Release

June 10, 2023

Summer used to be different, a whole lot different.

When summer finally got here, we were out of school. We could sleep past 6:30 in the morning. We could hike in the woods all morning or ride our bikes into town. We could go swimming in the creek, or over the hill at the lake, on a sunny day. There was time to rest our brains from a grueling school year, ten months long. Getting out of school for the summer was like having a weight lifted.

As I got older, a few responsibilities intruded, like delivering newspapers or Little League practice. Still, most of the day remained unscheduled.

I miss that kind of summer. Now it seems there is always something that needs to be done or a place I need to be. I still need rest, more than ever. Adults used to shoulder most of the responsibilities for my care. Now I am that adult.

How can we find that same feeling of release now? Some Bible advice: “Be still and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10. That means that you are NOT God, so you don’t have to take blame or credit for all that goes on. I Peter 5:7 says to cast all your cares on God, for he cares for you. Matthew 6:34 says not to worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of it’s own.

So many verses tell us to bring our cares to God. To get that carefree feeling we used to have each summer, we’ve got to give our cares to God, not just share them with him.

I want to live with the joy of a kid out of school for the summer. I’m not a weightlifter, Lord, you take it!