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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Wednesday, July 16, 2003 "Cold and Hot" |
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Frontline Devotion for Wednesday, July 16, 2003 By Penny Risen
We all are creatures who need comfort, and I admit here and now I'm a hot weather wimp.
To me, air conditioning is essential in the sauna we call Washington Summer. Living here more than a decade, I also consider having an ice dispenser on my refrigerator a right.
When my home air conditioning was out of commission for several days, I tried hard to slow down and cope. I even startled a colleague by showing up 10 minutes early for a meeting over iced coffee -- just to chill out!
But since those lovely, half-moon-shaped ice cubes kept on dropping out of my fridge door and landing in my glass, I kept my sanity. Kerplunk, kerplunk -- day and night they offered relief and comfort to a hot and bothered me.
One place I don't need ice is in my heart. It's the most uncomfortable feeling I know.
But ice can land there inside and stay for days. When I discover a friend is ill or hurting, if I learn someone I care about lied to me, or when I hear a loved one has died -- my heart can resemble a tumbler full of ice cubes.
Have you ever carried around a heart full of ice? You keep waiting for it to melt, but there it is:
Chilling you down to your soul as you go about your everyday tasks.
Hearing a kind word from others, seeking reconciliation or forgiveness, giving it to God in prayer, or getting news that a situation actually isn't as bad as you'd feared -- all can help to melt that ice.
A few days ago I learned that a friend, who had been in a coma, was finally alert and going home. When those wonderful words came over the phone, a warm, comfortable feeling spread over me.
I sensed the chunks of ice melting in my heart, ice that I'd carried around for weeks.
The grieving Martha, a close friend of Jesus, was carrying around a huge block of ice in her heart.
It hurt so much that she rushed down the road from Bethany to meet Jesus and tell Him.
The passage in John 11 tells us how Jesus had delayed for days in coming to her aid. As their brother lay dying, Martha and her sister Mary waited and held to their faith that He would come.
But Lazarus died and was buried -- leaving cold, empty feelings in Martha and Mary.
Jesus' words to Martha finally melted that painful ice in her heart, because her faith in Jesus burned with such intensity. Imagine how warm the hearts of all in Bethany must have felt, when Jesus called Lazarus out of the cold tomb and into the hot sunlight.
Jesus said to Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Lord," she said. "I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." Yes, the raising of Lazarus was a very hot miracle -- so hot that it burned worry and anger into the chief priests and Pharisees in Jerusalem. They decided after His awesome deed of resurrection in Bethany Jesus must die, and from that moment on they plotted to take His life.
When we are filled with an icy chill toward someone, or are angry, impatient and dismayed with the world, let's remember God loves us with passion and intensity. He boldly sent His Son to die so all might live: No lukewarm emotions here.
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, fill us with the warmth of faith and melt our doubts. Let us live each day like Martha -- comforted that You are strongest when we are at our weakest. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.