The Colour of Winter

"The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter." Psalm 74:16-17

June 3, 2016

Cold nights

Blazing fires

Well-worn books

Fresh  bread

Handmade blankets

Laughter

Knitting

Family chats

Thick socks

Sparkling mornings

Flannelette sheets

Long evenings

Hot soup

Dull days

There’s something about winter that brings everything closer.

Back in June (the beginning of winter here) I set myself a challenge of writing a list every day. Just any list – it could be points about a topic, a debrief of the day’s events, or just my thoughts in sort of free-verse poem-style. Anyway, that was one such list of some of my favourite things about winter. Of course, there’s still fresh bread, and family chats in every other season but somehow in winter everything seems more… romantic? Dreamy? Idealistic? Storybook-like? It really does bring everything closer. 

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Also, see that verse above? I found it for searching for ‘winter’ in the Bible. (There are very few verses about winter, by the way.) I thought it was nice and poetic, and reminded me of God’s creation, and all those good things, so I put it in. But then this morning, I read the psalm it's from, Psalm 74.

In Psalm 74, the author is pleading for relief, for God to notice everything that’s going on. He’s reminding God what enemies are doing in His sanctuary and congregation. You can hear him ask, Come on, God! How long are you going to let these people reproach you, and blaspheme Your name? Why don’t you just do something?! 

But then, the psalmist pauses and remembers what God has done in the past. He divided the sea by His strength. He broke the fountains, and dried up mighty rivers. He prepared the day and night, set the borders of earth, and made summer and winter. 

I’ve been reading a few books lately that explain the way human thought has progressed (or rather, regressed), especially as society left the principles set out in the Bible, and while it’s fascinating, it’s also somewhat depressing – the lack of value humans place on themselves because they don’t believe they’re created in God’s image, the lack of value humans place on other humans because of the same reason, the lack of any firm right and wrong, the lack of any purpose in life, all because they don’t know God. And I’ve met people who subscribe to all those ideas, and their lack of hope is overwhelming. It's so easy to be discouraged.

But, God spoke to me through this Psalm. Don’t you think I’m big enough? Look at everything I’ve done, all these displays of My power. God is all powerful – how did I forget? How did I forget, that even though this world is messed up and Satan appears to have a grip on everything, God is still more powerful? He’s more powerful than all our problems, and than all the world’s problems. And, check out this verse from the same psalm:

"For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth." Psalm 74:12

God’s been king since ancient times, working salvation in the midst of the earth – in the middle of messed up humanity with all our problems, He’s there working salvation. And, do you know what the definition of ‘working’ is? Habitually and systematically making - habitually! It’s God’s habit to give salvation and victory to whoever will accept it. I like that. It’s not just something He does at random, or if we beg Him long enough. It’s His habit; it’s what He does. 

I wasn’t intending to have so much to say, but all of a sudden that verse meant a lot more, and I really wanted to encourage you guys: God’s still on the throne! Keep trusting Him. 

What do you like best about winter (or whichever season you’re in)? Is there a colour you associate with winter? Are you a list-writing person? Any thoughts on the way the world, society, etc  is going? And tell me, what have you been finding in God’s word recently?