One thing we realize sooner or later is that we will never be able to reach heaven through our own efforts. No matter what we do, our past haunts us and declares: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isa 64:6 NIV)

This is clearly seen in New Zealand, in particular in the kiwi orchards. Although they produce delicious, world-renown fruit, the kiwi vines can fall into “temptation”. Cold can cause them to split in two, rendering them completely useless.

Do you know how they can victoriously withstand their “temptation” to split in two from the cold? Not by their own efforts! They would be doomed!

Helicopters are used to hover over the orchards, forcing warmer air down on the vines. The kiwi fruit is saved, not by their own efforts, but by the courageous helicopter pilots who willingly wake up before sunrise and with eyes held open by toothpicks, take the time to protect the precious orchards from the “tempting” cold.

People, too, have succumbed to cold. As soon as the cold invades their inner core, they are tempted to fall asleep, never to wake up again! However there is a more noxious cold that has invaded our whole world, one that leaves each of us wanting and in despair. The “cold”, better known as “sin”, is devastating and it has contaminated each one of us.

We may fill ourselves with delusions, thinking we are better than people like Hitler and Nero. And we are, to some extent. And this idea somehow makes us feel better! But in all reality, how many people around us have we not disappointed by our own actions? And what about ourselves? Haven’t we also disappointed ourselves with our actions?

Only One can set us free from condemnation, and He paid a hefty price for it. There is a catch. To be truly free we have to get to know Him personally and we must accept His offer to let Him rescue us totally and unequivocally. He is the only One who can fill us with the warm air from above that will keep us from freezing to death from the ravages of sin! He is there for us, not only early in the morning, but all the time, 24 hours a day, with no annoying “please call me back later” messages. He is truly the only “warm air” we need to breathe!

“It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come – an eternity of life! You can count on this.” (Titus 3:3-8 The Message)

“Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving.” (Eph 2:8-10 The Message)

Only when we truly appreciate the price He paid for us will we be able to worship Him from the deepest recesses of our heart. We will be able to truthfully sing: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:9-10 NIV)

Would you like a kiwi that has never been touched by frost? Believe me, the frost-bitten ones will only leave you with a bitter taste!

Rob Chaffart

(To access the entire “The Heart of the Matter” devotional series, please click here.)