Seasons

The weather here in Jefferson City, TN cannot make up it's mind! We go from low 40's to high 70's and from raining to sunny to flurries within a matter of minutes to hours! God is really being creative with the season changes around here! But wouldn't you know that God is using this for a bigger picture in my own life. Something that has been on my mind lately are the seasons that we go through in life. This theme of seasons is on the radio when I turn it on, it's comes out in my conversations with my friends- (who are getting married and graduating and finding jobs), AND it's there is a perfect example of this change, everytime I walk outside. I have reached the point of saying, "Ok God, I am starting to get the message."



As I said before, this theme is coming out of my radio in my car. And, on my way back from class, I was listening to a local Christian radio station, and they played a clip of a pastor talking about the season changes. His over riding message was asking, "why are we so afraid of the season changes in our own lives?" And, he explained it so simply by saying, we aren't afraid of the season changes we see with the weather. We don't walk outside in the fall, and get scared because the leaves are changing colors, so why do we get scared when we see God changing things in our lives?



I thought this was a GREAT analogy! (I love analogies though!) Why is that we start to hold on to the way things are when God starts preparing our heart for something new? We shouldn't. We know that leaves have to die and go through a dormant stage to be able to bloom into something new and even more beautiful! I love the lyrics to the song "Every Season" it explains this concept so well...



"Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration

For freedom that is ours
And I notice You In children’s games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder You are summer


And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come You are autumn


And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter You are winter


And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be As You are re-creating me Summer, autumn, winter, spring"



We see God as summer through the seasons of fun and sunny days in our lives. We see God as autum when we notice the change beginning- but I love what she says, "I am braced for colder winds," she is saying she ready because God is up to something. We see God as winter through death, but we have hope because we know that soon God is going to open the doors for NEW LIFE to enter! We see God through spring, when what was dead and frozen has a NEW PURPOSE, and God has made us NEW and a re-created person! What a GREAT example of our God! How awesome that God teaches us about himself through EVERY ASPECT of this life we experience!

When I think of God's word and the mention of seasons, I of course first thought of Ecclesiates 3, where it talks about there being a time or season for everything thing under heaven. But, as I searched a little further, I found something so sweet. It is one of those treasures God gives us, that we hold in our hearts, and know we will never forget.

As a woman, one of my favorite things about God, is when he speaks to me and treats me like I'm his most prized possession. I think it's just something about us girls, we love to be doted on, and feel like the most beautiful and well cared after person in the whole world. In this verse I found God speaking to me this way, it's as if God is calling me all of these (my darling, beautiful one) things and wants to tell me a grand story... Listen to what our lover says to us...

"My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me." Song of Solomon 2:10-13.

This passage gives me hope! For whatever Winter or Rains I might experience, out of that, comes Flowers on the earth, Singing, and Blossoming- HOW BEAUTIFUL! And the last part of the verse grabs me, my God, my lover saying, "Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me!" It's like he's saying wake up out of the winter and come experience all these wonderful things I have planned for you!

So, look for the seasons that are changing in life, don't be afraid of them, but brace yourself, because our lover waits for us on the other side of Winter (with flowers) and a newness and recreation of life that can only be found by going through a season of death.