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Listen while you read: "Praise The Lord Who Reigns Above"1 (Lyrics) |
Spring is in the air! The snow is melting, squirrels are running to and fro, chasing each other up and down the trees in my front yard, and I saw a robin, a sure sign that spring is finally here.
This winter season seemed to hang around for a very long time. People were getting tired of shovelling the white stuff and looked for a bit of relief by flying south. Today, as I look out my window, I still see snowbanks and very little green showing up on my front lawn.
The signs of spring are here, and I look forward to the trees budding, the grass greening up on my front lawn, and warmer days when I can open my windows and let in some fresh air.
The seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter come and go, and as these pass, I am reminded that they symbolize the life cycle of us human beings: spring is our birth, and winter is our death. Dean Koontz, author of The Husband, writes, "A man begins dying at the moment of his birth."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 – For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. (NRSV)
Our bodies are deteriorating day by day. When we were young, we thought that we would live forever and that we would never get sick. But as we get older and wiser, we start to realize that our time on this earth is limited and that we are here only for a season.
But for those who have placed their trust in the resurrection of Christ, we can look forward to another spring: that day when all our work on this earth is done and we go to that place where there is no more pain and no more tears, the place that our Lord has prepared for us, where we will see Jesus face to face and finally understand everything and get answers to all our unanswered questions.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (NASB)
Psalm 118:24 – This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (NASB)
Prayer: Creator God, You know everything about us. You know when our time on earth is done. You are with us in our struggles and pain as we grow older and You are with us when we take our last breath. We thank You for granting us the gift of another of a day. Help us to use it wisely and for Your glory. Amen.
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Thursday, January 16, 2025 – In the Middle East — Right now, the highlight of my week is my informal language lessons with my friend. I really enjoy discussing different topics with her and asking cultural questions. A few weeks ago, I told her the story of Jesus's death and resurrection. Pray that God continues to speak to her, and that she would come to faith in Christ.
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Wise words Rosemary.
Thank you Rosemary for sharing this timely thought with us.
Thank you for today’s devotion. It came on at a perfect time for me.
Dear Rosemary,
Thank you for speaking of growing old as it is said in the Bible — with hope — for all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved for eternity — no matter when they are deceased on earth.
Your prayer was very uplifting for me this AM.
I just heard that my high school friend lost her husband last night.
Yes, as the verse states “For everything there is season, and a time for every matter under heaven, a time to be born, a time to die…
Several of us have lost our husbands recently.
Keep writing.
Rosemary,
Thank you Rosemary for your beautiful devotional. The seasons of life are indeed there. Even when we deny it our bodies tell us.
My daughter is very ill but had been denying it and plodding on. My mother is 98 and had a good life but now suffers in her later years.
Several other family members have had various challenges. While I have been helping all and having my own health issues I am overcoming much of it slowly. Then I had a set back.
But why fear this for ourselves or others. I was in a car accident a few years ago and they thought I would die. It was rough but I survived as you can see. But at the time, there was such a peace and calm that overcame me and all I could think about was I did not have my will done to help settle things. Things yes things.
For in life there is a season for all.
​Blessings to you in your trials in life. WE must find ways to be thankful in all.
Hello Rosemary,
What a wonderful devotional you wrote. Your words truly resonated with me! You are correct, we are only here for a season … something we forget at various times of our lives. When we’re young, yes, we think we’re invincible and will live forever but, over time, reality does start to sink in that we don’t have “forever” to do the things we wish nor to say the things we ought.
As I am very fond of Ecclesiastes 3 (and being a farm girl at heart), I also quite enjoyed how you tied that into your message. Every thing truly does have a season!
How wonderful it is to know that Our Heavenly Father knows His children so very well — the number of hairs on our heads, the day of our birth, and the day that He will call each of us home to be with Him in Heaven! In the meantime, during our “season” here on Earth, we are to do our best to follow Jesus’ teachings.
I hope that you are enjoying God’s gift of a lovely spring day today and that He will guide your thoughts to write another devotional!
Keep writing and keeping looking UP!
Blessings.