As I write this blog I’m enjoying warmth and sunshine it seems I’ve not seen or experienced for months. I feel very blessed and grateful sitting on my patio soaking up the wonderful rays of sunshine on this beautiful spring day as I contemplate the benefits of the sun. So naturally I do what everybody does and Google the “benefits of sunshine” to find out the following:
The sun is essential for life on earth. It heats up our atmosphere, so life won’t freeze. In outer space, as you move away from the sun the temperature drops to 450 degrees below zero. All life, from bacteria to elephants, needs liquid water to survive and all animals need plants to survive.
Sunshine is essential for good health. It improves our bodies’ production of vitamin D while it lowers blood pressure, helps maintain muscles, protects from inflammation and improves brain function and vision. It also reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes, boosts and stimulates our immune system to help stave off infections and fight disease and reduces cancer risk.
Exposure to sunlight for just 10-15 minutes a day increases the body’s level of serotonin, a brain chemical that helps promote feelings of happiness (and may alleviate symptoms of depression), improves sleep and helps us to feel full, producing weight loss. This exposure to sunlight heals skin disorders, as UV rays can be beneficial to the treatment of eczema, acne and psoriasis. Sunlight improves brain function by directly affecting the brain’s pineal gland (which produces the powerful antioxidant melatonin), helps us sleep and helps overall brain function. These are some of the essential needs and benefits derived from the sun, which is a mere 93 million miles distant from the earth. To summarize: we need the sun for life, and there are additional benefits from just 10-15 minutes a day of exposure.
As against the sun’s 93 million miles, the Son of God is close and near. Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God, which transcends all understanding, and will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Not only is he near but he hears and understands your prayers and petitions!
Remember, God does not want you or me to be depressed or sad; however, we all know that circumstances sometimes have that effect on us. The best solution that I’ve been able to discover is described in the Bible verse above. “REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS” . . . “THE LORD IS NEAR” . . . “DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING” . . . PRAY!
Rejoice about what? Rejoice because Jesus Christ has paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins! Rejoice if you have been born again and are a child of God, which means you’ve prayed the sinner’s prayer asking God for forgiveness for your sins and accepted Jesus as your personal Savior. Rejoice because you’ve been adopted by God and are a joint heir to Jesus Christ. Rejoice because Jesus is near and hears and answers your prayer.
Do not be anxious about anything, because you believe in a big God who spoke the world into existence. You believe he knows your personal circumstances, he knows what’s best for you, he loves and cares about you and absolutely wants the very best for YOU! He placed the sun perfectly, so it would not be too close that we might burn up or too far away that life of any kind would not exist.
The warmth of the sun that I’ve missed for months feels wonderful . . . the benefits of the sun that we can all attain simply by going outside and soaking up its rays . . . the sun that is available to every man, woman and child in every corner of the world regardless of race, color or gender produces the same benefits for all.
The peace and love of God are available today. The benefits of being a child of God can be attained simply by asking for forgiveness and accepting Jesus as your personal savior. The Son of God that is available to every man, woman and child in every corner of the world regardless of race, color or gender produces the same benefits: JOY, PEACE, COMFORT, LOVE, REST, PURPOSE.
If it’s been a long time since you’ve experienced this or if you’ve never experienced this, TODAY is your day to feel the warmth of the son of God as he opens his arms to you and says, “I LOVE YOU.” Matt. 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
