"The grass withers, and the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows on it; Surely the people are grass.The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."            {Isaiah 40: 8}

This is the time of year when we see the flowers fade, and the vegetation begin to shrivel up and die. It isn't a sad thing, just the cycle of living for our place on this planet.  If you live in a southern climate you are blessed because you don't see this cycle as clearly as we do in the north. If you live farther north that New York you have seen it already, I suppose. What it reminds us is that seasons come and go, and all have a purpose, and a reason. This flower in the picture is from a month ago, today it is brown and has fallen to  the ground in a deep fade of cycle and progression. Jesus said, "Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless a grain of wheat  that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain; but if it dies, it produces a big harvest.   {John 12:24}

Fading is something that happens to me too. I stand strong on some things and then I might not feel too concerned about others. I am fallible, and I don't always realise what is most important, but that's when I look at God's word. It is infallible, and undeniably the most read book around. It has been a best-seller for many years, and before that, every home in America had one. This is not true today, but 50 years ago, I think it was close. 

Upholding the Bible, and following after God are not popular things to do in our culture, but then, we are not supposed to be like our culture. The people of God have been called to be like Him. But wait, if we look at our verse for today, we see that God is the one who breathes on His people. Why would He do a thing like that? He may not exactly, but He allows circumstances to breathe on us, so we will know that there is a God in heaven who will meet us at every turn. 

Getting to know God means that we rely on Him, and trust in His eternal goodness. And what about the grain of wheat? It dies so that it will bear more fruit. Jesus is talking here about Himself, falling into the ground in burial, and rising to overcome every human weakness, for us. Have you ever heard of anything more glorious than this?And the incredible truth is, that it was set in motion before the world began. Yes, God knew before He created man- kind that we would fall, and that His only son would have to redeem us, and He made the world and all of us anyway.  What a perfect picture of unselfish love!