Moments come, moments go

Moments come and moments go - we walk in and out of harm's way - moments of safety and moments of harm. What we do to prepare before the moment comes determines how we will face the moment when it does. We desire protection, but do you know what brings protection into our lives quicker than anything else? Being prepared! When I go out into the desert, I take water - more than I will likely need, but sufficient to be prepared for the extreme heat. When I take a hot pan from the oven, I reach for the pot holders - I know the heat will burn me, so I 'insulate' against it. When I get into the car, I buckle up - preparing for the worst, but trusting I will not need their 'tug' of safety. Moments come and moments go - what we do with this moment today may be what helps us prepare for the moments that are about to come.

Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength. (Psalm 138:1-3)

I take water into the desert - because nothing can sap me of my energies and sound thinking quicker than heat dehydrating my body. We need living water to reinfuse our souls and spirits equally as much, if not more than we need that water for our bodies. We may not even notice how the moments of life have turned from 'tolerable' to 'too hot for comfort'. The heat is turned up slowly and slowly, our spirits and souls taking the toll because we have not prepared to drink deeply of the living water that can refresh both. Christ is that living water - we need to drink him in daily - but we also need to be prepared to drink him in the 'in-between' moments when we just need to 'replenish' and 'refresh' our spirits. 

I anticipate the heat - knowing full well it will bring harm into my life if there is nothing to insulate me from the scorching effects it produces. For us to be burned, we have to be close enough to the source of the heat to actually begin to feel it. Sometimes we need to be close to the heat - it is where we are supposed to be - in order to 'take from the heat' that which does not belong in it. When the pie crust is lightly brown I want to remove it from the heat of the oven. It doesn't belong there now and I need to remove it from the ever increasing scorch of the heat produced within that oven. There are moments in life when we are called upon to reach out a hand to rescue from the fire those who have no way of escape without our help. Be prepared to insulate yourself from the extreme heat by taking time now to ensure all you need as a defense against that heat is in place in your life.

I buckle up - hoping I will never need to be saved by the application of those belts against my body, but knowing there will come times when they will hold me tightly when I need it most. Seat belts aren't restrictive - they enhance the protection we receive when we need it most. God often tugs at our hearts, not in a restrictive way, but at moments when a 'collision' is likely to take us out. That 'restrictive' tug is there because God has prepared a way of escape when we need it most. The 'belt' of God's protection isn't hard to understand - it is the belt of truth - truth woven into every fiber of our being ahead of time - as prepared warriors ready for the moment when the attack will come. We defend because we are prepared - we are alerted to the attack by the tug upon our hearts.

Moments come and moments go - be prepared for them when they do! Just sayin!