We are in the grips of a winter blast. The chill is bone deep. I don't like that kind of chill. It makes me hurt, not just from the cold, but there are some neurological issues I have to contend with that this kind of cold magnifies.
Still, I am reminded that God gave us pain to help us protect our bodies. If it hurts, stop. Pain helps us set limits we would fail to set without the trigger of discomfort.
The same goes for that bone deep chill. Cover up, snuggle up and stay put. It is a warning to us to make good choices about wearing proper outerwear when outside and to be mindful of personal safety. Be prepared with gas, a blanket and a fully charged phone.
There is another kind of bone deep chill. It is the kind that is more like a sixth sense about danger. When the Wisemen (the magi) arrived seeking the new King, King Herod's behavior caused them to not return. He was acting a little crazy.
Okay. Herod was crazy, but I am not sure the travelers knew it. It didn't take long for them to realize they would not go back to the palace after they found the King they were seeking. Being with King Herod was unsettling.
" And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities[a] of Judah, or a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”-Matthew 2:6-8
They would find Jesus. They would choose another way home. They would not return to Herod.
Today, I am grateful for bone deep chills.
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