How we British people love the sunshine and the heat of the sun! Just to have a few days of real summer is a treat for us especially in the light of many past summers when we haven’t seen much sun and in past summers it has even been cold. The sun beaming down always reminds me of God’s love pouring out on us, on each of us humans – no-one is exempt.

When the heat is on, we say that we are pressured or squeezed into a corner. It is at these times that making decisions can be disastrous and certainly not wise. The opposite is true, also. When everything seems to be going right and the world seems a good place and everything around seems alright, we can easily be presumptuous and do things without careful thought. I know I’m in danger of doing the latter.

God encourages us: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man(or woman)but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) When the heat is on us, God is nearby to help us and provide the way through.

Sometimes, children can be unwise in the heat especially if they don’t have suncream on or don’t have a hat/cap on or don’t have protective clothes on that shield their upper arms and bodies from the sun’s intense heat (especially at this time in the UK). They need protection just like we adults do but they need to be taught the ways of being safe outside in the sunshine even remembering to drink more than usual. Children can be so vulnerable to sun stroke and damage to their skin can affect them even in the distant future.

May the “sun not scorch you by day or the moon by night” (Psalm 91) as we each learn God’s ways in our lives and learn to rest in His love for us that leads us into green pastures of good things. It might be good to play in the sunny green pastures but we need to look out for each other to prevent permanent damage – so with our relationship with God, we need to look out for each other so that if any of us are in danger, we can help each other out and provide the protection that each of us needs. Ultimately it is Jesus Christ who provides the protection we need throughout life – he’s dealt with the sin that so easily besets us and provides a means of healing us within and without but we each need to put on that protective armour mentioned in Ephesians 6 as we still have a roaring lion of an enemy who tries to trap us, yet we are winners keeping close to Jesus, our Saviour and Mighty God, who provides the right heat at the right time to keep us in balance.So, for our children!