Seasons

Can you imagine a world without seasons? Without days, weeks, months, years, decades? Or the turning of the seasons annually: winter, spring, summer, fall?

While we don't often think about it, God designed our world and our lives to have a rhythm. Into each week He built a day of rest so that we would weekly take time to refresh and reflect on Him. The months provide signposts of the year, and each new month brings with it a new sense of anticipation. Even those who don't know God celebrate the closing out of one year and the start of another. Why? Because there is a deep desire to see something new happen, to close one chapter and anticipate a new and better chapters. That is why the urban centers of the world will be full of revelers tonight.

As I look back over the past year I can see the fingerprint of God all over it - even in the dark days like those spent in the ICU on a ventilator in Thailand far from home. I can see faith that is stronger, work for him that is accomplished, the blessing of his hand on my life.

As I look forward to the new year I think of new opportunities to grow, serve, stretch, learn, lean into Him, ministry to be accomplished and blessings of His that will come that I have no knowledge of today. As Jeremiah so aptly said, His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness. Each new year is like a present to be unwrapped three hundred sixty five times to see what God has for us. That is an amazing thought. Every day in 2010 we will wake up to new mercies and His great faithfulness. Each day, we will experience His grace and love and provision. Each day we will experience His goodness if we are attentive.

I love the change of seasons and the turning of the calendar because each time I can anticipate unknown gifts and blessings from my Father whose treasure store in heaven will never be exhausted. Whatever life brings, His provision outweighs it all. Great is His Faithfulness in 2009 and 2010.