BE CAUTIOUS IN THE HEAT

             During the last few weeks a heat wave gripped most of the country.  Great effort was made to help people, particularly the elderly, cope with the temperatures.  Cooling stations were opened, water was distributed and many organizations sponsored drives to provide widow air conditioning units or fans for those who needed them.  Yet, with all these efforts, almost one hundred persons are reported to have died from the heat.

            This situation can sneak up on someone.  The first heat related death where I knew the victim personally was a tennis playing mate in Pensacola.  He was a retired military man in his sixties.  Like many of the retired military in the area he owned a boat.  One day he was at the dock working on the boat, a day that was not unusually hot for the season but sunny and hot out in the sun.  He collapsed and was rushed to the hospital with a heat stroke.  He never regained consciousness and lived only a couple of days.  The lesson to me and others was to be aware of the danger of heat and take precautions for it.

            Having played tennis with him and talking of religious matters as a group on occasion, I was aware that he was not a church attendee and wondered about his relationship with God.  Attending his memorial service I perceived that his wife and family were not church oriented.  I regretted not taking time on the court to discuss with him his personal relationship with God.

            This lends another lesson.  Take opportunity to talk with others in every setting about their relationship with God. 

            Also be sure of your own salvation.  Death often comes suddenly and in a multitude of ways.  “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14)

             You and I need to be ready.         

           

Grace and peace.