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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Winter (the season) (08/13/09)
I stared at a December tree while waiting at a red light. It was so beautiful to me. Winter’s icy fingers had stripped her bare of the summer leaves that once sheathed her, swaying in the breezes like a dancing lady; but now I was able to actually see her form. Her twisting, naked branches seemed more beautiful than ever to me. Although she stood stiff and dead-like, I knew her roots were only sleeping beneath the crunchy ground and that in a few short weeks Spring would nudge her and dress her again in a fresh emerald gown. I thought about how the Lord also used leaves to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness, as if to say, “This breach is only for a season”. I think, as Christians, we too, go through winter seasons in our lives. Seasons when life seems to strip our heart clean to the bone, then leave us standing alone and exposed to the biting sting of heartache and abandonment. One day we are "swaying" in the breezes of our spirit-filled life and ministry, more friendships than we can count, prosperity to over-flowing in every area of our life, then suddenly, the warm air turns cold and a frosty headwind begins pounding our frigid branches refusing to stop until we’ve watched every familiar and comfortable thing in our life float away one by one. Cold and naked, we stand defenseless and exposed for the whole world to see. Still, there is beauty to be found even in this moment in time; for only now can others and even we ourselves see our “True Form”, what was underneath that leafy blanket all along. Paul prayed that "Christ may be FORMED in you". It's when we face "chilling" circumstances and cold trials in our lives that we are forced to dig deeper into the Spirit and allow the Life of Christ to strengthen and sustain us. When others walk away, you truly learn that "He is that friend that sticketh closer than a brother". We learn that a position and "spiritual fluff" is great, but when it is all blown away, you find out how deep your roots really are. Like the sun in the short, dark days of winter, sometimes the Lord hides Himself and wants us to seek Him and pant after him like the deer pants for the water-brook. There are times and seasons when the Lord may want to have you all to Himself, drawing you away from the business of life and even ministry. In the bible, Jesus and His disciples were going about preaching and having healing revivals, great things were happening, yet in the middle of it all, Jesus says to His disciples, "Come away with me into a desert place and rest". It doesn't make sense to the carnal mind. Why not continue doing what you are doing? Strike while the iron is hot? But Jesus knew the importance of being pulled aside into a place where it's just you, quiet and naked before God! The trees lose their leaves in fall and re-grow them in the spring; this keeps the branches from accumulating snow on them and breaking the branches because of the weight of the snow. God knows best. If this season of your life seems cold, alone, even a bit lifeless and barren, know that the Lord is not finished with you yet! He has pulled you aside to grow deeper roots that will be able to sustain the height and the weight of the work He has called you to. As we stop mourning the beautiful leaves of our past and embrace these moments of being drawn aside uncovered and alone with our Lord, we will fall even more in love with, “The Lord of The Work” than we ever were with “The work of the Lord”, until we probably won’t even notice all the new buds sprouting forth in our Spirit. So if you find yourself in a Winter Season right now, know that this too shall pass, but I pray that when it does, you will emerge with deeper roots of Faith and Love for Jesus than you ever knew before. Spring is on its way!!!
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
08/20/09
I love the way you incorporated the Scriptural lesson into the text of this devotional.

Be careful of punctuation; for example, there should be an apostrophe in "Spring's" in your title. And if you hit "enter" an extra time between paragraphs, you'll put an extra whilte space between each one that will be easier on your readers' eyes.

Very well-done and hopeful.
Jackie Wilson
08/20/09
Beautifully written. I very much enjoyed reading this piece.
Beth B
08/20/09
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.