The Air of Summer

The Air of Summer

For nine months a year, our coastal New England town lies in quiet hibernation.

Then there’s summer. 

As June rolls into July, the seaside community near our house bursts into life with a glimpse of nostalgic innocence.  It’s a postcard of traditional Americana, with cedar-shake homes overlooking wind-swept rocky shorelines.  As each day winds down, the fragrance of backyard barbeques fills the air.  Youngsters snake past on gleeful twilight bike rides, and families gather for yard games or sunset strolls on the beach.

Throughout the long days of summer, an open window in my home invites this magical seasonal aura to come and go.  The hypnotic ambience of the Atlantic surf is accented by faint shrieks of joy from beachgoers frolicking in the waves.  In the evening, muted tones of music and laughter float on the ocean breeze, at times accompanied by the eerie call of a distant foghorn.  There’s never a need to remind me of the wonders of summer as long as my window stays open.  They’re a constant presence in my home.

As Christians, one of our goals should be to experience and maintain this kind of constant presence with God.  1 Chronicles 22:19 tells us to “seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.”  You might wonder how we can do that when we have so many other daily responsibilities… kids… jobs… all the distractions of life.

Perhaps a key concept is simply to keep a window open for God at all times – a continual awareness of the reality that God is always present.  Just like an open window allows the splendor of summer to filter into our homes, we can invite the presence of God to infiltrate our lives. Listening to Christian music, following daily spiritual posts on social media, and creating Godly visual cues in our homes or workplaces are just a few great ways to keep our hearts and minds continually present on Him.

We can’t always exist “in the moment,” like a twilight walk on a perfect summer evening, but we can perpetually leave ourselves open to the spiritually enriching air of God’s presence.

Ron Reid