Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Jon Foreman of the group Switchfoot creatively, in the past year, released 4 EPs (containing 6-songs on each album), all released corresponding with the seasons. In the fall of '07, the album "Fall" was released, clear through "Summer", which was released this past June. In the fall of last year, Jon looked with anticipation to release his creative beauties to the public, not knowing how they would respond. Now the anticipation is over, and he knows to some degree what the effects of his love for song writing produced in these projects.

A season of writing and creating, then music and lyrics married together to be unleashed to a listener in it's final state. Olympic athletes work for much of their life for that one moment in which all their work will end with a stance on a podium holding a medal to reward their efforts, and then they fade off into the fog of memories and black and white statistics. The child looks forward to unwrapping that gift under the tree, hardly able to sleep he's so overcome with excitement. Finally he gets to tear the thin paper to unveil his prize, he enjoys the gift for a season, but then it's left untouched with last year's toys.

Recently, while my new husband and I were in Hawaii for our honeymoon, we would often say things like "Let's just stay here" or "Do we really have to go back?" as we were impressed with the amazing, and often breath-taking beauty we saw before us. We saw things so beautiful, it was tough to understand that we were really seeing it with our own eyes and not on a movie screen. We saw things so massive, like a towering waterfall or the huge expanse of the ocean, that it was hard to absorb the incredible force before us. We were overcome by a substance that we are used to being so tame, like when we drink it or take a shower in it, that we were literally knocked off of our feet by the powerful force of the ocean waves coming into shore from a long journey from the expanse of the great deep.

We loved this experience that boggled our senses, but even with all that, the newness started to wear. The land filled with palm trees and tropical sunsets in just a 10 day period, started to become the norm. We left before the appreciation faded, but if we were to return and live, how long would we love the landscape as we did with wonder? In the land that we live now, what beauties have we lost to apathy?

Beginnings and ends, beginnings and results. Newness is no match for time. Seasons come and go and they are a good thing to help remind us to keep our face looking toward the Lord. Nothing we know is constant, except that everything is constantly changing, and except for the Lord. Having our hope and security in anything other than the Lord leads to failure. Have I perfected this? Am I one who totally and completely puts my trust in the Lord? I am one who multiple times daily needs that reminder.

Do you find yourself saying to yourself, "I hope I can get married...", "I hope I can have children...", "I hope I can have grandchildren...", "I hope I get visit Africa...", "I hope...", "I hope...", "I hope...", "...before things get too bad in society!", "...before the Lord returns!"? Yeah, me too at times. Then, we see gas prices rise, the economy and society getting worse, and we can get disheartened and fearful. Beloved, (and Becca), "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." - Psalm 43:5

As my husband has reminded me on more than one occasion, nothing here on earth will come close to comparing to what awaits those who trust in the Lord as their Master, their Lover, their Redeemer, their Hope. Newness fades. Excitement grows into apathy. This world is deteriorating. Put your hope in the One who makes all things new...then remind yourself again and again that this place is only temporary and our Prize, our Love, our King awaits to redeem His Bride, and when that happens, the joy and newness will never end! Until then, as one who is in relationship with such a God, we get to have His life and power in us, flowing out of us and reaching others for His inheritance, for His glory.

Lord, help us to keep our hearts and minds permanently fixed on You and not on this world or the things in it, and help us to fulfill Your plan for us while we await Your return. May our hope totally and completely rest in You! As Your child, we come to You asking this, on the authority of Jesus' Name. In Your mercy, so be it.

Psalm 34
1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
(ESV)