Autumn is a time of letting go. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, and let me see the grace beyond this transient time of color-soaked beauty.
Yesterday I sat on the porch and watched red, orange, and yellow leaves slowly spiral from tree to ground. The very air hummed in tones of harmony as those beautiful leaves bowed to one another in an elegant dance.
Overnight a blustery wind moved in. Today, the trees do the dancing – a wild dance of bending and bowing as the wind whooshes through the branches, blowing leaves sideways across the yard. I can’t help but think of the scripture out of Isaiah 55:12: The trees of the field clap their hands! This wild wind fills me with excitement and trepidation both.
Autumn is a time of letting go.
Letting go is hard.
Just as trees let go of their multi-colored leaves at this time of year, we let go of long, lazy evenings spent outdoors. We let go of running out of the house in shirtsleeves and sandals. We let go of open windows, balmy breezes, green fields, and sudden thunderstorms.
We know winter is waiting in the wings. In two weeks it will be dark by 6 pm. North winds await, filled with sleet and snow. It’s time to take winter coats to the drycleaners, dig hats and gloves out of bins and boxes, put sandals away and pull out the boots.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Help me to see the beauty in letting go. Just as I let go of things in the physical realm, there are things in the spiritual realm that I need to let go of as well.
Unforgiveness.
Fear.
Bitterness.
Just as the splendiferous colors of autumn remind me to live in the moment and soak in the beauty of trees letting go of their leaves, the grace of the Lord reminds me to let go of those things to which I cling so tightly; those things that block me from seeing the beauty that surrounds me every day, in every season; those things that block my faith in the hope that frozen winter ground holds resurrection seeds.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you
I want to see you
See you high and lifted up
Shinin’ in the light of your glory
Pour out your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy…
(Michael W. Smith)
Is there something to which you are hanging on that blocks your vision of the beauty surrounding you? As you watch leaves fall to the ground this week, soak in the beauty of yellow and red and orange, even as those colorful leaves fall upon brown, crisp and crumpled leaves already fallen and decaying. Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to see the beauty amidst the pain of letting go.
