Seasons of Our Lives

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

     Seedtime and harvest. Day and night. Winter and summer. God is faithful every single day, and there are analogies to be made between the times of our lives and the seasons of the year. Seeds are planted in the ground, as well as in the womb, in the environments God has created and designed for growth.

     Summer follows spring, winter follows fall, year after year, just as our lives go through seasons of their own. Through the spring of our lives, we begin weak and helpless, relying on the environment and people around us in order to thrive and to grow. Our two-year-old grandson amazes us with his ability to soak in so much as he continues to learn new words, new skills with more dexterity every single day.

     There is promise and hope in these years of our lives. It is spring.

     Summer finds us when the sun is high, as we are filled with energy, with strong bodies and the promise of careers, maybe a spouse and children. There is warmth and light.  Everything is in full bloom, long days, warm sunshine. There will be days of rain and darkness, as with any season of life, but these years are the second quarter of our lives.

     We reach our potential with strength and vitality. It is summer.

     Through the third quarter of our lives, we find true beauty and grace. Wisdom grows. Reflection sets in. Our purpose is defined. Some of our outer beauty begins to fade and some parts of us fall apart and fall down! Weakness creeps into our joints, but true beauty from within shines, just as we witness the glorious colors surrounding us in this season of creation.

     Just before winter sets in, these years find us in reflection of the past and renewed strength to face the years ahead. It is fall.

     As we move into winter, it is time to prepare. Gathering to find warmth. Filling our pantries to prepare for the cold. Remember, winter is a busy time from within. Creation is preparing its roots for the next spring. The nutrients inside will develop into the seeds of tomorrow.

     We prepare for our eternal home. It is winter.

     Our spiritual life deepens as we prepare for the next season, the season that will never end. The winters of our lives can be the most beautiful of all. Even though the trees of winter look desolate and the skies may be gray, God is working, just as He will continue to work in us and through us. Our souls continue to shine and thrive. Winter deepens our appreciation for Jesus. He is in control of the seasons surrounding us and the seasons of our lives.

He made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun knows when to go down. Psalm 104:19

Lord,

We celebrate the seasons of Your creation and the seasons of our lives. Your miraculous ways keep us in awe of You.

Amen