ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL
Ecclesiastes 3:11 ‘"He has made all things beautiful in its time." ESV
Recently I sat in my living room looking out the window. It had been lightly raining but had abruptly stopped. The sun came out and shone with a brilliance that comes after a cleansing rain. I noticed that many signs of autumn were showing. Leaves were changing color, fall flowers blooming and temps were finally dropping. I was wearing a sweatshirt for the first time in months!
Autumn is a time of change, which comes when nature begins to reach the end of its growth cycle. As leaves and plants begin to die, they often become beautiful. Bright colors show up as moisture lessens and the plant begins to dry out. It has always fascinated me that so much of nature is at its peak beauty while it is dying. Though the prime of its life lies in the luscious greens, as they fade we see brilliant reds, yellows oranges and pinks.
I also observed that there were plants that had their peak beauty earlier in the season and now looked drab and brown. It got me to thinking about my own life. I have gone through many seasons, as we all do. We begin anew in many ways, and then life abruptly changes. A death of sorts happens- a change in career, a change in relationship, an expected change, a change that unexpectedly knocks us flat. Some of these seasons can happen because of a choice we make, or a choice that was forced upon us. They come as a result of a death, or a marriage, or many other instances.
As we read in Ecclesiastes 3:11, God makes everything beautiful- in its time. Whether we are just beginning our walk with God, or just beginning adulthood, a new relationship, or a new season, there is beauty to be found. Maybe life has been the same mundane way for years and we feel we are in a rut- there is beauty to be found. Perhaps we have reached the autumn years of life and feel there is not much left within us to give. Remember the beauty in nature every autumn. God has beauty all around no matter what time or season we find ourselves in.
I’ve been singing this song very often lately:
‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
The beauty in our life comes from Jesus. When we fix our eyes upon Him- all the negatives, the fears, the questions, fade away into the light and peace that He brings to us. Keep your eyes on Him and let His beauty overshadow the world around you. Oh what a Savior!!