Fall is my all-time favorite season!  The colors, textures, smells, and crispness in the air all minister to my soul and my senses. My love of fall aesthetics is fulfilled as I drive south today. I’m taking in the beauty of my surroundings. I marvel at the beautiful array of colors of the leaves on the trees. The beautiful hues and colors of God’s majesty manifest themselves in rich jewel tones of burgundy, orange, red, emerald, magenta, goldenrod, and purple.  These beautiful leaves loosen themselves from their branches as they are dying.  Their season is complete. 🍁🍂🍁🍂

As I take in the splendor of it all, I am reminded that God has appointed the seasons–time to live and a time to die. He has appointed my seasons. As fellow Christ-followers, your seasons are appointed by Him, too. To everything in life, there is a season. [see Ecclesiastes 3:1]  A season of life and a season of ministry. A season to begin things, a season to end things. Spiritually speaking, a season is ‘an appointed time to carry out an activity or to fulfill a purpose. In Biblical Greek, the word time (‘kairos’) is a season of strategic significance. Kairos, then, is a season that is set forth by God to accomplish His purposes.

Every Christ-follower is called to a season of strategic significance for such a time as this–for His purposes. [see Esther 4:14-17]  We don’t know how long a season will last, so it would behoove us to embrace the season we are in. Much unhappiness and disillusionment with life come because we will not acknowledge or embrace the season we are in. Whether we are married, single, divorced, a parent, stay-at-home mom, children, no children, waiting on children, raising children, struggling with issues, struggling with people, struggling with loss, loneliness, embracing life, empty-nester, employed, unemployed, healthy, ill, confident, doubter, etc., we are called to meet with God there. Right in that place.

Dear Reader, this is a season of strategic significance for you and me. Do you believe it? Do you recognize what season you’re in? Are you embracing it?  Does your season bring about bitterness in your heart? We are poised to be developed, challenged, and changed to take on the brilliant Glory of Christ, just like the beautiful jewel-toned leaves. Just as leaves display their most brilliant hues and colors when they are dying, we, too, look more and more like Christ when we ‘die to ourselves. Consider what keeps you from displaying the most brilliant Glory of Christ. As the fall changes to winter and you die to yourself, what do you need to put on to look more like Him? Is it humility, trust, hope, rest, compassion, gentleness, forgiveness, peace, patience, joy?  Remember, you are a jewel. A gem. A ‘displayer’ of the Glory of God. Shine!

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First Look: Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 3.  Look for phrases that describe what season you may be in.  Journal about it and/or reflect on it.  What is God saying to you about it?

Through The Looking Glass:  What old way of life is God calling you ‘to die to today?  Surrender.

“If you have heard His voice and learned from Him the truths concerning Himself, then throw off your old evil nature…Now your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better.  Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good.  Clothe yourself with this new nature.”  Ephesians 4:21-24  LAB