His Word Endures Forever

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40: 8

Fall is here in all its glory. The trees are ablaze with color and more changes are in the air. With the passage of time, many of us may think of autumns past! And, isn’t it amazing how even a certain smell can take us back to a fall day long ago – even to one in our childhood? And what a flood of memories it can bring.

A friend of mine, who knows I love everything pumpkin – pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin yogurt, and even pumpkin hand soaps and air fresheners – recently gave me a pumpkin spice candle. This morning I lit it, walked out of the room, and when I returned, it was as if I had walked into my mom’s kitchen with pumpkin pies in the oven! I just stood there, frozen in time, breathing in the aroma and the sweet memories that came with it.

I could see her in her apron, standing with smudges of flour on her face and hands, rolling out the crust, and placing it in the old, glass pie plate which had belonged to her mother and had become browned with age. I could see me, as a child, sitting with my face in my hands and my elbows on the table, watching her every move, mesmerized by the movement of her hands as she smoothed out the crust, crimped the edges, poured in the mixture, and placed it in the oven.

I can also remember the smooth, creamy taste of the pumpkin with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and the most perfect, flaky crust ever! In all these years since, I have yet to taste one that could even come close to hers! How many pies she must have made for us – not because she thought she should, but because she saw it as an act of love to her family.

So many other memories came to mind in those brief moments. I could see my mom and I sitting at the same table after dinner, reading her Bible about those well-known stories that we all enjoy as children. How she loved God’s Word and what faith she had. I miss her in my life, but how grateful I am for the sweet memories of those beautiful autumn days with her.

Time passes on and our lives change, just as the seasons come and go with all their changes. Fall brings not only beauty, but yes, the grass will wither and the flowers will die, but we are grateful that newness of life will come again. What a world our God has created, and what love He has for us.

Through His love, He desired that we have the gift of His everlasting Word to encourage and sustain us through the seasons of our lives – through the challenges, joys, and sorrows. Things will change around us, but our God never will. His promises will always be faithful and true. How reassuring it is to know that His presence is with us no matter what our circumstances are in life. He has a purpose and a season for everything. And with every season we have reason to rejoice for His love and goodness to us.

Life is about change – changes in us as He molds us into who He would have us be, and changes in our circumstances. Seasons come and seasons go,“but the word of our God endures forever.”

Prayer

Dear God, we thank you that you are always with us no matter what changes come about in our lives. We thank you for the strength, comfort and assurance of your love found in your Word. Amen