Relief From The Heat
It’s
official. We who live here in the
Northeast (of the US) are in the middle of a heat wave! Last night at 9:00 pm, it
was still in the low 90’s. By 7:00 this morning it was already 84 degrees. It’s
been like this all week. And, it will be so for another day or two. (No I’m not trying to play weatherman!)
I’m
not complaining since I don’t really have any great love for the winter. But,
heat like this makes us all feel a bit drained—and, even a bit cranky. Everyone is a little slower and a bit more on
edge. I’ve noticed that even the traffic seems to slow down, probably due to
more cars giving up as well as accidents caused by exhausted drivers. After a few days of this kind of heat (and
humidity), we are all craving a little bit of relief.
So
we find a spot sitting by the fan. As
quickly as possible we move from the out-of-doors back into our air-conditioned
home or office (or even a mall). And, we
just naturally seek out water of any kind—at the beach by a pool, even a fountain. In fact, there is nothing like water to give
us a little bit of relief from the heat.
As
we travel through life, we all have times when we sense we need some relief.
Not just from hotter than normal temperatures, but from the difficulties and
pressures that creep into our lives; from the losses and disappointments that sadden
our hearts; from the mere busyness of life that sometimes seems to escalate out
of our control. So many things happen in
life that slow us down and exhaust us physically, emotionally,
spiritually. It’s not rare that we begin
to feel as if we could use a little bit of relief from the heat?
I
love what David wrote in his most famous of Psalms. “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes
me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3 – NIV – emphasis
mine)
David knew what it meant to be in need of relief. But he
also knew where to turn for that relief. He went to the LORD whom he knew to be
his shepherd. He turned to the One who would bring him into pastures and to the
waters at which he would find the restoration and relief he needed.
Are you today feeling the heat of life? Do you need a bit of relief? Let me encourage you to turn to the One who
is your shepherd, Jesus Christ. He invites you to come with your exhaustion,
weariness, and even your pain. And, He has
promised that as you come to him, “you
will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew
11:29 – NIV) In him you can find relief from the heat.
Stay cool and have a great day!
Pastor Tim Harris
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