We live in an area of the country that experiences all four seasons. Recently, I’ve noticed that leaves are starting to fall, nightime temperatures are getting lower, and there is that familiar sense of change in the air.
My wife always does a major spring and fall cleaning and sure enough, she’s started getting into her clean and pitch mode. She’s also weeding through our clothes to find the ones we don’t or can’t wear. She’ll take them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. And we’ve both started giving away or throwing away stuff. How do we accumulate so much stuff in just six months? It just seems weird.
Change of Seasons
One of the beautiful things about the change of seasons is that each season has its own character. And each season’s character is infectious; it invades us and stirs us. My wife and I look forward to trees dazzling us with the spectrum of autumn colors, to crisp fall air, church hay rides, sweaters, jackets and regal sunsets.
Despite the subtropical climate of Israel, our Savior experienced an autumn. It was the autumn of His earthly ministry. When we read any of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) we can feel the change of seasons when Jesus began His trek to Jerusalem.
A Chill In The Air
He passes through Samaria and Perea. He enters Judea and finally He arrives in Jerusalem. Unlike His previous travels you can sense an urgency to His ministry. He has invested an eternity of plans and trust in His ragtag Apostles, knowing from before Creation that one would betray Him. Yes, there was a chill in the air.
Upon this journey Jesus predicts His death. Just as grape vines begin their “death” in autumn, likewise, on this journey, Jesus began preparing Himself and His disciples for His death and His resurrection. Jesus had entered the autumn of His earthly ministry.
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Matthew 16:21 (ESV)
Praise God for His Boundless Love
As we now enter autumn, let’s give praise to God for His boundless love and to Christ Jesus for His unstoppable will to fulfill all that His Father asked of Him.
I invite you to join me in praising God while we listen to Keith Green’s “Oh, Lord You’re Beautiful”
Photo by Matthew Pla on Unsplash
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https://rockexcavationservice.org/2019/09/09/is-it-seed/