by Victoria Heinecke

The leaves are letting go.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

When I first moved to Colorado, I observed the aspen trees and their bright yellow foliage against the dark blue sky. While it is indeed beautiful, at the time I wished for more of the red maple trees that I was accustomed to seeing in Michigan. One of my friends cheered me up by sending a card with red maple leaves picked from her yard, and wrote in big letters: RED LEAF ALERT. My brother heard the story, and for over 25 years I’ve received a Red Leaf Alert package from him. Inside, in a nest of red maple leaves, he sends treats and goodies from Michigan’s cider mills. It brightens my day to receive that gift.

God’s colorful swaths of brilliant colors never seem to last long enough. Before we know it, the leaves are gone and winter is here.

“The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’”
Psalm 29:9 New International Version

On first appearance, the trees, bereft of their leaves, appear to be dead. What is actually happening is that the tree is dormant – its metabolism is slowed as it prepares to shoot out new foliage when warm sunny days return in the spring.

In our faith adventure with Christ, there are times when we can feel the warmth of fellowship with him. At other times, we may be in a quieter place. Perhaps it’s a change of life, such as a move to a different state or country. Perhaps it’s the crisis of illness. On the outside, our faith may not be as apparent as in sunnier days, but God is still working in us and with us. He may be preparing us for a time when the sun shines warmly in our life, and we’re made strong and alive again.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!“
2 Corinthians 5:17 New International Version

May we continue to cry “Glory!” as we’re renewed by the Holy Spirit.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado