By Lele
Spring arrives with silent footsteps. After a whole year’s waiting, cherry trees display their best side; early clothed in their most beautiful flowers, they stand out among all sorts of trees. Not to be outdone, weeping willows also can’t wait to play their trump card—their graceful lines, which are still so well-kept after years of being battered by the wind and rain that even fish vies to hop to shake hands with them. Wild flowers come into bloom, red and purple and yellow; putting on their new coats, they confidently sway in the wind. Grass comes to provide patches: Like a streak it overgrows the land, and sets off the flowers in them. Small animals come to life from their winter sleep. Some poke their little heads out, some stretch lazily, and others lay on the green land, enjoyably bathing in the sunshine. Hares casually eat some grass, and then begin to chase one another…
The wind blows off the cherry flowers. In the blink of an eye, the falling pedals flutter in the air, and the delicate fragrance sends their last sweet kiss to people. After several strong winds, summer arrives in a hurry. It quickly enlivens the mountains, lakes, jungles, and fields, bringing vibrancy to them, and then come the lush greenery and pounding waves. It’s really a passionate season. Then follows the hot summer with the burning sun like a fire. The plane-trees on either side of the road stretch their arms generously, providing pedestrians with a shelter against sunshine. Cicadas chant their everlasting songs without stint. Night is always the liveliest: Geckos get out to play about in the cool of the evening; frogs vie to sing their own songs; fireflies hurry to serve as lamps for pedestrians…
In autumn, the bright red persimmons hang on the trees in the courtyard, sweet and pleasant to the eyes. In this fruitful season, pomegranates laugh with their mouths open as if nobody is near, and they don’t care how many teeth are exposed so as to express their characteristics and freedom. In this golden autumn, fallen leaves are naturally the common scenery that will never fade away. Their unique charm arouses people’s attention: Some take a seat there for a while to think about their lives; some take a walk in the wood, enjoying the beauty of the scenery; some select their favorite leaves to make samples…
Winter has waited for long and finally go on the stage. In this season, wild flowers return to their roots and grass is withered, only the winter sweets blossom and pines and cypresses remain green. Seemingly, the winter is desolate, without the heated excitement in summer. But this kind and amiable “old man” spreads his “savings” and offers a different charm. The cold hand of winter spreads a white carpet throughout the wide world, in a flash, trees, the earth and everywhere are snow-covered. The signs of other seasons are nowhere to be found because they know the carpet is the ever-unchanging symbol and warmth of the “old man.” Outside the cottages are several snowmen in sight. A worn broom and a carrot are always most properly put on them. People can take a break during this season. Animals have preserved their food to pass through this cold winter. Chickens and ducks have matured and cattle and sheep have grown strong. These fowls are ready to become people’s food on the table in every household. After visiting their neighbors and having a round of chats with them, people go back to their own homes. Looking at the plenty of grains in the barns, they sit around the stove talking about their plan in the year ahead…
I have passed through tens of springs, summers, autumns, and winters, I have visited oceans and rivers, and I have walked across the grasslands and mountains; all things are really so marvelous that I couldn’t help wondering: Mysteries are everywhere in the nature, and all of them are so miraculous. However, who created all these things on earth? …
Until one day, I read God’s words: “God created all things, each of which lives through different forms and different ways and uses different methods to exhibit its power and form of life. No matter what method, it is all under God’s rule.” “The authority of the Creator not only gives the vitality of life to seemingly static material objects, so that they will never disappear, but, moreover, gives the instinct to reproduce and multiply to every living being, so that they will never vanish, and so that, generation after generation, they will pass on the laws and principles of survival endowed to them by the Creator. The manner in which the Creator exerts His authority does not rigidly adhere to a macro or micro viewpoint, and is not limited to any form; He is able to command the operations of the universe, and hold sovereignty over the life and death of all things, and, moreover, is able to maneuver all things so that they serve Him; He can manage all the workings of the mountains, rivers, and lakes, and rule all things within them, and, what’s more, is able to provide that which is needed by all things. This is the manifestation of the unique authority of the Creator amongst all things besides mankind. Such a manifestation is not just for a lifetime, and shall never cease, or rest, and cannot be altered or damaged by any person or thing, nor can it be added to or reduced by any person or thing—for none can replace the identity of the Creator, and, therefore, the authority of the Creator cannot be replaced by any created being, and is unattainable by any non-created being.”
It turns out that God created this world and mankind, and directs the growth patterns of all things, the patterns which are never changed starting from the existence of all things until now. Regardless of spring sowing or winter’s storage, day or night, those which never changes are their laws. “No matter how the carp try to leap out of the water,” they will never exceed their bounds and have to stay in the water properly. Cicadas always sing in summer. Flowers remain colorful and beautiful, because they had a law of existence for them and were given a fixed purpose from the day they were created. These are ordained by God. And this is also the authority of God ruling over all things. All things live in God’s sovereignty, and no matter whether we can realize it, this is an undeniable fact. Moreover, God’s authority is unique and it’s His almightiness and wisdom that allows us to live in this perfect world.
I read another passage of God’s words: “Doesn’t it show that when God created the heavens and earth and all things, His considerations were better thought out than those of mankind? When you see all that God has done, are you able to feel God’s practical side? God worked in secret. When man had not yet come into this world, before coming into touch with this mankind, God had already created all of this. Everything He did was for the sake of mankind, for the sake of their survival, and for the consideration of mankind’s existence, so that mankind can live in this rich and plentiful material world God prepared for them, and so that they can live happily, not having to worry about food or clothes, and not lacking in anything.” After I finished reading them, I was full of gratitude to God. Regardless of how the four seasons alternate, or how time cycles, or what kind of laws of survival for all things, they are all carefully arranged by God for our humans’ existence. Only at this moment did I realize that I couldn’t only satisfy the enjoyment of my flesh, but rather I should learn to understand God’s miraculous deeds and His immeasurable love for man from all things created by God…
