Life Through the Lens: Changing seasons

This post is the author’s personal opinion.

Some years ago, a hit song with the words “turn, turn, turn”, written by Paul Seeger and taken from the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), became a famous hit when recorded by the Byrds.

The following quote is from someone with the online username “Bonnieluvstheblues”:

I was in my car, driving home after my dad’s oncologist had just told us that he had terminal colon cancer and would only live a few weeks. I struggled to hold my tears back. For some reason I pulled up to a drive-through coffee shop and ordered a coffee, my tears now flowing. As I sat there waiting in the car lineup, I heard this voice in my head telling me to turn the radio on. I did, and this song began to play immediately. I was in awe at the words and felt a real peace come over me … that yes, there is a time to be born and a time to die. This song comforted me throughout that difficult time and we decided to read from the book of Ecclesiastes – “turn, turn, turn” – at his funeral.

We admire autumn leaves as their colours turn from green to red, yellow, and russet, and we know a season is passing.

But for those who have experienced past seasons, we also know more is to come.

There will be a new season when the sap, still in the vine, will again flow through the branches, and new buds form with a promise of new and great things to come.

We all go through seasons of doubt, fear, pain, and discouragement, seasons when we wonder: how the bills will be paid?

Will my family remain faithful to each other or, under pressure, shatter?

What happened to the friends I thought I had – will they come back?

Seasons are part of God’s plan, not only for plants but also for us.

The grapes in the picture above may look dead and useless, but they will be full of sugar and sweetness.

They have remained joined to the branch, fed by the vine all through the season.

“I am the vine; you are the branches.”

“If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”

You may be asking, “How do I become connected to Jesus?

“How do I stay connected to Jesus and his love?”

Simply believe and trust in what he tells you about himself and his love for you in his book, the Bible.

Start talking to him about his seasonal plans for you to help you grow in his love, and then share that love.

God’s blessings through your seasons.

You can help keep local columns like this one free for everyone to read. Subscribe to Murray Bridge News today and support your independent, locally owned news service, plus get access to exclusive stories you won’t find anywhere else, from just $5 a month.