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SUMMERTIME
Larry Steffee 2021


        June 21, 2023, is the first official day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, otherwise called the summer solstice.  Many people, however, treat Memorial Day weekend, which occurred May 27-29 this year, as the unoffical kickoff of the summer season.     The first day of summer is the longest day of the year as far as the number of hours of sunlight, and it is because the Sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky.

        “Words from Above” in the Bible tell us about Jesus relating summer being near to His return for His Church being near.  In Matthew 24, Jesus instructed His disciples to learn a parable of the fig tree, telling them that when the branch of the fig tree is still tender and begins to put forth its leaves, that this is an indication that summer is near.  He said that in the same way, His return for His Church was near when a number of different signs occurred.

        Jesus emphasized that the day of His return was not known to anyone, not even the angels of heaven, but only to His heavenly Father.  He also compared His return to the days of Noah prior to the Flood, when people were going about their daily routines totally unaware of the coming of the Flood.  He said that two people would be working in the field, and two people grinding at the mill, with one being taken and the other left.  He warned His disciples that they needed to be constantly watching for His return, because they did not know what day nor hour He would come back.  He further indicated that when they least expected His return, that’s when He was likely to come back for His Church.

        Today, we might liken what Jesus was saying to school children who ride a bus to school, because it is obvious that they need to be ready when the bus arrives at their home.  When the bus arrives, this is not the time to get out of bed, nor is it the time to start getting ready to go out the door to get on the bus.  When the bus arrives, this means it is time to be ready to be at the spot where they board the bus.  Of course, the big difference with being ready for the bus to arrive is that children have a good idea about when the bus is supposed to get there.  The bus may not arrive at exactly the very same minute every single day, but children know the approximate time for its arrival.  It is far worse to miss the Rapture than to miss the bus.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com