The snow the weather people promised hit us last night. As you can see in the photo, at least 4” of snow fell. As I was cleaning off the cars, I shuddered from the realization that some people do this EVERY day during the winter. For those people who brave REAL wintry weather, I take my hat, gloves, and boots off to you. May your coffee and showers always be hot!
The surprising thing about our weather this weekend was that Wednesday and Thursday were spring-like! Those two days were warm. The birds were active. I left my coats at home. How quickly the weather can change on us –prepared or not!
Early last fall I bought a windshield scraper for Marie and myself for our respective cars. We broke two of them a couple of years ago and three Walmart stores were out of them. I wasn’t able to find any until last fall. I wanted to be prepared to dig us out when we needed to. Prestone makes a washer fluid that will ‘defrost’ and keep the ice from sticking to your windshield. An ice scraper, deicing fluid, and a broom made my job easier. Despite all of that, digging these cars out was cold, wet, and time consuming work. It’s a pain but it had to be done.
Yet, I wonder, do we prepare as intensely to keep our souls from icing over as we do our cars?
How many of us have allowed the unexpected weather of life to chill us, freeze us, and smother us in ice? It doesn’t take long before the bitter freezing cold steals all of your strength, vitality, and leaves you shivering. Strange as it may sound but hypothermia doesn’t kill just during the winter. And we attribute colds to winter but ‘summer colds’ affect us as well.
King Solomon, tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to ‘watch over our heart’. This is so true on many different levels. We must protect our heart with better nutrition and exercise. We must insulate our heart from emotional and spiritual attacks that threaten our lives. Defending ourselves from the difficulties of this world is no laughing matter. The devil is seeking all kinds of people to pick off and devour (1 Peter 5:8-9). It is time we ALL focus on winterizing our hearts against the bitter feelings, fear, doubt, and exhaustion that WILL over take us. The devil delights in stripping away every piece of insulation and warm clothing we have. The devil will attack and delightfully watch us fall, naked and freezing, in the snow to die from exposure.
How do you ‘guard your heart’? Defend yourself from the schemes of the devil by ‘resisting him’. The only way to do that is to ‘draw near to God’ (James 4:7). The only way to draw near to God is ‘seek his face continually’ (Psalm 105:3-4). But most importantly, the only way to seek out a HOLY God is to be holy ourselves (1 Peter 2:9) and free of sin (Romans 6:23). The gift of God is an eternal, personal, compassionate, and loving relationship with the KING of the universe!
This is grandest feeling in all the world! I know my God, Creator, and Savior PERSONALLY and he knows me! This is the way I defend my soul from icing over. This is the way I stand against the devil –on my knees before God.
Is this my answer for all the famines, sickness, wars, and poverty in this world? In short, ABSOLUTELY! Will it be easy? If you ask that question, you don’t know the devil. Of course, it won’t be easy. Nothing worth fighting for is ever easy. And if you won’t take responsibility for defending your own soul against destruction no one else can. So, suit up! Put on the ‘full armor of God’ (Ephesians 6:11-17) and take your stand against the devil.
I call upon men and women, but especially men, to keep your swords bright and sharp, your armor shiny and well kept, and your mind and body in good shape for the battles ahead. We are not just defending our souls from harm. We are defending our wives and children, friends and neighbors from harm. Men, when you and I learn how to defend ourselves, it is only second nature to teach other men to do the same.
The King proclaims this, “Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.” Stand true! Stand fast! Guard yourself against the wintry blasts of the devil! And pray for the coming of spring, when the RISEN King declares that all things are accomplished! (Revelation 22:12-13)
