Over the warm Autumn weekend I was given the most stunning lime that I’ve ever smelt, touched or tasted! I started to think, what should I make with it to give the lime its justice? Seafood with lime spitz over it? Jerk Chicken with lime? Linguine with clams & lime?
As weird as that sounds, it is hard to describe how ecstatic I felt as I held in it my hands, realising that this (actual) fruit was freshly picked that morning - and was grown for this season, for this moment!
Fruit that suits
According to the Seasonal Food Guide Australia, the following fruits/vegetables are in season in Winter; Lemons, Mandarins, Oranges, Grapefruit, Fennel, Silverbeet and Brussel Sprouts. All of which are high in Vitamin C and/or incredibly important for fighting off colds/flus and boosting up our immune system when we need it the most as the months get cooler.
In contrast, According to the Seasonal Food Guide Australia the following fruits/vegetables are in season in Summer; Watermelon, Strawberries, Raspberries, Rockmelon, Honeydew, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Capsicum and Beans. All of these lovely produce are filled with antioxidants, fibre, Vitamin A and C, and have the incredible ability to cool us down when we need it the most - on a hot summer afternoon lying on the beach or tossed into a salad around a BBQ with friends.
Whilst both seasons are vastly different, we can see quickly that the produce in season holds essential vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need for the season we are in.
Set up to win
This thought got me thinking about our father in heaven and how even nature is set up for us to be a win.
In Matthew chapter 6 verses 25 - 34 (NIV), it says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
No need to worry
Here, we see that Matthew is highlighting that we need not worry about where our provision comes from, but rather point our attention on our heavenly father and trust that he will provide.
Much like, seasonal fruit/vegetables are placed into our season to sustain us through what we will face, does not God provide each season of our lives with the factors we need to overcome and succeed in them.
Earlier in Matthew 6 verse 8 (NIV) it says, “..for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” as he is speaking about the way in which we should come to God in prayer. This is also highlighted in Isaiah chapter 65 verse 24 (NIV), which says “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.”
He meets our needs
These verses reminded me that God will indeed provide for us no matter the valley, the challenge or the season we are in because he indeed knows what we need before we can utter our hearts cry.
In Philippians chapter 4 verse 19 (NIV), it says “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
So… what did I end up doing with that lime? As it turns out as I write this tonight, I’m sitting in bed with a sore throat and have come down with a cold due to the changing weather and just cut open that incredible lime to mix into a warm drink with honey. Perhaps sometimes God knows what we need, before we do!
Meenal Chandra is one of the Sydney-based writers who is again in awe of God’s provision and grace through and through each season.
Meenal Chandra previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/meenal-chandra.html