”Do thy diligence to come before winter,” said Paul. These were the last words Paul penned before he met his death at the hand of the executioner. Winter was coming both literally and figuratively for Paul.

Winter is coming again. The wise prepare for winter, the foolish do not. Winter is coming whether we prepare or not. Whether we want it or not, winter is coming. What happens to us this winter will depend on how we prepare for it in advance. Again this is true both literally and figuratively.

God has taught the animals to prepare for winter. The birds fly south to avoid the cold, the squirrels store up their nuts and the bears seek their dens to hibernate.

Winter is coming. Are we now preparing for it’! How do we prepare for the winter of our lives? 1f we can afford it, we too may fly south to avoid the snow but most of us have to stay behind and ”tough it out.” Preparing for winter may include putting up storm windows, adding antifreeze to the water in the car’s radiator, storing the patio furniture, and dusting off the snow shovel. The wise will be ready when the first winter storm hits and the foolish will not. The wise will have their snow tires mounted and the foolish will just be discovering that theirs have gone flat while stored in the garage all summer.

Paul needed Timothy to come before winter. In the winter of our lives we need help more than in the summer. Before the days of electric blankets King Solomon wrote that ”if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?” Paul was pleading with Timothy to come. He says, ”Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me. Do thy diligence to come before winter.” Paul was all alone in the winter of his life. He was facing certain death and he wanted and and needed Timothy to be at his side.

On another occasion when Paul was discouraged and lonely he described his situation as being ”troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” This is the way God works to help us through the winters of our lives. He sends a brother or sister to comfort us, to help us. We may be able to stay warm physically, thanks to electric blankets etc., but we still need one another to keep warm spiritually, to have our faith glowing in the winter time.

As winter approaches let us draw closer together in the bonds of love and fellowship. We need one another as we face the winter storms. As the leaves fall to the ground and the gray days approach, let us spiritually huddle together. Again King Solomon tells us that ”Two are better than one: because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” He goes on to say that ”a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Winter is coming and we cannot stop it, but let us remember that if we en- dure the hardships of winter, then we shall see the springtime when new life will spring from the ground.

Let us be faithful now during the winter of our lives for soon our saviour will return to usher in an eternal spring. What a glorious future we have! As the gloomy winter days approach, let us remember the words of Isaiah. in his 58th chapter. ”God will shed His own glorious light upon us. He will heal us... When we ca11 the Lord will answer, ”Yes, I am here... The Lord will guide us continually, and satisfy us with all good things, and keep us healthy too; and we will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”