Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.
Emily BRONTE
Autumn, when it hits just right, can be the most glorious of seasons – and this year, due to a warm, dry summer, we’ve been treated to some pretty spectacular displays here in our little South-Eastern corner of England.
There is nothing quite like the pop of an ochre tree against a bright blue sky to lift the spirits of the beholder.
Amber and Honey being Fox Red Labs, look like they were made for autumn. Add myself into the mix, and we’ve been quite the merry band of red-heads, tromping through the coppery foliage!
And just to add to the fun, we’ve also had an extra dog in tow for a few days this month – Holly, another one of Amber’s pups. What a joy to witness these three ginger-nuts waltzing around the park amid the whirling, swirling leaves.
There have been times over the last few weeks where they have reminded me of Chameleons, blending brilliantly into their surroundings. Talk about a game of Spot the Dog!
THE CYCLE OF LIFE
Autumn is a great reminder of the continuous cycle of nature. Autumn always seems to signal: change is in the air. As Summer goes out in a blaze of glory, the air gets cooler, crisper. Darker mornings set in. The gradual shortening of days. The comings and goings of the geese, some honking hello, others honking goodbye. The big old saucer of a moon. The arrival of the Redwings and Fieldfares and other migratory birds which frequent our soils from late autumn, flying in from Scandinavia in the hope of finding berries. The earth yielding bountiful crops, which are harvested in a celebration of thanksgiving.
I love the first few lines of this beautiful autumn poem by Rachel Field:
Something told the wild geese It was time to go Though the fields lay golden Something whispered, "Snow!"
I too, often marvel at the way these things just seem to happen. Endlessly. Without fail. Year upon year.
Yet, the bible shows us clearly that these things are not merely coincidence, but part of God’s wise and intricate design.
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.
Genesis 8:22
Right at the start, God established the seasons!
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years.
Genesis 1:14
The moon is specifically mentioned for the marking of the seasons, and the sun is noted for its regular setting time.
He made the moon to mark the seasons, the sun knows when to set.
Psalm 104:19
What an incredible God, who makes everything so beautifully and perfectly! In His infinite wisdom, He made all things so well, bringing rhythm and harmony and variety to His Creation.
shifting seasons
The natural order of things can serve as a mirror for our own lives too. The seasons can serve as a metaphor, reminding us of the ever changing landscape of our lives. For myself as a Mother, I’m constantly amazed at how quickly I’m passing through the seasons- from parenting sticky-faced toddlers, to wide-eyed adventurers, to turbulent teens, and suddenly to adult children all with their own experiences and seasons! My heart can barely keep up at times, and hold the weight of all my hopes and dreams for my precious four.
Our lives are subject to highs and lows and shifts and changes. Just like in nature, our lives have a rhythm. Periods of growth. Periods of rest. Just like the crops, sometimes abundant other times, fallow. Even our spiritual walk can be subject to mountain-top views and valleys-like depths, to uphill climbs and tummy-turning downhill rushes, to lush plains of plenty, and dry desert paths.
JESUS – THE CONSTANT ONE
Psalm 23 reminds us so well that Jesus is our Good Shepherd! He is our Immanuel! He’s constantly with us- whether we’re in green pastures or walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
What comfort there is in knowing His rod and staff to guide and protect us in all the seasons of our lives.
What peace there is in knowing that He is the God who watches over our coming in and going out- now and forevermore – Psalm 121:8
What joy in walking through all the seasons of life beside an ever-faithful God, whose love is as constant as the sun.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea.”
If there’s one thing we can be certain of, it’s that nothing stays the same forever. July always seems to be a season of shifts and changes – a time of goodbyes and new beginnings, especially for children. Changing classes. Changing schools. Leaving Primary School. Leaving school forever. This world is ever moving – ever changing. Who can stop the hands of time from turning?
Only this week, my daughter Grace was faced with this fact when some of her older friends graduated from one our church youth clubs. She felt a sudden pang of sadness as she was suddenly faced with a stark reality – change is unstoppable, and that sometimes, the people we care deeply about, move on.
“Though the earth should change, and though the mountains should slip into the heart of the sea“.
I used to think this verse was metaphoric. But recently I watched a David Attenborough Documentary called Frozen Planet. It showed how climate change is starting to affect our world. Great mountains of ice in the Polar Ice-Cap regions are literally melting and slipping into the sea as we speak.
Climate change. Floods, earthquakes, land-slides. Sometimes I get nervous just turning on the news! The world seems to be changing so quickly. Just this week we have all been rocked by news of the tragic plane crash over the Ukraine. There is unrest all around the world, with attention at the moment on Israel and Iraq. Distressing events unfolding day after day. Peoples lives suddenly cut short in an instant. Such events can strike our hearts with fear and terror.
But…take heart! “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble”. A refuge is a place of shelter, a fortified tower, a safe haven.
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe“. Prov 18:10
Where do we run to when change comes a’calling and our hearts faint within us? We run to God our rock – the only place of stability in an unstable world. He is a very present help in times of trouble. This verse makes me smile. You would think that someone could either be present or not present, wouldn’t you? But God is VERY present! To me that says that He isn’t just a by-stander. He isn’t just an eye-witness standing in the wings. He is not distant, detached, standing idly by, watching our lives play out. He is involved!
I sent this verse to my lovely cousin Michael this morning, who in the last few days was suddenly faced with enormous change in the shape of a triple heart bypass operation. I could almost picture God in the operating theatre with His sleeves rolled up! There is nowhere we can go to escape His presence! Even when we are under the Surgeon’s knife, God is with us!
God is also with my husband’s family who are currently facing the enormous change of emigrating to Texas. They are currently in the process of packing up their whole life in boxes. Saying goodbye to family, friends and loved ones and experiencing the wrench of leaving schools and home and church, even country, and having to start life “from scratch.” Oh how painful change can be!
And I know that He will be with you too. Whatever change you are facing right now – whether it’s having a baby, moving school, moving house – or something as tragic as the sudden loss of a loved one. Whether you are the one moving on, or the one being left behind. Take heart! Do not fear! Though the earth should change and the mountains should slip into the heart of the sea, God is in control. He is not removed from your situation. He is not absent. He is present. And not just present, VERY present. ‘Very’ is a word of emphasis. It underlines! It’s written in bold and italics!
Whatever ‘trouble’ you may find yourself in today, He is with you! He is the same God that was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace. He was with Daniel in the Lion’s Den. He was with Moses and the Israelites when they were faced with the red sea in front of them and the Egyptian Armies behind. He is the same God that was with David when he stood toe to toe with a nine foot giant. And He will be with you too. When we remember His awesome works, and remember His past mercies, we know that we need not fear!
If you are in a season of change, or troubled over world events, run to the Rock today. He is a shelter, a safe-haven, and a firm foundation that cannot be shaken, no matter what your changes or shifting circumstances may be. Even if the earth should change, and the mountains should slip into the very heart of the sea – you need not fear. He has got you in the palm of His hand. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS 