Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Fall Foliage and Walking with God....


 
Rappahannock River Fall Foliage 2011

A couple weeks ago, the Fall Foliage was vibrant here. There were yellows, oranges, and reds. The picture above is one that I took on the river bank in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Everyone each year discusses the beauty of the colors. Some even make a trek to Skyline Drive to see the colors at their peak. 

All of this got me to thinking, "Why do leaves change color in the Fall?"
I read the following on the website, www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html:

"During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during the summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors."
 
I knew that there was a correlation between God's beauty of nature and our walk, but some of my first thoughts were wrong once I came to understand the reason why leaves change colors.


People admire the colors and they can be amazingly beautiful. However, no matter the brightness of the leaves; the truth is they are preparing for the lack of food which comes with shorter days and colder weather. Once I understood the reason for leaves changing...The TRUTH God was  speaking to became  clear. This TRUTH is that many times in my Christian walk the Lord is preparing me for a season where there will be a lack of  food for my walk. The amazing thing, to me, is that just like the vibrant Fall leaf's color people will see a vibrant and vivacious walk with the Lord in me during this preparing stage. 

We need to understand that during this time, God could very well be preparing us for a dry season. A time when 'spiritual' food will be scarce. We need to be like the leaves that we admire and be preparing for all the seasons. The leaves know that the shorter days and colder climate will come and they prepare for it.

All the trees are bare now and it looks as if death has come upon them. Yet, in reality they are only dormant resting in and feeding on the food that they stored up during the Summer....Do we live during our 'dry' winter season with  assurance that we have prepared and that Spring is on the way?