Well, winter has found us! — It is rainy and dark and 52 degrees (F), heading down to the 40's, not too bad, unless you're used to it being in the 90's most of the time. Oh, it will only be around for a few days, but I think winter wants us to know that it knows where we are and that it's coming back later for the full meal deal!
And even though autumn's only been around a few weeks, the days are getting shorter and the sky a little more gray each morning. Yesterday, I was thinking "winter's coming and how will I make it through the long dark, gloomy days". I mean, it's like our house already seems dark and dreary! We've already been fighting colds and flu (and writer's block)![@more@]
Okay, so I know I live in Texas, hot-hot-hot. But I'm in the wooded, east side of Texas, so you can add muggy, muggy, muggy! And under all the trees–dark, dark, dark. And now we're adding wet-wet-wet and cold-cold-cold and darker-darker-darker! Are ya feeling my pain?!
No? Didn't think so, I mean, it's not like it's Alaska, or Wyoming, or Idaho, or Canada, or…okay, you get the picture (but I have often thought about getting one of those sun-lamps like people living in the north use to help adjust to less light).
There's just something about the way light affects our energy, health, moods, and even our outlook in life. We do need light to survive!
So this morning as I was checking my email, there was an article sent from Elijah List written by Cathy Shepard-Wilhelm titled "Being Transformed From Darkness Into Light". She wrote about how last month she was driving in her car, listening to a worship CD, feeling just right, when the thought came to her "the Darkness is coming"! Immediately her mood changed, she quit listening to the music and began to dread the oncoming winter and the long dark days that living in the Northwest brings. How did she go from praising Jesus one moment and losing her joy the next? Suddenly she heard the Lord say "Listen! I want to tell you something!" So she listened — just at that moment a song began playing…."I HAVE A LIGHT and HIS NAME is JESUS!!!" She concludes "why do I worry about the sun when I intimately know the Son, the Lord, the Creator of all?"
What a cool reminder from God of our place in Him! And just in time as winter comes a knocking! I think maybe I'll do some "spring cleaning" at home – turn on some lights, put on some praise music and literally "chase the blues away". In Psalm 89:15-18, it is written
"Happy are the people who know the festal shout (the joyful sound)! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long; they exult in Your righteousness. For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor, You exalt their horn (strong one, or hope for the messiah). Indeed, their shield belongs to the Lord, their king to the Holy One of Israel."
Father God, Holy One of Israel, I thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to bring us Light in the midst of darkness! I thank You for teaching us to make a joyful sound, to shout! and rejoice in You all day long. You are the glory of our strength and it is in Your favor that we live and breath and walk day to day. Let us not be afraid for our households in the winter because we are clothed in crimson, covered by the blood of Jesus — and clothed in fine linen (Your righteousness) and purple (Your favor). Come and continue to be our Hope and our Strong One and the Lord of our homes! Blessed (worthy of adoration and praise) be the Lord forever and ever, Amen!