It was the first Sunday in November. While some were loving the extra hour of sleep, I was mourning the loss of daylight savings time. There was something about the sun going down earlier that felt unsettling but I’m trying to lean into it a little bit to see what I can learn. The darkness is not bad in of itself. It signals our bodies that it is time to sleep and get some rest. Hidden processes that help us and all of God’s creation to rejuvenate and grow take place in the dark. Just because there is no illumination doesn’t mean nothing is happening. I see Winter as a theater that grows dark with an anticipation of what will happen when the curtain opens and the lights on stage come on.
Spring and Summer are my preferred seasons, but lately Autumn and Winter have the most to teach me. Every fall, I am struck by the falling of the leaves from trees. I had already considered the fact that a loss could make room for something new. However, I recently learned that these trees don’t lose their leaves; they actually release them to preserve resources for the winter. When Spring shows up, the branches welcome new leaves. This is a form of resurrection which reminds us that what appears to be dead can show signs of life.
But what if something more drastic happens? What if a tree is cut down? It’s one thing when leaves fall from a tree; it’s another thing when the whole tree falls. At a time when the destiny of God’s people seemed to be cut off, the prophet Isaiah offered hope. The prophecy about the resurrection of that destiny pointed to a stump — a cut-down tree left for dead.
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Isaiah 11:1
Is there a stump in the forest of your life? That stump could represent your joy, your faith, or your peace. It might point to your health or your finances. Maybe it speaks to the state of your family or community. It would have been easier if nothing remained, but alas the stump reminds you of what has been cut off. You try to forget about it and distract yourself but then, you trip over it. It could be that the stump is your stumbling block to giving up on your destiny. Despite how it appears, a stump can produce growth because the roots are still working underground.
It may seem weird to reflect on resurrection at this time of year, yet I see Advent as a season for sitting with the stumps of life. As we wait for the shoot and the branch to emerge, we can trust that what looks lifeless on the surface still grows under the surface. As hidden and mysterious as this process is, we can anticipate and rejoice in the manifestation that will come.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. Isaiah 11:10
Your Call: Is there an area of your life that feels like a stump? Is it possible that God is doing something in that area that you can’t see right now?
Oh how beautiful sweet Sister Cousin. Very thought provoking. Now in my life I welcome the end of daylight savings time – why? So glad you asked. I welcome the long nights when famlies can rush to their dwelling places, share the events of the day, share a meal at table with one another, and share how God had blessed them during the day; God’s light and His love for us illuminated during a dark time end a dark season.
Being a single woman with no husband or children to prepare an evening meal for I rush home to my apartment to make a delicious meal for two . . . yes, I invite God to share the evening with me. It’s my special time with Him to thank Him for all the wonderful things that have happened, and how He kept me, blessed me, protected me , and lighted the way for me.
The older I get the more I enjoy the beauty of autumm and winter. . . I enjoy making myself look for God’s eternal light, and His warm, radiating love. The seasons change but God’s love for His people is everlasting.