God's Order and the Seasons

God has placed an order and timing into everything. That order can be seen in the seasons as well. God commanded that we rest on the 7th day and the 7th year. But what about all those days, weeks, months and years in between? Don't we get a break sometime? Why yes, Virginia, we most certainly do. Let's take a look at nature and God's seasons to find that break from our toiling and our labor. Now remember I also look at everything from an agricultural standpoint because well....that is our life. In the Spring it is time to plant and reawaken the earth from it's winter slumber. Spring is full of planting and cleaning up from the winter winds. Spring is also a time of birth on the farm seeing the birth of calves, lambs, kids and what have you. So spring is a busy season in the expectation of the fall harvest. It is a time for cleaning up and making new again what once looked so desolate and dead. Then we move into summer which is a time of maintenance on our farm at least. Maintain the garden, repair buildings, maintain fences and pastures. It is also a time to begin to think about winter once again as we cut trees to be used for firewood. So with spring and summer time is busy and we bustle about as the harvest begins to roll in with late summer and we begin to think of winter coming once again. Like the ant our days are not spent lazing about, but in hard labor and preparation for the season that is to come. As we move into fall our labor picks up pace with the cooler weather, the harvest full on, and the threat of a bitter winter wind looming in our minds. There is usually much to be done on a farm in the fall. Projects to be finished and put away, feed and bedding for the animals to be put away and things to be done to make sure that they survive the coming winter cold in some comfort. Our livestock is the backbone of their lives and their needs are met before ours. It is a vast responsibility that a stockman carries on his shoulders. The animals give their lives into our hands completely much in the same way that we give our lives to God's hands completely. Their needs come before ours and we must see to their needs, their care, and their well being in much the same way that God Almighty sees to ours. Notice, I said "needs", for there is a vast difference between needs and wants. I am sure that my goats would love me forever if I gave them unlimited access to their grain barrel, however their needs are truly much smaller and healthier for them. So in fall we are busy seeing that our animals needs will be met when nature closes her buffet line and old man winter is whistling across the fields and into the barn. The animals have food to last the winter and warm bedding to snuggle down into. Then winter rolls in with a cold biting wind and guess what, it is our season of rest. It is a time to hunker down and wait for the first signs of spring. Winter is our 7th day and 7th year rolled into each full year so that we can rest our weary bodies and our minds from the labors of the year. There is a song that we sing with our children and the first line of the song is "Be still and know that I am God". Well, winter is our time to be still and know that He is God and He is Glorious. There is nothing that we can accomplish without His hand being on it, in it and around it. As I reach into the cupboard to get that can of apples that I so lovingly put up, it has His hand stamped all over it for without God's grace that apple tree would not have grown. We can do nothing without Him. it is by His grace that He has given us creatures to provide our needs for nutrition, clothing, transportation and companionship. So this winter, I plan to "Be still" for a bit and get to know my Lord and Saviour a bit more. It will be a time to wonder at the Glory of it all and a time for thanksgiving that He has given us all that He has given so freely. The time is coming for a break from our labors (a much needed one I must say), a time for quiet activities and time to be still and know our God. God bless!