One day a man decided to pay a visit to a friend whom he hadn’t seen at church for awhile. Entering in the house, he asked his friend how he had been. “Oh, I don’t know, Ok, I guess…” The first man thought to himself, “Well, I don’t want to sound like I’m ‘nagging’ him about staying involved in church. I want him to want to come and love God with us. Lord, how can I communicate my heart for You to him without sounding like a ‘whiner’?” It was the midst of winter. His friend's brightly burning fireplace gave him an idea. Without saying a word, he reached over to the fireplace tools on the hearth, took hold of the tongs, picked up a brightly burning log, and set it away from the main fire by itself on the hearth. Soon its flames dimmed, and eventually flickered out. They both watched silently as it turned cold and grey. The man then set the log back on the fire. Very soon, it was rekindled, and burning brightly and merrily once again.

I caught two fish on my recent river trip with my Dad and brother. Here’s the story. Several weeks ago, my Dad had called me with a sudden – and very surprising – request: would I join him and my brother on a fishing trip from May 7-11? Well, like you I’m sure, I felt like “jumping out” of my planned life for a whole week on such short notice would be difficult. Especially since this would have to be “sandwiched” between two other long-standing speaking/leading commitments out of town: and I hate being away from church (you, dear friends!) for more than a week at a time!

“God will provide”. Now that’s a mouthful! Considering especially who it came from: Abraham, who was just about to get rid of his precious son, Isaac. (see Genesis 22: 1-19) Let me back up a bit. Abraham and his wife Sarah were promised that a great nation would descend from them, a nation through whom all the other nations would be blessed. Awesome! How we all ache to know that our lives have mattered, that we would be used by the Lord to fulfill His amazing purposes in this uncertain world. Abe and Sarah were thrilled by this promise. And they waited for its fulfillment: that they would have a son.