Solstice

 

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his host!

Praise him, sun and moon;
   praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
   and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for he commanded and they were created.
He established them for ever and ever;
   he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
   you sea monsters and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and frost,
   stormy wind fulfilling his command!

Mountains and all hills,
   fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle,
   creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
   princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and women alike,
   old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
   praise for all his faithful,
   for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord! Psalm 148

Yesterday was the day of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Here in Montana, nestled in the mountains, the light was glorious, and as I was driving home from church I found a deer wondering in my neighborhood. Pink clouds at sunset, which lingered long as the day refused to die away, reminded me that this is a time of turning. Each day will be a little shorter, and we have the work of growing and harvesting ahead of us. Those of us who are going to General Convention, also turn our hearts and minds to the present and future of our church and how we will serve the Gospel together. There os much in this turning time, much to ponder and much to pray about.

The ancient people understood the majesty of the natural world, the seasons created for their lives and their welfare. Times of outside labor and times to draw inside and share the stories. The tribe of Israel wrote chants and songs which they taught their children. They honored God for the length of days, for the brilliance of the moon in their darkness and for their lives together. In this age, when we are so mobile and independent, we can lose sight of the incredible gifts in the world around us. These gifts are fragile and we are dependent on God and one another for our lives and continuance.

Today, as I stand in the full sunlight of summer, may my heart be ever grateful for the abundance of gifts we share. May we all give thanks for our interdependence and the created order which provides us with such beauty and abundance. May we all remember to turn and give thanks for these precious blessings, using the daylight to carry love to others in need.