Category: Daily Devotion

Today’s Word Is GULLIBLE … Plus Friday Humor

Fri-Feb-14-2020

A man was stopped by the fish and game-warden in Canada. He had with him two buckets of fish. He was leaving Shaw’s Point, well known for its great fishing.  The fish and game warden asked the man: “Do you have a license to catch all those fish?” The man replied to the game warden: “No, sir. These are my pet fish.”

“Pet fish?” the warden replied. 

“Yes, sir. Every night I take these fish down to the lake and let them swim around. After a while, I whistle and they jump back into their buckets, and I take them back home again.” 

“That’s a bunch of hogwash! Fish can’t do that!” was the outburst from the Warden.

The man looked at the game warden for a moment, and then said: “Here, I’ll show you. It really works.”

“O.K. I’ve GOT to see this!” The game warden was curious now. The man poured the two buckets of fish into the lake and stood and waited. After several minutes, the game warden turned to the man and said, “Well?”

“Well, what?” the man responded. 

“When are you going to call them back?” the game warden prompted. 

“Call who back?” the man asked.

“The FISH,” the warden said. 

“What fish?” the man asked.

I have had quite a few gullible moments in my day. As I have matured in the faith, I have seen people sometimes want to twist the truth. Their tactic is to confuse us or mislead us by placing doubt in our minds. Sometimes we have to be quick thinkers and extremely tuned in to the Holy Spirit in order to see through misleading statements or questions.

For instance, Jesus was once present for a tense situation in which a woman had been caught in the act of adultery, then brought to a public place, possibly near the temple, in order to be stoned to death as the law demanded. These Pharisees (experts in the law) saw an opportunity to trap Jesus into publicly condoning the killing of a sinful woman.

They confronted Jesus with … ‘What do you say, Jesus? Kill her or not?!” Instead of answering their question, he proposed that “whoever is without sin may cast the first stone.” They all left, of course.

Ask God to give you the ability to discern and respond to people with hidden agendas, not so you can embarrass or confound them, but to help them and others find the truth.

For two years I hosted a national call-in radio show on XM satellite radio, called The Healing Touch. It aired from midnight to 2:00 a.m. for 5 nights a week. One caller was a lady who complained that she had been praying for help from God for 7 years and he either wasn’t listening or didn’t care.

I told her that neither of those were true, according to Scripture. I asked her if she read her Bible … “not much.” How often do you pray … “not much.” Do you attend a church … “no, not really, I don’t have time, and besides they aren’t nice to me.”

I don’t know where this came from … well, really I do … it wasn’t from me. But out of my mouth came this thought … “Ma’am, you could go into your bathroom, turn on the shower, then go and stand in your living room for 7 years and never get wet.”

As you grow in faith through Bible study, reading powerful books, sharing and discussing with others the meaning of faith issues, and living in faith community with a fellowship of believers, God will teach you to see through misguided people with distracting and devious questions. Warning … he will ask you to love them anyway.

Stay alert!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is MINISTRY

Thu-Feb-13-2020

“Your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt.” – Rick Warren

This principle is not just for pastors, but for every believer. The word minister is from the Latin, meaning “servant.” All of us who call ourselves Christians have a ministry. Jesus referred to many types of ministry when he told his parable about “the least of these” …

Then they also will answer, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?” Then he will answer them, saying, “Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” (Matthew 25:44-45)

Your own difficulties, problems and hurts of the past often lead to a compassion for others who are experiencing similar hardships. Take a look back and consider how you endured by depending on God through various hard times, and made it through somehow, as a changed, wiser, and better person. This can become your inspiration to minister to and encourage others.

People who are struggling through a hardship or tragedy need to hear several things. First, they may be thinking that they are alone … as if they are the only one who ever had to go through something like this. By sharing your story, you can help them discover that they are not alone and that there is someone who understands. The fact that you have faced a similar situation, or even a heavy problem of any sort, regardless of how you dealt with it, can be a comfort to them.

Also, people need to know that there is “life on the other side.” After the storm has subsided and life settles back down, “can I still go on?” It is easy for folks to think that “life as I know it” is over with! I have had that thought during several tragedies and hardships in my life. But I am here to testify that it wasn’t the end of my dreams after all. Regardless of what I lost, there were new dreams, bigger adventures, and continued blessings which came along.

And finally, people want to know if they will be accepted after life has changed. Will I still have friends? Will I still believe that good things are coming? Will I still be acceptable in God’s sight? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. After a divorce at age 30, I thought my pastoral career was over. I thought I was now “defective” and unusable. But God had other ideas. I was amazed at the support I received to help me through. And I have grown immeasurably through both the acceptance of God, as he repaired my inner hurt, and the ministry of others repeatedly over the years.

Yes, you are a minister. And yes, you have a ministry. Who you are, what you have suffered and endured, and the growth and healing you have received all fit together to equip you for service to someone at their moment of need.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is WORRY

Wed-Feb-12-2020

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything…” – The Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:6a, The Living Bible)

Somewhere along the way I read that Wor-ry and Wor-ship have a common linguistic root, as if they are opposites. To worry is to forget for the moment that God is interested in you and capable of great, even impossible things. To worship is to declare that worry is not the answer, God is. Worship builds up our strength; worry drains it. Worship increases our joy; worry destroys it. Worship expresses our confidence in God; worry shows our fear of the future.

Looking at it in writing makes the choice look easy. But at the crisis moment, we often revert to the poor practices of our weaker days and begin to worry. It takes practice to recognize the influence of our old human nature and the power of bad habits. How do we train our minds to do that? After all, negative thoughts are a killer.

The late Nell Mohney was a great speaker and author of 13 books. Her husband Ralph was pastor of First-Centenary United Methodist Church, Chattanooga from 1965-1981. One of her credits was writing an inspirational column in the Chattanooga Times-Free Press for 38 years.

Nell once told my wife and me about a period where she was having negative thoughts frequently. So she devised a solution. She put a rubber band around her wrist and every time she caught herself being negative again, she would pull back and pop the rubber band. She said it didn’t take long to break that habit!

What if you could resolve today to make worship and prayer into your usual choice, rather than worry? For some of us, it might not be as easy as Nell Mohney’s rubber band! So first, let’s look at a substitute word for worry, and that would be “concern.” Whereas worry is an exercise in fear, being concerned involves trust.

I confess that I worry sometimes. But there is a difference between worrying occasionally and being a worrier as a “way of life.” This is what Jesus is teaching us to turn away from.

Jesus said: “… your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things…” (Matthew 6:31-34)

If you need a breakthrough, and you’re ready to take the leap, then you can declare for yourself, “I don’t want to be a worrier anymore.” I’m sure your family and friends will have to recover from shock and get used to the “new you,” if you decide to stop worrying. They may accuse you of not caring anymore. Or it may be that the reason they don’t worry is because you are the worrier for them. If they want an explanation for why you have stopped worrying, tell them, “Jesus said not to!” Then, stop saying, “I’m worried about…” but rather … “I am concerned about …” This may sound like a trivial distinction, but from God’s perspective, it is not.

Worry is a lack of faith; concern knows where to place its faith. Worry is generated by fear; concern is the result of love. Worry tears you down through despair; concern builds you up through hope. Worry believes that we can’t handle bad outcomes; concern knows that we can, because “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

It’s a choice … worry and fear … or … worship and concern. Choose well!

Have a blessed and “worry-free” day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is CREDIT

Tue-Feb-11-2020

Millard Fuller was a self-made millionaire who gave away his wealth to start the Christian house-building group called Habitat for Humanity, which was founded in 1976 and based in Americus, GA. Since that time, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses to serve over one million people in over 100 countries and attracted prominent volunteers, including former President Jimmy Carter, whose hometown of Plains, GA was 10 miles away.

I had the privilege many years ago of hearing Mr. Fuller speak at a meeting, and his presence was riveting and inspiring … such great charisma. He told a story of being at a conference in Charlotte, NC, which had participated in a world-wide blitz the previous year, an effort of Habitat to start 300 houses at once. Charlotte’s part was to begin 14 houses, the effect of which was to engage thousands of residents. It attracted many outside public figures, including comedian Bob Hope as well as President Carter.

Millard got an inspired idea at this conference that he would take a long afternoon break one day and go out on a curious adventure to see the effects of the previous year’s enormous house-building effort. In particular, he wanted to go to the house that his friend President Carter had helped to construct.

Mr. Fuller hired a car and driver to take him to see the project site, and eventually they pulled up in front of the house Carter helped to build. Stepping from the car, he could see that the house still looked very well-kept. A five-year old boy stood in the yard. Fuller approached and introduced himself.

Thinking that this young lad might have been told the story of President Carter helping to build his house, he stooped down and asked, “How do you like your new house?”

“I like it!” the boy answered.

Testing to see if he knew about Carter’s involvement, Fuller inquired, “Do you know who built your house?”

The youngster grinned, eyes sparkling, and said, “Yes, sir! Jesus built my house!”

That was not the answer he expected, but he realized it was exactly the right answer. Fuller went home deeply moved and inspired by a 5-year old who shared a great testimony.

As I type this article, my eyes have moistened up just thinking about that little boy’s answer, just like when I first heard it, and like every time I retell it to someone.

This is the takeaway … We need to give God the credit, both for what has been given to us and what we have done for others.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

As to what we have received, Psalm 16:2 says: “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” Thanking others is a very important thing, but those who are committed to the Lord know that ultimately God is the source.

And of course, we know that the act of giving is an imitation of God, in whose image we are made. As the Apostle Paul said to the Ephesians, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

If that story doesn’t light your fire, your wood must be wet!

Blessings!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is ANGELS

Mon-Feb-10-2020

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:1-4)

When I was going to seminary at Emory University in Atlanta, I had a scary moment that I will never forget. I was traveling on Piedmont Avenue near downtown after midnight, returning home from an event. There were no other cars around at that moment, and I was leery of being in this area at such an hour.

Then, a terrible thing happened. My car’s lights went out, the engine shut down, and I coasted to a stop. The car would not restart. I got out and looked around, having no idea what to do next. There were no cell phones at that time, no nearby phone booth. I raised the hood but saw nothing unusual, based on my limited mechanical ability. I was helpless. Immediately, in the distance an old pickup truck appeared, heading in my direction. I didn’t know whether to be afraid or thankful. Should I wave for help, or get back in the car?

No matter, the truck pulled up behind me and an older fellow in what looked like mechanic’s work clothes got out and approached. “Need some help?” he asked. “Well yes, my car just quit. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

He went to the front of the car, looked under the hood, loosened the battery holder, lifted the battery and showed me a broken wire. (That was fast, I thought.) He said, “These Chevy Camaros have a problem where the tiny ground wire gets under the battery and it wears in two!” Lifting up the two frazzled ends of the wire, he said, “Look here!” He pulled out pliers, spliced and taped it back together, and said, “Now start her up!”

Once back in the car, I put the key in the ignition, and it fired right up! I looked out my window to see the old pickup already heading down the street. I didn’t even get the chance to say thank you.

Now, what’s your opinion? Was that a coincidence … that a truck with a mechanic in it, who knew about the particular and unusual problem of this car,  who had the tool and tape in his pocket to fix it, who drove away before I realized he was leaving, and all this after midnight? There is no doubt in my mind that he was an angel God sent to help me.

I know we call kind people an “angel” sometimes, and that is OK, but I hope you understand that humans are not angels. They are two different beings. Having read sometime before this incident a book by Billy Graham called Angels: God’s Secret Agents, the experience I had was very similar to the many stories in that book. So, when this event comes to my mind, even now, I remember that God sent me one of his angels. It is a reminder of the reality of God and his watch care over me. It renews my spirit and my conviction that God is always with me. Whenever I have doubts or difficult moments, remembering this event wipes the doubts away.

Psalm 91 will tell you how God cares for you. When I think about that night in Atlanta, these verses stand out to me …

Psalm 91:3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler.

Psalm 91:5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Psalm 91:11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

There is a condition stated back in verse 1 … that you “dwell” in him. Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Your dwelling is your home. God wants us to know that our home is in him. Make God your home and abide in His shadow. He’s got you “covered.”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is PREROGATIVE

It’s Humor Day!
Fri-Feb-7-2020

A farmer is struggling because he is not making enough money at farming, so he decides to set up a clinic and be a doctor. He puts a sign out front that says “Will Cure Any Ailment for $500. If Not Cured, Will Give You $1,000 Back.”

The town physician is upset by this, so he decides to run the farmer out of business. He goes to the farmer’s office and says, “I am having trouble with my hearing and I need a cure.”

The farmer says to his assistant, “Go to the medicine cabinet and get bottle #22 and put 3 drops on his tongue.”

The physician says, “You are a fake. You can’t cure my hearing by putting drops on my tongue!”

The farmer says, “Your hearing is cured. That’ll be $500.”

The physician goes away angry and decides to try again. He comes back to the farmer the next day and says, “I am having trouble with my memory and I need a cure.”

The farmer says to his assistant, “Go to the medicine cabinet and get bottle #22 and put 3 drops on his tongue.”

The physician says, “Hey, that’s the same thing you said yesterday about curing my hearing!”

The farmer says, “Your memory is cured. That’ll be $500.”

Now the physician is really getting ticked off, so he comes back one more time and says, “I am having trouble with my eyesight and I need a cure.”

The farmer says, “Well, you’ve got me there. I have never cured anyone’s eyesight before. Here’s your $1,000.”

The physician says, “Hey, this isn’t $1,000. This is only $10.”

And the farmer says, “Your sight has been cured. That’ll be $500.”

If God wants to call a farmer a doctor, that is his prerogative. That sounds strange, but the point is that God’s declarations over you are true, though they may not make sense. In the case of Abraham, who was married to a woman who could not bear children, we know that God called him “the father of many nations.”

The Apostle Paul says in Romans 4:17 regarding Abraham, “… I have made you a father of many nations in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” What God says about our value, identity, or destiny, may seem illogical, unlikely, or even impossible in our way of thinking., but if God says it, then to him it is already true. He can speak of what does not exist as though it did. What a blessing!

Have a good weekend, including rest, family, and worship,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is TRANSPARENCY

Thu-Feb-6-2020

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” – King David (Psalm 42:9-10)

I had the great privilege during my seminary days at Emory University of attending a lecture by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, author of the classic book, On Death and Dying. The book was based on her many years of working with patients who had terminal illnesses and introduced the concept of the five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.

During her lecture she told us about an incident when she was in the hospital room of an elderly lady who was dying of cancer, and who was angry at God, expressing it quite openly. Dr. Ross listened patiently through all the complaints and emotions. When she left the woman’s room, she encountered a pastor who had been outside the door listening to what was going on.

(At this point, you need to know that Dr. Ross was born in Switzerland, was very short and thin in appearance, and spoke with a delightful European accent. But as I observed her during her lecture, I surmised that despite her small stature, she was probably pretty feisty.)

The pastor was waiting outside the door with a reprimand. “Why did you let that woman say awful things about God like that? I heard it all the way out here. She was insulting God! You should have stopped her from saying such irreverent things!”

Dr. Ross put her hands on her hips in a scolding manner, and looking up at the much taller pastor, said with a shake of her head, “I think He’s big enough to take it!” And off she marched, leaving the pastor to reconsider his theology.

What this cancer patient was being allowed to do was to practice transparency with God. Her feelings were strong. She was unhappy with her condition and ready to “let God have it!” This openness obviously helps us more than it helps him. He knows our situation and how we feel about it.

If you’re waiting for things to get better in your life before you spend some time or improve your relationship with the Lord, or if you’re afraid to talk to God because you wouldn’t have anything nice to say at the moment … well … It would probably be better just to let it out. God wants to hear all those things. It’s all part of staying on track with God. If this transparent approach to your relationship with him is a new thing for you, I understand. But if you need to shout and complain to God, I feel confident in saying that it won’t knock him off his throne!

Honesty with God helped King David to vent his feelings, as in the Scripture above. But one thing David does in many Psalms is to teach us how to come back around to God’s point of view. The next verse after the above Scripture says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)

I’ve heard my share of complaints from people who are suffering from trials and tribulations, including hospital patients. I want to imitate my heavenly Father and be “big enough to take it” and still care about the complainer.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

BY THE WAY, the movie The Apostle, starring Robert Duvall as an evangelist, has some pretty good “transparency with God” scenes. (Warning, it’s a little rough in places.)

Today’s Word Is INVITE

Wed-Feb-5-2020

If your participation in a local fellowship of believers has been life-changing, why not invite someone along? There are more opportunities than you might think. One of my hospital co-workers once told me that a patient she was caring for invited her to church. This was not the first time she had received such an invitation, but for some reason, this time she felt God’s nudge and surprised herself by suddenly saying “OK!” So … she went. Why not?

What happened was a spiritual connection that she had not anticipated, and her faith began to emerge and grow. Life is now different and blessed.

So how do you know who to invite? I would say, “Listen. Let God speak to you.” As Jesus left this earth, one of his final statements to the disciples was, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

This is a clue to where we will encounter folks whom God wants to bless by being a part of his church. First, it is in Jerusalem, which was home base to the disciples, where they were around familiar faces. These are the people close to home, people that you know. When we are in our usual territory, seeing people that we frequently see, there is someone who needs to get an invitation to a new life of faith and to a church.

Then there is the area called Judea, which is people further out, people you don’t know. You are in places where you feel comfortable, but around people who are mostly strangers. Many of us find ways to talk with others that we don’t know. And there is an approach that we can each develop from our own personality, by which we can bring up faith matters without scaring people off. Don’t let your initial awkward attempts deter you from developing your style.

Further away from Jerusalem is the territory called Samaria. Jews only ventured into this territory by necessity. Samaritans were culturally different and mostly despised, because they were intermarried with various cultures. For our day and time, this regards the barriers of racial, cultural, and religious differences. I don’t know the accuracy of this statement, but I have heard it said that 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning is the most racially and culturally divided time in our society. We could change that.

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4:7), and the disciples were surprised Jesus had been talking to her. In another story where Jesus healed ten lepers, only one came back to say thank you, and he was a Samaritan (Luke 17:16). And of course, we all know the parable of the Good Samaritan, where the hero is a foreigner of a different culture (Luke 10:30).

After the resurrection, the new community of Christians realized that their message was not only for familiar folks, but also for those who are “not like me” … different color, different spirituality, different country, different level of income. So, they dared to approach and invite them, and many successes followed.

The final place that Jesus named as an area for sharing our witness is “the end of the earth.” He was saying that there are no limits on where you can find someone to invite. Anywhere you are there are people who need what you have found through faith in Jesus.

Most people go to church because someone invited them … and according to research, in the vast majority of cases, it wasn’t the pastor doing the inviting. It was just regular folks with changed lives. Don’t be afraid to invite someone to church.

One final note … attending church does not make us a Christian. Salvation comes by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus. In other words, church never “saved” anybody! Jesus does that! But an invitation to church can be the first step!

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is BALANCE

Tue-Feb-4-2020

In the book Work, Play, and Worship in a Leisure-Oriented Society by Gordon Dahl, he proposes a theory that life is made up of these three aspects; and we are supposed to work at our work, play at our play, and worship at our worship. He then proposes that much of American life is out of balance … and we get into a pattern of … Worshipping our work … Working at our play, and … Playing at our worship.

Starting with work … It should be fulfilling in some degree, accomplish something useful, provide for our needs, and bless others. But the word “workaholic” was created by a Canadian newspaper writer in 1947 to describe the growing concern for people who value work inappropriately and thus hurt their families, destroy their own health, and define life by the wrong measures. In other words, they worship their work.

Then there is our play. Another name is recreation … it is supposed to “re-create” us, meaning relieve stress, evoke laughter, be filled with enjoyment, and refresh us. However, I have seen folks throw golf clubs, walk out of card games, throw a tantrum over losing, get livid at the Little League umpire for a bad call, and in general become miserable trying to “play.”

When my children were preschoolers, I bought them a “bolo paddle,” a wooden paddle attached to a long rubber band with a small rubber ball on the end. You hit the ball over and over as it stretches out on the rubber band and comes back. When I got home from work the next day, I got upset because they had taken it apart!

My son was using the paddle part as a hammer with some of his building blocks. He loved it! My daughter was out back with the ball and rubber band part, slinging it around the double stranded clothesline, which made it wrap round and round and round until it was tight. Then it would reverse and unwind around and around until it was back out straight. She loved it! They were having great fun with the toy I bought, but by my standards they were not doing it “correctly.” Thankfully, I resisted the urge to spoil their play and turn it into work. It struck me that they were truly playing and enjoying it.

Now for worship. This is a time, both private and corporate, to praise and thank our Creator. But very many Americans breeze through the worship time (which for some must be completed in a defined time period, such as one hour) and do not get impacted by the awesome idea and experience of communing with the Holy God of the universe.

Many people are too embarrassed to express openly their love for God, afraid others will think less of them if they laugh, cry, shout, kneel, hold their hands out or up to God, get lost in a moment of quietness and reflection, or get so consumed by the presence of God that they are unaware of their surroundings and unashamed to express openly their love for God. It is possible, you know, to worship without singing or to sing without worshipping!

There is much more that could be said, but you get the picture. Now you can reflect about whether you are in or out of balance. We can find a sense of greater peace when our work, play, and worship become what they are supposed to be … not idolizing our work, being refreshed by our play, and being fully engaged while focusing on God in our worship.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Verse:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. (1st Corinthians 10:31)

Today’s Word Is ATTENTION

Mon-Feb-3-2020

Several years ago, an anonymous donor in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida paid for a series of messages on billboards and buses, such as …

Let’s Meet At My House Sunday Before The Game. ­ God

I Love You … I Love You … I Love You. ­ God

Loved The Wedding, Invite Me To The Marriage. ­ God

These billboards were a gentle reminder that God is trying to communicate with each of us all day every day. How do you stay in tune with God each day?

Nature moments are one way God gets my attention during the day. My back yard is all woods … that does it … serene and thought provoking. Other nature moments include sunrises and sunsets, hummingbirds, flowers, rainbows, and more.

There are teaching moments where God gets my attention. Perhaps a new expression of God is presented to me, maybe during a conversation or while reading something. It makes me light up, and say, “Thank you, Lord.”

God gets my attention when I interact with people. Sometimes they let a clue pop out that tells me they might be hurting or might need some encouragement. I can’t help everyone I meet, but sometimes the nudge of God says, “Do something for this one.”

How does God get your attention? Surely, he would not have to resort to the two-by-four method, although for some of us it might be what is necessary, at least to get the flow going. God generally operates by the whisper or nudge methods, putting things around us to marvel and enjoy, to take faith strides, to increase in wisdom, or to touch a life and make a difference.

My son Josh once had a dog named Larry who was amazingly focused on his master. At one place where they lived in an apartment complex, there was an outdoor area where residents would take their dogs to run and play. The average dog was overly engrossed in what other dogs were doing. Some would run loose from their owners to check out the other dogs. But not Larry. He watched his master. He loved to catch a frisbee or run together with Josh. He sat, shook “hands,” stayed close, or ran far away and back … all at the direction of his master.

Once when I kept Larry for a several-week stay, I realized that Larry thought of me as his focus while Josh was not around. I could tell that he was always aware of what I was doing, but one particular action caught my attention. Every time we would go up or down the stairs together, he would stay at my side, not running ahead as one might expect. If I ran up the steps, so did Larry. If I went slowly, so did he, making sure to stay perfectly in sync, never getting ahead nor too far behind.

Inquiring with Josh, I learned that he taught Larry to do this because they lived in a third-floor apartment. The purpose was for Larry not to trip up other people using the stairway. This took Josh some time to teach. If they went up one flight and Larry got too far ahead, they would go back to the bottom and start over, as many times as necessary, patiently and mildly, until Larry knew what to do.

What a marvelous lesson I gleaned from this. Could I be that focused on my master? Larry was the happiest and most well-behaved dog around. Everyone loved Larry. And it was all because his master had his full attention. It is the same with God, showing us how to keep our full attention on him. I must admit I am not there yet, but I have noticeably improved over the years, learning how to be in step with the master. It molds us into the happiest people around.

“… and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith …” Hebrews 12:1b-2a

I hope God has your attention today,

Chaplain Mark