Sometime early in the fall, the earth begins to tip upward and those of us in North America begin the march toward winter, when the sun is furthest from the earth.
Moving away from the sun, brings on cold temperatures. Sap that once easily moved in trees to supply life, eventually slows down and leaves get less and less nutrients, so they turn colors and die.
Leaves fall to the ground and pile up everywhere. The formerly lush green of nature turns dingy brown and things become barren and cold.
In the winter gray clouds often cover the sky and things can easily move toward melancholy and darkness. The sun is still there, of course, in all its power – it’s just covered by dark, cold clouds and the earth has moved its face further from the sun.
Yet, again, in a few months, the will earth tip forward and draw closer to the sun. Warmth returns, the sap in the trees begins to move, buds appear on limbs, leaves emerge all lime green….life returns. Beauty and color are again with us.
In the midst of the dark, cold winter we learn something. We learn that we yearn for the life of spring and summer. We all universally want the feeling of a warm spring breeze on our face as the sun sets in late May.
So it is with our lives…with my life. I turn upward and away from God for a time or moment or season. Things get cold…things turn brown, things die, leaves fall, clouds cover the once bright blue sky.
But God is still there, behind the clouds of my life.
But then, my heart, and perhaps your heart, turns back to God and we sense the warmth of His face. I yearn for His life, for the lush green of His presence. We feel His hand on our lives. We seek the warmth of His life. Life begins to flow. Fruit begins to blossom again. We see beauty. We are part of the beauty.
Thank you Lord that you teach me and us something in those dark, cold winter days….you remind us that You are still there even in the coldness and gray times. Thank you that, as I turn back to you, my face feels Your presence and my heart become full again…full of the green of life.
