In the spring of 1924, Jack Sundine was a four-year-old kid, standing in a line with his father inside the White House, waiting to meet President Calvin Coolidge. As they neared him, Jack noticed that he said something to each visitor as they shook hands. Soon, the thrilling moment arrived. Jack put his small hand into the president’s. Then the president said words Jack will always remember: “Move along.”

In contrast, aren’t you glad that when we come to God, He doesn’t tell us to move along? No, He is personally involved in our lives and desires to hear from us.

Jeremiah 33:3 

Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Jeremiah 29:12 

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you.

He cares for you. Give it some thought.

Gary

The widest thing in the universe is not space; it is the potential capacity of the human heart. Being made in the image of God, it is capable of almost unlimited extension in all directions. And one of the world’s greatest tragedies is that we allow our hearts to shrink until there is room in them for little besides ourselves.

–       A. W. Tozer

Philippians 2:3 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Ephesians 4:32 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Greek word for testing is dokimion (da-key-me-on). This is a term for the potter who puts his vessel into the fire and then takes it out to inspect it to see if there is a crack. The cracked vessels were sold at a much-reduced price. However, on the vessel that went through the fire and did not crack, the potter would write “da-key-me-on” which was a witness to all who would purchase the work, “It has been tested by fire and did not crack.” In other words, it persevered and endured the trial.

–       Larry Thompson

James 1:2-4 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:12 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Like Robert Frost, I went out to visit my birch trees. As I contemplated, I heard Robert’s voice.

When I see birches bend to left and right

Across the lines of straighter darker trees,

I like to think some boy’s been swinging them.

But swinging doesn’t bend them down to stay

As ice-storms do. 

No, this condition wasn’t because some kid was playing. It was because some terrible storm bent it to the place of no return to its once towering grandeur. Kids can’t harm it in the summer months, but those winter storms can be devastating.

He was right. The storms of life can remove you from what could have been.

Proverbs 24:16 

For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

Psalm 145:14 

The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

 Give it some thought and be prepared for storms.

Gary

As a paramedic, I was getting ready to transfer a critical care patient to another facility. While loading the elderly gentleman, I noticed the young woman standing nearby. Before I could say, “Do you want to kiss your dad goodbye?” she bent over and locked lips with him for an uncomfortable period of time.  I said to myself, “Gardner, you just missed making an absolute fool of yourself.” That was close, for she was his wife.

James 1:19 

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

Proverbs 17:28 

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Careful out there. It might not be what it seems.

Give it some thought.

Gary

When those trucks passed the school, the teacher lost my attention. When I was seated on the river-side of the school building, my teacher’s efforts were much more profitable to my learning experience. Trucks still grab my attention, but the years have taught me pay less attention because they are not for me.

Our imagination absolutely disrupts the purpose of God for our lives. They are like a mirage in the desert of life. Don’t pay attention to them, just focus on getting out of this mess.

Proverbs 4:25-27 

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

1 Corinthians 7:35 

I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

The smell of spent diesel had my heart, but now God does.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Bouncing along in the ambulance during a three-hour run, I found the conversation with the patient was free and easy. The subject of belief came up and he was willing to allow me to explain the gospel. After long consideration, he said, “It is too late for me to accept that now.” I liked him and my heart went out to him, but that was his final answer.

The memory of that interaction always reminds of Paul who had his audience consider all the gods of Athens.

Acts 17:23

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

The God of salvation is the only God. Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Give it some thought.

Gary