In God’s Appointed Time

It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever-flowing rivers. The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. —Psalm 74:15–17, NIV

The morning light stretched long shadows across the desolate winter garden. Tangled shrubs stripped of their leaves and tree branches weighed down by freshly fallen snow looked weary and ghostly. The garden seemed to echo the discontent I felt.

“Pitiful,” I muttered, clutching my coat tightly as I trudged through the snow-covered landscape. Suddenly a sharp tug on my hair brought me to an abrupt halt. Someone was pulling my hair! Turning, I realized I had been ensnared by the thorny New Dawn climbing rose that adorned one of the arches at the garden’s entrance.

The tug had felt deliberate, as if nature itself was scolding me, demanding my attention to its silent resilience. The rose bush, now stripped bare of its summer glories, stood as a stark reminder of the passage of time. Though devoid of blooms, buds, or petals, its gnarled branches harbored a quiet promise of renewal and beauty yet to come.

As I struggled to free my hair from the rose’s thorny grasp, a flood of memories rushed in, transporting me back to the spring and summer flower gardens. Underneath the expansive sky, this same arching rose had burst into a breathtaking display of pink blossoms, teaching me that in the natural world, everything adheres to its own timeline, patiently awaiting the right moment to emerge and reveal its splendor.

The psalmist’s wisdom reminds me that every season has its purpose. See Psalm 74:15–17. In the ebb and flow of life, where uncertainty and longing often grip our hearts, the steadfastness of God’s promises sustains us. The wisdom of the Scriptures reminds us there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the heavens.

This profound truth reveals that each moment of our lives is divinely orchestrated to serve a greater purpose. As we navigate the various seasons of our lives, God’s promises serve as an anchor for our hope. His assurance of eternal life and redemption remain unshakable, providing a comfort that transcends our immediate struggles.

Let us hold fast to the unchanging promises of God.

They are the steady foundation on which we build our faith.

His promises will hold us fast until the end.

Olga Valdivia