or poorer” fall apart in the settled comfort of middle class complacency. Vows take for “better or worse” fall apart in the “blah” and boredom of “good enough.”
Marriage is designed to be a picture of our relationship with Christ. As Christians, we are the “bride” of Christ! But we may need to review our vows and our commitment. Christ is eternally faithful; are we? In our flesh and our frail humanity, we cannot remain faithful on our own. But where are we? Have we lost our first love? Are we committed to Christ even in the midst of chronic illness or small setbacks? Are we flirting with the world because we have become “bored” with our Christian Walk? Has our joy been eroded by our failure to share our little stresses and secret sins with the Lover of our Soul?
Often, when we take a moment to remember our wedding day, we are reminded of the commitments we made, and the joy we felt on that special day. It can be bittersweet, if we have let circumstances or feelings pull us away from the one we love (or if they have moved away from their commitment). But it can be a wake-up call, as well, reminding us that promises made and promises kept are what leads to long-term joy and security. It can be helpful to take a few moments (or more) every once in awhile to remember when we came to Christ, and be reminded of the commitment we made– and the promises He has kept!
It is supposed to be springtime in my neck of the woods. We’ve had two days of snow this week, chilly winds, and frost/freeze warnings. Fruit farmers are worried about losing the fragile blossoms that we need for apples, peaches, and cherries later this year. Many of the spring flowers are also in jeopardy. People are joking that we need to “unplug” springtime and “reboot” it, because it seems not to be working! The seasons seem “out of time.”
Sometimes our lives seem the same. We expect a season of growth or warmth, only to feel the cold winds, or we experience drought when we expected rain. Our prayers will change as the seasons come and go– young parents pray for patience as their days are hectic; aging parents pray for visits from their busy children and grandchildren. We go through seasons of success, seasons of stress, seasons of forced immobility, seasons of grief, and seasons of distracted activity.
Throughout the Psalms, David and the other psalm writers sang of woes and wonders, praises and problems– sometimes within a single Psalm! We have seasons of questioning, and seasons of confidence. Sometimes, we feel close to God; other times, we wonder why He seems so far away. Our “songs” and prayers will change over the course of our lives and according to our moods and circumstances– desperate, worshipful, even indignant. Yet God hears them all– He wants us to pour out our hearts in all seasons!
Our seasons may change, but God is Eternally Loving and Sovereign. Our moods and changing circumstances cannot remove us from His watchful eye or His tender care. Our momentary anger and doubt are not beyond His willingness–even eagerness– to forgive and redeem! God is Lord of all the Seasons– seasons of snow and sunshine; seasons of joy and sorrow. Even when our seasons seem “out of time,” we can lift our voices to a God who never changes.
In my last post, Pursuing Discipline, I spoke of journaling and being consistent in prayer as part of learning discipline. Discipline is an important part of the Christian Walk; one that we don’t always talk about. Discipline is difficult. Discipline is developed over time. And I want to be clear that keeping a Prayer Journal, like other forms of discipline, will take time and effort.
My current prayer journal is the result of years of effort, changes, failures, and baby steps. Several years ago, I found, in a Christian Bookstore, an item called a “Prayer Journal.” It was pre-printed with wonderful facts about different unreached people groups to pray for each week of the year. It was set up in a “planner” format, with each week spread out on a double page, and areas for each day to write in appointments, notes, personal prayer requests, etc. I loved it. But it was specific to that year. As the year was drawing to a close, I went back to the same bookstore, eager to get the next year’s edition. I could not find it.
I thought, “How hard could it be to create my own?” HARD! I did not have the resources to update the information about various countries. I did not like many of the other “planners” I came across. I wasn’t satisfied with apps and on-line planners and calendars. And I wanted to add space for local and personal prayer requests, including all the birthdays and anniversaries of people I know. I wanted a format I could use from year to year, so I wouldn’t have to enter the information over and over again. And I wanted a format where I could see it all, spread out in front of me.
More than twenty years later, I began using the system I currently use– four notebooks for each quarter of the year. Each page is a single day, with the names of people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or (in some cases) families mourning the loss of a loved one on that day. In the top corner, I have the name of a country, city, community, or geographical area. These are my daily focus points. In the front of the notebook, I have a reminder of the “Prayer Points”– those topical areas for each day of the week. The bottom half of the page is free for me to add in immediate prayer requests– hospitalizations, those who are traveling or moving, etc.. Each “new” request I add at the bottom gets “tagged” with the year of the request. This way, the journal can be used year after year, until I run out of space for requests, or it wears out! I leave the back of each page for answers. Some days, I go back and look at prayer requests from the previous week and write in the answers or progress. Sometimes, I am reminded to update the request. Sometimes, I see a request from a previous year, and I have not yet written the answer, or there has been an update. In this way, I can help focus my daily prayer time in the morning and/or evening. Of course, I can pray about anything, any time; this is just a way to pursue a more disciplined approach to prayer.
For anyone wanting to use or create a Prayer Journal– please take time to build it prayerfully and deliberately. But also be prepared to “fail.” I went through several notebooks, purchased planners and ready-to-use prayer journals before I found one that works well for me. And even now, there are days when I do not open my journal and use it as it was intended. It is not, after all, a ritual or a code to follow. Prayer is a pursuit– but it is just one part of the pursuit of a closer relationship with God. Disciplined prayer helps me focus on God, helps me understand more of His Character, and helps me build our relationship. Perfect prayer is not the goal, but building on prayer is the objective toward reaching the goal. Part of the building of character and discipline is the journey!
When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He did not give them a formula for a prayer journal. He did not give them a system for prayer. He gave them a very simple sample format. But Scripture gives us several other examples of prayers– long and anguished, poetic and joyful, even quick bursts of panic or exasperation. Prayer is far too complex to boil down to a single formula or system.
I hope that what I write here helps you on a journey to discover the complexities of prayer. I hope that you, like me, will draw closer to God as you pursue ways to think about and to practice praying. Your journey, and your journal, will look and function far different from mine. But I hope you find one that helps you grow in discipline, in compassion, in knowledge, and in character. As for me, I will be turning my focus on East Timor, my nephew (who is celebrating his birthday today!), and business and financial issues. And then all the other things on my heart throughout the day! Because God is always listening, and God is always everywhere!
Another year is nearing an end, and it is common to look back and take stock of what the year has brought to, taken from, or challenged us with…
It can also be a time of regret– things not done, opportunities not taken, mistakes not corrected, hopes and dreams unrealized.
I keep two journals– a daily planner, filled with goals I hope to accomplish and plans I hope to fulfill; and my prayer journal, filled with requests, praises, answers to prayer, and names of people and places I wish to lift up in prayer. I spent some time the other day remembering and reflecting on this past year.
As I stop to pray over the next/last few days of 2022, I want to remember two things in particular: God knew everything that would happen this year. And God was “there” for everything that happened; not just aware of what was going on, but as close as our own breath–loving, caring, and providing strength and comfort in every moment. He shared our tears and our laughter, and sent us mercies in the form of friends, neighbors, and even strangers– “angels unaware.”
God knew that on January fifth, my mother would fall and break her leg, starting her on a sixth month odyssey of hospitalization, rehabilitation, assisted living, and finally, moving into a new living arrangement near my sister’s house. He knew that my mother-in-law would fall the very next day, breaking her leg and requiring a similar journey through hospitalization, and two nursing homes, before finally being able to return to her home before Christmas.
God knew that I would be diagnosed with diabetes, and that David would face a challenging wound in his leg this year. Our lives and routines have been altered in ways we could never have predicted.
God knew that our extended family would face divorce, death, illness, job changes, and more. He knew that members of our church family would face cancer, heart disease, and death; just as many others would experience healing, weddings, and new birth.God knew what would happen worldwide– the death of a Queen, the changing of world leaders, war, famine, earthquakes and blizzards and hurricanes.
And God was there for every moment, joyous or terrifying; heart-breaking and uplifting moments, personal triumphs and worldwide tragedies. Miracles and losses, devastating news from the doctor, and joyous answers to prayer.
Looking back can be painful. Dwelling in the past–even on good memories, can be unproductive. But looking back to see how God has provided in our need, given us strength for life’s challenges, and brought unexpected opportunities gives us cause to sing praises and cause to hope for the coming year.
Thank you God! Thank you for bringing us through another year– hopefully wiser and closer to You. Thank you for the opportunities you’ve given, and those you will bring into our lives in the year to come. Prepare us to be patient, hopeful, strong, and kind in the time to come. And help us to share this hope and strength, kindness and endurance to those around us, by pointing them to You. Amen!
As I look out the window today, I see an array of autumn colors–yellow, red, orange, green, brown, and even purple leaves against a vibrant blue sky. Autumn is full of changes; changing leaves, changing temperatures, changing wardrobes. I love living in an area where the seasons change dramatically. I don’t always like the drama, however. We’ve had warm days, wet days, cold days– sometimes all three in the same day! But I do like the variety– snow in the winter, colorful leaves in the fall, new life in spring, and summer trips to the beach or the shady woods.
It isn’t only the weather or the trees that change. The times are changing– literally–we will be turning our clocks back this weekend, “falling back” to conventional time after several months of “daylight savings time. Our neighborhood is changing–the bank down the street just changed its name, and a couple of new businesses are opening, as a couple others close. We are experiencing life changes. My husband and I are in the “autumn” of life– feeling the slow creep of age, in good ways and bad. We enjoy spending time with our kids and grandkids, nieces and nephews, as they embark on new adventures and challenges of “becoming.” We don’t enjoy the aches and pains and slower pace we now find ourselves adopting, but we appreciate the wisdom of life lived and learned. We have aging parents who are facing their own decisions, many of which will involve us in one way or another.
God watches over all these changes. He sees them, orders them, anticipates them. God is the master of renewal, redemption, and restoration. God can move mountains, heal diseases, restore relationships, and raise the dead! And, unless we allow God to change our very nature and give us new birth through His Son, we will miss the greatest change of all.
But God never changes. The same God who formed me in my mother’s womb is the God who will be with me as I take my last earthly breath. The same God who formed the oceans and spoke galaxies into being is the God who whispered frost onto the grass this morning. This God is faithful through every season of the year and every season of life. I will not wake up tomorrow to find that there will be no more winter or spring seasons, or that the grass has all turned purple, or that God’s word is no longer true and powerful. And there will never be a time when I cannot trust God’s Sovereignty, His Mercy, or His Love. God’s promises are eternally sure; His Faithfulness is everlasting; and His power is limitless. God will never quit; He will never grow tired; He will never be “confused” about the road ahead; He will never resort to “plan B.”
Very soon, the colorful leaves will fall, the morning frost will be replaced with snow and ice, and my fall jacket will have to give way to my winter coat and gloves. In time, my gray hair will turn white, and my wrinkles will multiply. Someday, my great-grandchildren may find my name carved on a stone and wonder what I sounded like or what kind of person I was. But God will still be the same as He was in the days of Noah, and King Solomon; the same God who watched the fall of the Roman Empire, the horrors of the Holocaust, and the first Moon landing. That’s the God who hears my prayers– and yours. He can be trusted. He is faithful.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
The air is different.
Cooler
Scented with readiness…
Waiting
The birds are restless of wing;
Apples hang heavy
As people and days
Move a little faster.
Anticipating the season;
Bringing in the harvest
Preparing to face
The cold gray of winter.
This short burst of color–
This cacophony of bird chatter
And swinging scythes–
Will give way to moaning winds
And skeletal branches reaching out
To empty skies.
Autumn is coming– you can feel it in the air and start to see it on the trees here. It’s coming on to “sweater” weather. Football, the smell of vineyards heavy with grapes and orchards filled with apples and pears. Gardeners and farmers are tripping over pumpkins and squash, and preparing to bring in the corn, wheat, and beans. Squirrels are starting to zip about and look for nuts and seeds to store.
There is a sense of urgency about this time of year– the harvest is ready to bring in; it will not wait for a more convenient moment. Preparations for the coming winter must be completed while the good weather holds.
There is also a sense of completion and evaluation. We look back at the summer with longing–did we make the most of sunny days and delayed sunsets? Did we bring in a bumper crop? And we look forward with a little anxiety– are we ready to weather the biting winds and bleak days ahead?
God has given us seasons– where I live, there are dramatic changes from summer to autumn– in other regions, there are changes from rainy season to dry season. Each change gives us time to pause and notice where we have been and where we are headed.
The same is true in our personal lives– we go through seasons of change. Children grow to adulthood; young parents become empty-nesters (eventually); hectic days at the office give way to days at the doctor’s office; bank accounts and circles of friends grow or shrink.
Pursuing Prayer 