journey onWord with us

Sitting and looking out the window recently, I observed a fundamental truth of the Fall season.  And it resonated with a truth that I can so easily become discouraged by.  I observed a lawn that had been freshly mown just the day before.  The owner taking great care to hand rake a sizable batch of leaves that had fallen, and then catching some stragglers that had blown in from a neighboring yard as he trimmed his turf.  Those who live, or have lived in a deciduous region can relate to the borderline euphoric feeling of the pristine patch of bright green grass that is revealed each time fallen leaves are either raked or blown away.  And can certainly also relate to the discouragement that all too soon follows as even a breath of wind causes a new batch of leaves to cascade from the crowns of trees to that formerly pristine turf.

One-by-one I watched the leaves fall, slowly and randomly, until a freshened wind caused them to rain down en mass.  It took only a minute or so for it to appear as if the homeowner had never raked at all.  The toil and sweat of yesterday, all but washed away in the typical cycle of Fall.  It is a fundamental truth of the season, that as a homeowner blessed with the beauty of colorful maples, oaks, and elms, you must be resigned to consistently repeating the process of removing fallen leaves.

It struck me how similar this is to our own lives, whose slate is wiped clean with every act of confession and appearance of a sunrise.  Only to be followed just as quickly with our broken and fallen selves in the form of “leaves” that sometimes drop slowly and randomly, and other times rain down.  But just as quickly as I observed the scene of the falling leaves, and empathized with my neighbor’s assumed discouragement, I was blessed by the Spirit with another truth that is even greater.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

If you woke up today in despair with the sight of a new layer of leaves in your life, take heart.  If you woke up today staring at the same mountainous pile of leaves that has been growing in your collection of yesterday’s, take heart.  If you feel consumed by schedule, by commitments, or trials, take heart.  If you are in a season of suffering, anywhere on the scale from annoyance to addiction, take heart.  Reach out, call out, cry out to God, whose compassions never fail, and are new every morning.  This is not a promise that you will be removed from the suffering or strife, but it is a promise about who God is in the midst of it.  And it is a promise of what is available to us in Him … we are not consumed.

At the root of God’s design for us, is relationship.  I pray that you never suffer in isolation.  In calling on Him, reach out also to others around you.  If you feel as though you don’t have someone, pray that God will send them.  And never hesitate to let us know if we can support you, and be in prayer for you.