According to the National Weather Service, the summer solstice occurred yesterday June 20, 2024, at 4:51 p.m. Eastern time. This was the moment during the day when the sun reached its most northern point in the sky for the year.
Every year there is a summer solstice. Ecclesiastes 3: 1 NLT says-
1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
Earlier in Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 NLT we are told that-
9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.
10 Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new.
11 We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.
The sun, moon, earth and all the planets are constantly moving. There is always a change and nothing is new under the sun. We, as a creation, have tried it all. We know what works and does not work. Yet, so often people are surprised that something they believe or trust in doesn’t work.
Over the past week or so, I have been in the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. I was again awed by the wisdom of Solomon. As I read again, I was focused on the truths of his observations. As you consider them, you need to go back as to why Solomon was wise. His wisdom came from the Lord as a result of Solomon’s obedience to and his following the Lord’s instructions. It is true that later in life he became disobedient and failed to follow as the Lord had instructed. For that, he would lose the throne and the special relationship with the Lord. He truly lost the wisdom he had possessed for the perceived pleasure derived from disobedience. Disobedience has a cost and for Solomon and any believer it is a splintered relationship with our God.
Exodus 20 NLT provides for us an accounting of the 10 Commandments. In verse 3-7 we read-
3 “You must not have any other god but me.
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.
When we read this portion of the Scripture, it is clear to see that God puts a very high regard and standard into how we see, hear and react to Him. Don’t put anything before Him. Don’t make anything more important that Him. Don’t worship anything or anyone other than Him. Don’t misuse His name because He will not allow it to go unpunished.
Now don’t make a mistake here and say something like “well that is Old Testamant and it doesn’t apply to us today”. WRONG!!! It is in the Old Testamant but it is all God’s Word and the commands of old are the commands of the new. His Word never changes nor does His standards.
Let me remind you and encourage you that nothing is new under the sun. God’s Word is true and faithful all the time. God never changes and His mercies are new everyday.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
Everyday my brother-in-law Kenny sends me a text. He daily states that he trusts that I will have a blessed day. We remind each other that the mercies of God are those blessings we receive from Him each day. They are new and they provide for each of us the peace and the strength to face the day.
By the way Kenny, thanks for those texts each morning. They mean more to me than you will ever know, my brother.
So, as His mercies are new to you today, be blessed and know that God is there to provide peace and strength in your life.
In God’s Grace,
Elbert Nasworthy
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