Helping Someone Else

Every once and a while, we get to feel good about the world we live in. It’s happened many times this week for me. I heard of a neighbour offering to cut a seniors grass from now on. Fantastic, I said to myself with a smile. Then I met for the first time, a lovely lady who comes into the lodge with her dog, just to go around and let the residents have a chance to pet the dog. I smiled again.

It’s not just the big things we see, when someone donates a big chunk of change to help some mission or school. It’s in the simpler things in our individual lives. Even in the insignificant. The best one this past week happened when I had a visit with a senior. I had just gone into their room for a visit. The resident has not been out of bed for more years than I have known her. Not being able to see, the first question was, "who it was". I told said it was me and the reply came, “I was just praying for you”. Again I smiled. Before I left, we prayed as a strong grip held my hand. It was one of those moments where I received and also had opportunity to give.

Just simple things, like holding open a door, stopping to let someone go by, giving a smile and wave to a friend, getting something from the top shelf at the store for a shorter person then yourself. See, it’s not just the big things. It’s every time we take a moment from our agenda and prioritize another’s agenda.

I’m going to take part of Mark 14:7 and let you know that sometimes it’s the little part of a verse that speaks; “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want”. Do you want? It’s up to you. Try to be that person who makes a difference, even so slight on another’s life today. As you smile, do it again, and again and again. I know God will be smilin' and the world will smile to.

Something to think about

Rob

Too, Too Early, But Right On Time

God woke me up way too early this morning. What’s with that? It wasn’t too hot. The pillow felt good propping up my head. I didn’t even have my usual dream before waking. I just woke up. So I knew it had to be Him. After all, there were way too few hours between closing my eyes at 10:10 and when they popped open when there was no movement on the street below. I even looked around the room but didn’t see Him, but He was there.

Like many of you, I lay there for a number of minutes just hoping that sleep would again envelop me. I even asked Him to let me have at least another half hour. When it didn’t happen, I finally threw back the covers and gave in to Him. I don’t know if He wanted to talk to me or if He just wanted some company. Doesn’t matter. It wasn’t long before I was in the car and driving to work and asking Him, as I popped a cd sermon in by Steve Brown, “What’s up ?”

Then I knew why. It wasn’t anything earth shattering. The two of us just started to talk, or should I say, I began to talk. You need to know that I keep my eyes open when I pray and drive at the same time. He understands. We talked about my friend who just lost someone special, I asked Him to take care of the family and friends. Then prayed for a friend who is about to lose someone close. More and more people came to mind. I took time to pray for each one. People who had a first love of Him but were slowly drifting away. Others who love Jesus but . . . I prayed for those who come to church and those who stay away. (Just an aside, some preachers wonder why their people don’t come to church anymore. They think it’s their fault.) As I began to pray for them and their monumental decision, He reminded me of a friend of ours who lost her battle and now stood in His presence. It made me smile. Next I asked Him to watch over an individual who wrote me about how can they give their life to Jesus. He will.

My doctor told me a while ago, “You’re at that age you know.” Thanks Mary. I needed to hear that. Seems like only yesterday my prayers centred on praying for people to find Jesus. I’m still doing that but now I pray more that He will be with those who are not finding life so easy. People who have health issue, those worried about spouse, their children and grandchildren. We are praying for people struggling to have five dollars left over at the end of the week so they can put it in the offering plate. Even prayed for those individuals that were also lying awake, starring at the ceiling as the clock clicks the numbers 3:43am.

As I write this, I’m still praying. God hears mine and He hears yours as well. I'm so glad He is there for all of us, aren’t you?

Something to think about.

Rob

Uncertain?

Life is very different today. You can’t just send your young kids out on the street to play anymore. And take that car commercial where the fellow drives to the end of the driveway to get his paper.  Now really. Then there is knowledge. It would take you more than a lifetime to read all the books that will be printed just today. That’s scary.

Life is changing and we have to “change with the times”. I hate that line but I would have to say it’s probably truer now than at any other time in history.  Just so you know, we can never go back. Which makes me think of all the electronic stuff. It's so far ahead of me I don’t try anymore. I noticed this morning when I turned on my computer people had been on all during the night. Used to be you got up to make the trip and then back to bed. Now people stop to check their emails at 3:10 am… Now really.

Other changes were never more evident than what I noticed this morning while driving to work. I watched a franticly nervous, skinny scared squirrel try to cross the road. No, not just any road which years ago would be pretty easy for them but this was an eight lane road. There were four cars at the intersection waiting for the light to turn. The other drivers didn’t see the scenario I watched as this little guy stopped for a moment and stood on his back legs hoping to get a better view of which way to go. Ever felt like him? Sometimes our lives are just like his as we try to just get across our roads. As we drove off, I took notice that he did indeed get across four lanes. What happened after that is anyone’s guess.

But that is how life is today.  As a person of faith I know there is only one constant in this life and that is Jesus Christ. In the changing uncertainty of life Paul’s words found in Hebrews give me pause; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”. He died for everyone who has ever lived or will ever live. He came to bring to us the knowledge of an unchanging God who loves us, especially when we stand up on our shaky legs to frantically look at which way to go. As for me, I will follow Him. After all, when we don't know which way to go in this everchanging uncertainty of life, I know, "Jesus is the way, the truth and the life".

Something to think about.

Rob

FWD This

The majority of those reading this have an email address. Basically it’s a place where anyone you know can write you without having to pay eighty five cents for a stamp and you get it within a mille-second. And it’s great or may I say, wonderful to get something from someone you know.

Just like yesterday for me when a close friend emailed me to let me know what is happening with the forest fires in northern Saskatchewan. If you didn’t know I lived in Sask at one point in my life. Pray for those living there and all that it means to have a fire burning near their homes.

But, we all get other emails from people we know. They are called forwards or fwd. for short. Most of the time they are enlightening, humourous or just plain ‘good to know’. And then there are others that not only fit into the above categories, but include an encouragement to pass it on because something wonderful will happen to you because you pass it on to ten more people.

WAIT A MINUTE! The latest one said a miracle will happen within 24 hours because I hit the fwd.-send button???? Let me reassure you, Bill Gates is not going to send you flowers. Microsoft is not going to pay your credit card bill and surely, you are not going to win the lottery because you hit the send button and sent the fwd. on to ten people.

The truth be told, the only miracle that is going to happen is, those ten people won’t be angry with you for sending a fwd. to them that tells them to fwd. it to ten more people.  Just so you know, if I do like the email, and think it would be something I would send on to someone, I delete the line about the miracle and just send it. The next morning a miracle still happens when I wake up in the morning.

Another thing. You want to see a miracle happen, send someone an email that talks about how your life was changed by Jesus Christ. How He was asked by God to step forward into time and come to die to pay the debt of our sin. Without hesitation, He came and He paid it all for all of us – that my friend is a miracle. When Christ steps into your life He changes it. You become a new person, a better person. One who demonstrates the love of Christ that is shown to you as you now show it to others.  When someone’s life is changed by Christ, it’s a real life-changing miracle.

Something to think about.

Rob