“They filled a large basket with food and set off into the forest to search for the way home. This time, luck was with them, and on the second day, they saw their father come out of the house towards them, weeping.” Hansel and Gretel.
This is the story of two children born to a woodcutter who loved them very much. He was a weak man, and their wicked stepmother hated them and was determined to rid herself of them. She was jealous of the children and forced her husband to lose them in the forest. The first time they left behind small pebbles which led them home, only to be taken back to the forest and left homeless. The second time they peppered the path with crumbs of bread, forgetting that the birds were also hungry. In their fear, hunger and loneliness they accepted the offer of an old lady who gave them enticing chocolates and delicious sweets. They enjoyed it for a bit, and then realized that the nice lady was indeed evil, and their landing place was really a trap. They tricked her into her demise, gathered her treasures and found their way back home. Their dad saw them coming and tearfully ran towards them, joyful that his wicked wife had died, his children were finally home, and they could share in the treasures forever.
I feel like we all experience seasons like the children in the story. We find ourselves in unfamiliar circumstances…lonely and tired…lost and hungry ... scared and homesick for kinder times. We make our plans to get back to those ‘normal’ times, but the pebbles get lost and the crumbs fail to lead back. We turn to desires that entice us…things that seem to make us feel better at the time. We enjoy them for a while, as they take our minds off our real dilemma…we miss the way things use to be… trying desperately to find our normal again.
No matter how far we separate ourselves from God, He is always going to run towards us with His arms wide open. He understands the forest because He created it. Even though we might feel lost, He always knows exactly where we are in heart and soul. He wants to show us the new normal when we are ready to put down our basket of futile attempts to find home. There are great treasures in our new normal, if we are willing to open our hearts to receive. Blessings don’t stop when seasons do, they just turn into different blessings. The key is to have an open heart and mind to receive the new circumstances, and embrace our Father as He gestures us in to our new seasons. His gifts are always good, and His faithfulness is as sure as the colorful sunrises and peaceful sunsets. So, fill your baskets with faith that what is up ahead is precious, and gratitude that we have a God who is still in the business of making all things new!
"And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”…" Rev 21:4
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