The Heat Is On!
Record heat waves are sweeping the nation throughout the summer. Where do you go when the heat is on? Do you hide indoors or venture out? Heat can make us uncomfortable, and who wants to feel uncomfortable? But if we find places that are okay to be in the heat, we can tolerate the temperatures much more readily. A pool, shoreline, or breezy deck might be places where heat becomes tolerable—maybe even somewhat enjoyable. Because of our bodies’ design, we can handle a certain amount of heat. We sweat to take our internal temperatures down. We drink water to stay hydrated. And we slow down our activities so our bodies do not overheat on their own.
Mental heat enters each of our lives in the form of pressure, stress, or a lack of calm. You might feel in the “hot seat” when facing a challenging board meeting, job interview, or human resource corrective action. Your face might turn red or flush when you become embroiled in conflict or shamed by another. People will tug at their collars or roll up their sleeves when they experience unsettling things at work or home. Both actions signify that things are getting “hot” inside. How do we respond to these times of heat in our lives?
Water, in scripture, is a symbol of spiritual nourishment and the remedy for never allowing the heat to overtake us. Jeremiah 17:8-9 says, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Access to this spiritual water, according to this scripture, comes from trust in the Lord. When the heat is on, we need to immerse ourselves deep into scripture and find those words that will bring comfort and relief to our circumstances.
In the New Testament, Jesus intentionally goes to a well in Samaria at noon, where he encounters a woman who needs to hear life-giving words. Instead of going to the well in the early morning or late evening, when the heat is less, this woman goes in the middle of the day, and Jesus meets her there. Perhaps her life circumstances require that she face the heat. Jesus knows everything about this woman and yet invites the woman to ask Him for the living water that will satiate her thirsty soul.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water….but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life”.
John 4:10&14
When Jesus acknowledges that He knows all about her circumstances and yet offers her the gift of living water that leads to eternal life, she becomes so thrilled that she tells everyone she can in her town, and they come to see for themselves. Because she encountered Jesus in the heat of her day, she led many others to discover Him, too.
When we experience intense heat, dry spiritual patches, or discomfort, let us tap into the reserves our spiritual body offers: Trust in the Lord. Place your confidence in Him. Ask Him for the living water that only He can supply. And, send your roots down deep into His word. Know it. Refer to it often. Remind yourself of the promises of God. Heat typically passes. It is seasonal. But one thing is for sure: it will come again. How will you be ready?
Come worship with us at Connections Church where we prepare for seasons of drought and celebrate seasons of plenty.
Erin M. Reynolds, Ph.D.
linkedin.com/in/drerinmreynolds
Friend of Connections Church
