On Crisp, Cold Nights

It is very cold here tonight (disclaimer #1: I live in Georgia. "Very cold" here is anything below 42 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm not as hardcore as anyone who might be reading this blog in Canada, because I'm sure I have lots of Canucks reading my blog). Call me crazy, but I really like it when it gets cold! I like having to put on an extra coat. I like having to blow in my hands to keep them warm. I like drinking hot chocolate as it burns my mouth. I know--I'm weird.

There is, however, a method to the madness. I don't merely like the cold for the sake of it being cold. If I did, I wouldn't live in Georgia. I'd move to Antarctica and hang out with the penguins (who are, in fact, my favorite creatures on planet earth). I like it when it's cold because it reminds me of how good it feels to get warm. You know what I mean? For example, one of the greatest feelings in the world is coming inside on a cold night, shivering when you walk in the door, curling up in a blanket next to someone you care about (disclaimer #2: I am currently single in my relationship status. So, I sit next to my cat right now. Our relationship is rather one-sided at the moment), drinking some fresh hot chocolate, apple cider, or a cup of hot soup, and sitting there for a second while your body dethaws. It's a nice feeling.

It reminds me of the feeling I get when I come back to God. Sometimes, I find myself wandering around in this world, and I end up freezing spiritually. There is no joy in these spiritual "nights," such as there is in the evenings of late autumn. I get numb to the Holy Spirit, and I'm desensitized to the Word of God. I begin to feel the icy chill that only sinful habits and separation from our God can bring. And then, I come back home. I step inside God's abode of grace, love, and forgiveness. I shiver at what I've done and at how good God's presence makes me feel. I sit next to the one I love, dwelling in the beauty and majesty of the Lord. I drink in deep from his Word, and it refreshes me like only living water can do. Then, I just sit there. I sit, I wait, and my spirit is renewed as I abide with the Lord, and in my heart a steady fire begins to burn again.

So bring on the cold weather. Don't fear autumn's chill and winter's frost. Put on another pot of hot water. Light the fire in the fireplace. Bring out the thick coats and fleece blankets.

But keep me in the presence of the Lord.