Winter is Coming

Isaiah 40:6-8

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

Yesterday, I was driving back from northern Minnesota and as we got towards Mankato it just struck me how green the grass was. We’ve had some very nice rain recently and the grass is just this bright green. Then I remembered, in about two months, there’s a good chance it’s going to all be brown. Yesterday was also probably the first really cool day we’ve had of the season. It was a reminder that winter’s coming. And so as I saw that green grass, and thought about it being brown in just a couple of months, I remembered a Bible verse from Isaiah Chapter 40. It says

Grass withers, flowers fade, but the Word of our God endures forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

Grass is being used here by the holy writer Isaiah and God to remind us of the temporal nature of our human lives. In fact if we were to read the verses just before that it says

All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like a wildflower in the countryside. Grass withers, flowers fade, when the breath of the Lord blows on them. Yes, the people are grass. (Isaiah 40:6-7)

That green grass turning brown is a reminder that one day our lives are going to end. In fact we have a relatively short period of time on this earth. We may think like 70, 80 years is a long time. But in God’s perspective it’s just like a season. The grass turning green, the flowers blooming, and then fading. In this temporal life it can be tough to find real meaning and purpose. It can be hard to find something that’s going to endure. But notice what Isaiah says “The word of our God endures forever.”

Yes the day is coming when you as grass will wither and fade, but the Word of the Lord will stand. God’s Word teaches you about eternity. About life beyond this life. It teaches you how to find real purpose even now. It’s not in the temporal things of this world, it’s in the Word made flesh, Jesus the Christ. Through Jesus, your sins are forgiven so that you can have life beyond the grave. Through Jesus you can expect eternal life in heaven.

So how you’re going to live? Are you going to live as if today and tomorrow is all you have? As if life is fleeting and just to be filled with all the enjoyment that you can? Or are you going to live as if there’s eternity? Yes, the Word of the Lord stands forever. May his word of love assure you that you have eternal life waiting for you when you wither and fade like the flowers.

May God bless you with his peace and assure you that his love is for you now and forever, amen.