August 31, 2022 - Good Morning! It's Wednesday, August 31. Bro. David is on vacation this week and is reprinting some favorite devotions from the past. This one originally ran on October 26, 2021.
Autumn shows its colors late here in East Texas. We’re on the threshold of November but trees are just beginning to turn. I was driving through the Smokey Mountains in early September and the leaves were already starting to change. Have you ever wondered what causes the reds and golds to appear? Well, in a word, it’s all about chlorophyll, or really the lack of it.
During the spring and summer when there’s lots of sun, trees produce a lot of chlorophyll. And that’s what gives the leaves their green color. But, in the fall, the trees are triggered by the changes in light and temperature to stop producing chlorophyll. And the green goes away. So, what produces the colors of red and gold? Nothing. Those pigments are always there. We just don’t see them until the green is gone.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Apostle Paul writes, “His strength is made perfect in our weakness”. Paul isn’t saying that our weakness “causes” God’s strength to become perfect. It is already perfect. The idea here, rather, is that our times of weakness, and trial, and challenge simply allow God’s strength to be revealed, to be visible, to be complete.
Millions of trees, right now, are facing a challenging change of season. A time of trial is coming called winter. But in this moment of crisis, the trees are revealing their strength, their resilience, and their beauty. We face challenges too. And in this challenging time, we see His promise revealed. In our weakness, His strength is made perfect.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
