Why Are The Leaves Turning?

A few days ago I wrote about changing times and I likened it to the changes we see in nature.  I mentioned that change can be difficult to go through, but like the expectations of the warmth of spring that will follow the cool of autumn and winter, we need to keep focused on the good things ahead.  Today I was reading an article about why leaves change their colors in the fall.  After the scientific explanations of photosynthesis and its need for extended periods of light and water, the article stated that during winter the trees will actually rest and live off the food they stored over the summer months.

The article made me think about how important it is for us to prepare for the changes that occur to us that can send our lives into a topsy-turvy state of affairs.  Like the trees that rest during the winter months, we too can rest in the Lord when our routine is upset.  As the trees stop the photosynthesis process and depend on the food that has been stored up within, we too can use the times of change as periods where we look inside and pull from the depths of the word that we have stored up in our hearts to see us through until the next season begins.

There is something that can be said about the animals that scurry around storing up food for the lean winter months.  It reminds me of the squirrel in the Ice Age movies who is always trying to get just one more elusive acorn for his storehouse!  This God given instinct in these furry creatures is what helps them to make it through the times when the surroundings they depend on change.

For you and me, it means to feast on the Word when the going is good, and then enjoy the supply when things are not as good.  Does this infer that we stop filling up on the word when times get tough?  Of course not, if anything you need to get into it even more than before. The added supply that you’ve hidden in your heart serves to bolster the personal security or comfort you seek when life throws you a curve.

So, every time you see the vibrant red, purple and copper leaves falling from the trees around you, use it as a reminder to “bone up” on the word of God, as you never know when you might need to dig into your winter supplies!  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”