Looking to the Creator of the Heavens in the “Dog Days of Summer”

I only learned recently that the term “Dog Days of Summer” is derived from a Hellenistic Greek belief about the star system Sirius.  It was believed the “Dog Star” brought about heat, drought, mad dogs and other maladies, like fevers.  In much of the Northern Hemisphere the “Dog Days of Summer” are from mid-July to mid-September (even though Sirius is most prominent in our sky in the winter).  This probably has nothing to do with anything any of you are preaching.  But weird trivia sometimes finds a place in our discussions of Creation and our Creator.  Psalm 147:3-5 says of that One, “He heals the brokenhearted, And binds up their wounds.  He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.  Great is our Lord, and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.”  The ancients were not wrong to look into the stars for clues about Creation, but they definitely added a lot of superstition to their interpretation of what they saw.  As I look to the heavens these late summer nights and wonder about what’s beyond the great beyond, I see it as a reminder of the infinite understanding of the God who created it all.  He probably doesn’t call Sirius “the Dog star” but He alone knows it’s real name, just as He alone knows the real you.

 Summer Newsletter is Out!

The Summer 2020 edition of the InFaith: Northwest Oregon newsletter will be in the mail soon.  If you would like to read it electronically before it arrives in your mailbox, simply click here - https://www.nworinfaith.org/newsletters .

August Events:

•             Area Coordinators’ Annual Meeting                         August 17-18
For the InFaith area coordinators in the Northwest Field (Oregon, Idaho and Washington).  It is an online meeting this year, so I will still be in the office, but my phone and internet my be tied up those two days.

•             Sandy Area Pastors’ Breakfast                                   August 19, 9 AM               Tollgate Inn, Sandy

•             Portland Area Pastors’ Prayer                                    August 27, 10 AM            Woodland Park Chapel, Portland

•             NWxNW Ministry Leader’s Fellowship                     August 31, 10 AM            Hudson Park Bible Church, Rainier
Join us for The second of what we are hoping will be a monthly gathering of church leaders from the far northwest area of our field.  No agenda except the Lord’s – a time of prayer and sharing among fellow shepherds.

 Caroline and I will be spending today and Wednesday enjoying some of the Lord’s creative handiwork.  I will be back in the office Thursday.  May God bless you abundantly!

Tom Hiscox, NW Oregon Area Missionary
thiscox@infaith.org