Gina Caswell Kelly
Have you been enjoying the cold weather? We need to have the cold weather to help kill off pests, but it can surely present some problems! I live in the country. Living in the country presents some problems of its own during cold weather. You have to make sure you have a heat lamp in your well house and possibly heat tape around the exposed pipes. Fortunately, I have a “spare” son in Barrett who takes care of all that for me. I also left a sprinkler running just slightly in the yard to be sure water kept flowing. Sometimes you also need to leave a faucet just dripping in the house. And it never hurts to leave the doors under your sink open so the heat in the house can get to the pipes. It is such an adventure!
My adventure was added to with the fact that my heater went out one day. Some great guys came to fix it. I got up the next morning to no hot water in either heater, which points to a gas problem. The gas company was so quick to get it worked out for me. So, kudos to all those who step up for the “Widow Kelly” in times of need!
But here is my story. I was having to heat water on the stove in order to wash my dishes. I heated a couple of pots and poured it in. I knew I was going to have to add some cold water to get it down to a temperature I could put my hands in. It just did not take much cold water to cool down the hot water. And that is my point.
As Christians, God wants us to be on fire for Him. He wants us to be like hot water. But the world comes in, and if we are not careful, it just doesn’t take much of the world to cool our fire off. That is why we have to be so diligent about making sure we are wearing the full armor of God when we are out in the world. We are called to influence the world for Christ. Not to let the world change us! But so many times these days, in the name of tolerance, we are cooling down the message of God.
The world needs us to stand strong in our faith. To keep that fire lit all the time, especially when it is the hardest. Just like it didn’t take much cold water to cool down my dishwater, it does not take much of the world’s influence to cool us down. The Bible tells us to “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16: 13). In a world often marked by shifting values and challenges, this verse reminds us to anchor ourselves in our faith, remaining vigilant against temptations and doubts. And to keep on keeping on as we work to turn our world back to God.
Keep your water hot and your faith strong! It will make a difference!