Grandma Rogers Devotionals

By Mary “Grandma” Rogers:

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest and cold and heat, and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 7:22 RSV

According to the verse I just read to you, we can always expect a change in the seasons; and according to the same verse, we can expect one to follow the other in perfect order.  We are also told in this verse that this season-following-season action, or day-following-night action will never end.  So, we can be assured that after a long winter, spring will eventually get here; and after spring, we tumble headlong into summer–the season in which we find ourselves now.

Oh!  The joys of summer!  It is true, we have very warm weather with our summers, but we also have a lot of other beautiful things that just go right along with warmer days.  For instance, I always feel that God is holding our earth especially close during a summer season.  He knows this is the season for planting, and sunshine and warm rains.  He knows it is the growing season and it is during this time that He provides us with our winter food.

Then, as if He knows we need food for our souls, He lets the flowers bloom.  It is only during summer that we see roses growing in yards and sometimes, if we’re lucky– wild ones along a roadside.  Along with roses, there are many other beautiful flowers.  We should take the time to appreciate all the people who plant flowers, – and to also thank God for letting them grow.  They are definitely one of our summer joys.

Along with the rain which is a much-needed item during the summer, we sometimes see a rainbow.  How beautiful they are!  Of course, God’s promise to never again destroy the earth with water always comes to my mind when I see a rainbow.  His words, “I shall set my bow in the clouds” is a promise to all of us that we need never fear this happening again to our earth.

Then, there are our summer vacations.  Some of us may go to the mountains; some may go to the sun-warmed sandy beaches; some of us just may go fishing on a quiet, rippling lake; some of us may use this time to visit family who live far away.  Wherever we are, God is there with us providing us with a much-needed rest and change of pace.  His son, Jesus, took very small mini-vacations — we might say — when he would draw apart from the crowds for a few quiet moments to himself.  He knew the value of rest.  Also, He wants us to have a pleasant time during our vacations.  He does not disapprove of us “being apart” — so to speak — from the crowds for a while.  He condones it.  He knows most of us are better people for it.  So, we have even our vacations for which to be thankful to our God.

Of course, none of us can spend all of our time on vacations — there is work to be done.  During this time of year, my thoughts always go to that group of special people who grow our food — the farmer.  How grateful we are to these folk — because they feed the world.  It is an honorable profession.  The words of Booker T. Washington reflect my thoughts when he says, and I quote, “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.”

Among our summer joys, let us not forget to remember what rests above us — our sky.  There is just something about a summer sky that is different.  For one thing, the skies seem  bigger; and for another, they seem bluer.  I love the skies in summer.  Just take time to look up at them every now and then,–day or night — and look at the great white clouds sailing along, or the millions of stars.  It’s as if the pageant of God is going by.  Don’t miss it.  And most of all, let us all take time to witness a sunset every now and then.  The poetess, Ruth Alla Wagner says all that is needed to  be said about sunsets when she writes:

The day is done
The sun has set,
Yet light still tints the sky;

My heart stands still
In reverence
For God is passing by.

Let us pray…
Dear Lord, we thank you for all our summer joys and all our summer blessings that you bestow upon us. Amen.

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Tags: Farming, Food, Joy, Light, Plants, Seasons, Summer
Filed under: Devotionals