When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

If you have ever driven by a swamp on a warm spring or summer day, you have probably seen a log full of painted turtles. The painted turtle has to spend much of its time basking in the sun, because they are cold blooded.

The process by which the painted turtle receives it’s warmth and even their energy, by basking in the sun to continue to survive, is called heliothermy thermoregulation. Heliothermy is defined as “heat gain by short wavelength solar radiation.” and thermoregulation is defined as “the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different.”

All of this simply means that their body temperature is regulated by basking in the sun. : )

Hence the painted turtle’s day is a cycle of basking in the sun to warm their bodies and blood, then foraging for food, and then as they begin to cool off…basking in the sun again. Then, as the sun begins to set, they sink to the bottom of the pond or lake that they inhabit and sleep in peace, until morning when the cycle begins a new.

We can learn so much from that simple little painted turtle.

When that little turtle hatches from his egg, it is lead (by the instincts instilled in it by God) to the waters in which it will dwell. Similarly, our Lord and Savior leads us beside quiet and peaceful waters. (“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,” Psalm 23:1-2)

Just like the painted turtle requires the sun to sustain it’s life, we too require the Son to sustain our lives. ““Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. John 8:12”

Similarly the painted turtle begins it’s day by immersing itself in the warmth of the sun. We should be immersing ourselves in the warmth, love, faithfulness and renewed mercies of the Son every morning. “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23.

As the painted turtle spends time out of the sun, it begins to get cold and slows down unable to perform it’s daily duties, until he climbs back out into the sun. And, as we spend time away from the Son, we begin to to sin more and glorify Him less, unable to perform the duties that He prepared beforehand for us to do (Ephesians 2:10) and we must climb back into the presence and warmth of the Son (“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,” Acts 3:19).

Just as that little turtle finds warmth and rest on that log, basking in the sun. We too can find our rest basking in the warmth of the Son…The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:14

Then, as the sun sets, that little turtle slips back into the waters to sleep in peace and every night, we can lie down in peace and sleep because the Son causes us too, to dwell in safety (In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8).

And, just as that little turtle will wake in the morning and climb faithfully back up on that log and bask in the sun, Jesus is the Son in which we can continually come and bask in His warmth. (Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:3).

As God provided the sun to be the sustainer of the little painted turtle’s life. He also provided Jesus to be the sustainer of ours. (I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. Psalm 3:5).

There is no life for that turtle, without the sun and there is no life (eternal) for man, without the Son – Jesus Christ.

I pray that today we would look straight into the face of the Son and in it would find the warmth of His love. I pray that we would return to Him, over and over throughout our day, for revival – the way the little painted turtle returns to the sun to be revived. I pray that we would not only bask in the glory and brilliance of the Son, but that we would remember that we are vessels containing the very light of the world (“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14) and that light is to be shared with those around us that they too might find life in the Son. Glorify Him by sharing the brilliance of the Son, with those around you.

If you have never felt the warmth, mercy and forgiveness of the Lord, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. I promise you that the warmth, forgiveness and love you find in Him is like nothing you have ever experienced and you will be drawn to Him like a painted turtle to the sun. Please pray. And, once you do, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know so that I can be in prayer for you.

Luv Ya!