Priceless Summer

Introduction

Gen. 8:22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Program Ideas

Field Trip

If you live near the ocean or a lake, take the women on a field trip where they can just sit for a while and contemplate the beauty of creation. Ask them to note things that they may not have noticed previously. When you return to the building, ask them to share what they observed.

Virtual Trip

If leaving your building is difficult, go on a virtual trip by showing videos of oceans and beaches. National

Geographic has several video’s available on YouTube.

Sand Art in a Bottle

Create sand art using a water bottle, salt and side-walk chalk. For instructions visit YouTube “sand art.”

Sand Candle

Check on YouTube for directions on making sand candles.

Frames

Purchase inexpensive frames from the 99cent store and decorate with seashells.

Make Sandcastles

Use kinetic sand, which will hold its shape. Have molds and beach toys to help the women create a masterpiece.

Refreshments

Serve watermelon and fruit kabobs. Or have an ice cream bar with an assortment of ice creams and toppings.

Priceless Summer

When you hear the words “priceless summer,” what comes to your mind? Is it riding the waves on an inflated canvas raft during high tide? Or is it building a sandcastle at low tide on the beach? Is it the adventure of riding on a speedboat? Possibly it’s that first summer job? Is it accepting the Lord as your savior at summer camp? What are some of your highlights about summers past?

God wants you to have a priceless summer all year. He already paid the price for you by sending His Son, Jesus, to save you from your sins and so that you can live a blameless life. He believes in you. Unfortunately, life is not always smooth sailing. There are many rough times, and we find ourselves facing many problems.

Job’s wife seemed to have a comfortable life until God accepted a challenge from Satan to test her husband, Job. Chapter 1 recounts the loss (Job 2:8-10) “…as Job sat among the ashes. “His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Think about some things you have said to others in haste. Are we sometimes like Job’s wife, quick to judge others. How much better would his wife’s reaction have been if she had reached out with compassion.

We can learn many lessons from Job. While he curses the day he is born, he does not curse God. Job is more concerned about his children cursing God than his wife. He made sacrifices for them. Her words about cursing God may have been for Job to admit that God was the source of the suffering and to give up the struggle.  Maybe her intentions for Job were to accept defeat and view God as the Judge. Can’t you see her sitting right next to Job after her outburst among the ashes and weeping?

Grief invokes many things and many words—not all of them, good. Shock, anger, depression, silence, loss—all are needed in the grieving process before we can even begin to rejoice and have a spirit of celebration. The tides are turning. Moving and yet never the same. The ocean can be such a soothing experience of letting go and letting God. The Lord’s ways are not our ways. He looks at the heart. Some people compare Job’s wife’s life to the life of Eve and how she spoke out of turn and fell into the deception of the devil in Genesis 3. Job’s wife’s words may have been a test to Job. We don’t know.

Have you ever tried to fly a kite at the beach?  It is either a good experience or bad one. In the Bible, Adam does follow Eve’s suggestion by partaking of the forbidden fruit whereas Job does not take the suggestion of his wife. It should encourage us that Job does not call her foolish, just her suggestion. Believing she mirrored her husband’s righteousness; God restored her in Job 42.  Do you find yourself struggling this summer with circumstances that you don’t understand. Give them to the Lord who loves you. He is full of compassion and wants you to bring all your hurts to Him.

Prayer

Give each woman a floating candle to put into a children’s pool or have individual bowls on each table. Let’s light a floating candle to ask God to give light to our eyes.

Dear Lord. As we add our candle to the bowl, we ask you to let us give light to those we meet each day reflecting your glory. From the very beginning, you created an atmosphere where life can flourish. We know light is crucial for our growth, and so we pray today that you give light to our eyes that we might see You in this priceless season of summer. We are not alone because You promised us Your Comforter, to be with us. You care for us by giving each one of us different days. As we give thanks for the season of summer, may we reflect on summers past, and how they shaped us. Jesus may Your will for our lives be evident as we spend time outdoors in the sun and in the water. May we capture a sense of wonder as we think about the season of summer and the significance it holds. In Jesus’ name. Amen.