06/05/2026
A wonderful message shared in this month's Salem newsletter..
Chasing the Sun, Resting in the Son ☀ ✝
After a long winter and a stubborn spring, there is something almost sacred about the first truly warm day of summer. We throw open windows. We linger outside. We chase sunlight across patios, gardens, baseball fields, and front porches. Somehow, sunshine has a way of waking us back up.
God knew what he was doing when He created the sun.
Its warmth draws us outdoors and toward one another. It paints sunsets in impossible colors and coaxes flowers from the ground.
We instinctively turn our faces toward it after months of gray skies. The sun nourishes the earth, brightens our mood, and reminds us that darkness never lasts forever.
But as wonderful as the sun is, it still sets every evening.
The warm fades. Storm clouds roll in. Summer eventually gives way to colder seasons once again. Even the brightest day cannot sustain us forever.
That may be why the sunshine so often points me toward something greater: the Son.
Jesus described Himself as “the light of the world.” Not temporary light. Not a seasonal warmth. A steady, unfailing light that no darkness can overcome. While the sun brightens our days, the Son brightens our souls. While the sun warms our skin, the Son restores weary hearts.
Summer has a way of filling our calendars quickly. Vacations, cookouts, ballgames, weddings, festivals, and long evenings can keep us wonderfully busy. There is nothing wrong with
enjoying these gifts. In fact joy itself is a gift from God. But
somewhere between sunscreen and schedules, it is easy to soak in the sunshine while forgetting the One who made it.
Maybe this summer can be different.
Maybe every sunrise can remind us of God’s mercy that is “new every morning.”
Maybe the rising sun can remind us of the risen Son.
Maybe every warm breeze can remind us of the gentle ways God still moves in our lives.
Maybe every gathering around picnic tables and bonfires can
remind us that we were created for fellowship, for community, and for love.
And Maybe, while we are enjoying the sun, we can spend a little more time with the Son.
A quiet morning prayer on the porch. A Bible resting open beside a glass of lemonade. A conversation about faith during an evening
walk. A moment of gratitude whispered during a spectacular sunset. Thesesmall moments matter. They root us in something deeper than the changing seasons.
Because unlike summer, Christ does not fade.
His light reaches into grief, uncertainty, loneliness, and fear. His warmth comforts us when life grows cold. His promises remain steady long after the tan lines disappear and the last fireflies of July
are gone.
So enjoy the sunshine this season. Sit by the lake. Plant the flowers. Eat the ice cream. Watch the sunsets linger late into the evening
sky. Laugh loudly with people you love.
But while you are enjoying the sun, don’t forget the Son. One warms the earth for season. The other warms the soul for eternity.
