The Way Out
A prisoner waiting on death row had a deep sense of guilt. He had killed a man in the presence of the victim's two children during a robbery attempt.
Carrying The Canteen
After he and his father had covered 3 miles on their 4-mile hike, 3-year-old Seth was tired out and stumbling along. Even so, he insisted on carrying the canteen that his dad, Pastor Daniel Little, had tried to persuade him they wouldn't need. Finally, though, Seth tearfully requested, "Will you please carry me, Daddy?"
The Big Picture
A reporter for Life magazine asked Kristi, an Iowa second grader, "Who is God?" She replied, "God makes the weather . . . . He gives us gifts like trees and . . . green grass, but one gift He gave us that I don't like: that there might be a war." She continued, "But sometimes God's sort of not nice because one time He made this machine where you try to get it to grab the stuffed animal. He didn't give us luck on that, and we spent $4."
Test Your Tiredness
Someone confided in me that she was feeling guilty. She said, "Even though I'm a Christian, I still get so tired!" As I reviewed the Scriptures, I found that God's people sometimes suffered fatigue and even exhaustion. Today's church seems unwilling to acknowledge this, however. In the name of victorious Christian living, some view all weariness as a failure to trust and obey God.
Empty Proof
In the days after the French Revolution, a man tried to start a new religion that he believed was superior to Christianity. But he was disappointed at his lack of success. He revealed his frustration to a clergyman and asked what he could do.
The Next Planting
When I was a child, it was a family custom to look for the first ripe tomato in our garden. Somehow that first red tomato (often allowed to finish ripening on the kitchen window sill) always seemed to taste the best.
Christmas Every Day
As we began our worship service on a warm day in August, our pastor prayed that we would be alive with anticipation like children at Christmas. In the middle of summer, it was an unexpected image that fired my imagination and caused me to think. Long after the closing hymn, I was still pondering his words and their startling implication.
It Takes Time!
The story is told of an accomplished artist who was applying the finishing touches to a bronze sculpture. He kept filing, scraping, and polishing every little surface of his masterpiece. "When will it be done?" asked an observer. "Never," came the reply. "I just keep working and working until they come and take it away."
The 'Worst' Restaurant
Some years ago I read about the "Worst Food In Oregon" restaurant. The owners said they served the "worst food you ever ate, and the service is even worse."
