BY REV. DAVID MERRITT |
Even though the winter season is upon us, there is always work to be done in the garden. My Dad, who grew up in a farming community, always had a garden. His Father had farmed all his life, and when he reached an age when that wasn’t possible, he moved from the farm he had rented. But Daddy was tied to the soil. He planted by the signs, tiled the ground, and observed the rituals of turning the soil, planting, cultivating, and harvesting in due order.
With winter in full swing, our thoughts may turn away from any form of preparation for the seasons yet to come. But winter is especially a good time to consider what lies ahead. In our spiritual lives, winter can be a good time to explore new disciplines, to read a “different kind of book,” or plan for a retreat or renewal event in the months to come. We might even consider a trip to connect with others who share common values or shared faith stories.
In our church life, winter is a time in which we think about the “what if’s” of congregational life. We may ask ourselves, “What if we had a food truck to help those in need?” We may consider working on housing for many in our community – a housing seminar to highlight the lack of affordable housing. We may even say, “What if we combined our worship service with a church down the street this summer to build unity and increase our commitment to bring hope to others in our city?”
Winter is full of possibilities as we think of the call of Christ to live in a manner that opens our eyes to a world in need of hope, faith and love. And just as it is in the garden, our time spent in preparation can yield abundant harvests in the months to come.
Let this season of winter be a time of new vision, a clearing away of the clutter of life so we can be truly engaged “People of the Way” – not just bystanders. And when we move to the days and months ahead, we can say with certainty, God was with me, with us on the journey of life. Friend Traveler, live in expectation of the seasons yet to come. Be at peace and live fully!
“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” -I Corinthians 3: 5-6. (NIV)
About the author
The Rev. David Merritt is a retired Pastor, former Dean, Outreach Director, and Chaplain, but he’s “papa” according to his grand-kids. David loves God, Laurel Ridge, and his family. He has enough sense to get out of the rain but prefers raindrops anyway.
Requests for republishing, click here
Want to volunteer to write for us? Click here
