I heard a story last week about a man of some who overheard a lady remarking, "Oh, if I only had hundred dollars I would be perfectly content."
He thought about that for a few moments. If the lady only had hundred dollars she would be content. He thought to himself, "Well, I can help her out." So he walked up to her and handed her five twenty dollar bills with his best wishes. She was overwhelmed and made a show of her gratitude. She really appreciated his gift. As she walked away he heard her mumble under her breath, "Why on earth didn't I say two hundred dollars?" Have you ever said something like that? I know I have.
We need to learn to be content with what we have. Christmas can be either a time of thanking God for what we have, or Christmas can be the peak of our discontentment.
Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Devotion for the Second Week of Advent
I remember being told an old legend about a servant whose master died and left her a bag full of blessings.
The master left a message for the servant telling her that the bag would always be full as long as she remembered the four special words. Unfortunately, the servant had lost the note and forgot the four words and was almost out of blessings. Finally she went to a wise man who suggested that possibly the four magic words were, I WISH I HAD. "I wish I had this. I wish I had that."
She tried thinking of all the things she wanted, but the bag was not replenished. She then approached a person who happened to be passing her on the street. The stranger suggested, "Well maybe the four magic words are GIVE ME SOME MORE."
So the servant continued her journey and kept saying, "Give me some more. Give me some more. Give me some more." But the bag was now almost totally empty. In despair she sat down, lonely and heavy hearted.
She took a piece of bread out of her pack and began to eat it. A hungry child off of the street, alone and abandoned, approached her and asked her for the bread. It was obvious the child was in desperate need. So, without even thinking about it, the servant gave the child some bread. Before the child ate, though, she folded her little hands and said a blessing: "I thank you Lord."
All of a sudden the servant's eyes lighted up and she started dancing around in the street. She began chanting loudly: "That's it. That's it. The four special words: I THANK YOU LORD." Soon the bag was filled with blessings once again.
May we remember to say "I thank you lord" during this most holy season.
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. Psalms 118:21
The master left a message for the servant telling her that the bag would always be full as long as she remembered the four special words. Unfortunately, the servant had lost the note and forgot the four words and was almost out of blessings. Finally she went to a wise man who suggested that possibly the four magic words were, I WISH I HAD. "I wish I had this. I wish I had that."
She tried thinking of all the things she wanted, but the bag was not replenished. She then approached a person who happened to be passing her on the street. The stranger suggested, "Well maybe the four magic words are GIVE ME SOME MORE."
So the servant continued her journey and kept saying, "Give me some more. Give me some more. Give me some more." But the bag was now almost totally empty. In despair she sat down, lonely and heavy hearted.
She took a piece of bread out of her pack and began to eat it. A hungry child off of the street, alone and abandoned, approached her and asked her for the bread. It was obvious the child was in desperate need. So, without even thinking about it, the servant gave the child some bread. Before the child ate, though, she folded her little hands and said a blessing: "I thank you Lord."
All of a sudden the servant's eyes lighted up and she started dancing around in the street. She began chanting loudly: "That's it. That's it. The four special words: I THANK YOU LORD." Soon the bag was filled with blessings once again.
May we remember to say "I thank you lord" during this most holy season.
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. Psalms 118:21
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Devotion for First Week of Advent
I came across this story in a college chaplain’s blog last year. I would like to share it with you now.
Several years ago on campus, I heard a story about freshman who decided it was about time she experienced her first college date. Her roommate, who was a junior, asked whether she preferred Southern boys or Northern boys. Since she was from Wisconsin, she was unaware of such nuances in the male gender and asked her roommate, “What’s the difference?”
Her roommate answered, "Southern boys are more romantic. They will take you walking in the moonlight, point out beautiful trees and plants and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Northern boys are more active. They like to go places and do exciting things."
The girl pondered the contrast and then asked wistfully, "Could you please find me a Southern boy from as far North as possible?"
I shared this story as an illustration that we have certain expectations when we have to make decisions in our life. We love to have the best of both worlds. We love to have our cake and eat it too. However, I think we know that when we are forced to choose which direction we will take in life, it frequently involves lots of challenges. It is rarely the best of both worlds.
We have some tough decisions to make this Christmas too as we prepare during the season of Advent.
"What do you want for Christmas?" That is a question we often hear and ask during this time of the year. But the question I want to ask is "What do you need for Christmas?"
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8
Several years ago on campus, I heard a story about freshman who decided it was about time she experienced her first college date. Her roommate, who was a junior, asked whether she preferred Southern boys or Northern boys. Since she was from Wisconsin, she was unaware of such nuances in the male gender and asked her roommate, “What’s the difference?”
Her roommate answered, "Southern boys are more romantic. They will take you walking in the moonlight, point out beautiful trees and plants and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Northern boys are more active. They like to go places and do exciting things."
The girl pondered the contrast and then asked wistfully, "Could you please find me a Southern boy from as far North as possible?"
I shared this story as an illustration that we have certain expectations when we have to make decisions in our life. We love to have the best of both worlds. We love to have our cake and eat it too. However, I think we know that when we are forced to choose which direction we will take in life, it frequently involves lots of challenges. It is rarely the best of both worlds.
We have some tough decisions to make this Christmas too as we prepare during the season of Advent.
"What do you want for Christmas?" That is a question we often hear and ask during this time of the year. But the question I want to ask is "What do you need for Christmas?"
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8
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