Blackbirds in the Front Yard
Blackbirds just passing through, heading back north. It was still freezing last night but only a few hours. We’ve hit 70’s and a few 80’s already.
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. Genesis 8:22
Daffodils 2
Daffodils 3
Daffodils 1
These speak for themselves with the beauty among the remnants of winter.
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. Genesis 8:22
Windspinner Whirling
Windmill Spinning
With the brisk winds lately, it’s been pleasant to look in the backyard and see the Holy Spirit working. Actually, not exactly that. But, it has been pleasant to pass a window, look toward the garden and see the windmill and wind spinner whirling away. Sometimes they are spinning so fast I wonder if they won’t go flying off into the air.
I usually smile and feel thankful for the blessing of these contraptions, and God’s creation silhouetting and surrounding them, and working with them.
Then, as I’ve mentioned before, I think of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said in John 3:8 (ESV) “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
In addition to hearing, we can also see the effects of the wind like that on these spinning gadgets.
And in many ways, we can see and hear the effects of the Holy Spirit working in this world. When we see or hear about people whose hearts and lives have been totally changed; when we see mercy given and received; When we hear someone praise God and know they really mean it.
But, often the most significant times we notice His presence are when it is personal. When we know our heart has been changed and we understand that Jesus is our Savior; When we give mercy and realize that wasn’t what our selfishness would have done; When we praise God and know we really mean it.
Those are the special times I think of when I look out my window and see the wind causing something to move.
Pecan Orchard in Winter
Here’s a lifeless orchard of pecan trees a few miles from our house. You can tell it’s lifeless because there are no outward appearances of life. There are a few husks from the nuts that are still on the tree but very little fruit is there.
Perhaps, though, it’s not dead but could just be hibernating. Everything has shut down and nothing’s happening. Nothing is outwardly apparent.
But, we know, that there is a lot happening out of our sight. The roots are growing and flexing their muscles – spreading into new areas and strengthening their grip on the earth. They’re getting ready for the right time – when it’s time for them to help push out the sprouting leaves and start the fruit of the next season.
We, too, can have seasons that appear lifeless, when there’s not much happening outwardly. We could spend time in hibernation and shut down. But, even in those quiet, seemingly slow times, we need to be strengthening our roots – by prayer and meditation, by study in God’s Word – flexing our faith muscles and getting ready for the next opportunity that God will give us to serve Him.
“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:11 ESV
I Was Thinking the Other Day About... 