When God Puts Us To Sleep

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n one of his poems, Edgar Allan Poe asks the following question:  “Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?”  I can think of no better description of waking after surgery than this.  The effects of anesthesia last a long time after the patient initially goes under.  Hours after the surgery is over, the body begins to wake up and what an interesting process that is.

I remember waking up after heart surgery.  I could hear voices that sounded muffled, as if someone were speaking through a pillow.  I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying and after a few moments of trying everything went black.  A few moments later (it was actually several hours later) I opened my eyes.  There were people in the room and everything was in a fog.  I remember seeing my mom and dad, the nurses, my pastor, and my doctor.  Then everything went black again.

Slowly, but surely, I began to wake up. My eyes stayed open longer, people began to talk more coherently, the fog lifted, and people’s movements came up to speed.  That’s when I began to notice the pain in my chest and I realized that something had really happened. I wasn’t the same person I had been just before the anesthesiologist worked his magic.  Whatever that stuff is it’s really good!

While I was asleep, a team of doctors opened my chest and repaired the hole that had caused my heart to work harder than necessary.  The surgery took several hours but they seemed like mere moments to me.  I remember being in the operating room getting ready for surgery and the next thing I knew, I was in Intensive Care unit, recovering.  I missed the whole thing!  But somehow, the pain in my chest reminded me I had been present all along.  I went to sleep one way; I woke up another.  The change had occurred during those few hours of forced sleep.

It shouldn’t surprise us to learn that God was the first anesthesiologist and the first surgeon.  The story of God’s creation of Eve from Adam’s rib has been told and retold from one generation to the next. Yet, if you stop and really think about that event, you will see that sometimes God causes us to sleep so He can work on the deepest areas of our lives.

Genesis 2:21-22 records the following, “So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” 

We need to take closer look at the opening line of this passage.  Notice that Adam didn’t go to sleep on his own.  The scripture clearly states that God caused Adam to fall into a “deep sleep”.  There are times in life when God causes a deep sleep, a silence, a hush to fall over us.  We are not sure where He is, we don’t know what He’s doing, and we have no awareness that anything is being done in our lives.  It’s as if we are asleep spiritually, waiting for God to wake us up, to bring something new into our lives.

This is exactly what happened to Adam.  God needed to do some deep work in Adam’s life and He didn’t need Adam thrashing around, fighting Him every step of the way.  Sound familiar?  So, God knocked him out.  He opened the man’s chest, withdrew a rib, and made a woman.  God created for Adam what he could never have imagined.  While he slept, while he was unaware of any activity, while life seemingly had stopped, God was working.  He was working to provide Adam’s need, a need Adam wasn’t even aware he had!

What a beautiful picture this is of God’s care for His children.  He is always watching over us, always taking notice of the events and circumstances of our lives.  He knows us better than we know ourselves and He is constantly aware of our needs even when we are not.  Jesus, himself, reminds us of this fact in Matthew 6:25-34. 

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oday, you may feel that you are spiritually asleep. It seems it has been forever since God spoke to you or moved in your life.  You wonder if He knows about you and perhaps you feel as if God no longer cares.  We all feel this way in our walk with the Lord, but we know that nothing is farther from the truth.  We serve a God who loves us, who cares for us, and who provides for us.  God does His best work during our moments of sleep.  He is busy even now meeting needs and preparing you for events you know nothing about.  We are never the same after a sleep session with God.  Like the patient after surgery, we find ourselves changed when God puts us to sleep.  Won’t you let Him operate in your life today?

Viewer Ahead

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ven though we arrived early to get a good seat, my best friend David and I still had to wait in line before entering the movie theater. It seemed everyone else had also determined to arrive early and get a good seat.  The end result was an extremely long line and very short tempers.

For months, television commercials, bill boards, and newspaper advertisements had been touting the latest arrival from Paramount pictures.  Clips from the movie, aired over all the television stations, showed just enough of the film to guarantee a record turnout at the box office.  David and I were among those bursting at the seams to see the film and we finally got our chance.

We bought our tickets, entered the theater, and found good seats.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the room grew dark and the large screen came to life with previews of other films and advertisements for refreshments in the lobby.  The suspense was killing me!  At last, the feature presentation began and I sat back in my seat, hands gripping the arm rest of my chair, eyes straining to see the first signs that the movie had started.

The theme music began and the movie started.  The title flashed across the screen, “Start Trek, The Motion Picture!”  That’s right, I’m a Trekkie!  Not a hard core fan but I like the show, especially the original series and cast.  All my favorites were here, Spock, Bones, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, and of course, Captain James T. Kirk. 

One of my favorite scenes is the Enterprise leaving space dock and Earth’s orbit.  The familiar theme music plays along with the signature view of the sunrise behind the spaceship as it orbits the planet.  The order is given to leave Earth’s orbit and Mr. Sulu sets his course accordingly.

As the Enterprise pulls rapidly away from Earth, Kirk makes the following request: “Reverse angle on the view.”  The Enterprise’s screen shows the Earth as it rapidly disappears.  The crew is leaving home and everything they know behind them.  The planet grows ever smaller until it is out of sight.  Kirk then orders, “Viewer ahead!”  Sulu throws a lever and the view changes from what was behind to what lies ahead.  What you see on the screen is empty space but the Enterprise’s mission lies in that space not back on Earth.

The call of Abraham bears a striking resemblance to the scene described just above.  No, I’m not suggesting that God’s call to Abraham is the same as Capt. Kirk commanding the Enterprise. However, God’s command to Abraham bears all the hallmarks of Kirk’s orders as the Enterprise leaves Earth’s orbit.  Let’s take a look at what God told Abraham to do.

We find God’s orders in Genesis 12:1, “The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.” Notice the two distinct orders in this one passage of scripture.  First, Abraham was to pack up and leave everything he knew behind him.  This included his family, his friends, his job, and his home, everything he knew and loved.  Can’t you just see him as he sets out, not knowing where he is going?  As he makes his way around the final bend, he glances back over his shoulder.  He wants to see the reverse angle on the view.  Abraham watches as everything known to him grows ever smaller until it disappears from sight.

But the best part is yet to come!  As Abraham’s home disappears from view, he turns his face forward, staring into empty dessert, knowing his mission and God’s call lie before him.  At that point, God orders Abraham to turn his eyes toward Him and to never look back.  God essentially says, “Viewer ahead!”  This is the second part of God’s order.

You see, all of God’s promises lay ahead of Abraham, not behind him.  Everything God had in store for him was out in front of Abraham.  The Promised Land was there, Isaac was there, God’s covenant, and a deeper relationship with God than Abraham had ever imagined, all these were waiting out there, “where no man had gone before!”  How’s that for a prelude to all that Star Trek would become?  It doesn’t even compare does it?

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he same is true for us today. God has not called us to look back to what used to be.  He has called us to move forward with Him.  God has so many plans for us, He has so many things He wants to share with us, but we can’t enjoy any of them as long as we keep the reverse angle on our viewer!  God wants us to completely trust Him and to place all our faith in Him.  He has called us not to what was but to what will be.  To enjoy all of God’s blessings we must be constantly moving and looking forward.  Are you following God’s order, “Viewer ahead” today?

The Point Of No Return

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hey’ve just reached the point of no return. There’ll be no turning back now!” The announcer’s voice boomed over the television set as the Saturn V rocket hurled heavenward, ferrying its cargo of three men and a landing craft toward the moon. 

Those few short words, spoken just moments before, indicated the crew had reached a critical milestone in the flight.  Attached to the very top of the rocket was a small tower equipped with three engines.  This attachment was known as the escape tower.  During launch, the commander of the flight kept his hand on a handle inside the command module.  At the first sign of danger, he could pull that lever and fire the escape tower’s rockets.  The tower would then pull the command module away from the rest of the rocket and land the astronauts safely in the ocean. 

There was, however, one catch to this procedure.  The escape tower could only be used if a problem occurred in the lower atmosphere.  Once the rocket reached a certain altitude the tower was useless. At that point, the commanding astronaut jettisoned the tower from the space craft, severing any possibility of a safe return to Earth. That is why the announcer’s words were at once both wonderful and ominous.  The announcement meant the astronauts were on their way out of earth’s orbit and headed toward their lunar destination. It also meant the crew was committed! The completion of their mission was the only safe way to return to Earth.

The disciples were faced with the same situation as the astronauts above.  They were faced with a moment of truth, a life-or-death-decision, and a choice to commit to Christ or to jettison him. The difference was the disciples had no escape tower and no guarantee of a safe return if they bailed out!

In John 6:66-69 we read these words of Jesus, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’”

Wow! Way to go Peter! Jesus gave him the choice.  Peter’s hand was on the escape lever.  He could have pulled it, he could have separated from Christ, and he could have decided to bail out right then and there.  But Peter didn’t and neither did the other disciples. Instead, they passed the point of no return, they committed themselves to the mission, knowing the only way home was to accept and complete the assignment Jesus had for them.

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nd what about us?  We all face moments of truth.  As Christians, there will be a point of no return when Jesus asks us specifically if we will follow him or reject him.  The choice is ours. Our hands are on the escape lever as we hurl full speed ahead into life.  At a certain moment in our flight God will inform us that we have reached the time of commitment, the point of no return.  On this side of that point we can pull the escape lever and bail out.  But where will we go?  We can also take our hand off that lever and commit to the mission ahead.  The choice is ours.  What will our decision be?  Bail or commit?  Think about it!  

The Old Clock On The Wall

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y dad is fond of clocks.  Well, fond might be an understatement.  The fact is he’s crazy about them and he has them hanging and sitting all over his house.  As a small boy, I remember all the clocks we had in our home.  Every room in the house had at least one clock and some had two.  Believe me, it was some kind of noise when they all chimed together!!  The grandmother clock in our living room had Westminster chimes while the other clocks in the house sounded with gongs!  Although none of the chimes were in tune with the others, the sound was wonderful, assuring us that there was order in this life of chaos.

I can still see my dad as he made his appointed rounds through the house on his mission to wind all the clocks.  He would walk from room to room, pulling weights, inserting keys, stopping pendulums, winding springs, setting hands, and restarting the movements.  It was quite a production and one I loved to watch.  The clock hanging in my and my brother’s room got special attention because it also had a hand which displayed the appropriate date.  Daddy would come to wind the clock and he spent extra time making sure everything was in order before he moved on to the next room. 

There was, however, one clock that was extra special, one that no one touched except daddy.  It was a very old clock, very temperamental, needing constant attention, and a consistent touch.  None of us could make that clock work, but daddy could make it run perfectly.  That old clock used to hang in my parents’ bedroom and it now hangs in the guest room of their home.  It still runs, faithfully marking the hours and the minutes.  Its pendulum still swings back and forth as it has these many years and its movement is still going strong.

The greatest lesson the clock teaches us is that of faithfulness.  No matter the circumstances, no matter the weather, no matter the time of day, no matter the day of the week or the month of the year, the clock is dependable.  It counts out the hours and minutes with a steady rhythm, faithfully fulfilling the purpose for which it was made.

In Luke 12:42-44, Jesus underlines the importance of faithfulness in the life of the believer. “The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”

In this passage of scripture, Jesus is teaching his disciples about the importance of faithfully performing an assigned duty.  Notice that Jesus describes the servant who carries out his master’s commands as wise and faithful.  The wise servant is faithful, performing his duties day in and day out in all types of situations and conditions.  His task is to take care of those put under his charge and to do so until his master comes. 

The servant, however, has no idea when the master will arrive but determines in his heart that his master will find him faithfully executing the task his master gave him to do, no matter how insignificant it may seem.  And notice what happens when the master comes and finds that servant faithfully working.  The master puts the servant in charge of all he has because this servant can be trusted.

Notice that Jesus says it will be good for the servant if his master finds him performing his task.  The opposite is also true, that it will not be good for that servant if the master finds him lax in his duties upon his return.  As Christians, we do not know when Jesus will return but we do know we are to be faithfully carrying out the responsibility of sharing the gospel message with others until he does.

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ike the old clock on the wall, God has called us to faithfulness.  We are to be sharing the truth of Jesus Christ at every waking moment of the day.  We are to demonstrate consistently the love of Jesus with all those around us, telling them by our words, our deeds, and our lives of God’s love and His desire to bring salvation to everyone.  When Jesus comes he will be looking for workers who are so doing.  Will you be in that group?  Do you hear the clock chiming?  What does the clock of your life say about your faithfulness to God?

The Cost Of Everything, The Value Of Nothing

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he reception area was filled with the buzz of voices as people entered, anticipating the dinner and the conversation that would ensue in the brief moments ahead.  Men dressed in coats and ties and ladies in lovely dresses stood all around the room smiling, laughing, shaking hands, and enjoying the before-dinner refreshments and the company.  As more and more guests arrived, the room began to fill and people moved to other parts of the room to continue their conversations.

At the far end of the reception hall, a photographer was busy snapping photographs as announcements were made for individuals to pair up and have their pictures made.  After everyone had been photographed, the entire entourage was ushered toward the banquet hall where a scrumptious dinner was waiting.  Since there was no seating arrangement, people shared their tables with others whom they did not know. This provided a wonderful opportunity for introductions and interesting conversation.  At the end of the meal, the guests were entertained with a wonderful musical performance and several individuals gave very encouraging and heartwarming addresses.

Sounds as if this took place in New York or in Hollywood, doesn’t it.  Actually, this event occurred on the campus of Southwestern Seminary.  This is an annual event where student recipients of scholarships are paired with those who donate the monies for these funds.  It was my pleasure to attend this event as the recipient of a scholarship that helped me complete my studies at the seminary.

As I looked around the room, listening to the hum of all the conversations and watching all the interaction between the guests, I couldn’t help but reflect on a great truth Jesus shared with his disciples about the idea of value.  This idea is almost lost on us in our present society.  We are constantly concerned with the “price” of something while we neglect its “value.”  Jesus, however, understood that the price of something is merely a function of the value we place on things.  Let’s take a look at his claim about cost and value.

In Matthew 13:44, Jesus says the following, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”OK, let’s take this sentence apart, shall we?  First, Jesus is making a direct comparison between cost and value.  The man in this story found a great treasure.  This man, however, was no dummy!  He knew that the treasure had great worth and value.  He determined that the price required was worth it because the treasure had value that exceeded its price!  It cost this man everything he had but he paid the price without hesitation.  He looked beyond the field and saw the treasure.  He saw the infinite worth of that field and bought it, rejoicing in his discovery.

Wow!  What this man found had a finite price but infinite worth.  Do we really understand that concept?  Even if something costs me all I have, I know how much that is.  It has a dollar figure beside it, albeit a small one.  But when something has infinite worth, it is priceless. It is impossible to buy it because no amount of money, effort, or good intention can secure it.  This is what heaven and the good news of Jesus Christ are like.  To become a Christian has a price, it will cost us our lives meaning we must give them to God.  But the joy and the wonderful relationship we have with God is of infinite value—it is priceless!

It has been said that a cynic is a person who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.  I very much agree with that statement.  We all know people who can tell you exactly how much they paid for a certain item.  They can point to the day and the time they bought it and they may still have the original receipt to prove how much they paid for it.  But that is where their vision and their understanding stop!  These people understand cost but they do not understand value!  The two terms are not synonymous!!! 

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ren’t you glad we serve a God who not only understands the concept of value but one who demonstrated it!  If you want to get a good grip on God’s concept of cost and value, you need look no further than the cross of Jesus Christ.  Man’s sin carried a hefty price and God paid it without hesitation!  The death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary paid the price for man’s fall from God’s grace.  But it doesn’t stop there!  God paid that price because we are of infinite value to Him!  Jesus looked beyond the cross and saw the glory (Hebrews 12:2).  He looked beyond the field and saw the treasure!  He looked beyond the sin and saw us!  What better example of value is there?  Now, the hard question: Does the life we are living today reflect the value of the price God paid for our salvation?  Think about it!

The Back Roads of Scripture

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he back roads of home are one of my most favorite things in life.  When I visit North Carolina, I always take a drive around the areas I knew as a boy.  Sometimes I go the long way just to enjoy the view, to take in all the scenery, and to drink in all the wonderful sights and sounds that an out-of-the-way-jaunt provides.

When I was home for the Christmas holidays, my sister and I took one of these drives.  We were gone for the better part of two hours, traveling more than fifty miles during that time.  We explored roads I hadn’t driven down in years.  We drove past the high school where I taught French for eight years, taking the same route I drove every morning to work.  The curves in the road were still the same, houses, yards, and fences were just as I remembered them, and the same trees and shrubs lifted their branches to greet us as we rode by.

We veered off this road and journeyed down several more, each one winding its way through a different part of my past, all of them bringing back wonderful memories of trips with my dad, conversations with friends, and time spent exploring new places and meeting new people. Not much has changed since I left home.  Every inch of that ground still fills me with a sense of belonging, a sense of safety, a sense of adventure, and a wonderful sense of peace.  No matter which back road I take, I always know the way home, and should the car break down or I have an accident, help is not very far away.

The Bible is filled with stories of back road journeys but we seldom pay any attention to them.  We know about Noah and the flood but very little about a man named Mephibosheth.  The story of Sampson and Delilah is very popular but the accounts of Obed-Edom the Gitite, Shallum the doorkeeper, and Araunah are virtually unknown.  We remember Abraham’s journey up Mount Moriah to offer Isaac but we know very little about his wanderings in the land of Canaan.  Yet it is these very back roads of scripture that hold some of the most wonderful truths and lessons God would have us learn, understand, and apply to our lives.

The road away from Pharaoh is one of these back road journeys for our consideration.  The Children of Israel have just left Egypt and are heading for their famous crossing of the Red Sea.  Everyone reading this story charges quickly through the verses leading up to the crossing because they can’t wait to see God open the waters before the people.  But there is a very important piece of scripture, a back road if you will, that shares volumes with us about the love and care of our Heavenly Father.

Exodus 13:18 is our back road trail off the beaten path: “So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.” There it is in black and white—a back road journey.  Notice that God takes the people “around by the desert road.”  Earlier in this passage we are told that God does this to keep the people from being attacked and growing discouraged.  He leads them the long way around because He loves them, He wants to encourage them, and He wants them to enjoy His presences, His guidance, and His provision.

Not a bad trip is it?  The direct route is not always the way God chooses for our journey.  Sometimes He takes us off the beaten path, through the woods, down through a valley, or around by a desert road.  Whatever the scenery, the back road path is never an afterthought with God.  These jaunts off the beaten path give us opportunity to walk more slowly, to see more clearly, to hear more acutely, to drink more deeply, and to rest more soundly than if we charged straight ahead toward the end of the road.

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oo often in the Christian life, we concentrate on conquering the next hill, on climbing the next mountain, on putting many more miles behind us before the day is done.  Rarely do we stop to consider that sometimes God’s greatest lessons and His most wonderful blessings lie on the back roads of scripture.  A word here, a sentence there, and our perspective on His word and our understanding of who our God is completely changes and grows ever deeper. I invite you to explore the back roads of scripture in your walk with God today.  I don’t believe you’ll be sorry you took the time to walk “around by the desert road.”

That First Step Is A Doozy!

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here is an old Chinese proverb that reads, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  I have often repeated these words to myself and I have often written them on a blackboard for my students to consider.  It is amazing to watch as the reality of this small statement becomes evident, especially for high school or college seniors who are standing on the threshold of a new stage of life.

But college seniors and high school graduates are not the only ones who experience the truth of this statement.  All of us, at some point in our lives, will face the truth of this old proverb. Many of us have already experienced it at least once and many more have faced it several times.  It happens when we must make a career change, or when we have to move away from familiar surroundings and set down roots in a strange place. For others, the journey comes with the loss of a loved one and they must face the road ahead without the presence of their one-time companion.

Whatever the circumstances, one thing is sure, the journey, when taken as a whole, is overwhelming and that first step is always a doozy!  In fact, the whole secret to the journey is contained in that first step. If we can find the courage to put our foot forward for that first step, we find that the rest are easier.  It is the first step that is the most difficult and it is at the first step that the enemies of doubt, fear, insecurity, and mistrust attack us the most strongly and the most effectively. 

The Bible is filled with examples of men and women who walked with God and who took great journeys with Him.  Who can forget Moses leading the people in the wilderness?  Who hasn’t read about Noah and the ark?  And the story of Paul’s missionary journeys fills the New Testament pages with the history of the spread of the Gospel.

But to get a feel for the importance of the first step, to really appreciate what it means to move forward into God’s hands, to actually experience walking with God when you don’t know where you are going, we need look no further than Chapter 12 of the book of Genesis. The first verse of this passage tells us all we need to know about a man called Abraham and the journey he took with God.  Genesis 12:1 reads, “The Lord had said to Abram “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”

Notice that God’s words contain a command, “leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land” and a promise, “I will show you.”  The command part had to be the most difficult for Abram.  He knew God had called him, and he knew God would show him where to go, but taking that first step would be a difficult and heart-wrenching decision.  Not only was Abram stepping out into the unknown; he was also stepping away from the known, leaving his home, his family, his friends, his life, and his security behind him.  That first step was indeed a doozy but Abram exercised his faith and took it.

There is a great lesson here which God has been teaching me in recent days.  The life of faith is always one away from the camp of security and comfort.  Abram’s faith in God was secure but the circumstances of his life were not.  He lived in a tent, not a permanent dwelling.  He lived in a land in which both he and his neighbors referred to him as an alien and a foreigner.  But Abram learned the only way to please God and to receive His best was to walk continually in faith.

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herever you are in your walk with God today my friend, my prayer is that you will not shy away from taking that first step.  It is a doozy in more ways than one.  That first step will separate you from the world but it will also separate you unto God.  It may take you a thousand miles away from home, but it will never take you where God is not.  The journey may have uphill struggles, rocky mountain slopes, and deep valleys, but it will also provide you with views and joys you could never experience at home in base camp.  My prayer for you today is that you will pack your bags and determine in your heart to take that first step of faith with God.  It will be a doozy, I grant you that, but it will be one that will change your life forever.  Are you ready to take that first step today?

Stay Where You Are

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t all started one winter afternoon!  The weather forecasters had said that inclement winter weather was a distinct possibility and this time, at least, their predictions were right on target.  Around 2:30 in the afternoon, the skies opened up and rained down sleet.  As the ice pebbles hit against the building, all of us in the office pressed our noses against the windows, staring in amazement, mouths agape, just like thousands of school children who were no doubt doing the same thing.

The excitement from the sleet, however, soon gave way to concern about the drive home and the impending problems the ice would cause as literally thousands of people jammed the highways in order to arrive safely home before the brunt of the storm hit.  Classes were cancelled; schools and offices closed early, and people began making their way home.  My trip home from the university was uneventful and I arrived at my apartment safe and sound.

Later in the afternoon and all throughout the evening, the sleet continued to fall.  Sometimes it came down very hard, almost in sheets, and at other times it was barely noticeable. But all the while, the amount of accumulating ice continued to grow and the ground was soon covered in a blanket of white.  The next morning, I looked out and noticed that a significant amount of ice had accumulated during the night hours.  It was a beautiful view but one that was also fraught with danger.

The television news channels and the radio stations were all promoting the same warning: Stay where you are!  All of the anchormen and women repeated that message over and over, stressing the importance of remaining indoors and not braving the elements or the icy road conditions.  Although it appeared harmless, the ice was indeed deadly, causing cars, trucks, buses, etc. to lose traction and veer off the highway.  Unless absolutely necessary, everyone was urged to stay home where it was safe, dry, and warm until the icy conditions were gone.

The weather here provides a deeper understanding of a passage of scripture from the book of Isaiah.  The prophet gives us a warning which we should consider as we walk with God.  Isaiah 50:11 reads, “But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.”

There is a solemn and sober truth in this passage of scripture.  Israel was awaiting the coming of the Messiah and had in her mind the manner in which he would appear.  They believed the Messiah would overthrow Israel’s oppression and set up God’s kingdom in its place.  But the kingdom of God did not come by way of the sword but by way of the cross.  It did not come with an overthrow of a political government but with the overthrow of sin and death.  It did not come in the manner in which they thought it should so they walked by their own understanding and completely missed God’s plan for man’s salvation.

The same is true for us in our daily walk with the Lord.  When we lean on our own understanding, when we believe we know how we are to proceed, and when we fail to stay where we are when God tells us to rest, we place ourselves in great peril.  The conditions all around us tell us to stay where we are, but instead we venture forth, losing our footing, sliding off the chosen road, landing in the side ditches where we get into trouble and difficulty.  Just as God said through the prophet Isaiah, when we do things our own way instead of obeying God we always bear the consequences of our actions.

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herever you are today in your walk with God, pay close attention to His commands.  It may be that the road ahead is covered with ice, impassable, and treacherous.  If God, who knows the way much better than you, has commanded you to stay where you are, don’t take a flashlight and strike out on your own.  Remain where you are in the safety of God’s presence until He sees fit to move you forward.  You will never be disappointed and you will never be in danger as long as you walk with Him.  Are you walking with God or ahead of Him today?

Scarred For Life!

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 hospital is no place to rest.  Nurses, doctors, orderlies, dieticians, lab workers, and a whole host of other employees always seem to be in your room asking questions, running tests, or taking you somewhere.  I distinctly remember being awakened at 2:00 in the morning to be weighed.  I wanted to tell the nurse I weighed the same thing I did at 6:00 in the evening but it wouldn’t have done any good.  The rules said I had to be weighed, they just never said at what time.

Earlier that same evening, I was preparing for bed.  The next day would bring about a great change in my life.  A surgeon would repair a hole between the upper chambers of my heart, correcting a condition I had had since birth.  I remember looking at my chest in the mirror, knowing that the next time I saw it, it would have a scar showing exactly where the surgeon had entered and worked his magic.

The surgery was successful and after a couple of days, I was able to move about, ever so slowly mind you, but I could walk down the hall and take a walk outside.  The nurses, the doctors, and everyone else still continued to come into my room but they didn’t stay long. They did their jobs quickly and they let me rest.  When I saw my chest for the first time, it was a little shocking!  The scar was longer than I had anticipated and there many more stitches than I originally thought.

As I looked at that scar, I realized I would carry its mark for the rest of my life.  It was the symbol that something had happened to change my heart, to make me better, and to give me a new and better lease on life.  It still reminds me of that fact every time I see my self in the mirror.  After 40 years it still reminds me of the great change that took place so long ago.

The Apostle Paul also understood what it meant to be scarred for life.  During his ministry, Paul was beaten several times and bore on his body the marks of those scourges.  What is interesting is that, before his conversion, Paul inflicted beatings and was instrumental in stoning Christians.  After his encounter with Jesus, however, everything changed. Now it was Paul’s turn to experience this for himself.  In his writings, Paul refers to the fact that his walk on the Christian road was not easy.

In Galatians 6:17, Paul writes, “Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.” As he closes his letter to the Galatians, Paul wants his readers to understand that he knows the cost of following Jesus.  Paul was a marked man.  He was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, even when that gospel led to him being beaten and stoned.  

In the world today, there are people who are suffering in a physical sense for the cause of Christ. They are tortured, beaten, and killed, yet the cause of Christ moves forward.  Jesus promised us there would be persecution and that we would be hated because of him.  This is not a popular or a particularly happy point of view but it is an accurate one.

Not all of us will have to endure such trying hardships, but all of us will be scarred!  When Jesus comes into our lives, he makes a change, a visible one, in the way we live our lives.  This change, this way of life, should be evident like the scar from surgery.  Jesus has opened our hearts, corrected, and cured our sin problem.  We gain a new and a better lease on life and our duty now is to live in a manner that is consistent with the work Christ did for us. 

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o you bear in your body the mark of Christ? Is there evidence that you belong to him?  Do those around you see the Spirit of God living in you and working through you in everything you do?  Does your way of life signal a break with the world and an acceptance of God?  Are you scarred for life?

Just Below The Surface!

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y first “real job” was as an attendant in one of our local hospitals.  I was assigned to the department of radiology where I learned not only how to wait on patients but also quite a bit about the inner workings of the human body.  Making an x-ray was an interesting process, one that was much more involved and much more revealing than I had previously thought.

Although I had had my share of x-rays, I had never seen the “other side” of the process.  Patients would come into our department from different floors of the hospital or from the emergency room.  Before their arrival, our computers had alerted us to the type of x-ray ordered by their physicians.  After receiving the order, one of our technicians would perform the test.  The patient was escorted into the room, placed on a table, given a set of instructions, and the x-ray was taken.  In a few minutes, the film was developed and the patient was dismissed.  This is where the process became very interesting.

Once the film was developed, the x-ray was taken to one of the radiologists.  It was his job to determine anything abnormal about the x-ray.  I have been in the office several times as films were being read and I never ceased to be amazed at how quickly and how accurately the trained eye could focus in on a particular area, find the problem, and suggest a solution.  To me, all the films looked the same.  They all had black backgrounds with white bones and gray organs on them.  But to the radiologist, they were a road map to any potential problems facing the patient in question.

What the radiologist is to the x-ray, God is to the human heart.  His eyes see everything within us and He knows just where our problems lie.  To the world outside, everything may seem fine.  We look good, we sound good, and there is no indication that anything is wrong.  But when we submit ourselves to God’s x-ray table, when we allow Him to examine our inmost parts, when we ask Him to examine us to see the area of difficulty in our lives, then we give Him full access to who and what we really are. 

The eyes of God are more accurate and more probing than the eyes of any radiologist or x-ray machine.  Jeremiah 17:10 reminds us of this fact, “I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." At fist glance, we want to shrink away from this sobering passage of scripture. Our first reaction is to run because we don’t want God to know what is in our hearts or in our minds.  But He does know.  God’s knowledge of mankind is not dependent upon our willingness or unwillingness to open our hearts to Him.  He made us and therefore knows us better than we know ourselves.  But I believe there is great comfort in this scripture as well.

The job of the radiologist is to locate any abnormalities or life-threatening diseases so the patient can be cured.  Without the intervention of the physician, the patient will never get well.  The x-ray is necessary because the problem is on the inside, hidden from sight.  The x-ray provides a deep and exhaustive look so that the problem area can no longer remain hidden.  Now apply this to the human heart.  God is far more interested in us than a radiologist is in a patient’s x-ray.  Unlike the radiologist, who does not know the patient, God knows all about us and loves us.  He sees the sin in our hearts and the influence it has on our minds.  He knows where to look, He knows how to find the problem, and He knows how to fix it. 

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he radiologist can only “suggest” a course of treatment for the patient.  God doesn’t “suggest” a course of treatment, He has the cure.  The coming of Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death is the cure for our sin.  We can be cured from this terrible condition but we must ask Jesus to come into our hearts and remove the sin that is there.  Unless a patient comes to the hospital, there can be no examination and no method of treatment.  Unless we come to God and ask Him to examine us we can never be cured and cleansed from our sins.  How long has it been since you visited God’s department of radiology?  Don’t you think it’s time you made an appointment?

It's The Same Old Story

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requent visits to my grandparents’ house were a common occurrence.  When I was younger, I would walk to their home or I would ride my bike.  As I grew older, I would drive my car.  But no matter whether I was older or younger, whether I rode my bike, walked, or drove my car to get there, visits with grandma and grandpa constantly ranked in the top ten things I enjoyed most in life.

I recall many hours sitting in the den watching television or just sitting and talking.  Invariably, granddaddy would tell one of the many stories I had heard at least a thousand times.  He used the same words, the same gestures, the same tone of voice, and he paused in the same places. But the stories were always wonderful and always made me laugh. I never grew tired of hearing the same old stories and I looked forward to hearing everyone of them again and again.

We all have similar experiences about the important people in our lives.  Now when we gather for family reunions we are the ones telling the stories we heard as children.  We use the same words, the same gestures, the same tone of voice, and we pause in the same places.  The stories have the same effect on our listeners as they had on us!  We tell and retell the stories because we love them and because they mark important moments in our lives, moments when things changed, moments that brought us happiness, and moments that changed the way we view the world.

A man in the New Testament had a similar experience!  He was reading a passage from the Scriptures that he didn’t understand.  Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, had the opportunity to tell this man the story of Jesus and Acts 8:35 records this for us. “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”

This man is better known in the Scriptures as the Ethiopian Eunuch.  He held a place of prominence and authority in the kingdom of Ethiopia.  He had been to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way back home. In his hands he held the writings of the prophet, Isaiah and the passage before him was confusing.  He was reading Isaiah 53:7-8.  Philip approached the man and asked him if he understood what he was reading.  The man replied he couldn’t unless someone explained it to him.

Philip then began to share with this man the same old story that has been told and retold for years on end.  Beginning with that very passage in Isaiah, Philip explained to the Ethiopian all about Jesus.  He explained about his birth, his life, his ministry, his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his ascension.  When Philip finished the story, the eunuch asked to be baptized right there on the spot.  He wanted to accept Jesus as savior and lord.  So the two men went into the water and Philip baptized him.

Do you realize that the road of life is strewn with people just like this man from Ethiopia?  They have heard about God and Jesus but they can’t see the big picture.  They need someone to talk to them and to explain to them how God’s love was manifested to us in the person of Jesus Christ and how he gave his life for our salvation.  All they need and want is for someone to stop along the way and tell them the same old story that has changed millions of lives. 

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o tell the story, all you need do is use the same words from the Bible.  You can use the same gestures you’ve used before and the same tone of voice.  You can even take pauses, now and then.  But the story will be the same and the results of that story are powerful and far-reaching.  Who knows, perhaps you will have a chance to speak with someone today about Jesus.  How good of a story teller are you?

Ignorance Is No Excuse!

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veryone in town was talking about it. It was the topic of every conversation from the local diner, to the barbershop, to the hair salon, even to the funeral home.  Everyone had an opinion and the phone lines at City Hall proved it.  The employees couldn’t do their jobs for answering questions, listening to citizens’ complaints, writing down their suggestions, and passing them on to the appropriate department. 

The source of this entire hullabaloo was the new stoplight installed at Main and Depot Streets.  For years, there had only been two stoplights on Main Street.  Once you passed through downtown, there was nothing to hinder your progress.  In fact, if you were driving east, you didn’t stop until you reached the next town, about 15 miles away.  But this new stoplight would change all that.  No sooner would you get under way when you would have to stop at another intersection.  Change comes hard in a small town.

The interesting thing was that no one seemed to complain while the stoplight was being installed.  The workers took several days to install the metal pole that would hold the stoplight.  After erecting the pole, they installed the light and covered it with black plastic.  It stayed this way for several weeks so people could grow accustomed to the new presence of the traffic light.  After a few weeks, they turned the light on.

That‘s when all the problems at City Hall started and all the conversations began.  People were driving through that intersection without stopping and the police department was busy warning motorists and handing out citations.  Although the citizens of our town didn’t care for the new stoplight, they couldn’t deny its existence nor make and an excuse for ignoring it.  The signs of that new stoplight had been evident for months and ignorance was no excuse.

The Apostle Paul made this point abundantly clear in his letter to the believers in Rome.  He wanted them to understand that God has made Himself evident to man in many ways.  Paul clearly states that signs pointing to God are everywhere and that we have no excuse—ignorance  included—of not knowing about the creator and the sustainer of life.

Romans 1:20 stands as Paul’s testimony to this fact, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Look carefully at what Paul is saying. Just like the covered stoplight hanging over the intersection, God has placed evidence all around us demonstrating His power, His mercy, His grace, and His sovereignty.  We have no excuse for not knowing about God and for not accepting His gift of salvation.  Ignoring the stoplight doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist; the same is true with God.

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fter several weeks, the people of my town adjusted to the new stoplight.  They recognized, understood, and complied with the law. The conversations and the complaints, as well as suggestions for improvements, finally subsided.  Occasionally, someone still runs through that stoplight and when they tell the officer they didn’t know it was there, they simply hear, “Ignorance is no excuse.”  What excuse are you using today?

Hot Dogs at 2:00 A.M.

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eing the first house on the block to own the latest gadget is one of the best feelings in the world.  It gives the kids bragging rights and they waste no time in informing the other neighborhood children what has happened at their house.  No sooner is the seal on the box broken than little Johnny is telling Tommy all about the new arrival.  The one-sided conversation goes something like this: “Guess what we’ve got at our house?  My dad just bought one of those new thingamabobs that does whatchamacallit!  (You fill in the blanks)  It cost a lot of money too! (The most important point of the whole conversation)  I’ll bet you don’t have one! ” (This is the rubbing-salt-in-an-open-wound part of the conversation).

Yep, that’s pretty much the way it is and pretty much the way it was when my dad came home with one of the first microwave ovens.  Both my parents love gadgets (is it any wonder that places like Best Buy are my favorite haunts?) and when the microwave oven hit the scene, my mom said she’d like to have one.  I distinctly remember the day the oven was delivered.  It was huge and its box was even bigger.  That gave me more ammunition to use with the rest of the kids.  “Hey guys, guess what we’ve got at our house?  One of those new microwave ovens that cooks hot dogs in two seconds! (I admit I was a little over zealous but this was big news!!!) You should see the box it came in!  I’ll bet you don’t have one do you?” 

As time went on, I learned to be more discreet with my friends and with the sharing of family secrets!  The microwave, however, proved to be much better than I even imagined.  We could cook all kinds of things in a fraction of the time and anyone could use it.  That was the best part!  If I wanted a snack, I could just pop it in the microwave and voila, instant junk food!  This proved especially helpful on Friday and Saturday evenings when the cool thing to do was watch TV until two in the morning. Why everyone did this I don’t know, but it was cool!  I would visit the refrigerator, rummaging around for something to eat and I would find a hot dog.  I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so and in no time at all I had a great snack to tie me over until breakfast!

What amazed me most was the change in the hot dog.  When I removed it from the refrigerator, it was cold and unappealing.  But when I placed it into the microwave, a wonderful change occurred.  What I took out of the microwave was not what I put in!  The hot dog had been thoroughly cooked.  It was sizzling, its color had changed, and it smelled wonderful.  I wasted no time.  I dug right in and satisfied my hunger.  What a difference a trip to the microwave made.  What was unappetizing just moments before was now a gourmet meal!

If you think about it, the Christian life is much the same way. Now, I don’t mean that all your problems will be solved or that all your prayer requests will be answered in a matter of seconds.  That won’t happen.  What will happen, however, is that a great change will take place.  After an encounter with Jesus Christ, things can never be the same again.  Just like that hot dog I took out of the fridge and placed into the microwave, we will not be the same after coming to Christ as we were before we came to him.  One of the best places to see this in the Scriptures is with the story of Lazarus, a man Jesus raised from the dead.

John 11:43-44 is the crux of this story, “When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." You want to talk about instant change?  Lazarus entered the tomb a dead man. On top of all that he had been in the grave for four days.  But after a few seconds with Jesus, everything changed.  Life returned to Lazarus’ body and he walked out of that grave.  Notice the last sentence of this passage.  When we enter into a relationship with Jesus, the former things of life have to go.  Lazarus was no longer dead so the grave clothes and strips of linen had to be removed. He was freed from his former condition (death) in order to embrace the change Jesus brought to him (life).

This still happens today.  Outside of Christ we are cold and lifeless.  We exist but we do not live.  Nothing about life is appealing or even appetizing.  As long as we remain outside of Christ, as long as we refuse to accept him and his salvation, we are useless.  But once we accept him, once we turn our lives over to him, and once we let him change us from what we were to what he wants us to be, we can never be the same again.  Just like the people who witnessed Lazarus’ return to life and just like the kid whose parents have a new gadget; we can’t wait to tell everyone about it. 

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ne last thing about that microwave, it was ready to do its job at any moment of the day or night.  All I had to do was place whatever I wanted to eat inside.  Nice parallel isn’t it?  Jesus is ready all the time to change our lives and to help us when we need him—and we need him all the time!  But we have to make the choice to put ourselves inside so he can change us.  Isn’t it amazing what you can learn from hot dogs at 2:00 a.m.?  Have you used the microwave lately?

For Sale Or Lease?

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ecord low interest rates are making it possible for a greater number of people to buy a home. Every day the paper is filled with page after page of existing homes for sale as well as advertisements for newly constructed houses.  In addition, landlords are also offering reduced and special rates on their rental properties, promising all types of incentives to people if they will consider renting.

All this causes a dilemma for the person looking to find affordable housing.  The decision comes down to a fundamental choice.  Should a person buy a home, a permanent dwelling, or should he/she rent, leaving open the option of moving at a moment’s notice.  Cost is also a factor until you realize that you’re spending the same amount of money.  It’s just a matter of whether that money is being used beneficially for the person spending it.

This same dilemma is one that confronts all of us regarding our spiritual condition.  We often speak of life in terms of a signed contract.  If someone survives a severe accident or medical emergency, we say that he/she has received a new “lease on life.”  The very use of this terminology underscores the fact that life here is not permanent.  It lasts only for a little while and then it is no more.  Isn’t it amazing then that we live our lives as if this existence was permanent, as if it would never end—but end it will! 

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul addressed the question of leasing or selling.  However, Paul wasn’t discussing a real estate transaction; instead, he was speaking about the manner in which our lives reflect ownership.  In 1 Corinthians 6:19-10, Paul makes the following observation, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

The context of this passage concerns Paul’s instruction to the Corinthians concerning sexual sin.  The society of Corinth was much like the one in which we find ourselves today.  Standards were elastic and could be lengthened or shortened at whim by society.  Paul wanted his readers to understand that God’s standard does not change and that those who belong to Him must adopt the standards He sets forth.  To that end, Paul speaks of the Christian in terms of ownership.  He states very clearly that when we became Christians, we became the property of God, transferring ownership to Him, selling our lives to Him.  This means that the property cannot be leased out to anyone else, it belongs solely to God.

What proved challenging for the Corinthians was adopting this mentality.  Society told them it was all right to accept God and to live according to the world’s standards.  This made for a confusing arrangement.  People claimed to belong to God but they were leasing out their lives to society, sending a confusing signal about their claim to having become Christians.

We face this same dilemma today in the 21^st century.  The world around us seemingly has all the answers but those answers constantly change.  Living according to the world’s standards is tantamount to signing a lease every six months.  Each time a new lease is signed, the price grows higher and higher.  But if we belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ, then God has purchased us as His own.  We don’t have to worry about changing leases, changing locations, or packing up to go somewhere else.  We belong to Him and that contract is binding and permanent.

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herever you are today I pray that your walk with God will underline the fact that you belong to Him.  I pray He will encourage your heart and warm your soul with the assurance that you are His through your faith in Jesus Christ.  We are either living under His ownership or we are not.  Are you for sale or for lease today?

A Common Language

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e was from Japan; I was from the United States.  He didn’t speak English; I didn’t speak Japanese.  Yet, here the two of us were, sharing a compartment in a train leaving Germany and heading for France.  The trip was going to be a long one, especially if neither of us could communicate with the other.  I remember staring at the floor, looking out the window, trying to think of some way to communicate with my fellow passenger.  Speaking English didn’t work; speaking more slowly and in a louder voice, didn’t help either.  He was also experiencing the same frustrations and was just as exasperated as I was.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I heard him say: “Parlez-vous francais?”  What music that was to my ears.  Yes, I spoke French and he did too.  This changed everything.  We spent the next several hours getting acquainted.  He was from Tokyo and was studying in France for the year.  I was also studying in France that year so we had a lot in common.  During the train ride from Munich to Paris, I learned about his family, his study program, and I learned a lot about Japan.  Likewise, he learned about my background and things about the States he had never known.

All this happened between two people from opposite ends of the world.  Had it not been for French, we would never have been able to communicate, share stories, or become acquaintances.  What a picture that was.  Two people, from two different cultures, having two different views of the world, sharing with each other in a language that was foreign to both!  My high school French teacher, Mrs. McGinnis, would have been both proud and shocked!  I was!

Do you realize that the same thing happens between us and God?  As sinners, before we come to the knowledge of salvation through Christ, we do not speak the same language as God.  We cannot communicate with Him because we have nothing in common.  As the Scriptures say in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

But there is a way we can approach God to have a wonderful relationship with Him and that way is through His son, Jesus Christ.  1 Timothy 2:5 tells us, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” Jesus makes it possible for us to communicate and have a relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Instead of staring out the window, looking at the floor, or wondering how we can relate to God, we simply turn to Christ and he becomes the common language between God and man.  Once we’ve accepted Christ, we learn all about God, His family, His love, His grace, His mercy, and His plan for our lives. The language of Christ is the language God uses to speak to mankind about love, forgiveness, and eternal life.

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he application to our lives isn’t difficult to make.  Unless we accept Christ as the Lord of our lives, unless we come to God through him, we cannot communicate with our Heavenly Father.  We remain on the outside of the conversation with no way to communicate and no way to learn about God.  So, really, the question is quite simple: Are you and God speaking a common language today?  If you need a dictionary, just open the pages of your Bible!            

Just Write A Check!

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ust write a check, daddy!”  As a child, this was my solution to any financial difficulty facing my family!  Now, you have to understand that my definition of a financial crisis varied greatly from my dad’s definition.  For me, a financial crisis arose whenever I wanted something and my dad told me I couldn’t have it because we didn’t’ have the money to spend every time I saw something I wanted. 

Now, for a six-year-old boy, this just simply didn’t compute.  I was very observant and I had noticed that every time my parents purchased something, they wrote a check for it. When we bought groceries, mom wrote a check.  When we bought clothes, she wrote a check.  When dad got the car repaired, he wrote a check.  Honestly, I can’t remember my parents making a purchase without writing a check.

So, I simply applied the same principle when I wanted something.  I figured as long as mom and dad had checks, there was money in the bank.  I mean, how hard could it be?  All you had to do was fill out the check, sign it, hand it to the cashier, and walk away with whatever you wanted.  It was a great system and one I learned easily.  Checks equaled money and as long as you had a check, you had an infinite supply of the green stuff to purchase whatever it was you wanted.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul addressed the truth that God has unlimited resources.  Philippians 4:19 reads, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” There are two distinct lessons we must learn from this brief passage of scripture.  First, Paul tells us that God will meet all our needs.  Please pay attention to that little word need.  So often as God’s children, we come to Him with a list of wants and we present them as needs.  God knows the difference!!  His promise is to meet our needs, not our wants.  Like children in a toy store, we are convinced we need everything we see.  However, just like a loving parent, God never gives us everything we see, He only supplies what we need.

The second truth is that God’s supply of resources is infinite!  No matter how great our need is, no matter how impossible it looks, and no matter how overwhelming, God has the resources to cover it!  God’s resources are found in His son, Jesus Christ, and are backed in full by the blood he shed to save all of us from our sins.  I don’t know about you, but when I look at all the things I do on a daily basis that aren’t pleasing to God, I am amazed at the price He was willing to pay to claim me as His own.  Whenever I need something, God always provides it, perhaps not the way I imagined and perhaps not in the time frame I desired, but He always comes through, no matter what.

There is one last illustration I believe will be helpful for us today.  The times my dad told me no were always times when I let my wants get out of balance, confusing them with my needs.  If I needed something, I got it.  I never went hungry, I was never cold, I always had a bed to sleep in, and I always had clothes to wear!  Mom and dad always wrote a check for our needs and we were never in want. 

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hey also wrote checks for things I couldn’t see.  These checks took the forms of hugs, laughter, tears, conversations, walks, and time on the front porch!  These were all needs and the checks never stopped coming.  My parents’ supply of love and support was and is measureless.  How much more measureless is God’s supply in Christ Jesus!  His love will never run out, His concern for us will never diminish, and His ability to care for us will never be depleted. God writes checks for us all the time! Are we cashing them?