Shade Tree Wisdom 6/21/08

Yes, the first day of summer. The summer solstice, the day the sun is directly over the equator and gives us the longest day. Yesterday the temperature reached 99, but not quite a record. Yet the morning walk is rather nice, cool and calm. Pleasant to take the time for a little contemplation.

One thing I was thinking of is the remarkable system we enjoy when there is need. At our class, one of the members said she felt the need to lie down and rest a bit, and then slumped and slid to the floor, unconscious. We made her comfortable, and called 911, the response was quick, and the paramedics checked our friend and then took her to the hospital because of an erratic heart beat and blood pressure problems. She is responding and resting comfortably.

Weather is dry here, yet there have been little pockets of rain here and there. We had a nice rain at church during our Thursday class, but when we got home, dry. But last night we did have a nice rain, and others were, you guessed it, dry.

The paper this morning reports that Texas is dry, needing rain for planting and growth. And the same paper reports flood waters are still rising in some areas of the Midwest and along the Mississippi.

It all brought to mind a promise we easily forget. It stands in Genesis, was spoken after the flood, and reads, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter and day and night, shall not cease.” Gen.8,22.

Then this. “This is the token of my covenant. . .I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and the earth.” And so when this rainbow is seen, “I will remember My covenant”. Vv.12-14.

So there is the promise of God. His hand is at work, we know not how or why, we simply trust because we also know that “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” But we also know that God loved us so much that He sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. For “God so loved the world. That He gave His Only begotten Son”. St. Paul explains it this way, “You has He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Eph. 2,1.

We may wonder and speculate about the weather, and discuss the whys and wherefores, but of this we can be sure. Christ died for us. And salvation is ours as God’s gift.
GPD 6/21/08