Reflections

I walked outside this morning to a pleasant surprise: a nip in the air. After one crazy, humid, hot summer in the south, I have to admit that I got a little excited.

I love the change of seasons. It forces me to look at the world a bit differently. In the summer, I never notice individual leaves. But in the fall, when one turns a brilliant shade of orange or a vibrant violet, it catches my attention if only for a moment.

How similar are our seasons in life. Some seasons are meant for us to blend: each day a monotony of tasks and – like blades of grass – seemingly identical from the rest.

Then, suddenly our summer fades into fall. Our lives begin to shift and we become vibrant and beautiful with a brilliant purpose: to stand out from the rest.

Days are filled with a vigor unlike the season before. Each one bringing with it a cool breeze refreshing us from the stagnancy and oppressiveness that so often accompanies the end of summer. We feel alive and rejuvenated. There is a spring in our step (pardon the pun), and our souls seem to dance.

I’m wondering what season you are in.

Are you feeling oppressed by the monotony of your summer? Then, step outside for a moment and inhale deeply the crisp, fresh, fall air. See how the leaves swing and sway? Perhaps that is evidence of the season to come.

Or perhaps you are already in a season of fall, and winter is heading your way. As you brace yourself for the chill, enjoy the season of rest and, remember: spring always comes.

Enjoy whatever season you are in knowing that the days of each one are numbered by God himself and each serves His purpose. Let the wisdom of King Solomon settle into your soul.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

We haven’t talked much about Peru, but I will say that on every level possible, it was challenging.  God stretched me so much on that trip that my spiritual muscles ached.

Of course, when we arrived in Arequipa, everything there was exciting and new.  It was different, and for those of us who had never been there before, we practically inhaled all the sites and sounds.

But after a few days, I started to miss home.  I missed things that I take for granted every single day like water pressure and flushing toilet paper and brushing my teeth with tap water.  I longed to be able to participate in a conversation where an interpreter wasn’t necessary.  I looked forward to the comforts of home – where I could relax and rest and simply “be”.  My heart literally ached to be home.

If we are “foreigners” and “strangers” in this world, shouldn’t our hearts ache for our heavenly home the way it aches for our earthly one?

Shouldn’t we long to see the place Jesus has prepared for us like we long to walk through the door of our houses?

Shouldn’t we be excited to go where we are loved and surrounded by His beauty the way we get excited to see the beauty our homeland and the faces of our loved ones?

Shouldn’t we be eager for the day when we can have a conversation with The Almighty without an interpreter?

Shouldn’t we yearn for the place where our souls will be able to rest…to relax…and to simply “be” all that God created us to be?

These questions both comfort and sadden me.  They comfort me because our heavenly home will feel 900 million times more awesome than these shoddy, earthly ones…But they sadden me because I realized that I am too comfortable here.  I don’t feel like a stranger and a foreigner in this land nearly as much as I should.  I’m not home sick…and I should be.

Secrets. We all have them. Those little things that we keep to ourselves. Things that we don’t want others to know.

Bad things.
Embarrassing things.
Things that you hope your mom never finds out.

But “bad” doesn’t have a monopoly on secrets. They can be good too:

Surprise parties.
Ingredients that make those chocolate chip cookies taste oh-so-good.
Private moments stolen with loved ones that we cherish forever in our hearts.

Even God has secrets. Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us, “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one…”

I sat down the other day in my usual chair at dark-thirty in the morning to have some coffee with Christ. I felt a tug on my heart to be completely still in His Presence.

As I sat there, my imagination got the best of me, and I started to imagine Jesus reclining on the couch across from me. In Jesus’ day, they did a lot of reclining around tables and such, so I convinced myself it wasn’t such a stretch to think of him lying on my couch.

I could clearly see Him in my mind’s eye – his head propped up on the pillow with his sandal-less feet dangling off one end (Jesus does not put his shoes on the couch. I’m sure of it).

As He wistfully stared up at the ceiling, I heard him say, “I want to tell you my secrets.” I chuckled at the thought and said aloud, “OK. That sounds great. Tell me your secrets.” After which, I immediately snapped out of my daze and plunged into my reading for the day.

A few moments later, I was casually cruising through the first few chapters of Daniel – minding my own business and reminiscing about a study I did on the book a while back – until I read these words: “But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets…” (Daniel 2:28)

Wait!
WHAT?!
What just happened?!
Did I just hallucinate scripture?
I’m quite sure I just made that up!

But then, a few sentences later, “…He who reveals secrets has shown you…” (Daniel 2:29)

Seven times the word “secret” appears in Daniel 2.
Seven.
Times.

I don’t know about you, but I want to know God’s secrets.

Yes, Lord, you have my attention.  Tell me your secrets.

“And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.” (Isaiah 45:3)

I misplaced my grace yesterday.  I do my best to keep up with it most days, but every once in a while, I’ll set it down and forget it.  Of course, once I realized my grace was missing, I looked for it:  under cushions of comfort, wads of weariness, and files of frustration.  And don’t you know, it was in the last place I looked?  Under my piles of pride.  

After losing something so valuable, I took a survey of my spiritual surroundings and tidied up a bit.  I threw away the trash so that I could keep track of the treasure.

As I put away my cushions of comfort, I discovered compassion.  I found forgiveness under the files of frustration; and rest under the wads of weariness.  Isn’t it just like God to give us more than we deserve when we’re looking for something we shouldn’t have lost in the first place?  Which, by the way, is the very definition of grace.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32