Seasons
You often hear people talk about the “seasons of life.” As I was contemplating this, I couldn’t help but make a number of spiritual applications.
Spring
A time to celebrate the beauty of new life; to nurture and admonish it so that it will mature and grow.
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (Psalm 149:14-16)
“Moreover your little ones and your children...who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there [the Promised Land]...” (Deuteronomy 1:39)
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:1-3)
Summer
A time of youth, energy, and passion. If harnessed, this zeal can facilitate great things, but, if left unchecked, it can burn and consume through evil passions.
“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them...’ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13-14)
“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)
“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
Autumn”
A season of loss, but also of brilliant color; An opportunity to rejoice in the beauty of transition.
“Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2)
“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’” (Revelation 14:13)
Those who have lived faithfully will experience a brilliant change on the last day; a transformation unto life eternal!
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-52)
Winter
Despite often being a time of difficulty, it is also an opportunity for reflection and learning. For those prepared, there is great warmth and comfort to be enjoyed as eternal life awaits.
“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” (Proverbs 16:31)
“Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding.” (Job 12:12)
“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Conclusion
There are so many wonderful lessons that can be drawn from the things that have been created and set in order by the Almighty!
What a blessing it is to consider that both the young and the old can be delivered from the power of death through the blood of Jesus Christ and look forward to “eternal Spring” instead of “eternal Winter!” (cf. Hebrews 2:14-15, 9:27; Ephesians 2:1-10)
Have you been re-created in Him?
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27)
Devin Roush
