Summer is Here!

SUMMER is here – at least the weather. With the temps in the 80s and air conditioning moving from a “luxury” to a “necessity”, we’re reminded how our Father in heaven takes such good care of us – beyond what we need or deserve. Praise His name every day for that and thank Him with our songs of praise and our lives of purposeful Christian living! With school ending in the grade schools, high schools, and colleges, we take time to give thanks to God for faithful teachers, student mentors, and institutions of learning who help us better understand this great world that God has given us. Start making a list of what God has given you (instead of focusing on what we don’t have) and you will soon see how great, gracious, and kind our God is! And this Memorial Day, thank God for our service men and women who serve (and some who fought and died) to give us our freedoms in America.

You are likely making fun plans for summer activities like vacations, outings, kids’ activities, and barbeques. Do it! Take time to “rest up” and make memories with your family be it in the Wisconsin Dells, on the ball diamond, at the lake or even in the backyard. But also take time to spiritually rest by filling up on God’s Word … even in the summer.

Remember that the devil never takes a vacation from his active work of doubt-casting and temptation-seeking as he tries to disconnect us from the “one thing needful” that Jesus described to Martha in Luke 10: 38-42 … the regular hearing of God’s Word.

Open your Bibles and read that section of Holy Scripture as it helps us with our earthly priorities. Of all our responsibilities, Jesus clearly explained that the hearing of God’s Word, the Law which shows our great need for God every moment and the Gospel which sustains our fragile faith as we recharge on God’s love in Christ for us is the most important activity we can do as we remember we are strangers here and heaven is our home. What a refreshing thought to ponder that God never takes a vacation from us (His angels are constantly protecting us and providing little things like air conditioning and bigger things like safe travel) … and welcomes us to worship Him each week for needed strength, hope, and forgiveness through Christ Jesus in a world that is filled with empty promises, despair, and death.

Summer time is a traditional time when church attendance goes down in churches across America – not just ours. But, let’s be different at Epiphany! Let’s remember what God has told each of us. Let’s commit to coming to God’s house each week during the summer! Let’s remember the truly awesome privilege we have in worshiping our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Sanctifier – the Triune God. Let’s bring our songs of thanks and our prayers of intercession to the one who hears and answers in mighty ways. Let’s access the sacraments of Baptism and Lord’s Supper to refresh our souls. Let’s bring our families, friends, and even ourselves as we find spiritual rest in Jesus each week of the summer at Epiphany and set a Christian example to others as we shine as bright lights in this dark world. And remember to welcome that visitor or guest who joins us for worship – we have lots of those over the summer.

Will you make plans to join us … for Jesus’ sake?