3 Days From Devotions for the FallExemplo

The Fireplace Mantel

The fireplace mantel sets the tone for the entire home. Live plants, birdcages, or greenery would indicate that spring has arrived. Garland with lights, gingerbread men, and snow scenes hint at the Christmas season. Then, of course, there is the crème de la crème of home decor—the fall mantel. There is nothing like the colorful leaves, pumpkins, and pine cones to bring all the cozy vibes into your home.

The thing about the fall mantel, though, is that you have to wait patiently for the appropriate time to reveal it. You may be pining for cooler temps in August, but you can’t put the pine cones out until the weather and the calendar have both declared it to be autumn. There is no forcing one season to give way to another; it simply happens when it’s supposed to happen. You embrace the season you’re in, and then, one morning, you wake to realize that a new season has begun.

Just like a fireplace mantel, our lives look different depending on the season in which we find ourselves. Some of us are chasing careers, while others are adjusting to retirement. There are those rocking babies and those releasing young adults out into the world. There are single folks, empty-nesters, and senior caregivers, and there can be fruitfulness in every season. Maybe you used to serve your church in a variety of ways, but now your age or health have limited you. It’s okay; you’re just in a new season. God knows and can use you in new ways.

Scripture tells us that there is a time for everything under heaven. God is aware of our current season, and we don’t need to feel the pressure to rush from one to the next. There will come a time when we are ready to put the pumpkins away and dress our mantels anew. A new season will bring fresh beauty to our homes. In much the same way, God moves us from one season of life to the next, and one can be just as fruitful as the next.