July 25

Jul 25 - Today from Proverbs 25 we look at verse 13
"Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters."

My grandpa on my mom's side was a very moral man. I never knew him to drink. I never saw any kind of alcoholic beverages in or near his home - with one exception: The haying season. Back in those days the only 'modern advantage' available was a bailer. Everything else was done by hand. Lifting and throwing bales on the wagon. Stacking the bales - over one's head. Unloading the bales into the barn. Trip after trip, it was hot and the labor intensive. It was the only time I ever saw beer on my grandpa's farm. Ice cold beer. For the men who desired, it was a very special thirst-quenching reward for a hard day's labor.
The harvest season in the mid-east is very dry. It falls between the former and the latter rains. It is often hot, and the air is very dry. The labor was all manual. One can well imagine how thirsty the laborers got after a day in the fields. For those who lived near the mountains, there was the possibility of a very special treat. If the mountains were high and the conditions right, there were snow caps. The landowner might dispatch one or two of his most able servants to climb to the snowline and gather as many containers of snow as they could handle, and then get back as quickly as possible. The result; an incredibly refreshing treat for the hot and thirsty field laborers, ice cold water! A real treat in an age where there was no refrigeration. Something we take quite for granted today.
Our teacher says that is an idea of how refreshing it is to have the confidence in someone who represents you to clearly communicate your message. In those days Kings and noblemen used couriers for long distance communications. If the material were sensitive, the courier would have to commit the message to memory. If the message were written, and he were captured, the message would fall into enemy hands. The Kings and noblemen also used ambassadors. They were to clearly represent their master's intentions and decisions. They were never allowed to contaminate the masters expressed positions with their own opinions. In order to prosper in their position, the ambassadors had to know the heart and mind of their masters quite intimately. The ambassador was indeed a messenger. His attitudes, words and actions were constantly conveying a message that directly affected how the host perceived the master. You can well imagine how pleased and delighted a master was when he discovered and employed a servant who knew his intentions and positions well, and consistently represented them in the most clear fashion. It was like a cup of that ice-cold water during the heat of the harvest.
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." (2 Cor. 5:20)
How does that thought strike you? What a tremendous privilege we have. And, what a tremendous responsibility! On the day you understood that Jesus had redeemed you from the power of sin, from the wrath of God, and from eternal death, and you repented of your sin and accepted Him as your Lord and Master - you became His ambassador. You are no longer of this world. You no longer belong to yourself. You are in this world representing His kingdom. Have you come to grips with that profound truth? How can we represent Him? By spending time with Him. By knowing His intentions and positions on the matters of life. By sharing the Good News, which He has entrusted to us. By letting Him lead through the work of His Holy Spirit. It's a tall order, but His grace is sufficient.
The church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-18 is in danger of being spit out of God's mouth for being lukewarm. Laodicea means "rights of the people". It appears that this church contaminated God's expressed will and position by introducing their rights into His position. They still had some areas that they felt they belonged to themselves. Ambassadors are not allowed to do that. God is ready to spit them out because they are neither hot nor cold. Either of those beverages can be refreshing. A lukewarm beverage is kind of disgusting. It seems to go against our theology to think that we can refresh God - doesn't it? We too often think that He exists to refresh us (and He does). But relationships are a two-way street. Being a Christian is being in relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ our Lord.