“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.” (Revelation 3:15-17 The Message Bible)
In 2015, Jamie Osnato authored an article related to why you get colder when you age. I looked it up because here I sat at the computer, with a winter jacket on. I’m cold. It’s one o’clock in the morning, and the temperature outside is 48 degrees. The thermostat is at 74 and the furnace is working. But I’m cold. My desk is right by a register, but I’m cold. There is no draft coming through the windows. As you can tell by the temperature outside at this moment, we are having some Spring weather in January. So, it is not the sub-zero temperatures we experienced here in the Midwest just a few days ago. But guess what? I’m still cold! I just finished drinking out of my turquoise cup that says, “Coffee Before Talkie.” But, yes, “I’m still cold! So, L reviewed the article mentioned above.
I’m getting older, turning seventy-five in a few days, February 5th to be exact. So, yes, I’m cold and old. Smile! (I said “smile, not laugh!)Ms. Osnato discuss five reasons that we get colder as we get older. That could be a title for a rap release for the OG’s! Just kidding! Here are the reasons we get colder as we get older: (1) One’s circulation decreases. (2) Your skin is thinner. (3) Your metabolism rate decreases. (4) You may have an underlying health condition. (5) The older we get, the higher our chances of experiencing hypothermia.
Now you know that Mark Writes is not a health issue publication. It is a Christian life publication, purposely designed to keep you God-conscious and Christ centered every day of the year. So, today, my real purpose for writing today’s meditation is to prompt whether you are still on fire for the Lord or you need a little spark to heighten your holy flame. Listen! Don’t be cold or even lukewarm my friend, set your soul on fire. Look at the words below, composed by Gene Bartlett, copyrighted in 1965, and played by my father, the Superintendent at the time, every Sunday at the Sunday School’s weekly general assembly, a time when all the classes gathered together before the worship service started. It was a time when even right after Sunday School the sanctuary was filled, and you had to rush to get to your favorite pew. Perhaps the words below will help you or inspire you. Don’t forget the scriptures above! Hopefully, you are not like the recipients of the Lord’s letter from which they were taken. Surely it does not speak to you, right? But in case you do need to move from cold to hot in your Christian life endeavors, let it speak to you! Dare I go further, as a cheerleader for the Lord, “Let’s get fired up! Let’s get fired up!” Have a fantastic Friday! Be blessed!
SET MY SOUL AFIRE
SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, FOR THY HOLY WORD,
BURN IT DEEP WITH-IN ME, LET THY VOICE BE HEARD.
MILLIONS GROPE IN DARKNESS, IN THIS DAY AND HOUR,
I WILL BE A WITNESS, FILL ME WITH THY POW’R
SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, SET MY SOUL AFIRE,
MAKE MY LIFE A WITNESS OF THY SAVING POW’R,
MILLIONS GROPE IN DARKNESS, WAITING FOR THY WORD,
SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, SET MY SOUL AFIRE
SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, FOR THE LOST IN SIN,
GIVE TO ME A PASSION AS I SEEK TO WIN.
HELP ME NOT TO FALTER, NEVER LET ME FAIL,
FILL ME WITH THY SPIRIT, LET THY WILL PREVAIL.
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King