By Rhonda Stinson
Whenever the time changes in early November, I get a feeling of gloom. Setting the clock back means daylight hours lessen. I am a sunshine girl. When the sun shines, I shine.
Although I enjoy sunlight, I also enjoy the peaceful calm of darkness at night. A short time ago, I was walking my dog and thinking about God and His beautiful creation of the cosmos. The stars were brilliantly aglow. As I was telling God how much I love Him, a shooting star burst across the sky! It was as if God was saying, “I’m listening and I love you more than you could ever imagine.”
As I stood there soaking up God’s love, I saw a horizontal line of shining lights moving quickly in alignment across the sky. I later found out it was Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellites. As Musk successfully puts internet communication satellites into space, God has successfully placed His stars in the sky and speaks to us through them. God knew the concern of my heart that night and He wanted to let me know that He cared about what concerns me.
The changing seasons are evidence of God. He blankets the winter with snow, covers the spring with rain and flowers, robes the summer in sunshine and warmth, and clothes the ground with leaves in autumn.
Busyness and self-centeredness have weaved themselves into society like a bad worm. They are like blinders that keep us from seeing evidence of God woven throughout creation. Remember what happened to the Israelites when they turned from God? They murmured, they complained, they worshiped idols, they committed sexual sins, lied, blamed God and Moses, and wandered MUCH longer in the desert than needed.
One of the things God hates is murmuring and complaining as evidenced in Numbers 21:6: “Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died.” I would not want to be the one working in the Complaints Department! It’s easy to call out and identify “big” sins, but often “little” sins slide by. Complaining becomes more evident as we grow into a new season of, “I want more and I want it now.” As I get older, I realize that life is short here on this earth. James 4:14 says, “…whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow? For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Think of each day as being on a hike on which you stop to identify animal spoor (set of footprints) and tree leaves. Dip out clay in the creek. Sit under the shade of a tree canopy and listen to the sounds in the woods. Go through your day looking for evidence of God. Expect to see glimpses of Him as you seek Him with all your heart. Draw away from your desk at work and seek a sunny spot to eat lunch. When you are on overload, draw a breath and thank God that He has given you work to do.
Remember that in the changing seasons of life there will be bloom and gloom. God allows everything into your life for a reason, but He does everything because He loves you and desires that you draw near to Him so that you can grow and experience Him in all things. If you have accepted Christ, you are His chosen vessel.
If I were to ask God what His favorite season is… He would say, YOU!
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
“Do all things without complaining and disputing that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).
Looking for a way to connect with God daily? Check out our daily devotional books: Living in Truth Day by Day *** Living in Truth Mind, Body, Spirit *** Living in Truth: A Christmas Devotional
