Refreshing
Fall Leaves in the South
Golden, waving leaves flutter past my window. The branches on the trees barely moving as the fall leaves enact the final performance of their lives. Every year it is the same; yet every year, I am awed by their beautiful, perennial performance. Their play does not have a visible director, yet it is obvious that there is a design behind this steadfast drama that is Fall.
Psalm 19, one of my all-time favorite passages, encourages us to consider that all creation shows God’s handiwork. Imagine the verses referring not only to the heavens, but also to creations on earth as well.
“They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:3-4
Have you ever seen a passage that more beautifully describes the falling of the leaves?
Psalm 23:3 also comes to mind as David writes: “he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
Based on the passages surrounding theses two chapters, I imagine that David must have been going through a very difficult time in his life. He is constantly looking for encouragement and strength. In each chapter, he talks not only of being refreshed; but more importantly, he writes of how he is refreshed. Admittedly, it is quite different from where I tend to turn for refreshment.
Pause with me for a moment and think about how you find refreshment. Personally I tend to lean more towards getting my nails done, going to the spa, or maybe of taking a vacation at the beach. But they all result in only temporary refreshment. My soul is not restored by these things.
But David took a very different approach. Each time that he became discouraged or depressed and his soul needed refreshing, he turned to the same source. In Psalm 19:7, he reveals his simple secret:
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
In the next seven verses, David goes on to describe some of the specifics of the law that refreshes him, as well as the benefits that he receives as he is refreshed. He concludes with a powerful request that I want to carry with me today, and I hope that you will as well.
Psalm 19:14, May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
What a beautiful description of the beauty God creates each autumn! I love that it is in Him that we find true refreshment!
Awesomely beautiful.
So true, Wendy; our God is the true refreshment of our weary souls. Thank you for sharing these beautiful Scripture passages from the Psalms.
Great post Wendy. Even a mani/pedi cant refresh me like the arms of God can. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂