God's creativity is overwhelming

God paints autumn with strokes of brilliant gold, hues of burnished brown, and flames of reddish orange. The leaves of summer now become breathtaking jewels, escaping from God’s treasure box.

The awesome magnificence of God’s creativity is overwhelming, coloring my world with beauty.

As the leaves begin to fall, I realize I also need to do some “leaf shedding.” I ponder subtle sabotaging sins that have come into my life unnoticed. Worry, anxiety and what Scripture calls the “little foxes that spoil the grapes” can slowly but surely creep upon me.

Seeds of worry, doubt and anxious thoughts steal and waste my harvest, making all my efforts useless. Worry is the most unproductive thing I know. I need to drop that worry leaf.

Most of the things I’ve ever worried about never happened anyway, so I refuse to rehearse calamity. I’ll shake the leaf of self-pity. I want to rid my dead branch of trying to cross bridges before I get to them. My leaf of fear has got to go. God has not “given me the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

To have a good harvest in my life I must plant good things in the planting season. I need to plant seeds of kindness, love and patience. I must pull up weeds of disobedience. I need to put the interests of others above my own. For a bountiful and fruitful harvest, I must water my soil with the living water of God’s Word.

My 91 years young uncle Steve knows all about harvesting.

His good seeds sown in the springtime of his life are now reaping good dividends. His faith in God is enabling him to stand strong and solid in his end time harvest.

God has a lot to say about the precious older saints: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a Cedar of Lebanon, planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green” (Psalm 92:12-14 NIV).

Look for the beauty of this season. Take time to breathe the wonderful blessing of clean, crisp air. Take a nature walk.

Listen to the crunching sound of those non-productive “dead leaves” under your feet. You are making way for new growth, not only in the physical but also in the spiritual realm of your life.

Step out in faith and grow. You will have new green leaves in body, mind and spirit in the coming spring season.

God’s cycle of life is a wondrous thing. I’m so glad you and I were born. God makes no mistakes.

He planned our lives and surrounded us with special, unique people to love. They paint our lives with beautiful “leaves of memories.” These memories are ours to keep. Not even death can take them away. They are engraved forever upon our hearts.

Enjoy the season. It is nature’s time to show off. Appreciate God’s indescribable work of art.

“Fall” with me for this lovely time of the year.

Portales resident Joan Clayton is a retired teacher and published author. Her e-mail address is:

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