#107 THE CALL OF AUTUMN 9-9-26
The late summer breeze seems to whisper something to the soul. There is a change coming. The days begin to shorten, the evenings become cooler, and before long the leaves will begin to change. Soon we will be able to sing with Nat King Cole about autumn. It is beautiful to watch the seasons change because God Himself reminds us that “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). But autumn reminds us of something more important than a change in the weather. It reminds us that change is a part of life.
God wants to change more than the season around us. He wants to change the spirit within us. The gospel calls us to come to Christ and become new people. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We do not come to Jesus merely to add something religious to our lives. We come to Him because we need Him to transform us. We need Him to take the old life and give us a new one. We need the kind of change that only God can produce.
We need a change of heart. David understood this when he cried out to God, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Our greatest need is not merely to change our circumstances. Our greatest need is to let God change us. Jesus calls us to repentance. He calls us to turn from sin, turn toward God, and surrender our hearts to Him. When the heart changes, everything else begins to change.
We need a change in conduct. A changed heart eventually produces a changed life. Paul told the Christians at Ephesus to “put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and to “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). Christianity is not simply about what we say we believe. It is about allowing Christ to change the way we live.
We need a change in holiness. Peter reminds us that we are called to be holy because the One who called us is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Our speech should change. Our attitudes should change. Our relationships should change. Our priorities should change. The things we love should change. The things we refuse should change. When Jesus becomes Lord of our lives, holiness is no longer merely an idea we talk about. It becomes a life we seek to live.
And then Jesus gives us a change in destination. Without Christ, sin leads us toward death, but Jesus came so that we might have life. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He went to the cross for our sins, rose from the grave, and promised His followers, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). The greatest change Jesus gives us is not merely a better life for a few years. He gives us the hope of eternal life with Him.
The leaves will change. The weather will change. The seasons will change. Our circumstances will change, and eventually this earthly life will change. But there is one change we should never postpone. Come to Christ. Let Him change your heart. Let Him change your conduct. Let Him lead you into holiness. Let Him change your eternal destination. Let us, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The autumn leaves will eventually fall, but the life Jesus gives will never end.
Perhaps the first cool breeze of autumn can become a call to your soul. Perhaps when you see the leaves changing, you can remember that God is still in the business of changing lives. The world changes around us, but Jesus changes us within. He takes sinners and gives them grace. He takes broken hearts and gives them hope. He takes wandering lives and gives them direction. And He takes those who come to Him in faith and leads them toward an eternal home. “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19).
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Father, as the seasons change around us, change us within. Give us clean hearts, holy lives, and steadfast faith. Help us leave behind the things that dishonor You and walk faithfully with Jesus. May our lives show the world that Christ still changes people. And when our earthly season is finished, bring us safely home to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
BDD
