Changing SeasonsSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: God sends warmth during winter, and the drought and heat consume the snow waters. In the same way, we have summer and winter alternating in our lives. God has allowed it with a purpose. Summer time in Delhi, the capital city of India is very hot. The people there wish for winter during the summer season. But when winter arrives, they long for summer to come.
Summer and winter, cold and heat shall never cease. According to God's plan, the seasons change. The Lord formed these seasons for plants to grow (Genesis 2:5). Job 24:19 says that God sends warmth during winter, and the drought and heat consume the snow waters. In the same way, we have summer and winter alternating in our lives. God has allowed it with a purpose.
There was a Personnel Manager in a company. Some of the employees wanted to win his favour. So they enticed him to become an addict to liquor. If at all they wanted to do any good to him, they bought him liquor, and got their work done. For the sake of liquor, he became insincere in his job. One day he was dismissed from work. Only when he was subject to such a 'heat-treatment' his eyes opened. "Oh, what have I done!" he cried and began searching for the Lord.
We too face changes in our lives. 1 Corinthians 7:31 says that the form of this world is passing away. Solomon, the wise man has written wisely in Ecclesiastes 3:1-9. It reads that every person has a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to tear, and a time to sew. To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "God has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."
God's servant Paul tells in Philippians 4:11,12, "I have learnt in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learnt both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Paul can say this because he is God's child. Whatever evil may come upon him, he believes as found in Romans 8:28, that God means all things together for good to him because he loves God. As said in Deuteronomy 23:5, the Lord will turn all the curse in our life into blessing.
Many years back, there was an honest Manager in a company. He never wasted even a penny that belonged to the office. This was a hindrance to the other staff working there. "As long as this man stays here, we shall not be able to do anything. Let us get rid of him." So saying they conspired and chased him away. His heart was burdened. He said, "How sincere I was! Why shoud I be made to bear such pain and shame? Where is God?" At that time, an advertisement in the newspaper caught his attention. He comforted himself and went to that office. The officers who interviewed him were pleased with him and they asked him his expected salary. He asked for a nominal salary. But they answered with a smile, "Sir, we are impressed by your sincerity and we wish to appoint you as the Chief of our company." His salary and perks were nearly ten times the amount he had asked for. Only then he realized, "On the one side it was hard days, days of tears! On the other, God worked all things together for his good."
Dear friend, are you crying today? Just as there is a time to cry, there is a time to laugh too. When you become the child of Jesus, even in this changing world, He will work all things together for your good.
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
Thank You for revealing me the great truth that there is an appointed time for everything on earth and that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Father accept me as Your beloved child and give me a heart that would always yearn to please You. Let me never lose heart, but keep trusting on You that You would never let me down. I am now confident that You are going to work out everything good for me from today. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen. |