Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Autumn Leaves

Philippians 4:4-9 New International Version (NIV)

Final Exhortations

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.




8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

 

The psalmist wrote, “You, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.”   - Psalm 92:4 (NRSV)
 
In our region of the world the autumn leaves are glorious. The green leaves turn to shades of yellow, red, and orange. Landscapes turn to canvases only God could paint, the colors so brilliant that they are breathtaking. My husband and I enjoy seeing the glorious colors in nature. Even quick trips to the grocery store are more pleasant because of the beauty of autumn.

Some people may so dread the season because of the work of raking that they overlook its spectacular beauty. The mood of a day is often set by our focus. If we focus on our problems, our mood is likely to be glum.
If we focus on the Lord’s blessings, then in spite of our problems, we can see each day as a day that the Lord has made and we can rejoice and be glad in it (Ps. 118:24). If we sing for joy at the beauty of autumn leaves, raking them will be all the more enjoyable. As I rake leaves, I thank God for making them beautiful so that the task is less of a burden. If we sing for joy in all God’s works, our songs will lighten our load and make our trials easier to bear.

Thought for the Day

Focusing on God’s joy makes our trials easier to bear.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the changing seasons and for the work of your hands that give us joy. Amen.
Prayer focus  Thanksgiving for the beauty of autumn
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