Bare. Colorless. Seemingly rigid and dry.
Winter.
As I look out my window upon the wide open field, all I see
is sticks. Brown sticks. Jaggedly poking up out from the ground. Drab. Nothing
beautiful to behold…as it would appear.
Sometimes I feel like those bare, leafless trees. Stripped.
Cold. Wondering why I must endure this fruitless season. Crying out for the
warmth of Spring and the beauty that accompanies it.
What I fail to see during the Winter, is the quiet work
being done beneath the brown hardened exterior. The hidden work of Christ. The
transforming work of the Spirit. The refining work only accomplished well
through the bitter season. The stripping off of the old and the putting on of
the better.
“There is an appointed
time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven…a time to
plant and a time to uproot what is planted.” {Ecclesiastes 3:1}
Our God is faithful. He is the Creator, the Potter, and the Gardener.
He knows how to mold us, grow us, and transform us. He hasn’t forgotten, or lost
interest in us. He is working. Faithfully. Carefully tending to the tender and costly
life that is developing underneath.
“For I am confident of
this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the
day of Christ Jesus.” {Philippians 1:6}
I continue to watch the frigid air blowing through the
trees. If the trees could talk, I imagine they would be screaming at the icy
blast, crying out for mercy from the cold. {I know I do.}
Oh, but look ahead, dear tree. See the joy set before you.
The promise of better things. For life. For beauty beyond what you can see
today.
The same God who causes the ice to freeze the ground, also
causing the gentle blossoms to spring up in all their wondrous glory. If He faithfully
does this for the ground, He can and will faithfully do that for me…and for
you.
“All the trees will know
that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the
green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I
will perform it.” {Ezekiel 17:24}
Look ahead, dear one. See the eternal joy set before you. The
promise of better things. For life abundant. For a beauty far beyond what you can see
today. It is glorious.
“…no eye has seen, nor
ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who
love Him…” {1 Corinthians 2:9}
Spring is coming soon.
O Lord, You are faithful and good. You make every season
beautiful because You are always with me. Thank You for Your promises; they
warm my heart through the cold winter and give me eyes to see the spring on the
horizon. You never fail, Jesus. Never. Amen.
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