There are two types of people. The first are those that bake themselves in the sun and enjoy it! The hot sweatiness seems to bring them joy. The stifling air doesn’t seem to bother them. Their ability to understand the heat is baffling.

Then there are the rest of us. We are the ones who check the temperature and humidity before we set foot outside, apply sunscreen, and have sunglasses in hand. We can endure a hot summer day as long as we have a glass of iced tea and a shady place to sit. Because - - let’s face it - - shade makes the sun bearable.

When Isaiah describes what life would be like for God’s people when the Messiah appeared, he used the imagery of shade during the heat of the day. When summer is at its hottest, and you think you can’t last another moment in the sun, it’s amazing what a little shade will do. Shade enables a person to endure the heat for just a little bit longer.

Jesus is shade on a hot summer day for believers. When life seems overwhelming or unbearable, a little “one on one” time with Jesus can give us the strength to make it through the day. Though our circumstances may not change, HIS presence brings relief from the heat of the moment. When we sit in HIS shade, we are refreshed before heading back out into the heat of our daily lives.

Prayer –

Without you Lord, this life would be unbearable. The heat of the day would be too much. Thank you for being my shade and my place of refreshment in the heat of the days ahead. Amen