Signs of Fall

Matthew 16:3  And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

I am often reminded, particularly in the fall of the year, of God’s relationship with His children.  To many it seem like He speaks in the weirdest fashion, but to me it is exciting. 

As the Lord speaks to us it may be revealed in His creation.  God has been speaking the same message each year since creation and I have found that it is the farmers hear his voice so well.

This week the goldenrod are coming out in full bloom.  For many people that may just means allergy season again.  To the farmers it means that they must get the rest of their vegetables picked and get ready for the winter.  You see, what they have learned is that when the goldenrod reaches full bloom, the first killing freeze will come very soon.

If we pay more attention to the Lord’s messages through nature then perhaps the farmer can be the “prophet”, so to speak, and let us know what kind of a winter we will have for our area. And all he needs to do is take a look at the woolly worm. 

Yes a worm.

You see for decades, when people would make note of the color of the worms in October they could predict the type of winter they can experience that year.  Trust me, I’ve learned that these weather predictions of such creatures in nature can be more reliable that some of our best scientific equipment.

If you ever have the time to talk to an old farmer, just ask him about the signs the Lord places before him from planting to harvest.  There will not be one thing that is magical, mystic, or mythical in what they have learned.  Those signs can range from the thickness and height of a squirrel’s nest, thickness of a blade of corn, planting times for maximum harvest and numerous items being the way in which the Lord reminds us that He is taking care of His children.

I’ve heard people make fun of what they call, “a simple farmer”, but in getting close to country farmers again, it is refreshing to see that many of them have a better understanding of the love relationship that the Lord has for everyone.

What’s the difference?  Probably it is because they physically take the time to see what the Lord has to say. 

What about us?  Many of us stay so busy that we never look at the nature all around us for what the Lord may be telling us.

Shouldn’t our relationship with the Lord depend on more than what we read or more than the times we have our eyes closed in prayer?  Maybe it should also be spent slowing down and looking for the natural signs that give us a message to pass on to others. 

Seeing what the Lord is telling us in nature can help us see the “big” signs He has for our lives.

The funny thing is that it may start with a woolly worm.