A Prayer For The First Day Of Summer

 Well, the calendar calls for summer to begin today.  In the northern hemisphere this is the longest day of the year.  It’s hard to believe that the hours of sunlight will begin to diminish already.  A bit of a sad thought for those of us who love the long bright evenings.  I miss the first hours of light in the morning during this season because I’m not one of those “up before dawn” people but I do love waking up to the bright sky outside my window. 

They’ve talked for a number of years of doing away with the change from standard to daylight saving time.  I don’t think we’ll get to keep the extra hour of light in the evenings this year but hope that change will come before too long.

The changing of the seasons makes me think of the famous verses about seasons that we find in the Bible:

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Thank you God that you are in control during all the seasons of our lives.  For those of us with more than a few seasons of birthdays we can look back and see so many changes around us and even in us.  We’re grateful for the joy of little ones being born, of growing and developing their own little personalities with all their curiosity and joy in everyday things.  They bring so much joy to us.  We are blessed by the energy and knowledge of young people as they are taught things we didn’t even dream about when we were there age and challenge us to consider trying things like new technology.  We’re blessed by those with some seasons of experience as they demonstrate how to get through challenges and pick themselves up after stumbling.  Our hearts are touched by those who are aged as they find a way to truly make their “golden years” golden with so many difficulties and limitations being hurdles to overcome on that journey. 

Through all the seasons of joy and tears, birthing and dying, planting and growing, gathering and scattering, we are most grateful for the constancy of Your presence God.  Where would we be if we hadn’t been able to lean back on You during all those times and find a place of stability and peace?  How would we have dared to look up and move on during the tough times unless we knew that You were making a way forward that was full of goodness and mercy for us?  You are the God of all seasons and we thank You for that. 

We pray today to be people of God, those who know the joy of not following the advice of the wicked or standing around with sinners or joining in with mockers but rather delighting in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.  We know Your promises are dependable so when we do what You say, we will be like trees planted along the riverbank bearing fruit in every season, leaves never withering and prospering in all we do.

(only print)  Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.  Psalm 1:1-3

We settle our hearts today Your truth when You promise:

I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.  Ezekiel 34:26

Today we choose to trust in Your blessing and the timing of all that in whatever the next season of our life brings us.  Thank you for the showers of blessing we can expect giving us all we need in the proper season.  Amen