Wednesday, March 17, 2010

walking in a winter wonder land

Walking In A Winter Wonder Land


by Pastor Janet Piper




For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire.
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth
into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

-Isaiah 55:10-12-



As we are now into the winter season, I can’t help but notice the beauty of the flocked trees and the awesome flakes that fall from the sky. Did you know that each snow flake is different just like you and I? Although, I am one who appreciates all four seasons, I personally prefer spring, summer and autumn over winter. Winter however is a season the Lord has used to show me some revelation.

As autumn fades and winter comes, we see a dying off of the beautiful leaves. (Did you know that the leaves, at their brightest colors got there because of dying process?) I often look at the trees when all leaves have faded and think everything looks so dry and dead. All the beauty has gone.

We’ve all walked through seasons of winter in our lives, when things that once looked and felt so wonderful all of a sudden appear dry and dead. To the natural eye, it seems all beauty has faded until the snow comes and blankets everything. This is the winter in ones life. However Jesus Christ even in our personal seasons of winter, comes and blankets us with his precious Holy Spirit, covering us with his beauty and providing us rest, making us white as snow!

Oftentimes, we forget that in the winter when things look dead, it is actually a time of preparation for spring. The trees appear dead but life is still flowing in it. Flowers seem to fade but are actually preparing to bud again.

It is in these moments, that I sit and wonder what God will do next in the winter seasons of my life. One should not sit and complain about the winter seasons of life, but rather choose to walk through that winter season with wonder of what the Lord will do through you.

In the book of Psalms, we read of many winter experiences that David went through. In one verse he said “Yeah though I WALK through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” So even in his winter season of life he chose to walk, his heart filled with wonder of what God would do. What others may have viewed as death, David saw as a shadow. We must not despise the winter seasons that come, but rather allow God to use them to beautify us in his sight. So, today if you are walking in a winter wonder land, choose to walk in faith knowing God makes all things beautiful in his time! Even in seasons that are uncomfortable, there is still beauty to be found.

Prayer:

Lord I thank you for your presence in my life. I pray that each one reading this would feel Your presence surround them. I ask that as they walk through their season of winter, that they would not give up or give in, but rather walk in wonder of who You are! You are more than able to accomplish what concerns us today. May our hearts not be motivated to praise You by our present situations but may our hearts be motivated to praise You by the love we have for You. We ask this in Your precious holy Name, the name of JESUS! Amen!

Reprinted from The Well Volume 11 Issue 1

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