This Monday, June 21, 2021 is the Summer Solstice. The event, which ushers in the longest day and shortest night of the summer season for those in the northern hemisphere, happens when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer.  At this time, the Earth is at a point where its tilt is at the greatest angle to the plane of orbit, resulting in one hemisphere receiving more sunlight and longer day than the other.

I love the Summer Solstice though I grew up in the Tropics and it is not possible to experience it there. I like that I can do more with the extra hours of daylight, and the hours of darkness are shortened.

The Bible has a wonderful story about extended daylight. In the Book of Joshua, God performed a stupendous miracle that allowed the Israelites to defeat their enemies.

“At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel” (Joshua 10: 12-14, New International Version).

It’s interesting that the English word “solstice” comes from the Latin “solstitium” which means “sun standing still”. Joshua prayed, and God performed a miracle. He supernaturally caused the sun to stand still so r Joshua’s army could win its battle. While the lengthened day was indeed unlike anything ever seen, perhaps the greater miracle may have been that God listened to Joshua and answered his amazing prayer.

Very soon, something even more amazing will happen to those who become victors over the enemy of this world. Describing the New Jerusalem, the City of God, John writes:

“And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. – Revelation 21:23-27.

In heaven, there will be nothing but unending day, uninterrupted light, the purest, cleanest, most radiant light in the universe – the light that dispelled the darkness when God started His creative works in Genesis 1.I can’t wait to experience those never-ending days with lots of time to so much and more.

Until then, I am content to enjoy this longest day of the year. Perhaps, you too can take a walk after dinner, sit in the shade, or reflect on God’s kindness in designing the earth and the seasons the way they are. Happy Summer Solstice.

Maggie