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Liberty Advocate http://www.libertyadvocate.com
October 2021
My dear friend,
Autumn is harvest-time. It is the season of reaping and gathering in corn or other crops and fruits for nourishment and enjoyment. Have you ever considered the bountiful harvest that God gives us each year? Genesis 1 tells us the Creator made the earth fruitful:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. Matthew Henry explains God’s goodness in providing for man… II. How the earth was furnished for the maintenance and support of man, v. 11, 12. Present provision was now made, by the immediate products of the upstart earth, which, in obedience to God's command, was no sooner made than it became fruitful, and brought forth grass for the cattle and herb for the service of man. Provision was likewise made for time to come, by the perpetuating of the several kinds of vegetables, which are numerous, various, and all curious, and every one having its seed in itself after its kind, that, during the continuance of man upon the earth, food might be fetched out of the earth for his use and benefit. Lord, what is man, that he is thus visited and regarded—that such care should be taken, and such provision made, for the support and preservation of those guilty and obnoxious lives which have been a thousand times forfeited!
2. That common providence is a
continued creation, and in it our
Father worketh hitherto. The
earth still remains under the efficacy of this command, to bring forth
grass, and herbs, and its annual products; and though, being according to
the common course of nature, these are not standing miracles,
yet they are standing instances of the unwearied power and unexhausted
goodness of the world's great Maker and Master. Matthew Henry exhorts that “God must have the glory of all the benefit we receive from the products of the earth, either for food or physic.” How marvelous! From the soil, at the express command of God, living vegetation sprang forth, and provided food for man and beast and clothed the earth with beauty. Consider the seasonal beauty… Winter, the coldest season between fall and spring, is the season of dormancy. Some plants die, leaving their seeds, and others merely cease growth until spring. But even in the dead of winter, there is beauty: snow, frost, icicles, blue spruce and other evergreen trees, holly, pansies and other winter flowers, and more marvels of creation. In winter, God surrounds us with beauty! And then comes spring when the temperatures gradually rise. It is time to sow crops. During this time of the year all plants, including cultivated ones, begin growth anew after the dormancy of winter. Flowers burst forth in glorious color. Many plants and trees burst forth bright and fresh new green leaves. In spring, God surrounds us with beauty! Next, the summer season is clothed in sunshine and bright colors. Everything is flourishing. Plants and trees are giving fruit. Flowers are blooming. In summer, God surrounds us with beauty! And then comes autumn. It is harvest-time. Farmers and gardeners collect apples, pumpkins, pears, corn and other crops because the first frost can come suddenly and may kill the plants. It is the season of reaping and gathering for nourishment and enjoyment. Autumn is often called fall because leaves fall from the trees at this time. In some regions, before the leaves fall, the trees are clothed with the beauty of changing leaves. During autumn let us give thanks to the Lord for the bountiful harvest…
and for clothing the earth with autumn beauty...
To God be the glory!
Grace and peace,
Karen Pansler Lam, J.D.
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