I suspect that every one of us has a favorite season of the year. Perhaps you like the snow and the brisk, cold mornings. Maybe you are a fan of the early spring buds and fresh rain. Some may even like the dry, hot summer months with the longer days. But I’ve always been partial to the fall months. The change in the temperature through the day, the bright colors of the leaves, the holidays that bring family and friends together. Maybe it’s because my birthday is in October…who know what started my appreciation for the fall. But this time of year does give us some things to reflect on with a spiritual application.

The gardens and crops are coming to an end, the harvest time is coming on. This should cause us to be reminded of the great harvest at the end of time and how we need to prepare now by obeying the gospel, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:24-30). 

The light that we have during the day is getting shorter, reminding us that we must work for the Lord while we have time left in our lives, as Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:4, 5).

The changing of the leaves reminds us that even in death, some of the most beautiful things can happen, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:13). 

We can certainly praise God for His creation and the seasons that He provides (Genesis 1:14) and we can find spiritual applications at every time in the year, but for me, there seems to be an extra special reminder of God’s provisions and lessons for all of us!

By: Justin Odom