Proximity Alert!

Ecclesiastes 12:1 -- "Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young, before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, before your vision dims and the world blurs and the winter years keep you close to the fire." [MSG]

image: pinterest.com

Testing the shadows cast by my Bird of Paradise flowers I took in a deep, deep breath - the air was different. The sky was clear and the shadows cast by the sun were lighter and not very sharp. I could tell - just by the casting of sunlight - that fall was in the air. The seasons had somehow changed, already. It made me smile a bit.

In my head I could picture carved pumpkins, hay stacked in decorative bales with funny scarecrows sticking out of them, and leaves piled up on the ground under our oak tree. I could smell cinnamon, and pine bark when I closed my eyes - and I knew that the Christmas tree guy would be setting up down at the corner near the biscuit place, soon.

All of this - because our spinning little planet is pulling a little bit farther from the sun right about now. The days get shorter, the breeze is cooler, and daylight is soft. I love it! I love the "fall" weather down here in Florida.

Proximity is EVERYTHING. Our place in orbit is key to the changing seasons, the weather, and the hours of daylight we'll receive in a 24 hour period. And while I absolutely love snow and early fall cold snaps - it wouldn't do to get TOO far off course in orbit. We'd freeze to death. Vegetation would die. Vibrant species would become extinct when pieces of the food chain snap and disappear.

But this - relatively tiny variation in the length of our planetary orbit allows a natural ebb and flow to maintain a life and growth cycle on this great blue marble of ours. Some frost now and then and leaves turning brown allow us to appreciate the warmth and lush greenery of summer.

Proximity to THE Son is EVERYTHING, too. When we draw away from him or allow ourselves to be pulled in the wrong direction - things can die. Little bits of us can wither up and turn brown and if we stay too far away for too long - well, horrible things can happen.

Ecclesiastes reminds us to honor, enjoy, praise, and serve our Lord now - while we still can. We must put our faith to feet before our feet can no longer take us places. Don't miss out on the wonderful opportunities God has given you today - because they might not be around tomorrow.