‘Tis the Season

“For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11:36‬ ‭

‘Tis the season.

Glory season.

Everything is being upgraded. Green turns gold. Brown turns crimson. Bushes get bronzed, stalks fade yellow, ivies blush salmon pink.

It’s stunning.

My garden, joyful in spring, blissfully blossoming into summer splendour, has matured into the golden age of a gilded retirement. And I can’t take any credit.

Oh, I did some designing. I planted it. I watered and fertilized and clipped and trimmed and watered some more. But those were merely cosmetic applications. These gardening hands have no idea how to replicate cells or tell roots how to soak up nutrients, let alone instruct them in the ways of bud formation.

I have no idea how photosynthesis actually takes raw materials and produces plant food. I mean, I’ve studied the process, but to actually produce the results?

I’m just the caretaker, after all.

The real glory belongs to the Creator.

In the same way, I would be wise to place credit where credit is due in all I do.

See, if everything was created by God, and if everything is held together by God’s power, as the apostle Paul wrote in this letter to his friends in the church at Corinth so long ago, then all I have and am is Jesus.

Only Jesus.

I need to give credit where credit is due.

‘Tis the season of glory – and I am reminded that all that I have that is good and beautiful and right and true is directly from God’s hand.

My garden. My marriage. My amazing children. My friends. My job. My church family. My freedom. My talents and interests, my joys and delights – all are gifts.

I want to use them for God’s glory.

This is to give them all an upgrade – to cloak them in the golden splendour of Autumn, as my garden so beautifully displays come September.

So.

What can you do well?

Do it with fervour, to the best of your ability, to the glory of God.

What resources do you have access to?

Use them wisely, to declare God’s goodness to a world starving for something pure and true and good.

How can you best use what has been given to you to show off the beauty of God?

There can be no higher calling than to take what has been gifted, and give it back with a humble and loving heart.

Upgrade to glory with me?

Father, the beauty of the autumn season reminds us that we can take what has been given and offer it back to You to bring You glory – it makes our talents and gifts shine to use them for so noble a purpose! Give us insight and wisdom to see how we can bless You every day by proclaiming Your goodness to our world. Amen.