By Ida May Roberts
At this season of the year, when the leaves are falling in showers it should remind us of the time when our lives will be over, here; when we will have to turn every thing loose and descend into the grave, giving place to others.
If, when the time comes to us, we have glorified God with our lives here, and filled the place He in His wisdom designed us to fill, all will be well, we will then be ripe for immortal glory, and suited to another existence. It is a solemn thing to live, and yet it is joyful if we live aright.
Life is solemn because it is of such great importance how we spend this life and because of the great responsibilities that rest on every intelligent accountable being. God has laid them upon us and we cannot shirk them, except it be to our sorrow. Many seem to see nothing in this life, only to live for selfish considerations.
To secure wealth, seek worldly pleasure, have a great name and stand high among people here, forgetting that the Bible has taught us that if we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption. Such is a life of the flesh but not a Godly life, neither is it a happy life.
We can never be really happy unless we are at peace with our Creator, and living in harmony with His great plan.
The little leaves fulfill God's design. At his word they appear, grow on in silent obedience to Him, do their work and vanish. All nature does likewise. But the human family are different.
By reason of the fall we cannot abide in the condition in which we are born, and please God, for we are taught that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But if we walk in the Spirit we are not in the flesh.
Seeing then, that we, the highest order of God's creation on earth, are alienated from Him by sin and cannot live to his praise in a state of nature, we must get right with Him. Having fallen in Adam we must get back to God through Christ. That is the only way. In Christ's death and great sacrifice for us there is ample provision made for us to have our hearts washed from sin and changed from the love of sin to the love of holiness.
By that mighty transforming work of God we are made new creatures and turning from sin and the ways of the flesh, rejoice to walk in obedience before him. It is then that we are brought into harmony with God and can live to his glory.
Then like the little leaves we live only that we may praise and glorify Him with the life he has given us. We fill our place, we do our work, we served His wise purpose in our day and generation, and then when our time is fulfilled we gently and willingly give up our lives here.
Our bodies fall in to the grave to moulder and decay, but our spirits rise triumphant and soar away to be with Jesus until that glad and glorious morn when He shall come to judge the world.
Then our bodies shall burst forth from the tomb, arrayed in wondrous beauty, immortalized and glorified, and we shall go on praising God forever.
Source: Crittenden Record-Press. (Marion, Ky.), December 5, 1912, Image 2 - Chronicling America - The Library of Congress.