10th February 2022
A winter wonder
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.
Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)
It is the dead of winter. The heavy frost has created a crust as I tramp through the fields with my dog. Nature seems to be sleeping – then I turn a corner and there it is. At first, I see the scene as magical, but then I realise it is, in fact, celestial. The sun is shining on the frost creating a mist rising from the ground. The trunks of the trees emerge out of the mist creating a surreal picture of exquisite beauty. The stillness is tangible – a perfect moment caught in time.
Why was my first reaction to describe this scene as ‘magical’? The word denotes illusion and trickery, the setting before me was neither. I realised it was God in all His majesty; man may walk on the moon, but he could not reproduce the quintessential splendour of the field that morning. As I stood in wonder, I began to think how many more moments are there in my life that I do not take the time to see? The 19th century evangelist Charles Spurgeon once wrote, ‘It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness.’[1]
King David was a man close to nature, he knew the things of God, and he wrote; ‘I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvellous things you have done.’ (Psalm 9:1 NLT).
I ask myself whether the humdrum of everyday life is blinkering me to the greatness of my Father in heaven. My prayer needs to be that I can see God’s wonderful glory: ‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV).
I have come to learn that there is no such thing as the ‘dead of winter’. God’s creation is ever active – nature does not sleep. Our Father constantly gives us hope; Jesus Christ died and rose for this to be so. The buds are on the trees ready for Spring. I just need to see them!
Prayer
Wonderful, ever creating God, thank you so much for the beauty that surrounds us; because of it we come to know you better. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study by Irene Wilson
About the writer:
Irene Wilson is a Deaconess in the Watford congregation of Grace Communion International, and also serves on the Pastoral Council.
Local congregation:
Gracecom Watford
St. Peter’s Church
61 Westfield Avenue
Watford, Herts.
WD24 7HF
Meeting time:
Saturday 11am
Local congregational contact:
George Henderson Email: watford@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact: wordoflife@gracecom.church