What Comes Naturally?
The story is told about an elderly man who retired after many years in the British Army. One day a man who knew about his long and distinguished military career decided to play a prank on him. As the old soldier walked down the street with his arms full of packages, the jokester sneaked up behind him and shouted, "Attention!" Without hesitation, the military man dropped his arms to his side, and every package went tumbling to the sidewalk. Without a conscious thought, the veteran was doing what comes naturally for a soldier.
Making Friends
A letter from a friend described the adjustments that his son and daughter-in-law were facing as young missionaries in a country long resistant to the gospel of Christ. "After some rough early going," he wrote, "they are getting used to not having modern conveniences and are falling in love with the people."
Where Is Your Heart?
When a Michigan man entered the hospital for tests, he never would have guessed what the doctors would find. A routine chest x-ray revealed that the man's heart was on the wrong side of his chest. Because of a rare reversed-organ condition, his heart was not where it should be.
The Mirror
Years ago, Walter A. Maier, an eloquent radio preacher, told about an African tribal chief who was presented with a mirror by a visitor. He peered curiously into the glass and commented on the ugliness of the person he saw. When he realized he was looking at himself, he became enraged and smashed the mirror on a rock.
Growing Pains
When suffering invades our lives, we often wonder what we've done to deserve it. Yet even Jesus, our perfect Savior, suffered during His earthly life. Hebrews 5:8 says that "He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."
All But Impossible
It was more than 35 years ago that A. W. Tozer said, "Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible." He penned that line long before e-mail, the Internet, 500-channel TV, and the addition of other "time-saving" technologies began to rob us of so much of our time.
Following The Leader
My wife and I were driving to church one Sunday when we came to a red traffic light, so we stopped. There was only one car in front of us. While I waited, my mind began to wander. When the car ahead started to move, I was far away in thought and absentmindedly followed right along without even glancing up at the light. Only after I had driven through the intersection did I realize that I had blindly followed the leader. If the other driver had moved ahead before the light had turned green, my following along might have caused a serious accident.
Headed The Wrong Way?
Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. So, instead of obeying God's command to go there and "cry out against it" (Jonah 1:2), he headed for the docks. A ship was about to depart, so he paid the fare and left.
'Do You Love Jesus?'
A man was assigned a middle seat on an airplane. Tired and wanting to sleep, he was irritated when the young girl next to him with Down syndrome asked, "Mister, do you brush your teeth?" "Yes," he replied. "That's good. People who don't, lose their teeth."
It's Not Over Till It's Over
The newspaper headline read, "Jockey Beats Horse Over Finish Line." The jockey beat the pack by 20 lengths and his horse by one length when he was catapulted out of the saddle and over the finish line. His horse, who had tripped, followed soon after. But the victory went to the second-place finisher named Slip Up. A race official said that the jockey "was so far in front that only a freak accident would stop him, . . . and that's what happened."
Keeping Track Of Prayers
Shortly before Margaret Koster died in 1997, I wrote an article about her, telling of her diligence in prayer. Despite her age, she set an example of faithfulness in prayer—continuing to spend hours each day speaking with the Lord she loved. Now she's reaping the rewards of that faithfulness.
Surprising Light
If you've ever been so overwhelmed by sorrow that you couldn't speak, you can begin to understand the emotions of Jeremiah as he wrote the book of Lamentations. It is a sobbing requiem for the death of Jerusalem and the captivity of her people because of their sins. The tears of "the weeping prophet" seem to splash onto every page.
A Nurturing Parent
Learning a trade as an apprentice is not as involved now as it was in days gone by. Today, when someone is assigned to a department or an individual to learn a job or craft, he does so by observation, instruction, and practice.
When One Is A Majority
When King Hezekiah saw that the king of Assyria intended to capture Jerusalem, he immediately went into action to defend the city. But when he had done all that was humanly possible, he realized it would not be enough. So he called the people together, and in the face of their desperate situation he reassured them, saying, "Be strong and courageous . . . for there are more with us than with him" (2 Chronicles 32:7).
Who Is Great?
During World War II, Harry Truman became President of the United States when Franklin Delano Roosevelt died. Truman said he felt as if a great weight had been dropped on him, and he asked people to pray for him. It is said that his old colleague Sam Rayburn tried to help him be humble when he said, "They'll tell you what a great man you are, Harry, but you and I both know you ain't."
Knowing God
It's one thing to know about God, but it's quite another to know Him personally. Let's see how this distinction applies when considering some of God's attributes.
Is He Safe?
We will not get very far in our relationship with God unless we understand that He is to be feared. In The Chronicles Of Narnia, an allegory by C. S. Lewis, the author tells about two girls, Susan and Lucy, who are getting ready to meet Aslan the lion, who represents Christ. Two talking animals, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, prepare the children for the encounter.
To Say More, Talk Less
In 1972, two oil tankers collided under the Golden Gate Bridge, spilling 840,000 gallons of crude oil into the bay. Dying birds, fish, and seals began washing up on the shore. This prompted a man who lived near the bridge to pursue a simpler life that would require fewer natural resources.
Every Drop Counts
Recently the city of Hong Kong was blanketed with posters showing a single drop of water splashing into a pool. Each poster bore the words "Hong Kong Against Corruption." The message was clear—integrity or dishonesty permeates a city one person at a time.
Primitive Heart
Some things just don't seem to fit in our modern 21st century. A tribe of headhunters is one of them.
