The Joy of Autumn

“Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” Leviticus 26:4

I must tell you that I have been as excited about this morning as I was on Christmas morning as a child. The reason is simple…I knew I would finally require a sweater and blanket on my porch while worshipping and meditating on God’s Word. Immediately the word ‘season’ came to mind as I wrapped my chilled hands around my warm coffee mug. I am sitting here wrapped in my favorite blanket-like sweater, with my blanket spread over my legs and feeling the chilled breeze on my face. It has been a brutal Summer and Fall with little difference in temps until this morning. Walking under the suffocating humidity and temperatures has made it seem like my season would never end. But this morning I sit reminded of God’s faithfulness that hot seasons do indeed end, and the refreshment and excitement of a new season begins. This morning even the sun looked to have needed a blanket as it peeked out for the day.

I am so grateful that God changes the seasons in our lives also. There have been seasons that I couldn’t wait to get out of, ones that were brutal in their circumstances. Seasons where I have grieved the dark nights of loss…Winter. Seasons where I have seen sparse blooms where I have planted spiritual things…Spring. Seasons where I had to work harder, breathe deeper and hydrate more…Summer. But now as I enter one of my most beloved seasons…Autumn…I face it with joy in the crispness of the new day. I face it with the hope of abundance in the yield of God, and the gratitude of His faithfulness in the fruit of our labor together.

Priscilla Shirer, one of the authors of The Faithful encouraged me to try to see the spiritual principles in the day-to-day as we move through our seasons. Our days might seem mundane, monotonous, and repeats of the day before. The point is to identify both the blessings and the principles in the ordinary tasks of each day, each week and each season. My spiritual principals that God is working to develop in me is dedication, patience and complete dependency. Through dedication I know that I have no devotionals if I don’t give Him my time. Through patience I know I will have no miracle if I don’t keep my hands off His plan. Through complete dependence there will be no morning message without the Messenger to reveal it to me. We cannot despise the mundane of the day or the seasons, for the work they are accomplishing is great. May we all both anticipate and celebrate that a new season is coming!