June Prophetic Word: Summer Life
As we’ve entered the summer months in the States, I sense God inviting us to take a cue from the season. There’s a different rhythm to summer and with it, an invitation to slow down and unplug. With that change of pace, He’s inviting us to be intentional in drawing closer to Him, focus on the truly important things, let the rest fall away, and live life to the fullest with those we love.
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1Recently, the Lord led me to read the book of Ecclesiastes, authored by King Solomon, who was known for his wisdom. I love so much of what Solomon wrote. Reading “Song of Solomon” has massively deepened my intimacy with God, but . . . I really wasn’t excited about Ecclesiastes because it’s such a negative book, making it one I don’t often choose to read.
I discovered Ecclesiastes was written later in Solomon’s life after he’d turned away from God. It reveals the state of Solomon’s heart and spirit at that time, which is why it reads as it does – frustrated, futile, and gloomy.
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote he hated life and saw everything as “vanity” – emptiness, transitory, and unsatisfactory. He had everything, yet no matter what he had or what he did, he was empty. The man who possessed the greatest wisdom in the world was left wanting because he’d walked away from the only thing that could fulfill him – a deeply intimate relationship with God.
I believe God’s invitation for the month of June has a lot to do with what we can learn from Solomon in Ecclesiastes.
Multiple times and in different ways in Ecclesiastes, Solomon urges us to live each day to the fullest with joy. Too many of us have had joy sucked out of our every day as our time has revolved around what’s screaming the loudest. Our days pass in blurry routine without us really noticing until a large chunk of it has passed.
God is inviting us to enjoy life with Him, not just toil for things that won’t satisfy our souls, let alone our spirits.He’s inviting us to live a “summer life” - slow down, unplug, and live in the moment. Let things fall away that we don’t need to have taking our time and attention. Allow our focus to shift to Him. Listen to His voice. Meet with Him.
Breathe Him in like you’d breathe in the salty sea or fresh mountain air. Hold your breath for a moment. Let Him permeate every part of your being, then slowly exhale in His presence. Live fully in more moments with Him. Make time to hang out with Him as the friend He longs to be to you.
You know what caught my attention when I finished reading Ecclesiastes? It was the fact Song of Solomon, the “Divine Romance” of the Bridegroom and Bride authored by Solomon, is the very next book that follows. That spoke to me of God’s invitation to delight in, savor, and take pleasure in intimacy with Him.
Lean into God’s invitation to live life more slowly and more fully this month. Let worship in His presence envelop you.
Here’s a playlist to help you out.
Living for Him,
Andrea
P.S. If you'd like to sow a seed into the ministry Brian and I are doing by "buying us a coffee," please click the link below (more information is included on the page), and thank you for partnering with us!
Our Mission: Love Others Well & Empower Them to Do the Same
0 Comments