When days are cold, Jesus is near
Wednesday, December 29, 2021 by Melissa McLaughlin

When Days are Cold

The air stung my cheeks as we trudged along that winter day. An overcast sky shadowed our steps. A hint of snow whispered in the wind.

We hiked this same trail just a few months earlier, our senses flooded with rich fall foliage, vivid colors and the scent of autumn leaves.

But today was different. Dead. Cold. Drab. Dull. Lifeless.

A glimpse of the world at large in some ways.

Jesus is Close

Suddenly, from the corner of my eye something stirred. I peered through the trees as a small flock of geese paddled gently upstream in the icy waters of a nearby creek. Somehow, this simple sign of life touched my heart.

My view now skipped from glory to glory, taking in the marvel of God’s fingerprints all around. Stripped of lush leaves, the bare woodlands yielded a more subtle splendor.

Wispy grasses woven in wondrous patterns, if only we have eyes to see. Majestic tree trunks towering in strength, formerly hidden by green growth in earlier months. The previously unnoticed stream trickled past, ordinarily blocked from view by overgrown leaves and brush.

The God of all creation is the God of all life. In His sovereign goodness, He orders the seasons. Spring seasons of new life. Summer seasons of steady growth. Fall seasons of abundant harvest.

And yes, winter seasons. Seasons when the days stretch on seemingly dark and dormant.

Yet in those cold, quiet moments, sometimes we can hear the still, small voice of God with new clarity. The nights are longer, the days darker. We hunker down.

The hubbub of warmer days is silenced. These are days for drawing near to God. Beholding His beauty that can be overshadowed in busy times.

When days are cold, when the view is stark, when life is stripped of its outward appearance, Jesus is close.

He longs for us to see His glory anew in His living Word. Let us pause and soak in the Bible, seeking the warmth of His Light and truth.

He delights when we see God’s hand at work in His creation. The universe He created and upholds with the breath of His mouth is filled with the glory of God and never ceases to amaze. No matter the season.

He invites us to rest in prayer and listen for the prompting of His indwelling Spirit. For He calls us out of darkness into His marvelous Light. He sings over us with joy.

No matter the season, no matter how bleak or empty the scene before our eyes, Lord, give us new vision!

For we know, when days are cold, Jesus is close.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18

He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. John 14:1-3 NAS

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Spiritual Life

Join author and teacher, Melissa McLaughlin, and grow in Truthful Grace as we ignite the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts, minds, prayers and lives. Grow in Christ, grow in the knowledge of His Word, the Bible, grow the passion in your prayers.

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