O
Wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,
Thou,
from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are
driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,
Yellow,
and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken
multitudes.
Percy Bisshe Shelly
May
heaven forbid … that we become like this author of this Ode;
only setting our eyes on the blows of the season.
In
Psalm 118: 15,16, we read, “The voice of rejoicing and
salvation is in the tabernacles of the
righteous.
The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.”
“The
right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord
doeth valiantly.”
A
two-fold encouragement is here. The two verses repeating the
action of the right hand of the Father shows how deeply we
need to remember and appreciate God’s power and His love for
us.
Valiantly
means--boldly! Gallantly--Dauntlessly, and many more.
Together,
let us dwell on the goodness and mercy of our heavenly Father.
Even in the Old Testament times, God always gave His people a
new way out. Listen t one of the numerous times Our Lord God
pulled His ruined, sinful people toward a new change.
“Cast
away from you, all your transgressions, whereby ye have
transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit for
why will ye die, O house of
Israel
” Ezekiel 18:31.
This
awesome God has the power of our Regeneration in His hands;
new hearts, new spirits, new friendships with Him after our
previous life of worldly selfishness!
All
through the New Testament, Jesus Christ our Great Redeemer,
Savior and Creator, sang to humanity of the same possible
change after repentance. Behold the day of grace and divine
patience is extended with a fatherly promise of pardon…
“Come unto me…Draw closer, my Fount of pure water will
never run dry!” can be words from God for everyone. Truly He
wants each person to change from ‘wanderer to pilgrim.’
WHO’S
HOLDING YOU UP?
There’s
a story about a young Christian woman who, being called into
the ministry by the Lord, was accepted into a well-known
Seminary. Because she was one of three women there, this
caused a discomfort to the male classmates. There was also a
drawback; some of her professors were aiming to deject her in
the faith rather than build her up.
Going home for Thanksgiving, she sought her father’s
counsel “I want to be strong in my theology and faith in
spite of what I am facing. What shall I do?” she asked.
He
took a pencil, placed it on the palm of his hand and asked her
“Can this pencil stand upright by itself?” She shook her
head.
Her
father then clasped the pencil in his hand, held it firmly
upright, then said, “Daughter, your life is like this
pencil. But only Jesus Christ is the One who can hold you.”
And
Jesus can hold us up no matter what Fall brings.
This
is a month of variety. Various celebrations take place. At the
start of our thoughts are our troops…wars…bereaved,
orphaned families. So it is not mainly a concern about
Nature’s behavioral change during October.
COME,
LET US PRAY,
“Oh
Lord, watch over our loved ones in the war zones. Father, this
is the more reason we come to you to draw our strength and
dwell upon Your lovely plan and promises…keep aflame our
daily contact with You Lord. Father, we know you are always
with our troops. Please, explain to us the hard questions we
do not understand, Lord. Amen.”
(ALL
SCRIIPTURES ARE FROM KJV.)
