Evergreens
“[Love] beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Cor 13:7)
It’s 3a.m. on a Sunday and my eyes are wide open. Fun fact: this happens every time something big is about to take place the following day. Somehow, my body reacts to emotionally-loaded situations by not letting me sleep (apparently, a not-so-fun anxiety reaction). I remember thinking—“Lord, I need to sleep, please!,” in a way begging Him to perhaps snap His fingers at me and make me fall asleep again. But no. There I was, rolling in bed...hopeless.
Now, you may be wondering “who in his right mind does that?” You see, for people like me who happen to live with the atomic-size bomb combination of fear and the habit of wanting to be in control (or lack thereof), the unknown factor in the “future + unpredictability = life” equation is certainly something that won’t let us have a good night’s rest. Especially when it’s related to people.
However, that’s when the Lord reminded me of the evergreens (photo) and their lesson of endurance. These trees have a peculiar characteristic: they remain green all year long. No matter how scorching the summer sun may be, how freezing the winter snow will turn out or even how threatening the fall colors could become, they’ll still be green and full of life the 365 days it takes for the earth to go around the sun.
Talk to me about steadfastness. No, really! If you think about it, the same can be applied to the love God has for each one of us: no matter what, it endures everything—always hoping, always believing, always alive. Consequently, why then would I lose sleep over things that only the love of God can hold together? Case in point: if His love endures everything, it means that whatever is built with it as a foundation will also endure everything. Isn’t that something good enough to rest upon? I think so. No wonder my best friend always reminds me—“He will hold you fast.” Thus, today I’m thankful for the Son that was given unto me. (Isa 9:6).
What is something you need to “let go and let God” this Christmas?
It’s 3a.m. on a Sunday and my eyes are wide open. Fun fact: this happens every time something big is about to take place the following day. Somehow, my body reacts to emotionally-loaded situations by not letting me sleep (apparently, a not-so-fun anxiety reaction). I remember thinking—“Lord, I need to sleep, please!,” in a way begging Him to perhaps snap His fingers at me and make me fall asleep again. But no. There I was, rolling in bed...hopeless.
Now, you may be wondering “who in his right mind does that?” You see, for people like me who happen to live with the atomic-size bomb combination of fear and the habit of wanting to be in control (or lack thereof), the unknown factor in the “future + unpredictability = life” equation is certainly something that won’t let us have a good night’s rest. Especially when it’s related to people.
However, that’s when the Lord reminded me of the evergreens (photo) and their lesson of endurance. These trees have a peculiar characteristic: they remain green all year long. No matter how scorching the summer sun may be, how freezing the winter snow will turn out or even how threatening the fall colors could become, they’ll still be green and full of life the 365 days it takes for the earth to go around the sun.
Talk to me about steadfastness. No, really! If you think about it, the same can be applied to the love God has for each one of us: no matter what, it endures everything—always hoping, always believing, always alive. Consequently, why then would I lose sleep over things that only the love of God can hold together? Case in point: if His love endures everything, it means that whatever is built with it as a foundation will also endure everything. Isn’t that something good enough to rest upon? I think so. No wonder my best friend always reminds me—“He will hold you fast.” Thus, today I’m thankful for the Son that was given unto me. (Isa 9:6).
What is something you need to “let go and let God” this Christmas?
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| Leavenworth, WA |
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