Adams sings this lament on a darkened stage. In the original cast, actor William Daniels projects such a mournful tone that nearly everyone in the audience feels chills of mourning ripple up their spines.
An exhausted courier has arrived to deliver a message to the Continental Congress from General George Washington at the forward line of the battle. The British forces have the upper hand. Washington has spent most of the last few weeks trying to rally his troops. Things do not look well. Victory appears to rest solely within the enemy’s grasp.
No wonder Adams delivers this lament. No wonder he feels overwhelmed by gloom and discouragement. It’s as if he recognizes a need to step away from the urgent matters pressing in around him and to begin to examine the very depths of his being. Has he done the right thing? Has he made the right choices? Has he stood for the right principles? Has he remained faithful to his cause? Has he clung to what is right and turned his back on what is wrong?
The period of “summer” in the life of most churches—that stretches from the first Sunday in June until the first Sunday in September—offers a time when many believers take what they belive to be a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle of church life. Typically, church programs take a hiatus. Attendance drops during this time. Many churches even structure their services to account for the many members who will number among the missing during this time.
In years past, say more than 100 years ago, summer typically offered believers in the Lord Jesus Christ an opportunity for penitence and preparation. Even though the agriculturally centered society saw summer as a very busy time, it also served as a time for spiritual renewal through camp meetings and other spiritual gatherings. It also served as a time to get ready for the thrust that would begin with the fall and extend through the winter months into spring.
In light of the changes that have taken place in our spiritual calendar, I am prompted to ask, “How goes it?”
“How goes what?” you may rightly respond.
“How goes your repenting and your preparing?”
You see, we far too often take the regular occurrence of a summer spiritual break for granted.
Oh, I know that some of you, drawing on the traditions of your childhood, may decide to take some of your vacation time to read a spiritual book or even spend some early morning or late evening time reading more from the Bible. I certainly will not fault you for deciding to follow the traditions established by your upbringing.
But, summer offers us so much more of an opportunity to examine the intimate details our lives during this deliberate three-month period. It offers a time of true introspection. It also offers us a time to enhance our spiritual awareness. It presents a window through which we should feel uniquely open to instruction in righteousness from God’s Word.
“Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?”
The Apostle Peter, in his first epistle, writes these words of warning to the fledgling church:
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
During this summer, why not take time to examine the nature and character of our own beings? We can become aware of the manner in which the enemy prowls around us. We can ask God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to reveal those places in our lives that leave us open and vulnerable to our enemy’s advances.
We must become aware that our enemy may have sown seeds of discouragement. We must look carefully to see if that prowling lion has begun to devour our desire to hold fast to the One who holds fast to us.
If we find the hungry lion lurking at our door, praise God we have a remedy. Peter continues:
“Resist him (Satan), standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:9-11)
Yes, indeed, we do not have to face our enemy alone. So, let’s stand firm! Let’s not be discouraged! Let’s not fall into the trap offered by the devouring lion to use any excuse to keep us from gathering with our brothers and sisters in Christ to worship Him on the Lord’s Day. Let’s not withhold our time, talent, and treasure. Let’s not let anything get in the way of our devotion to the Risen Christ during the summer.
I continue to believe that we stand at the starting point of an exciting, vital, soul-filling, life-breathing, spirit-energizing time of ministry in the life of the church.
During this season of summer—I believe with all my heart—a new day can begin right now, right here, today!
Will you join me in rededicating yourself to serving Christ? Will you join me in praying for a great outpouring of His Spirit? Will you join me? Will you?
Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.
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