One thing we deal with in the mountains is the sudden change in temperature.
Yesterday Dave and I took a drive into Springerville, about 25 miles away from the campground. It’s a lower elevation so we expected the temperatures to be warmer on this beautiful summer’s day.
We spent a couple hours shopping, running errands and having lunch. As we left town to head back to the campground Dave glanced at the temperature on the dash and it said 97*. Within 10 minutes it had dropped to 74* and in another 5 minutes, when we were in a rain downpour, it read 58*. This was 40* of cooling in less than twenty minutes.
A sudden change for sure.
By the time we arrived back at the campground the rain had stopped and the temperature settled at 75*. Still a significant change. Things cool off quickly in the mountains.
But what about the temperature in our lives. How suddenly do they change?
Certain people have a way of changing my temperature. I can cool off quickly with some and with others I may reach a boiling point. Situations and circumstances have a way of bringing about a definite change.
Take a look at the Apostle Peter.
He is having dinner with Jesus and the other disciples and swears, yes swears, that he will always be loyal to Jesus. Everyone else may desert Jesus but he never will. Just hours later, in the garden, Peter tries to defend Jesus from the soldiers and wields a sword cutting off one of their ears.
Now fast forward another couple of hours. Peter is standing in a courtyard, warming himself by a fire when he is confronted by a servant girl. She accuses him of knowing Jesus. Peter has now cooled in his dedication and makes his first denial of knowing Christ. There will be two more times in this setting that Peter speaks forth denials.
At first he is red hot in his enthusiasm for the Lord and then there’s a sudden change brought on by circumstances and his commitment becomes cold.
Oh! How many times have I been like Peter? Around my christian friends my testimony was strong. My faith seemed monumental. Then in a different surrounding, among those I don’t know as well, my testimony cooled. That has happened more times then I would like to admit.
But here’s the good news. After Jesus rose from the grave he confronted Peter and forgave Him. He gave Peter a new mission. Jesus gave Peter the charge to feed the sheep, better known as Jesus’ followers. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter accepted that role and he never backed down again.
No more sudden changes.
“But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” Acts 1:8 CEV
The Lord has given us the same power. My daily ambition is no more drops in my spiritual temperature. I desire to be fired up in my testimony. Burning brightly in what I say and do. How about you?
No more sudden changes!