“Make it a source of spring water; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.”
-Psalm 84:6 (CSB)
Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people.
-Hebrews 3-4 (CSB)
Autumn is a season of beauty. The days begin to get cooler from the hot summer season. The leaves change and fall to the ground. Together it creates a beautiful tapestry of foliage across the plains and the mountains of God’s creation.
Autumn is a season of reward. Here the fruits of our labors during the summer and spring are given. Crops are collected, livestock is tended, and gains are made during this harvest season. Each of these rewards is made possible from the hard work and exploration made from the preceding seasons.
Autumn is a season of preparation. After the harvest, winter crops are planted to produce needed resources during cold months. Families invest in firewood to keep warm. Even God’s creatures know that Autumn is a time of preparation, as many animals gather their final collections before winter.
Autumn is a season of restoration. Farmers plow the fields and add fertilizer to the land. This process readies the soil for fertile spring encounters. Plus, the land heals, and nutrients are restored after months of strain from the planted crops. Since humanity is created in God’s image, we too can experience restoration. By accepting the results of the harvest from our own lives. No matter the results, we can experience renewal as we rest in God’s grace.
Autumn brings a season of rest. It culminates with a period of slowing down where rest can begin. Not just rest, but renewal. We can look back at winter, spring, and summer so we can celebrate the victories, while we learn from our mistakes to avoid future pain. Simply, Autumn is where we rest in God’s provision than our works, which becomes an Autumn Rest.
Finally, Autumn Rest is an illustration of faith that rests in Christ than in one’s self. Our lives become a harvest of what Jesus designed. In response, we expose our works from the overflow of a relationship with Jesus. Just, we see God in everything where each element of life becomes a tool to point others to hope in Christ alone. We gather His beauty during our Autumn Rest. A rest that is in Christ alone, so our light will shine His glory primarily.
For this is our Sabbath, this is our Autumn Rest.