Topic(s): God, Priorities

A man who had seven coins met a beggar and had compassion on him. He gave him six of the seven coins. The good man then lay down to rest before proceeding on his journey. While he slept the beggar returned and stole the seventh. We are horrified that anyone could stoop so low or be so ungrateful! But what about us? Have we received of God so liberally and return to take more also that belongs to Him? “Beware of the saint with an open mouth and a closed purse.”

Use Today

Topic(s): Wisdom

Francis of Assisi was hoeing his garden when someone asked what he would do if he were suddenly to learn that he would die before sunset that very day. “I would finish hoeing my garden,” he said. Contrast this with the story of the confused woman who came rushing to the preacher saying, “That disillusioned woman there says she saw a vision of Jesus at the altar! What should we do?” The preacher replied, “Look busy” (cf. John 9:4).

A Father Misses His Child

Topic(s): Children, God

Nearly a year ago Peg and I had a very hard week.

• Wednesday night—Mike slept downstairs in his room—where children belong—and we slept upstairs in ours where moms and dads belong.
• Thursday night—we were 350 miles away and he was in Ramada 325 and we were in 323—connecting rooms and we left the door open and talked and laughed together.
• Friday night—700 miles from home and he was in 247 and we were in 239, but it was just down the balcony and somehow we seemed together.
• Saturday night—he was in the freshman dorm, and we were back in 239.
• Monday night—we were home and he was 700 miles away in Chapman 309.

Now we had been through this before. Bob, Jr., had gone away to college and we had gathered ourselves together until we had gotten over it--mainly because he’s married now and he only lives ten miles away and comes to visit often with Deb and Robert III. So we thought we knew how to handle separation pretty well, but we came away lonely and blue.

Oh, our hearts were filled with pride for our fine young man, and our minds were filled with memories from tricycles to commencements, but deep down inside somewhere we just ached with loneliness and pain.

Somebody said you still have three at home—three fine kids and there is still plenty of noise, plenty of ball games to go to, plenty of responsibilities, plenty of laughter, plenty of everything—except Mike.

And in parental math five minus one just doesn’t equal plenty.
And I was thinking about God. He sure has plenty of children--plenty of artists, plenty of singers, and carpenters, and candlestick makers, and preachers, plenty of everybody--except you, and all of them together can never take your place. And there will always be an empty spot in His heart--and a vacant chair at His table when you’re not home.

He misses you so much He can hardly stand it. —adapted from Bob Benson

“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” —Luke 15:20

Hell’s a Bad Sell?

Topic(s): Eternity & Judgment

In an insightful article, “Whatever Happened to Hell?” Larry Dixon raises his concern over Christians trying to soft-peddle the reality of hell. He says many think fear of hell is an outdated and terrible motive for moving one toward Christ. To counter this thought he notes, “Upon hearing the rattle of a diamondback, who would stand and debate the persuasive power of absolute terror? If running for one’s life makes sense in the presence of a snake, how should we respond to the soul-threatening reality of hell?” His point is well taken, “If we neglect the bad news, some people won’t listen to the good.”

“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” —Jude 23