Ah, the seasons are a changing. I can feel it in the winds. Summer is trying to hang on with it nature-made hands, but its seasoned grip is beginning to grow weary.
The autumnal equinox, or fall equinox, arrives on Thursday, September 22nd. This marks the start of Fall in the Northern Hemisphere.
As Autumn arrives, so does other signs of the season. Heat and humidity seem to be gradually replaced with cool and briskness. Away goes the fruit of the watermelon and in comes the fruit of the pumpkin. And that reminds me of this old, classic story.
There was a co-worker who asked a woman what it was like to be a Christian. She replied “It’s like being a pumpkin: God picks you out of the patch from all the other pumpkins, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off. Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff.
He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, selfishness, anger, lust, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for the entire world to see!”
This beautiful story with its visual imagery reminds us of how much we are loved by our Creator. God has filled our lives with so many good things. But we are constantly bombarded on a daily basis with those things that tempt us into thinking that we need more. And the challenge is that even though God removed all the yucky stuff from within us, we continue to gather it all up again and insert it back into our lives. It’s almost as if we missed it being gone.
Regardless of the season, we need to strive to empty ourselves of all the stuff that weighs us down so that the light of Christ will shine through us once again. May we constantly yearn to live the Gospel by being that guiding light for others, so that they may see the joy within us.
Never let the yucky stuff get in the way of being who God made you to be.
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Half the battle is admitting that we are sinners. Find out what we need to do here.
Thank you Deacon Allen for your inspiriing words on this the first day of Fall.
A day with some dark clouds in Hubbard, but we know that God is smiling on all of us with His grace.
God Bless, and have a great week.