The Autumn Tree

A theme of my life and my blog seems to be surrender.  Not just giving up because it's too hard, but giving it over to God, because it's too hard...or because He asks me to.  I still have a lot to learn, but today I learned a lesson from the trees in Michigan.

In Berrien Springs this week, I watched the trees change from confident green, to whispers of color, to bold splashes of yellows, oranges, and reds.  Autumn progresses quickly and extravagantly here, so today I stopped to pay attention.  I walked down to the river, through a forest of trees that seemed to have mixed feelings about Fall.  Some were shy and green, while others enthusiastically produced their new colors. The river, wide and slow and smooth, reflected the highlighted trees on the opposite side like a perfect painting.  They stood brightly in the morning light, against the deep blue sky.   As I watched this revelation of the dawning season, another revelation dawned in my heart.  Fall often reminds me of surrender.  Each leaf that changes and falls must surrender itself, let go of its branch, and fall into the arms of the freezing winds.  But today I thought about the way the tree must surrender so much.  The tree must let go of each leaf, each sign of life, one at a time--surrendering them all to the freezing winds.  At last, it is bare and exposed, nothing to hide or protect the rough branches. It must simply wait, through harsh winter storms, with only the hope of Spring.  And one day, Spring does arrive, with its blessings of blossoms and foliage, rewarding each tree.  And the tree is only able to accept these gifts of new growth because it was willing to surrender and endure the waiting of the previous seasons.

 I want to have the courage of an Autumn tree.  To surrender my blessings, my rights, my security--to surrender everything back to my Creator who gave it all to me, along with my very existence.  And though the season may feel cold and dark at times, I will wait with faith and confidence for the light of Spring, when God will fulfill His promises of new growth in my life.  I know it will be worth the surrender.