by Joanie Butman
Fall is my favorite time of year. Sweata weatha begs for fires, cozy clothes and everything pumpkin spice. The best part is witnessing nature’s shoutout to God’s glory through an awesome display of color. Only God could transform the approaching dormant season (its own kind of death) into a magnificent parade of His presence.
Today’s beautiful weather was balm for the soul. Walking in nature is an excellent reminder that God can create beauty out of anything. He can also use anyone to accomplish His purposes. His sovereignty is something we can have confidence in regardless of which side you’re on in the election. There’s a reason In God We Trust is our nation’s motto. Presidents come and go. We’ve had good ones, bad ones and everything in between. Jesus, however, is the same yesterday and today and forever. On that truth you can always rely.
The blanket of color adorning the landscape yesterday felt like a cozy sweater wrapping me in God’s love, assuring me of His power and sovereignty. It reminded me of a devotion I read recently: Let My gold-tinged love wash over you and soak into the depths of your being. The perfect remedy for these tumultuous times.
The best thing about sweaters is their ability to hide a multitude of sins, but eventually you have to take them off, revealing who ate all the Girl Scout cookies. Christ’s sacrifice covers our sins as well, and we never need to shed His grace. May we all choose to let His grace guide us forward, forging a path of unity and love. As Joan Chittister states so eloquently, “We must make ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ (John 13:34) the foundation of national respect, the standard of our national discernment, the bedrock of both our personal relationships and a civilized society.”
Amen sista! I mean that literally. Joan Chittister is a nun.