After that, I felt like a walking candle when I went around bareheaded. With all that body heat flashing out, I’m surprised that my hair didn’t catch on fire.
I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t just telling you any old thing so I did a little Internet research to make sure this statistic was right. In truth, there’s a bit of controversy.
One site says that the figure is between seven and fifty-five percent. But, the British newspaper website, the Guardian online, says that’s a lot of baloney, you don’t lose more heat out of the top of your head than through any other exposed surface of your body. (Being British they probably actually thought the statistic was “rubbish” instead of “baloney”).
Of course it also says that sugar doesn’t make kids hyperactive so I don’t know if you can trust them or not.
Nose Hats?
Actually, the Guardian opinion seems to be the consensus now. You lose heat equally fast through any exposed part of your body.
So maybe we should knit little toboggans to hang on our noses. And if your wife drags the covers on to her side in the winter exposing your innocent foot, its body heat will leave at an alarming rate. Which might give you the right to put it against her warm, cover-stealing self—if you’re brave enough.
But one thing emerges from this deep scientific study that we just did: if your skin is exposed, your body heat leaks out. Which brings us to a spiritual question.
In your Christian life, are you leaking all your heat? Your answer to this is capital.
Are You Leaking?
The Lord sent a “special delivery” letter to a bunch of Christians in a place called Laodicea.
“I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I’m about to spit you out of my mouth. After all, you say, ‘I’m rich, and I’ve grown wealthy, and I don’t need a thing.’ You don’t realize that you are miserable, pathetic, poor, blind, and naked. (Revelation 3:15-17, Common English Bible)
At least the fellow who is cold knows he needs to pull his foot back under the covers (or swipe a few covers from his sleeping wife). However, this lukewarm fellow has substituted other things for a close relationship with the Lord Jesus.
If you feel that you’re cold or lukewarm spiritually, what should you do?
Well, you buy gold. That’s good advice these days, isn’t it? “…buy gold from me … and white clothing to wear … and ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see.” (Rev. 3:18). What’s the Lord on about here?
He’s talking about eternal gold, eternally pure clothes, medicine that will cure forever. Is all your investment in Wall Street? Is almost all of your joy in something that can be taken away? Better get some investments in the Bank of Heaven, then.
So, how? “…be earnest and change your hearts and lives.” (3:19). You need to turn towards the Lord Jesus and repent of your lukewarm attitude towards Him. Reorder your life in order to obey Him.
Hey, there’s someone at the door! Do you hear that knocking? “”Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me.” (3:20, CEV)
Strange, this altar call verse of all altar call verses was addressed to lukewarm people who had put their faith in God, but other things—gold, clothes, good health, etc.–had taken the place of intimacy.
What happens if you open the door so that the Lord can come in? “I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me.”
Eating is more than eating when you’re with good friends. There’s a drawing together. The Lord is knocking so we’ll open up the door that we’ve shut against Him. Now, we can have that close, WARM relationship that we had with Him before.
There’s nothing like that in all the universe.
Have you been losing spiritual heat? Don’t close the door, open it! His presence will warm you like nothing else.
Has there been a time in your spiritual life that the Lord warmed you after a period of coldness? What happened? Did you seek it or did God simply come to you? Let’s hear your response.
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Think About It—
” Don’t be 100 steps ahead of others…they can’t see you… Be one step ahead of them so that they can see you and follow you…” 1 Corinthians 11:1 Sam Maloney