I love seasons, I thank God for seasons, life is made up of seasons. In the last week or so we have seen the change from summer to autumn taking place (whilst borders have had a second lease of life), and this year in England we have been experiencing New England scenes as the natural world around us has slowly been turning from varied shades of green to an amazing and glorious array of colour.
The Great Artist has mixed his palette and painted for us an incredible canvas that stirs and excites, and as we gaze in amazement, awe and wonder it leads ultimately to worship, worship of the Imaginer, Designer, Creator and Sustainer who gave us such a magnificent world full of shape, contrast, variety, colour and fragrance.
I’ve tried to capture it on camera (I’ve included just a few), I’ve seen amazing paintings, but there’s nothing like the real thing! As Pam and I have traveled around this last week taking in Oxfordshire and Derbyshire and counties in between, whether local roads or motorways, walking streets or standing on top the Heights of Abraham, I can’t help but think of the old song, by Maltbie D. Babcock, This is my Father’s World:
“This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world,
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!”
You can listen to it here in two versions/styles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRN8v95byww
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9dWMTxw290
Pictures from Chatsworth House, Derbyshire
The Word 4 Life 