"The temperature is going to be 32 degrees tomorrow morning," my husband announced as I woke up today. "You will need to go turn the furnace on in the boat." UGH. 🌡❄
I knew colder weather was soon upon us and I have been dreading it. (I do NOT complain about the extensive 100 degree Texas sunny days!) After living in WI for 30+ years, surely I can handle a few cold snaps during fall and winter in TX. I keep asking myself why is this temporary cold so bothersome? Finally I realized-the boat! Our camperesque live-on boat located closer to work to reduce commute time is the source of my cold weather stress. If the engines, generator, or water in the lines on the boat freeze, it wreaks havoc.
As I laid under warm blankets worrying and whiney about the cold and boat, a blog post I read yesterday came to mind and suddenly put everything into a totally different perspective...
From https://www.appleofhiseye.org
Micha's Devotion https://www.appleofhiseye.org/connect/blog
Written by Micha Cohen
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 2:14-17)
In Bible college, I had a hermeneutics class where we focused on these four verses for a whole semester! They are now my life verses!
In Roman days there would be processions celebrating the return of a king with his captives behind him. We are Jesus' captives. We used to be captive to sin, but now we're HIS captives!
Whenever we talk about Jesus, people will respond in one of two ways. To some, we stink like "death." They respond in anger. To others, we're the sweet smell of Jesus, of "life." They praise God we're there!
One time while doing an outreach in Israel during Sukkot an Orthodox Jewish man came up and attacked us and tried to tear down our booth. He saw I was videotaping his attack and he hit me in the face a few times and stole my camera. Some secular guys took it back from him and returned it to me. Then two women in full Islamic coverings came over and asked, "Why did that man attack you?" We told them it was because we believed in Jesus. They asked, "Why didn't you fight back?" We told them again it was because we believed in Jesus. They asked if we had anything they could read about what we believed, and we gave them a New Testament in Arabic! Praise God!
It's worth it to find those whom God is drawing to Himself out there and be willing to face those who think we stink!
From Devotions from the Field, copyright 2013 Jews for Jesus.
Dramatically different perspective-people's lives and eternity... In the course of life, the boat and potential consequences of freezing is "small potatoes" to quote my brother. But the potential consequences of sharing Jesus is eternal! For a world that desperately needs HOPE, PEACE, JOY, the grace of Jesus is life-giving, now and for all eternity.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. From Romans 3
In Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. From Ephesians 1
What are the "cold weather" situations that cause you to worry or whine? How can the importance of God's lavish love for you through the grace of Jesus Christ help you put life's priorities in perspective? How can you share God's love with others-starting with those closest to you and rippling out?
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