As We View the Leaves of Fall

Michael E. Wood
December 21, 2011

We are reminded by the apostle Paul to set our minds on things above and not on things of the earth, for we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God.

Thanks be to God that the words spoken by and through the apostle are relevant for us today. How often do we look at things from the narrow prospective of ourselves; what we want or what we think, or how we think things should be, and not in the light of eternity? Yet God as a Father is so patient and merciful to us because of our acceptance and union with Him through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By the voice of His Spirit within, He brings His word to bear both to humble us and to comfort us even in the smallest of details in our lives to cause us to look to Him above all our earthly good.

While standing on our balcony during the last few days of Fall and observing how the little gusts of wind would blow the leaves off the trees which would in turn float to the ground signifying the end of their life cycle the following words came to mind.

As we view the leaves of Fall
Float to the ground by gravity
We are reminded earthy joys
Shall end by our depravity.
And thus our hearts must be transfixed
Upon the gospel with faith mixed
To know that we shall enter rest
And made to profit by Him that’s blest.
Then as the winds against us blow
Our faith is strengthened, made to grow
To boldly go to Him that knows
The feeling of our infirmities.


How precious then is God’s design
By disappointment to refine
Our faith that we may grow in grace
Obtaining mercy as we face
Our weakness in our time of need
And look to Christ to whom we plead
As He in heaven is our Priest
By whom alone we are increased
To look beyond our selfish self
To know He is our saving health;
Our One True Source and all our Wealth
To overcome all our adversities.