Salt And Summer

Summer has hit! It sizzles. It scorches. It bakes. It fries eggs on asphalt! It's summer!

That's why I've been out in the garden digging and weeding. That's why I've been walking behind my power mower, pushing it up and down the lawn. That's why I've been fighting with the weed whacker to trim the edges of my lawn. That's also why I've been heeding the health care warnings to replenish the sodium and potassium in my body. Thus, I eat salt, drink lots of water, then eat a nutritious bar — all designed to replace what my body sweats out in the heat.

The other afternoon, when I was seeking something salty, I thought about life in desert or sub-tropical climates — climates like Israel's. I remembered my visit there and how hot it was in May. At 9:00 a.m. on top of Masada, it was already in the triple digits Fahrenheit. At Qumran, it was 130 F in the shade! Even Jerusalem sizzled in the mid-90s F. That's hot! So our bus driver kept coolers filled with water laced with necessary minerals. All this also brought to mind our Lord's words:

Matthew 5:13 – You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (NIV)

Salt: something so simple and essential to health is useless if it loses its properties. Likewise, we Christians can become useless for God's work if we allow the way we live our lives to dilute our witness to Jesus.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may our walk always match our talk. May our words and lives become salt and light for the lost. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook