[Dailydevo] Daily Devotion Tuesday July 12, 2005

[Barry Ludwig]

Daily Devotions Tuesday  July12,  2005

The devoter this week is Karen Ludwig. The texts this week focus on the
theme of “heat”. In these hot days of summer, we need to use good protective
clothing and sunscreen to avoid getting burned.  God also, does not want us
to get burned.

Jonah 4: 8

God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah
so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for
me to die than to live.”

Meditation

In these hot summer days we know we must not stay out in the heat too long.
We could get burned like Jonah with that sultry east wind. I had my
“Jonahesque”  moment a few years back when I was in Washington D.C. in early
July, temperatures were in the 90’s and I was trying to fit in as many sites
as possible, walking as much as possible and—not drinking enough water. I
was ill for 2 days because I did not follow sensible precautions. I now have
water and sunscreen readily available when I venture outside on hot days. 

God put   Jonah on the “Hot Seat” in order to teach a simple lesson.  Jonah
was grieving the loss of a bush he had to provide shade prior to the arrival
of that sultry east wind.  God was trying to get Jonah to see the bigger
picture. More important than that bush was the potential heat of destruction
for the Ninevehites for whom God had mercy.

Is the heat getting to us so that we can’t see the bigger picture God has
planned for us?

Are we distracted from believing the affirmation like Jonah: “I know that
you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in
steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing”.

Hydrate yourself on this wonderful promise this week as you dodge the heat. 

 


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.10/43 - Release Date: 7/6/2005
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/dailydevo_zlc-aa.org/attachments/20050712/8671989a/attachment.htm