Ecclesiastes 1:9 – What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (NIV)

My father had two books which guided his life: the Bible and the Grier's Almanac. The Grier's was a yearly publication similar to Poor Richard's Almanac and The Farmer's Almanac. It is a southern version printed in Georgia which has been published continuously since 1807, making it one of the longest running publications around. At one time, it was referred to as a "bible for the southern antebellum farmer" and enjoyed a circulation of around three million in twelve southern states. It was distributed through drug stores and feed-and-seed stores as well as by direct mail.

My father relied on this book to tell him when to plant his garden, what the weather would be like at a certain time, and even when the fish were biting. It contained phases of the moon, times for the rising and falling of the tides, and the rising and setting of the sun and moon. This book was considered as essential in my father's time as the weather channel on television is to us today.

Man has always been at the mercy of the weather and the seasons. These things do not change, or at least the writer of Ecclesiastes did not think so. He considered that "all the things that are done under the sun are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIV).

Things changed when Jesus came into the world and comes into our lives.

John 20:19,21,22 – Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (NIV)

When Jesus comes into our lives, He strips away the depression and defeatism of our lives and gives us a purpose for living and hope of a future eternal life. The storms of life still come, the seasons still change, but we can see the sunshine after the storms, a purpose in the weather, and hope for the future.

Prayer: Father, thank You for sending Your Son to give us a purpose in life for the present, faith for the future, and the promise of eternal life to come. Amen.

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