Gentle Freeze Prevents Deep Freeze!
Southern Florida has been experiencing some unusually cool weather this winter. (Of course this is the winter that we choose to be in the state for our sabbatical leave, but that is a bit off topic!). For a period of ten days, the temperature was hovering around the freezing point during the nights. This is a major concern especially for the strawberry farmers. I was intrigued to learn that in order to protect their massive fields of strawberries from freezing to death, the farmers sprayed cold water on the berries so they would be covered with a light sheet of ice as a protection from the cold weather. This gentle freeze protected the crop from the deep freeze that would mean their destruction!
I could not help but compare this with God’s care of his children. There are surely times when He puts us through the uncomfortable gentle freeze so that we might not freeze to death! Hebrews chapter twelve verse five says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Facing something uncomfortable today? God is protecting us through this from an even greater harm.