Summary

Sunshine Word on the Week 21st September 2024.
At last – the sun shone on Ireland this week. It seemed like the summer was fast disappearing without the sun appearing to put a smile on our faces. The old song seemed appropriate -
So, how can you tell me you're lonely
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something to make you change your mind.
Well the sun did shine! Even on the National Ploughing Championships! For all three days this week!! Attendances were at record level. Over the three days it totalled 244,000 making it the largest outdoor event in Europe.
Although not mentioned directly the sun has a major part to play in the rhythms of nature. One Biblical promise which is important in a time of climate change is the Lord saying “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8 verse 22).
Of course with the sun playing such an important part in enabling us first to see and also to ripen foods to sustain life it is little wonder our forebears worshipped the sun. One of our oldest tombs at Newgrange was built to capture the rising sun as it breasts the adjacent hill on the shortest day. The rising rays penetrate the entrance and illuminate the passage way to the central tomb. The people’s efforts to have the celestial meet with the terrestrial were designed to bring the sun back for another summer.
Sun worshipping is among the forbidden forms of worship which distinguished God’s followers from all others. Deuteronomy 4 verses 15 to 20 lists things which attract idolaters. They include carved figures of persons or animals, birds or fish. Specifically, worship of the sun, moon and stars and all the host of heaven are forbidden.
There was a time when the sun did ‘forbear to shine’. And that was when Jesus was being crucified. The crucifixion started at 9.00 am and lasted till 3.00 pm. During the last three hours from 12 noon to 3 pm darkness covered the land, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two and Jesus using the words of Psalm 31 said ‘into your hand I commit my spirit’ and breathed his last (Luke 23 verse 44 to 46).
The Lamb of God was taking the sin of the world on his shoulders and as a perfect sin offering paid our debt with his life’s blood. Such a gift (John 3 verse 16).

May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
Amen and Amen. (Psalm 72 verse 17)