Leaves of Fall

It is fall; my favorite time of year. For me fall is marked by a few things: the change in weather signals cozy sweaters, an excuse to drink coffee or tea all day, pumpkin baked goods, fall festivals and changing leaves.  The leaves are probably my favorite feature of fall.  I like to go tree shaking-find a scrawny tree trunk with great fall leaves and shake. When my son was little we would rake all the leaves into a huge pile and throw him in; destroy the pile, and do it all over again.

Lately I have been thinking about how fall is a time we begin new things: new sports seasons, new school year, new programs. Yet, fall as a season is really about decay.  The plants and trees that have thrived over the spring and summer are winding down. The blooms have faded and look a little desolate and the leaves on the trees are changing to reveal amazing color. With a burst of glory they are preparing to die.

Life for the believer is a little different.  At the end of life we face decay. It is too often a slow and painful process. It is marked by the loss of all we hold dear. It is the ultimate step of faith into the unknown.  While the fall leaves have their burst of glory before they flutter unheeded to the ground, the believer gets a different reception. We are not left to flutter to nothingness. We are not scooped up and put into the discard pile. Our burst of glory comes not with death and decay, but as we step into the presence of Christ, carried there by His hand. 

Psalm 16:9-11 “No wonder my heart is glad and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”