Julie Lavender

CONSIDER THE RED MAPLE
by Julie Lavender

My walk with God today was chilly by south-Georgia standards, but nothing compared to what some of my friends have experienced in other parts of the country. The bitter, arctic cold of Winter Storm Jaden devastated much of the country with plunging temperatures and record-setting lows.

I’ve never lived with brutal winter conditions, though we did get eleven inches of snow one winter when we lived in Poulsbo, Washington. Its stay was brief, however.

I prayed for friends and strangers trapped by mounds of snow and debilitating temperatures while on my walk. 

God, comfort this cold world. Please let us feel 

the warmth that only you can offer.

Will winter ever end? The gloomy sky and barren trees, except for the evergreens, feel oppressive on particularly cold days like today on my walk.

But then I notice splashes of red farther down the lane. Dull and muted from a distance, but closer inspection reveals clusters of flowers on the leafless branches of the red maple tree.

Springtime, God.

 

Your promise that 

spring will come.

The red maple, a beautiful shade tree with hearty wood, is one of the first trees in the forest to get their flowers.

And the crimson blossoms stand out against the otherwise dull colors of winter.

I stopped to admire God’s promise splattered on every limb.

Red, cup-like bases with long stamens protruding upwards, dusted with golden pollen.

Several flower clusters sported honeybees darting from flower to flower, in constant motion.

In God’s Sovereignty, He calls the red maples to burst forth in late January and early February as an offering of nectar and pollen to insects and other critters.

I think He knew we needed some color to brighten our winters, too.

Thank you, God, for your visible sign that winter will end and springtime will come. The world may be cold, God, but your promises and glory dot the earth’s canvas in brilliant colors, even in the winter time.

   

What about you? Are you ready for winter to end? Have you seen signs of God's promises, even in the bleak winter days? Share them below and let's have a conversation to "warm up" our thoughts and point us towards Him!