Seasons

A couple of months have passed since my last post, written in late August. What an amazing summer we had here in England; so much sunshine and dry weather. In fact, the lawns and fields were yellowed and even white with drought, although the flowers, shrubs and trees seemed to weather the lack of rain in amazing ways.

And now we’re in late October after a pretty damp September. The fields and lawns are the brightest green again. It’s incredible to me how their restoration has been so swift, even while the leaves on the trees are displaying their wonderful Autumn colours!

Meanwhile, the roses are continuing to bloom abundantly in our garden.

The Vine and The Gardener

Last Sunday we were in a service in church led by two friends. It was an informal time but, even so, there was a lot of depth. The focus was on Jesus as the Vine, with His Father as the Gardener.

“‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIVUK‬‬

I always wince at the word “pruning”. I think it’s because spiritual pruning can be quite painful! But I know that my Heavenly Father is the very best Gardener….

Which season are you in?

During a time of reflection in the service there were opportunities to engage in different activities or discussions.

One of the suggestions was to write a poem considering which “season” we think we’re in just now? 

That brought an immediate reaction from me, focused on the years of my life. Am I in the Autumn of my days, or the Winter? And that made me somewhat downcast! I’m not a great lover of Winter. It’s gloomy, dark and cold and the days are short.

I definitely prefer the other seasons and so I asked the Lord, where am I? I know that He is kind and wouldn’t add to my angst! I really liked His reply. So I started a poem and wrote one verse, which I then finished at home the next day.

Lord, where am I!? 

The leaves are yellow, red and gold 
And different shades of rust
The season of my life today 
Is wrapped up in my trust 

My trust resides in You, my Lord
To show me where You are
And lead me through this season
By Your own guiding star 

I’ll walk with You from Autumn
Into the Winter days
And trust that, through the darkness
I’ll walk on in Your ways

I’ll trust that Spring will come again
Those days of kinder hours
With buds and blossoms breaking
And light and sun and showers

I’ll walk in Summer fullness
With hope full in my heart 
And trust I’ll see Your glory 
Before those days depart 

“Where I am, you also will be..” 

“And when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭3‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Trust

As you can read from my poem, the key word He gave me is TRUST. I do not need to know which season I am in spiritually or, indeed, physically. All I need to know is that I am with Him and He is with me. In fact I will be where He is forever.

The rhythm of these days on earth continue. The seasons come and go but with Jesus, the Vine, as one of His branches under the touch of His Father the Gardener, I will bear fruit as long as He wants me to!