Beyond Common Sense

As the temperature dropped to 12° this morning and the warmth from the basement wood stove didn’t seem to make it all the way to our room, I was cold when I hopped out of bed!  (I don’t usually hop, but cold has a way of making you move faster!)

After a morning chat with my husband and then daughter via cell phone, I decided to exercise first and warm up.  As I pumped those little German legs, I got hot!  Amazing what just ten minutes of exercise will do!

As part of my “cool down”, I chose to REALLY cool down and refilled the bird feeders.  Ah, the cold air sure felt good!

So what gets us “hot” spiritually?  As I listen to my son and daughter-in-law excitedly tell of their opportunity to witness to a coworker, I think, “Wow!  They are hot!”  Nothing sparks our spiritual adrenalin like a witnessing opportunity.  Any time we talk about our wonderful Lord, giving testimony to the great things He is doing in our lives, the chills are on the run!

And what “cools” us down?  Well, as I feed my little birdies, I realize that even though they are God’s special little creatures, they are not my main focus.  If I make them my main focus, I have just derailed from God’s channel for me.  If they start to take up all my time and devotion, I will grow cold.  Are birds bad?  No!  Is bird watching a bad thing?  Absolutely not!  But when any career or interest takes my heart away from Jesus, I will grow cold.  It’s like the coals beneath a roaring fire: take one away from the source and it will lose its shining amber glow and turn black.

Exercise gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing.  It gives us a healthy glow and a great start to a new day.  Spending time at the feet of Jesus will put a noticeable glow in our countenance – maybe enough that someone will “ask you a reason of the hope that is in you!”

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1Pe 3:15