Winter is a season of stillness – the trees are bare, the ground rests and nature holds its breath for a new beginning. In the same way, we experience seasons in life where things are scaled back – work ends, health becomes fragile, loved ones pass away or we simply find ourselves moving into a time of stillness. This “winter season” can feel cold and lonely. However, Psalm 92 reminds us of a deep truth: even in old age, in this season of rest, God is still at work in us.

 

The psalmist uses two images – a palm tree and a cedar. Both are strong, stable and deeply rooted. They are symbols of a life focused on God. These trees flourish not because the conditions are always ideal, but because they are planted in the house of the Lord.

 

To be “planted” in God’s presence means to live a life of trust and faith. Even when everything around you changes, you can rest in the knowledge that God is unchanging. Your usefulness does not end when your career is over or your body is no longer strong. Your life still bears fruit – wisdom, prayer, guidance, love – things that take years to develop and are now of great value to the next generation.

 

Note how the verse says: “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” It is God who keeps you fresh, not yourself. It is his Spirit that brings new life, even when your body feels weak. You are not discarded, you are planted. You are not forgotten, you are established. Even in winter, you bear fruit!

 

So let us not fear the winter season, but see it as a time of deepening. It is a time when our roots grow, not visible to the world but powerful in the eyes of God.

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you do not leave me in the winter of my life. Plant me firmly in your presence. Give me the grace to bear fruit, even in the silence of old age. Let my life reflect your wisdom and love until my final breath. Amen.