“We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing. Similarly, we ought not to ask why the human mind troubles to fathom the secrets of the heavens,” Johannes Kepler. Read this quote today, deeper than my usual ones, been pondering on it. Birds express themselves in joyful song, singing because they want to, not because they have to. I guess we humans, having a desire to learn the mysteries of the universe, will always look toward the heavens and want to know the secrets there.

Today was too cool and too windy to do any porch pondering. I watched the birds on the feeders outside the lady den windows, watched the bamboo bend and sway in the wind. The squirrels scampered up and down the bamboo trunks, latching on with their claws when the wind rushed through. The cardinals, chased off the feeders by the quarreling purple finches, retreated to the bamboo forest, perched there with their feather crests blowing in the wind.

The sun’s rays were hidden today by grey and purple storm clouds, piled up thick and heavy. Henry Ward Beecher said, “The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy.” God created the sun to bring light and happiness to the whole world. Scripture in Genesis reads, “God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.”

God’s presence and guidance in our lives are symbolized by the sun. Biblical scripture says “God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” When we walk in “God’s light” we live our life in accordance with God’s commandments. In John 8:12 Jesus says, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”

Sometimes storm clouds boil up in our lives when we’re not prepared. Clouds change shape, get darker, get lighter and fade away. These storms in our lives make us appreciate all the sunny days. When life clouds our views of God he is still steadfastly beside us. Even when we can’t see the sun we can feel her warmth. God’s grace and light shines on everyone. He offers the warmth of his love just as the sun offers her warmth to the earth. God is always present in our lives but we take him for granted just as we take for granted the glorious rays of the sun and the luminious light of the moon.

We realize God’s strength when we go through storms in our ordinary days. We can choose to pray, believing in God’s love and the promise of tomorrow, or be miserable in the darkness not believing the sun will shine. How boring our lives and our skies would be without the colors and shapes of clouds. Not all the clouds obscure the sun. Just like God’s love, the sun is always shining even when the clouds thicken and hide the rays.

Psalm 84:11 says, “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield.” God gives us the warmth of his love and protects us just as the rays of the sun light the earth, giving warmth to the day. Let God be your sun as you walk through life and you’ll will never walk in darkness.

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” — James M. Barrie