It was autumn, and I had the opportunity to preach the Word to a congregation of elderly Christian people. What to say? The time of year suggested giving some thoughts that might be helpful in the hard days to come. One also knew that some of those present were facing the winter of their lives, with pain and serious illness. Out of all the teaching in Scripture, was there anything directly related to winter? Sometimes talks and sermons are just a friendly chat with not much scriptural basis, while others are jam packed with references relating God's whole plan in a form likely to give the elderly mental indigestion. So what could be gleaned from the Word, and helpfully presented?

The first resort was a concordance. An RSV concordance gave only Matthew 24.20 ("that your flight be not in winter", referring presumably to the prophesied destruction of Jerusalem) and 1 Corinthians 16.6, where Paul was hoping to spend the winter with his friends in Corinth. It was the time of year when long journeys were avoided because of storms and rain, even though snow was a rarity except on the mountains. Further scriptures referred to this practice of wintering, but this seemed of interest rather than help or comfort.

The mind then turned to Ecclesiastes 12, where the advice is to remember our Creator in the days of our youth, before the evil days come on. The description of old age is graphic, poetic, but perhaps not very clear in parts. What is it like in The Message'? A paraphrase, obviously, but very much to the point:

Honour and enjoy your Creator while you're still young.

Before the years take their toll and your vigour wanes.

Before your vision dims and the world blurs

And the winter years keep you close to the fire.

In old age, your body no longer serves you so well.

Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.

The shades are pulled down on the world.

You can't come and go at will. Things grind to a halt.

The hum of the household fades away.

You are wakened now by bird-song.

Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past.

Even a stroll down the road has its terrors.

Your hair turns apple-blossom white,

Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body.

Yes, you're well on your way to eternal rest,

While your friends make plans for your funeral.

Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over.

Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends.

The body is put back in the same ground it came from.

The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.

To the point, yes, but encouraging? Perhaps not, taken on its own. But turn over a couple of pages and there is that description of Spring (Song of Solomon 2.11).

Look around you: Winter is over;

The winter rains are over, gone!

Spring flowers are in blossom all over.

The whole world's a choir - and singing!

So if we can understand that the winter of life, leading to death, is followed by the spring of the resurrection, we can face every harsh detail and still be encouraged. Whether we think of ourselves or our friends in failing health, or think of the world we live in with its evil; or we consider the wickedness of teenagers and tyrants, the folly of manufacturers and the impotence of ministers; in all these things, though we may have to suffer, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" Spring means Christ's resurrection, our resurrection, and His kingdom to come.

Meanwhile, is there any advice we can give one another as we face our personal winter? There are some points which come out of Paul's winter journey to Rome via Malta (Acts 27). The ship owner had delayed the precaution of 'wintering', and Paul with all aboard the ship had experienced peril from the winter storm, and fear. To him the message came: 'Do not be afraid, Paul: you must stand before Caesar! To tell the Good News in Rome and before Caesar was the great ambition of Paul's life at this time. It was because he was aware of God's purpose for him, a purpose beyond himself, that Paul was able to face this winter experience with faith and courage. Likewise we, facing winter, need to remember that God has a purpose for us beyond ourselves, to serve Him in some small way. Concentrate on that.

Paul had been prepared in his mind for the journey before him. He knew what he had to face, even if the ship captain did not, and the sailors' precautions turned out to be unavailing. In an earlier time, a different situation, and on land, the Good Wife of Proverbs 31 was also prepared for anything and everything. "She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear (v.21. The Message). To be prepared for winter is part of the secret of facing it.

But if our preparations fail of their object? Paul on his journey was at risk because the preparations made by others had been inadequate. We cannot always trust others. We cannot with certainty trust ourselves. Paul had to rest on God's providence and care. We too must rest on the 'everlasting arms'. It is rather like the swimmer learning to float - if you do not panic, the water will support you. Even when our 'winter' seems more severe than we expected, we can, we must, rest in God's love.

So the little group of elderly folk heard these thoughts from Scripture: to know that in Winter we can look for the Spring; to have a purpose in serving God whatever the circumstances; to be prepared, in our minds and practically, for what winter may mean; and to trust. As we face winter, you may have your own thoughts about what God is saying to us. The thing is, not to be just a hearer of the Word, but a doer of it.

GC