Terry Harmon, my close friend and brother in Christ, once again provides us with one of his weekly bulletin articles. We’re reminded that the seasons come and go, and this is the time of year we can relish the freshness of springtime. Thanks Terry for this ‘seasonal’ reminder.
Have you noticed how the birds are singing and the trees are beginning to bud? With the recent, cooler weather and soaking rains the grass will be turning green in no time. H.A. Jacob says that life comes and goes just like the seasons. There are seasons of summer, when the sun reigns and the heat warms the earth’s crust. As the days begin to shorter, the weather begins to cool and autumn seems to burst into color. With the beauty of the red, gold and brown hues, we soon feel the promise of cooler nights. In short order, winter comes with the crisp, cold air and an occasionally frosting of snow and ice. But as the days begin to length, and the air begins to warm we realize the cycle of the seasons turns again to springtime.
Springtime is a beautiful picture of hope. Spring seems to assure us that no matter how cold and desolate; how bitter or solemn the winter, it will come to an end bursting forth with new life. Things will become green and tender again. Fruitfulness will return and we will grow. Springtime seems to say that we can be stronger than before. We can over come the dead of winter and live again.
Jacob asks what we should learn from the seasons. What can we take from the cycle of creation that will make us better, stronger and ultimately more Godly? Consider the following three points of growth:
1) The difficult seasons will come to an end. Nothing last forever and by enduring it, we can begin a new.
2) God is working in each season of our lives. He is preparing us to bring forth fruit in due season. Even though the pruning is painful, the results are worth it.
3) Other people are in a ‘season’ just like you. Some are in the season of winter and distress, needing the warmth of encouragement. Whether by a touch, a kind word or a gift of charity, encouragement is a tangible commodity. As Christians we need to be able to offer encouragement as we recognize the respective seasons of friends and family.
It is always ‘in season’ to speak words of encouragement. God will give us the tongue of a disciple which will speak to the weary words of strength and resolve. As we wake each day, and tune our ears to heaven, He will help us speak words of blessed assurance. “Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (I Thess. 5:11). “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23). And Paul reminds us in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned as it were with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.”
May your spring this year bring you a new and refreshing time. Even more so, may it be a budding time for each of us on a spiritual level. Let us keep our minds open as to where others are ‘seasonally’ in order to offer a word of encouragement!