Circuit Thoughts

I’m looking out my window from home. I didn’t go into the office because we have all of this little white stuff laying all over the ground. It’s wet, slick and cold. I did attempt to leave for the office, but the conditions encouraged me to rethink my decision-making paradigms for this morning. The funny thing about this snow is that by tomorrow, much of it will be gone and it will all be washed away by the coming rains this weekend. (At least that is what the weather person says).

As I look out on the snow, I come to realize two things. First, only one thing is forever. Storms pass, deserts have edges of green, and bad times don’t last. Only God is forever. Everything else is temporary. As I look out of my window, I hear the Ecclesiastes 3 in my mind. (You can look that up). There is a time for everything, even snow and melt. This snow will not last forever, it isn’t meant to. Snow is a temporary thing that actually provides benefits for nature and animals. Seeds start growing in the snow. Animals rest during the snow. Snow time is necessary for the health of nature and of God’s people.

But it is its temporary nature that intrigues me. In all the years of my life, I have found that both good times and bad times come to an end. There is no permanent human condition. We have both pain and laughter. Eventually the pain gives way to joy and the anger to love. This leads me to a second thing.

God knew what he was doing when he created this universe and us. Genesis tells us the creation story using broad strokes and general terms. When you get down to it, God really did a great job. By bringing snow into our lives, he provided a means by which we would have to slow down a bit. He provides spring to grow and bring new life into the world. Summer is the time when work can be done and outside things handled. Fall is the harvest time that prepares for the big sleepy time of winter.

You see, even with all the good and bad phasing in and out of our lives, we can look to God to bring us through, because He always does. He doesn’t stand way off or lead from a distance. God is interactive in our lives and in our world. Because He is always, He will always be with us.

It’s too bad so many people don’t know this. There are too many people who think snow is a curse and their circumstance will last forever. The reality is this - only God is forever, and He will bring us through even the toughest storms.

Enjoy the winter snows and the crisp colds that will still be coming our way, for they are there on purpose but not forever. We may not understand it all, but God is in it all.

See you in church.