HOW beautiful is summer, so full of happy life! The woods are alive with leaves, birds, butterflies, squirrels, rabbits and foxes; the grass is full of crickets, moles, caterpillars, spiders and all sorts of beautiful bugs; the cows under the trees drink of the refreshing stream; children rejoice that school is over and they can get out of the cities and enjoy the beautiful scene.
There are many lessons, dear children, we may learn from this, but there is one I would specially like to bring before us. In Job 12:7-97But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? (Job 12:7‑9) we read, “Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?” Yes, they can teach us that God has made them, so wonderful are they; yea more, that God feeds them, and they show that God’s goodness is over all. But while God’s goodness and power, as a creator, may easily be seen in all these things, yet God’s wonderful love has to be learned through another source. Where is it that God’s love is to be seen, or is told to us so fully? No doubt some of you can answer it right away. It was at the cross where God gave His only begotten Son to die in the place of sinners, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Yes, there is where God’s wonderful love has been shown to us. So we may, as we look at the beautiful creation, fear God, and give glory to Him and worship Him who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. But how much more reason there is that we should give praise and thanksgiving to God, as we think of the love in giving His Son for us. Dear children, may you not enjoy the beautiful summer without remembering that God gave us all these things, and constantly bear in mind that the Lord Jesus died for us in this very world.
J. T. A.
ML 06/17/1900