"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." Genesis 8:22
The ice is slowly breaking on the lake and I hear the geese honking again as they walk about pairs by the dozen. Soon, it will be by the hundreds and then the thousands. Spring equinox is here again and the dark winter passes. One season rolls into another. Nature and time do not stop, but continue on. I love nature, the wildlife and experiencing the beauty of it all. It is a touch of God in this fallen world.
"In this world you will have trouble," Jesus reminded us, as if we needed reminding. There is much trouble for us, and maybe more to come, I fear. But as trouble comes, it then passes, too, and more will come after that again most likely.
In the book, The Lord of the Rings, there is a little scene that is easy to forget. Frodo is burdened by the ring as he makes his way to Mordor. It is scary and overwhelming what he must do. The times in which he is living are dangerous and there is little hope for the world. Then Frodo looks up and sees a star shining in the black sky. It reminds him that many beautiful things will last long after they have all passed into history. It gives him hope and peace for the future, whether he personally succeeds or fails.
We worry about many things in this world. "Climate change", war, evil that seems to be growing. But nature and the seasons continue without noticing. They are consistent. They remind us that no matter what is happening with our culture and what evil people may plan in the world, God is sovereign, He is good and He keeps it all going with His perfect plan.
"Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animals and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of Man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." Genesis 8:20-22
Until the return of Christ, while the earth remains, the seasons shall come and go as they always have. God has it all in His hands. Christ wore the crown of thorns and paid not only the price of our sins, but also the curse. Someday He will make all things new.
This is what I heard the honking geese and cracking ice saying to me:
"Do not let your heart be troubled, for I have overcome the world."
