Gifts of Grace

October 3, 2026

“O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions” Psalm 104:24

I am truly enjoying the colors of the leaves these days. They are just amazing! Hyemi has given me some insights and devotional thoughts as we enjoy the fall colors together, and these thoughts lead me to what God is showing us through them.

About 20 years ago, wearing a Dallas Cowboys cap and Jordan basketball shoes was the ‘cool’ thing to do in school. The Cowboys cap was relatively affordable, but the shoes weren’t. I really wanted the Jordan shoes. They were expensive, but I didn’t care. I begged my dad to buy me a pair. Eventually, he did, and I became one of the coolest kids in the world.

Today, I realize how much my dad spent on me. Now that I am a grown-up and understand the value of money, I can see how much those pair of shoes had cost my dad. Dad was still in the seminary, and every dollar mattered. It was needed to help with living. I now see that he couldn’t afford it back then. Yet, Dad still bought me the shoes because I am his son, and he wanted the best for me.

That is what God must be feeling when He lets us enjoy the fall colors. The weather today is not as ideal as it used to be. These colors did not exist before the Flood. There was perfect weather before the Flood, with no rain or winter, and everything was gorgeous. The most ideal climate was allowed to us until the Flood. The consequences of sin have affected our climate, resulting in rain, snow, and unpredictable weather. But even in these unfortunate circumstances, God still wanted us to enjoy His wonderful creation. The leaves will fall due to the winter, but even when they are about to fall, they shine out their beauty because they sing of God’s creation. Once again, God will bring us the ideal New Earth when the time comes, but until then, God will express His love through the nature we have today, just as a father gives his child the best he can. Simply because we are His children and He wants the best for us.