HOT, HOT, HOT

    This last week or so has been unbelievable with the heat reaching to almost 50 degrees Celsius. We do not have air conditioning, therefore the only escape we have had is a couple of our friends. They have graciously opened their pool up to my family and me until this heat wave subsides. I watch the weather station and I see that in other places they are only getting rain. I find myself thinking. "Lord can you send a little bit of water this way.. Just enough to cool us for a short time." I am reminded of a time we went on a missions trip to the United States. On one of our stops, one of the pastors had said he would love to come over to Canada and visit us. His wife soon came back with "What?? Your going alone, I am not going to that cold, cold country. We herd several comments to this fact. Some actually thought we all lived in igloos. We would just look at each other and chuckle. Canada is far from cold in the summer. However this year we are breaking records and at this point, there seems to be no end to this heat.

    I find myself thinking about the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. (Luke 16:19-31) Lazarus was a beggar. He would sit each night at the gate of a rich man’s home. He hoped that the rich man would take compassion on him and offer him his scraps of food. That time never came because the rich man was too greedy and selfish. He only thought about himself and he did not care that Lazarus was starving. In time they both died and the rich man went to hell. It talks on how the rich man would call out begging for Lazarus to dip his finger into the water. He wanted Lazarus to bring him a drop of water to cool his tongue. He was in intense heat, but it was too late. There was no refuge. On these hot days maybe you have found refuge in an air conditioner or like me in a friends pool. When the day comes and you come face to face with God. Where will you find your refuge?
    There are many people who do not believe that hell even exists. Some believe the thought that once saved always saved. Others believe that hell will have different degrees of punishment for sin. The more sever the sin the greater the punishment. I have also saw people who believe that they will get into heaven through someone else’s good works. They believe well my family member believes in God and is going, and therefore I will go with them. Some believe that only sinners will be judged. My question is.. What if they are wrong?? Even Jesus himself believed in hell. I do believe that we will be surprised on who we see go to heaven and hell. I believe there are no degrees of sin. God sees sin as sin. He sees us all as sinner and he loves us regardless. The amazing part of it all is we do not have to suffer the heat. Jesus paid the penalty so we could find refuge from the heat.  I heard it once said that "until you believe in hell you can not actually believe in the bad new of hell. Therefore you will never be able to understand the good news of Jesus." The whole truth is whatever you believe, Jesus came down to earth to die on the cross for each and everyone of us. He paid the price so we did not have to pay the price in hell. We do not have to be in the heat. He wants to be our refuge. Not just for a short time but for eternity.