I hear that Hurricane Callum was downgraded to a ‘Scottish Summer’. Call me an optimist, but I’m still holding out for an Indian Summer, a sweep of sweet sunshine before the cold winds blow, trees are fully stripped and we step into dark winter. House heating, anoraks & coats are back on as we reflect on a reasonable summer that was. It’s ‘déjà vu’ and strangely wonderful for Dorothy and myself walking through Autumn’s glory yet again after journeying through it in New Zealand & Australia during April & May.

In Ecclesiastes 12 (The Bible), the ‘Quester’ concludes deep questioning on the meaning of life by comparing human life to nature’s seasons. Whether you’re springing with youthfulness, enjoying summer’s bushy fruitfulness, in autumn’s leaf-turning golden glow, or ailing in winter’s colder call, the philosopher concludes that, under God, we must make the most of every season, always mindful of meeting our Maker one day.

‘Mumford & Sons’ song, ‘Awake My Soul’ (popularised by Jim Carrey’s disturbing & heart warming 2004 movie ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’) sums it up with an aching melody, “You were made to meet your maker.” Fortunately we can fast-forward from Old Testament into the New & meet our maker in the person of Jesus Christ. Here & now, Jesus helps us to meet our maker in every season & situation of life. We all long for loving intimacy and Jesus brings it to us with introductions to himself as brother & lover of our souls, able to take God’s divine (nail-pierced) hand & our human hand, and unite us with our estranged heavenly parent.

In my middle age, fast approaching the autumn of life, I’m closer to death than birth, and keen to make each day count. I want to know this immense & immeasurable God as well as I can here in this life, before the mega-step-up that death brings. A hymn verse puts it well,

“Dependent on Thy bounteous breath, we seek thy grace alone, in childhood, manhood, age, and death to keep us still Thine own.” Whichever season of life you’re in, may Autumn’s glory light your days; let its glorious colours, and underfoot crunching multiply faith, hope and love in our Maker, Sustainer, Saviour, and Friend.

I chime with Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:17-19 as I pray for you, “I ask God that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all God’s People the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.”