“Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter.” (Psalm 74:16-17 NLT)

Starlight and the sun, summer and winter are featured in Psalm 74. They all belong to God. As Creator, He regulates time and seasons. And as His creation, we have the opportunity to experience how His truth regulates our lives.

Like starlight, in dark or difficult times, His wisdom gives us sparks of hope pointing to better days ahead. 

Like the sun, His truth shines. It directs our path or redirects us when we have gone astray. But Truth has a name — Jesus. In John, He is referred to as “the Word.” Here is one description of His power.

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” ((John 1:46 NLT).

I’m grateful for how His light shines. It pierces the darkness and shatters its hold on our souls.

And yet, I choose to walk in the light of God’s truth — or I choose to walk toward something less than what He has in mind.

Even in His creation, He shows us the beauty of light.

Consider the summer solstice, the first day of summer. Depending on where we live in relation to the equator, we have 14 to 16 hours of daylight. The winter solstice, with 12 hours or less of daylight, pales by comparison. And yet, winter has its place in God’s purpose too.

But with the longer days of summer, how will we use the extended sunshine?

I plan to take longer walks on the beach or try a new recipe on the grill.

From fragrant gardens to finding our favorite getaway, the pleasantries of summer are many.

But Psalm 73 also tells us “God set the boundaries of the earth.” They are the pleasant lines He draws around the globe and around our lives for His unique purpose. (see Psalm 16:5-8)

I aim to live within His lines in every season. Walking in His light enables me to see the trap of distractions. Their subtle disruptions can dull my sense of purpose and take my focus off God.

“But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”  (1 John 1:7 NLT)

No matter where you and I find ourselves this summer, this verse paints a redemptive picture.

Living in the light is a gift. It allows us to take full advantage of the grace God gives us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

He gives us grace to grow closer to Him and grace to grow in our relationships with others. Through Him, we are cleansed of our sins. In Him, we gain strength to forgive someone else.

This summer, both day and night, may we bask in the joy of knowing God. He holds the time and the seasons. But He also holds us in His hands, so we can make the most of the light.

This post is part of the "Joy to the Soul Summer" series. Each post has reflections on the season and scriptural inspirations to encourage your faith. Sign up to receive updates. Also, share this series with a friend and encourage their faith too! Read more from the series here.