Seasons...

Psalm 29:9 (Amplified Bible"The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory!"

This is the verse that came to me this morning while looking out the window. All the vivid color is breathtaking to me. It is a reminder that God is in control of all things. His voice is what brings life…and we find that exciting! Spring! New colors, new life and an expectation of things to come.
However, His voice is also heard in the Fall. At this time, the beautiful colors come out in splendor. This is just the beginning. The beauty will not last. The voice of the Lord is preparing to strip the forest bare.

You see, in the Summer the leaves are feeding and storing up. They KNOW that the time will come when days are shortened and the periods of darkness will bring change. In some of the foliage, the colors we see in the Fall are always there. They are just covered up by the chlorophyll that makes the leaves seem green. During the change, the leaves depend on food that has been produced and stored during the time of growth. At some point, they eventually die. While this may seem harsh, it is through their death that they can bring a new source of food for the tree. The tree goes into a protection mode and stays that way until the buds appear. And the cycle begins again!

Life is so much like the cycle of the tree. We have wonderful times of growth and feeding. During these times, we must store up the Word of God, so that when the Fall comes….we have food for our leaves! It is during the winter seasons that all areas of our life are exposed and true colors and motives may be exposed. Never fear! What you have stored will get you through the drying up and death of those things that need to go. It may be painful and ugly at times, but those things you go through in turn "work into the soil" of your life and testimony! When the voice of the Lord strips them away, He is the protection in your life until the Spring comes forth again. Feast on the things of God that are hidden in your heart! Rest in His protection and know that your season will change. You will come forth with life and beauty!