He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3, ESV)
Our team had our first event of the fall season this past week in Daytona Beach, Florida. Having grown up in Indiana and still adjusting to living in the south, the heat has been a bit more than I am accustomed to. The heat index was over 100 degrees before noon, each day of the event. The air was stagnant, glasses fogged as soon as you walked out the door, and beads of sweat happened faster than you could swing a few times. I continue to grow in my thankfulness for air conditioning!
Healthy plants can bear fruit even when the season is abnormally hot, because they are deeply-rooted.As the round progressed, the heat revealed if you were hydrated and had the mental and physical stamina to finish as strong as you started. This got me thinking, How do you and I respond to the heat in our lives? You know I don’t mean the outdoor temperature. Rather, what is our response to our circumstances?
There are seasons in life when the heat seems to be turned up. At other times, it is very pleasant; it is far easier to breathe and have energy for all that is happening.
You may have noticed that our prayer lives and our desire to read the Bible can go from very little to a whole lot when the temperature gauge goes up. We’re responding to the heat in a sort of spiritual panic. But it would be easier to turn to him and have the stamina to withstand the heat if we spend time with God all along.
A trouble-free life does not exist this side of heaven. When heat comes, do you respond in faith or unbelief, pride or humility, people-pleasing or God-fearing, service or selfishness?
Take time to reflect on what your tendencies are when heat hits. Healthy plants can bear fruit even when the season is abnormally hot, because they are deeply-rooted. Psalm 1 compares the righteous to a tree planted by streams of water. God is always enough and in him there is an endless supply of nourishment for our weary souls. No matter the season, the righteous man or woman of God can still produce fruit, not because of their own goodness, but because of the source they are connected to.
Getting enough fluids on the golf course is important, as you ought to care for your physical body. It is of infinite importance that you also tend to your soul and drink deeply from the Word of God by parking your heart, mind, body and soul in his presence long enough to let the Word wash over you each day. The heat in your life right now may very well be the very best thing for your soul. God does not make mistakes. May we be men and women who are firmly rooted in the one who has the springs of eternal life.
—
Aimee Neff
September 20, 2018
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.