God in Every Season: The Fear and Beauty of Change
By Alan Pace, Trustee of Elevate
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the sun
(Ecclesiastes 3:1)
The photo shows a small sparrow perched on a rough stone surface, with its head turned slightly to the side on a soft, blurred green background. Text is overlaid above the bird, reading: The Fear and Beauty of Change. There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1), by Alan Pace
When we think of a change in season from winter to spring, there seems to be a lot of optimism in the air – the expectation of warmer temperatures, more sunlight and new growth for plants. But a change in season in other areas of our life can be quite scary and worrying. We don’t know what the new season will bring, and our best guess may be cooler temperatures rather than warmer ones. It may feel like we are going into winter rather than spring!
Change can be brought on by a variety of situations. Sometimes it is the death of someone close to us. Sometimes it is a change in circumstances caused by a deterioration in health of ourselves or a loved one. Sometimes it’s a decision that we have made that has caused the change. And sometimes the change is thrust upon us. But while we may look at specific reasons for the change, we must remember that none of this is a surprise to God. He ultimately is in control. Daniel 2: 21 tells us, “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.”
A passage that I have come back to, time and time again, for comfort and perspective during difficult times is the last part of Matthew 6:26, 31-34 (NASB)
26 “Look at the birds of the air,
that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they? …
31 “Do not worry then saying, ‘What will we eat?’
or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;
for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness;
and all these things will be added to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Right way through the wider context of this passage (Matthew 5-7), Jesus references God as our “Father who is in heaven” or our “heavenly Father”, such as in the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13). That is such an incredible thing that we get to call the Creator of heaven and earth our Father. When we put our faith in Christ to pay for the penalty for all our wrongdoing, our sin, it is not just a legal thing of having our sins paid in full before the Judge of the universe (Colossians 2:14). But God goes far beyond that and calls us His child. We become a child of God and He becomes our heavenly Father. We are adopted into His family.
I like how 1 John 3:1 describes it:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
So, why is all this so important to reflect on when we are going through a change in season in our lives? It’s because we have a heavenly Father who looks after the birds of the air and considers us of much more worth than them. He knows what we need, and He will look after us and take care of us, too. So, He tells us several times in this passage not to worry, but to trust in Him and His care. He is our heavenly Father.
So, when you see or hear a bird, remember this passage and that you have a Father in heaven who takes care of you. Don’t worry but trust Him, and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.