Grieved By Grace
In his book The Divine Intruder, James Edwards portrays the prophet Jonah as a man who was grieved by the grace of God. Jonah had been told by God to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh, but he believed that the wicked city deserved to be destroyed for its brutality and cruelty, not pardoned.
Spiritual Weightlifting
I first met Noel when he was in the early stages of overcoming drug dependence. He had put his faith in Christ, and he was becoming a well-established disciple. One day he admitted, "When I first trusted the Lord, I felt powerless and needed to depend on Him for everything. But now that He's made me stronger, I'm afraid I'm not depending on Him as much."
Keeping Your Word
In 1989, CBS presented a television miniseries called Lonesome Dove. It's a gripping story about two former Texas Rangers in the Old West who face many perils as they drive a herd of cattle northward to Montana. In it Captain Woodrow Call agrees to the deathbed wish of his friend Gus McCrae to bury his body in Texas.
Rearview Mirror
Some people go through life looking in the rearview mirror. They yearn for the "good old days" when life seemed better. Families were stronger, Christians were nobler, people were happier—or so they think!
Tired Of Manna?
A young couple moved to Banff. This vacation paradise located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies is surrounded by majestic mountain peaks. The awesome beauty of the slopes changes with the seasons—glistening snow, bright wildflowers, golden autumn leaves.
An Uncertain Future
The patriarch Isaac was an old man when he said, "I do not know the day of my death" (Genesis 27:2). That is true of us whether we're young or old. We never know when the thread of life is going to be broken. This fact was vividly illustrated by something that happened in France in 1965.
Lights In The Darkness
I once read about a woman who felt very much alone at her workplace because she was the only Christian. She was often ridiculed for her faith and accused of being narrow-minded. Finally she became so discouraged that she considered quitting her job. Before doing that, however, she talked with her pastor. After listening to her complaints, the minister asked, "Where do people usually put lights?" "In dark places," she replied.
The Sandwich Generation
The term "sandwich generation" is often used to describe people who are being squeezed between the demands of their children and the responsibility to help their own aging parents. It's not a new dilemma but one that has been complicated by families living far apart, an increasing number of working women, and the pressures faced by single parents.
'The Big Sissy!'
One night during a thunderstorm, a mother was tucking her young son into bed. She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice, "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?" The mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, "I can't, Dear. I have to sleep in Daddy's room." After a brief pause, the boy replied, "The big sissy!"
Bodyguard
Bodyguards are usually employed to protect wealthy or prominent people. Most of us can only imagine what it would be like to walk among our enemies with someone at our side who commands their immediate respect, and whom they fear.
The Sculptor
Early in the last century, sculptor Gutzon Borglum (1867-1941) gazed at the cliffs of South Dakota's Black Hills. He envisioned what no one else could—the sculpted faces of US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
The Most Basic Belief
Adolf Hitler was dead. Germany was embarking on the overwhelming task of rebuilding itself as a nation. The German theologian Karl Barth had just returned from exile in Switzerland to the University of Bonn. With the noise of cranes and earthmovers in the background, Barth began his first lecture to a class of war-weary students. His very first sentence was: "I believe in God."
The Power Of Weakness
I received a letter from a woman who read about the way I had learned to live a life dependent on God. She was challenged as she read that Christ's strength was manifested through my weakness, particularly when I started a Bible study while recovering from a nervous condition.
True Greatness
A Time magazine article asked why so many women in today's society choose not to marry. Author Melissa Bank spelled out the answer in clear terms. She wrote, "Let's face it. You don't just want a man in your life. You only want a great man in your life."
Legacy Of Love
Why would a 10-year-old girl tie a note to a helium-filled balloon and send it on its way to heaven? According to columnist Bob Greene, a grieving Illinois girl named Sarah sent a letter to her grandfather, who had died before she could have one last visit with him. The envelope was addressed to "Grandpa Bernie, in heaven up high." It represented a little girl's expression of love, and her hope that somehow Grandpa would read it.
The Good And Bad Of Wealth
The other day I received a letter saying that I am still in the running to win the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes. I imagine that all the millions of people who received this notice would like to be the winner. But winning all that money might not be good for some of us. Sudden wealth could hurt us spiritually.
Getting In Shape
Getting in shape can be dangerous. According to one report, the two most hazardous methods middle-age Americans use to stay in good condition are riding a bike and playing basketball. In one year, 201,000 people were hurt on their bikes and another 164,000 were sidelined with an injury they sustained on a basketball court.
Matters Of The Heart
In a book called The Second Shift, Arlie Hochschild describes how working couples share home responsibilities. Husbands and wives who both have careers generally agree that it is only fair for them to divide household chores. Yet studies show that men tend to do less than their share.
Counterpoint
In a discussion about marriage, one person said, "The key to a good relationship is that 'two shall become one.'" Another countered, "Yes, but which one?" Is it possible to be "one" without sacrificing our individuality?
When It's Too Late
An insurance agent repeatedly tried to convince a man to buy fire coverage for his home. "No," the homeowner kept saying. "It's well built, and I maintain it properly. My house will never catch fire." But one day it did! Imagine the look on that insurance agent's face when the homeowner foolishly ran to him to buy an insurance policy—as smoke filled the sky and flames gutted his home. It was way too late!
Examples Of Obedience
Have you ever met someone who had traits you thought should mark a Christian but then found that the person had never met the Savior? It's not all that unusual. Sometimes people who do not know Jesus keep their own moral standards more consistently than some Christians keep God's standards.
Of Specks And Planks
In The Blunder Book, M. Hirsh Goldberg tells of a new clerk in the Illinois House of Representatives who sent out a memo to his colleagues. In it he appealed for accuracy in their written communications. But when the memo was distributed, it had nine errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. When the memo fell into the hands of the press, the embarrassed clerk said he couldn't have made a worse blunder if he had tried.
Our Prayer Partner
My son Brian had been struggling for several hours to repair the plumbing in his bathroom. No matter what he tried, nothing seemed to work. His 4-year old son J.D. had been watching his dad, wanting to help but not knowing what to do. Brian was about to make one more try, but before doing so he looked up at J.D. and said, "Please pray."
Where Do You Live?
There's a saying that reads, "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home." But are we really willing to live in a humble home?
Pray Or Act?
A missionary comes to your church and says that he needs some short-term help. Do you pray or do you act?
Awesome!
The word awesome is freely used these days to describe athletes, coaches, teachers, and even friends. I suppose it's not wrong to use the expression this way. But if you stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon, or take in the view from New Mexico's Sandia Peak, a point 10,378 feet above sea level, you'll really feel a sense of awe.
The Value Of Prophecy
Some people believe that the Bible is merely a haphazard collection of ancient writings. But we have good reason to believe it is God's inspired Word. For example, the Bible contains prophecies that have been fulfilled. Centuries before specific events took place, the writers of Scripture predicted their occurrence, and in the course of time those events came to pass.
Forget Worry
Perhaps you've participated in an experiment where you were given a phrase like "red car" and then were asked to put it out of your mind. But the harder you tried, the more the "red car" dominated your thoughts. This kind of exercise shows that we can never forget something by concentrating on it.
