Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Both sides of the little country road are lined with trees in transformation. Green is replaced by bright oranges, reds and yellows. 

On a pond there is the reflection of the beauty of nature’s march toward winter. Right now, autumn’s loveliness is on full and awesome display. 

There is still the remnant of the deep-south heat, but nights finally fall to decent temperatures, even chilly once in a while.

Soon the sky will have that deep blue of wintertime. Soon the trees will stand naked before the winter’s view. Coats and jackets will cover arms that spend much of the southern year bare. Air conditioners will go off, and heaters will warm the dwellings against the winter chill. 

The land will look bare, sometimes even dismal, when there is only a rare sound of the birds who will brave the wintertime. Quiet will prevail in the tranquil nature of winter, but time will march on.

As if overnight, suddenly budding leaves will begin to dot those naked trees again. The sounds of more and more birds will fill the air. Barren ground will give way to vegetation and nature will experience a rebirth throughout. Rain will come, and winds will blow. Clouds will sail across the springtime sky. One thing holds true about the earth around us — each season holds its own indescribable beauty. 

The heat soon will take your breath as you step out into the Alabama summer. Activity will be everywhere, yet temperatures will almost overwhelm. Summer is a time of fullness of life in the heart of the year. 

Soon after God had sent the worldwide flood, when the ark had settled back to a resting place on dry land and the inhabitants of the ark were dispersed to go and replenish the devastated earth, He spoke to Noah in these words, “‘While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease’” (Genesis 8:22).

That is God’s promise. And just as sure is the beauty of the salvation He has promised if you will meet Him at the cross!

Dean Kelly is minister at Highland Home Church of Christ.