You sit there now, blinking in the heat, that sharp graininess pressing at the corners of your eyes, and the long road home is still ahead. I know how a small discomfort, when it lodges in so tender a place, can crowd out every other thought. But let me say this quietly: your need has not fallen outside the circle of His care. The very One who fashioned those delicate windows of the body, who spoke light into being and gave you sight, is not far from you now. The draught that chafes and the sun that stings are both His servants, and they cannot move a single inch beyond His leave.
I remember that when our Lord walked the dusty lanes of Galilee, the power of the Lord was ever present to heal. Not once did a man or woman come to Him with some small complaint and meet with a shrug. The blind man by the roadside, the eye that had been dark for years, Jesus stopped for that one, spoke a word, and the man saw men as trees walking until the Master laid His hands on him again. He does not despise what seems little to others. A speck of dust in the eye, a throb of pain behind the lid, a weariness that makes the light itself an enemy, all of this He understands, for He bore a body just like yours, and that body knew exhaustion and the rude press of the elements.
So before you slip behind the wheel, take this thought into your mind: the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and through the deep waters of your soul, will not abandon you now on the sun-scorched road. The same love that ached for a paralytic let down through a roof, the same voice that said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you,” is the voice that can speak peace to a few tired nerves and a hot, scratchy discomfort. He has healing leaves ready for every malady, and the tree of life grows on either side of the river, always near, always in season, and the leaves are for you.
Pray, then, with simple words: “Lord, whom my soul loves, give me coolness for this burning, ease for this smart. Touch my eyes that I may see clearly and drive safely, for Your mercy’s sake.” He does not require many words. The desire of your heart is already open to Him.
Let us bow low together.
Father, You who give the sun to warm the earth and the breeze to cool the brow, look upon Your child in this small but trying distress. Lay Your cool hand upon those irritated eyes and bring relief, we pray. Steady the heart, clear the sight, and grant a peaceful journey through the heat. May Your presence be like a shade from the sun, and may every mile be traveled under the keeping of Your angels. We ask it in the name of Jesus, who is the Light of the world and the Healer of every wound. Amen.