Nothing but leaves! (Thought for November 2024)

It’s that time of year again when, as the old song goes, ‘The falling leaves drift by the window, the Autumn leaves of red and gold’. They are lovely to see, and perhaps to shuffle through, but not so popular when you have to clear them up. We used to have a lot of fallen leaves from the oak tree in our garden at Littlehaven; now we look across towards the beautiful trees on the ‘Great Oaks estate’, but their falling leaves hardly trouble us in the garden.

I was struck by a thoughtful piece in our Living Light readings recently by Kevin Shaw, and include part of it below:

‘One thing I love about Scripture is how methodically it unfolds the principles God wants us to understand. Consider the metaphor of ‘leaves’ in the Bible. In Eden, Adam and Eve create an inadequate covering from leaves (Genesis 3:7), setting up leaves as a type of self-righteousness. Isaiah confirms this, saying that ‘all our righteous acts are like filthy rags’, and that ‘we all fade as a leaf’ (64:6).

So, when Jesus performs the odd miracle of cursing a fig tree (Matthew 21:19), we understand; God isn’t looking for self-righteousness leaves, but the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)’

There’s no doubt about it, physically as we grow older we tend to fade, or even shrivel, like a leaf. But, more significantly, spiritually, like leaves on a tree where the finest crop fade and fall, people tend to live as though their life will go on endlessly, but even the beauty of their leaves of self-righteousness will not be able to cover their sinful nakedness before the Almighty God—the God who created them.

John Newton got it about right in his hymn ‘Glorious things of Thee are spoken’ where he says: Fading is the worldling’s pleasure, All his boasted pomp and show; Old fashioned language, but an ever present fact of life (and death). But the contrast is so great for those who have acknowledged their sin and unworthiness, and have trusted Christ to forgive them and give them life eternal through His gracious sacrifice in dying in their place on the cross, and rising again.

John Newton concludes that verse with the words: Solid joys and lasting treasure None but Zion’s children know.

Funny how we tend to comment, and perhaps delight in the amazing colours of Autumn leaves – but they’re dying and will soon be gone. Life is like that – attractive perhaps, but fading. Think about this – every year the Creator reminds us, through the decaying and dying of the leaves, that our lives are short and we need to ‘seek Him while He may be found.’

Isaiah comments on not just leaves, but, ‘The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand for ever’ (40:8).

There’s no doubt about it, in a world where all is failing, and the best mankind can do will come to nothing, we need God’s own word to bring hope and assurance for all who will turn to Him. Thank you, Lord.

Elder

November 2024