Beating the Heat!

With temperatures still in the nineties during mid-September, the extremes have those of us in central Illinois asking, “How do we beat the heat?”  The conventional answers include staying inside (if you have air conditioning), taking breaks in shady areas, seeking out a shelter like a library or other public buildings, using fans to move the air, keeping hydrated, and similar strategies.

Electronic WBGT Meter
Creator: SrA Willard E. Grande II

We are fairly “weather wise” in keeping up through our local news station. It does a great job of informing us about trending weather conditions related to the temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. I noticed this late summer, as high school football athletes were preparing for the fall season, that the sports staff at the station added additional stories about a metric that is being used to measure heat stress.

This device is known by its acronym – WBGT which stands for “wet-bulb globe temperature.” Now, that’s a mouthful! What’s interesting is that the coaches were engaging the players to help determine when the conditions during practices required immediate intervention. Then, the team would shed their pads and seek out shade or cooler places to rest and insist that players immediately hydrate themselves.

WBGT has been around since the 1950’s and was first used by the military to reduce heat related illnesses and tragic instances of death during training events. Today, this device is being used by high schools and colleges to determine the degree upon which athletes have been exposed to dangerous levels of heat stress, high humidity, stagnant air, and too much direct sunlight in their practice environment!

In calculating WBGT, wind speed is a critical factor. Moving air helps sweat evaporate and lowers body temperature. I think there are some parallel applications related to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. In the Scriptures, the wind is an often-used symbol for the Holy Spirit. In the Greek, the word is Pneuma (breath, spirit or soul) and in Hebrew, it is Ruach (breeze, storm). If our spiritual environment becomes heavy, oppressive, or suffocating, we cannot survive in our own strength. The Holy Spirit is like that much needed breeze on a heat stressed day.

Jesus described the mysterious work of the Spirit to a sophisticated Pharisee named Nicodemus who came to Him at night with questions about His work and influence. Jesus said to this educated religious leader, “You must be ‘born from above’ out of this world, so to speak.” Then He continued, “You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it is headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.” (John 3:7-8, The Message).

How often have you found yourself swirling and running in circles of worry and concern? You were stewing about this and that and fretting over a stressful situation. You were spiraling downward with a chain reaction of negative “what if” thoughts. And you sorely needed the Holy Spirit to blow through that stress, carry your burden, and speak to God on your behalf!

I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to God in prayer and asked the Holy Spirit to do what I could not. “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to say, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves… and keeps us present before God.” (Romans 8:26-27, MSG).

I continue to regard Paul’s instruction as a wonderful promise about the Spirit’s work in our prayer lives, “He does our praying in and for us!” I think I can speak for many, if not most of us, every day we need the Holy Spirit to help us “beat the heat” of our stresses, worries and concerns with His intercession and intervention!

Join me in praying one of the great hymns of our faith, “Holy Spirit, breathe on me, fill me with power divine; kindle a flame of love and zeal within this heart of mine. Holy Spirit, breathe on me till I am all Thine own, until my will is lost in Thine, to live for Thee alone. Breathe on me, breathe on me; Holy Spirit, breathe on me. Take Thou my heart, cleanse every part; Holy Spirit, breathe on me.” (Edwin Hatch, words; B.B. McKinney, music).

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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