THIS WEEKS MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR

From the pastor....

The Fading of a Leaf

 Every fall nature goes through a ritual of fading leaves. Just before this happens

the leaves are transformed. There may be nothing more beautiful than the variegated

colors of leaves in the fall. Thousands will drive hundreds of miles just to see this

work of art.

 One fall Nina and I took a one-day trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is one of

our favorite things to do. The leaves in the mountains were at their peak. We stayed

on the parkway several hours just riding and looking. There were several lookout

points along the way, so we stopped from time to time just to enjoy this vast mountain

range and the handiwork of God.

 It seemed there was every color imaginable. Some an apple red, some a golden

yellow, some a violet purple, and many, many others. Around noon we pulled off on

one of the look-out points to eat lunch. All the time we were eating we were enjoying

the leaves. Then we began to notice that not all of the leaves were on the trees.

 Lying at our feet were leaves that had fallen. Once they held firmly to the tree.

Through the spring and summer they held tightly to that which gave them life. Then

with the changing of the season they began to weaken until they lost their strength,

let go of their life-giving branch, and fell. The leaves on the ground for a while were

just as beautiful as those left on the trees. In a little while they lost their color, turned

brown, and died. The leaves around here have almost all turned different colors. We

will enjoy them for a while, and then they will fall from the trees.

 The life of man is so much like that of a leaf. Isaiah says in chapter 64, verse 6:

“we all do fade like a leaf”. We watch this happen with the passing of the years.

For most of us, no doubt our first memory of our parents is that of a young healthy

person with beautiful skin and a strong hand. As they grow older we see them fade.

They give us their best, but strong hands grow weak, and steady steps begin to falter.

The mind that was so sharp and filled with wisdom grows dull. It is true: “we all do

fade like a leaf”.

 The good news for the Christian is that although we fade like a leaf while passing

through this world, there will be a restoration day. A day when this mortal will put on

immortality, when that which is corruptible will put on incorruption. We will move

to a world where the aging process will cease to be. We will be forever young.

By the grace of God I plan to live in that land. You can live there also. If you do not

know Him today, accept Christ as your Savior, and join me in that land where

the leaf (of life) never fades.