Frozen Iguanas And The Child Of God


Perhaps the most intriguing news story of the week wasn’t Mariah Carey declaring New Year’s Eve to be a disaster without hot tea, or even the “bomb cyclone” that hit the Northeast (when I was a kid we called it snow). I was most captivated when I read that iguanas were falling out of trees in Florida due to the cold. Seems the cuddly little fellows just sort of shut down when the temps get below 50, which I suppose makes them true Floridians. They’re laying all over the place, and appear frozen stiff, but they’re not dead. Rather it’s just a type of suspended state they hang out in until the air warms up. Announcements went out to say if you carefully move them into sunlight they should revive.

I’m not sure how much iguana reviving has gone on, but I do know we all have something in common with them. No, not the falling out of trees and then laying lifeless thing, but rather the dormant state they go into when they get cold. Our spiritual state is equated with temperature in the Scriptures, and to be on fire for God is definitely the place to be. When we allow our hearts to grow cold we may still be alive spiritually, but we become suspended. Nothing happens in our lives, and we generally become pretty worthless when it comes to the kingdom of God.

God doesn’t want any of us to be in that place.

"I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning!” Like 12:49

Jesus spoke those words. God wants us to be passionate in our walks with him. I have found over the years that my spiritual temperature tends to fluctuate. There are seasons of fire, and seasons when I grow cold. Anyone who has walked with God for a period of time has experienced some ups and downs. When we find ourselves lifeless we need what the iguanas need; heat. We need fire. We need a flame.

No one’s going to carry us to the sun for this. We need to position ourselves in a place where our passion for God is rekindled so we blaze for him again. This means doing the things we need to do even when we don’t feel like doing them.

“Practicing spiritual disciplines when you don't feel like it doesn't make you a hypocrite or a legalist. It makes you a disciple.” -David Hertwick

A lifeless iguana may be a novel sight, but a lifeless Christian isn’t. Let’s stir ourselves up as we begin 2018. Jesus came to set us on fire.

Following the Son,

James A Williams

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