Daily Encouragement (Archive Edition)

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

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Monday, June 21, 2021

In the waning moments of Spring Brooksyne took this photo of our Amish neighbors returning home about 9 last night, just around the bend from our house on the right. She was walking Mollie and Sadie but stepped aside as the clattering noise of eight buggy wheels and two clip clopping horses gave the dogs a bit of fright. Summer officially began at 11:32 PM.

"It's Summer Time!"

Message summary: Following the flood God made a promise that we see remaining to this day and we will continue to do so "as long as the earth endures". "Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease".

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"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (Genesis 8:22). "He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down" (Psalm 104:19). "He changes times and seasons" (Daniel 2:21).

Yesterday was Father's Day, at least here in the US. But if you don't have a specific day honoring fathers where you live we welcome you to join us in practicing the Fifth Commandment, which of course we should practice every day. Ester gets excited on special days like this and decorated our kitchen/dining area for the occasion. The photo in the photo shows us at Fenway Park when we went to see a Boston Red Sox game several years ago.

Yesterday was also the first day of summer, but just barely so, in our time zone since summer officially arrived at 11:32 PM Eastern Standard Time.

The first day of summer is determined by the tilt of the earth's axis as it rotates. On this day the North Pole is pointed closest to the sun and the northern hemisphere receives the most light for the longest amount of time. At this time every year I remind Brooksyne that now the days will begin to get shorter which annoys her a bit, as her favorite season is summer when the days are long making it possible to take evening walks even after 8:00 PM!

Phil is a friend who just returned from a mission trip in Alaska. He told me how it was only dark for a couple of hours each night and actually it never got entirely dark.

This seasonal design feature in creation is a brilliant (not surprisingly) blessing from God. It assures that there are growing seasons over most of the earth's surface. If the earth did not predictably tilt as it does seasonally, but rather remained in a fixed position as it revolved around the sun, we would not have seasons as we know them and much of the earth would not have a growing season as we have come to rely on. The equatorial areas would be blasted by the sun's rays year round making that region inhospitable and the northern and southern hemispheres would not get the seasonal extra dose of sunlight.

In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes which are 40° to 60° north and south of the Equator which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. We live just barely above the 40° line. (40.099941 to be precise*). These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout the year and more distinct seasonal changes compared to tropical climates, where such variations are often small.

Following the flood God made a promise that we see remaining to this day and we will continue to do so "as long as the earth endures". "Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease".

Let us consider:

"Seedtime and harvest" which we particularly observe living in a rural area but it's true even if you live in the city!

"Cold and heat" The earth is blessed with both although we may have our preferences. In our temperate zone we get a variety.

"Summer and winter" describe the effects of the earth's seasonally changing tilt which we observe all through the year.

"Day and night" describes the earth's rotation which we observe each 24 hour period.

"Will never cease" applies to all the above and we can each testify that such has been the case from our trustworthy God!

No wonder these words seemed to in part inspire Thomas Chisolm to write "Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

Summer and winter, springtime and harvest
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, You created the days and seasons for Your good purposes and we are blessed that You sovereignly govern Your universe in such a way that we are cared for and prosper as we live in compliance to Your commands. All of nature is testimony to Your faithfulness, mercy and love and people can clearly see Your invisible qualities, Your eternal power and divine nature so that they are without excuse in acknowledging that You are Creator God. Amen.

See Romans 1:18-20

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" Video Wes Hampton

* See this Latitude and Longitude Finder

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.

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