A crimson leaf swirls gently to my feet. Autumn is here. Whenever I have climbed into my own rut and started taking things for granted, God awakens me with a magnificent view.

I’ve always considered fall my favorite season. It’s filled with chilly walks, bulky sweaters and falling leaves. It wasn’t until I started teaching that my love for this season merged with curiosity about color changes.

So, I did a little science homework. It seems that the brilliant hues that we see are a result of nature’s preparation for winter. When the leaves are green, the trees are busy manufacturing their own food. As the daylight becomes shorter and temperatures cool, production slows down. The green color fades away, and the colors that have been there all along appear. Soon, the tree no longer needs the leaf to produce food. The leaf falls to the earth to dry, decompose and become mulch for the ground beneath the branches.

The rich hues that we see have always been there. We just had to wait.

Like the leaf, we work constantly. We make sure that everything and everyone is doing well. We raise our young, go to work and pay our bills. For those who argue about whether we are here by design or by accident, it doesn’t matter. No matter how intelligent and resourceful, we are not self-sufficient. We can waste our lives worrying about the amount of time that is left before we are released. Or, we can choose to spend our life enjoying the source of our strength, our growth, and our very existence. When our role of provider is complete, our beauty will be revealed. Then, we will gently cascade down to rest. Our work, our love, our very life becomes the nourishment for those who rise up and live. As we face life’s changes and challenges, let us submit ourselves to God.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, please help me learn to let go. Speak to my heart as you direct the changes in my life. Encourage me to remember that because you are in control, you will always take care of me.