It's Hot!

The last few days the tempatures have hovered around the 110 degree mark. In case you were wondering - that's hot! The heat wave has led to record energy demands but, fortunately, so far there have been no black outs. Also, in the evenings it will cool down to the almost bearable point so we get some temporary relief. But there isn't much you can do when it is this hot. It is just plain uncomfortable.

The heat brings out different reactions in people. It reveals to us just how much we crave personal comfort. When we get uncomfortable we can get pretty grumpy. A lot of people complain when it gets so hot. Others just look for the coolest place they can find and become passive, trying to preserve their energy any way they can.

The same thing can happen to us in a spiritual realm. As Christians we are warned that we will face opposition and persecution. Peter tells us not to be surprised by the fiery trials we will face (1 Peter4:12). Yet many Christians don't do so well when the heat gets turned up. The opposition may come from family members, classmates, or co-workers. We can be slandered and misstreated. Some Christians get grumpy, whiny, and complain when this happens. Others just try to find a cool spot and become passive in living for the Lord. Even as Christians we can still crave a comfortable, hassle free life.

We can learn from Daniel's friends mentioned in Daniel 3. They were facing opposition from the most powerful man on earth and if they did not comply with King Nebuchadnezzar's command, they would literally be thrown into a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego didn't compromise, they stood up to the pressure and they were willing to suffer for the Lord. They were prepared to take the heat. They demonstrated a level of conviction that few of us know anything about. There was something they valued more than their own comfort and that was to honor the Lord. There was something they feared more than the King's word and that was the Word of the King of kings.

So let's use these "dog days" of summer as a way to practice the right attitude. Let's not be fixated on personal comfort but on obedience to our glorious Lord. We've been saved from the ultimate fires of judgment, let's rejoice in the abundant life He has given us which isn't dependent on outward circumstance. Amen? Amen!

If you'll excuse me now, I'm going to go jump in the pool. Maranatha.