“When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” — Jeremiah 8:18-22

This is a wonderful passage of Scripture written by the mighty Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. I am sure that all of us have preached messages from the phrases contained therein. I want to take a moment and share a few thoughts and make an application from the phrase, “the summer is ended.”

Looking Back on Summer

Looking back over the past few months we can all recall the funerals and weddings, camps and VBS, summer revivals and powerful church services, meetings, and even family vacations. My wife and I had the opportunity to take an Alaskan cruise with the Collingsworth Family, Greater Vision, Babbie Mason, Dennis Swanberg, and others. It was a gift from our church for 30 years of service. The highlight of the trip was Glacier Bay National Park. It was an awe-inspiring time for us. To experience firsthand the majesty and wonder of our Creator was an unforgettable privilege. In addition to all of the summer activities, our church is in the process of a building and remodeling project too.

Autumn Is Upon Us

And now, summer has ended and autumn is upon us. The college students have moved away and the children are back in school. We find ourselves in the “normal routine” of ministry. The routine is not all that bad, as long as the routine doesn’t become a rut. For the autumn season is another time for fruitful ministry — one more soul, one more child, one more student, one more family to experience the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We could say it like this: “the summer has ended and they are not saved.”

Time to Continue the Work

The summer has ended, so it is time for us to continue the work. As Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

It was a superb summer; now we look forward to a fantastic fall!!

See you all in Canton in October!!