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Summertime with God, June 1
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers
appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the
voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Song of Solomon 2:11, 12
.
This lovely morning all nature appears fresh and beautiful. Earth
has put on her summer robes of green and is smiling in almost Edenic
loveliness.
I think our enjoyment of the summertime is heightened by the memory
of the long, cold months of winter; and on the other hand, the hope of
summer helps us to endure more cheerfully the winter’s reign. If we were
to permit our minds to dwell upon the barrenness and desolation with
which the ice king surrounds us, we might be very unhappy; but, being
wiser than this, we look forward in anticipation to the coming springtime,
which is to bring back the birds, awaken the sleeping flowers, clothe the
earth in her robes of green, and fill the air with light and fragrance and
song.
The Christian’s sojourn in this world may be fitly compared to the
long, cold winter. Here we experience trials, sorrows and disappointments,
but we should not permit our minds to dwell upon these. Let us rather
look forward with hope and faith to the coming summer when we shall be
welcomed to our Eden home, where all is light and joy, where all is peace
and love.
Had the Christian never experienced the storms of affliction in this
world, had his heart never been chilled by disappointment or oppressed
by fear, he would scarcely know how to appreciate heaven. We will not
be despondent, though often weary, sad, and heartsick; the winter will
not always last. The summer of peace, joy, and eternal gladness soon will
come. Then Christ will dwell with us and will lead us to fountains of
living waters, and will wipe all tears from our eyes.
Let nothing ... hinder you from making thorough work for eternity....
There will be no chilling winds, no wintry colds, but an eternal summer.
There is light for the intellect, love that is abiding, sincere. There will
be health and immortality, vigor for every faculty. There will be shut out
forever every sorrow and every grief.
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