Humor for the Week

Fri-Nov-29-2019
The volunteer fire department …

Friday is humor day … so here we go …

A huge mansion on a large horse farm caught on fire, and considering the distance from the towns close by, the blaze was seriously damaging this expensive home by the time fire trucks got there from two local towns. The fire was more than they could handle, and they were losing the battle. Someone suggested calling a nearby volunteer fire department.  Despite some doubt that they would be of any assistance, they were called.

Soon the volunteers were seen coming over the hill in a dilapidated old fire truck. They rumbled down the hill and straight toward the fire, drove right into the middle of the flames and stopped! The firefighters jumped from the truck and frantically started spraying water in all directions. Soon they had snuffed out the majority of the fire, leaving a couple of small patches burning, which the city firemen helped to finish off.

As the owner watched all this, he was impressed and grateful that his beautiful house had been spared. He quickly got out his checkbook and donated $5,000 to the volunteer fire department.

A local news reporter was on the scene and interviewed the volunteer fire captain, finally asking how they planned to use the funds donated by the rancher.

The captain replied, “Well, the first thing we’re gonna do is get the brakes on that fire truck fixed!”

Against all odds, sometimes you can do more than you thought you could.

Have a blessed weekend, including thanks, worship, family time, rest,

Chaplain Mark

(I’ll be back on Monday…)

Today’s Word Is … CIRCUMSTANCES

Wed-Nov-27-2019
“my joy doesn’t come and go with good times and bad”

The verse about “I can do all things” by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13 is popular and encouraging. But it means something more than what some people think. Philippians 4:10-14 is about Good Times & Hard Times … and how to thrive in all of them.

To do so we need to overcome what I call “try-harder” theology. You see, Paul was not saying, “I can do all things, if I try hard enough.” But that’s how many people use it.

So, “Here’s the rest of the story” …

First of all … Sometimes we need help. The Apostle Paul earned money making tents, but many times that was not enough. He still needed offerings from churches. It’s OK to ask for help. But it’s not OK to complain if someone can’t help.

  • Paul says (v.10) But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

Also … True contentment is apparently hard to achieve, since so few appear to have it. Learning how to adjust to a wide range of circumstances is not popular. After all, if I go through a drought, what am I going to do about the house and car payments? We want the circumstances to adjust to us. Paul learned to adjust to them. He had a mission that was more important than circumstances.

  • 11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Next … Without that passion for a calling or purpose in life, we often resort to bemoaning our misfortunes. When there’s plenty, we’re happy, but when we must do without … well … does our joy leave when difficulty arrives? Paul is our witness that it is possible to be as content in poverty as it is in prosperity. We will endure circumstances when we are on a mission. It could be as a schoolteacher, as a nurse, as a pastor, as a social worker, or any other job, as a parent to our children, loving our spouse, working for a non-profit or a church project. What we are passionate about will help us to disregard certain difficulties.

  • 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

NOW, HERE COMES THE BLESSING …

  • 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Some folks take this to mean that any bad circumstance can turn into a good one simply by believing it can happen, or that God will fix it for me, or that just trying harder is the way to overcome the barrier … and once the circumstance turns good, then I can rest, get the precious joy back, and be thankful that I succeeded.

But Paul is making a deeper point. “Doing all things” might just mean putting up with irritations or lack of amenities in order to accomplish a higher purpose.

Even if things are bad right now, and even if they’re going to stay bad for a while. No matter. I have God and he is enough. And my joy doesn’t come and go with good times and bad. They’re all alike to me in this sense: I am the same ‘me’ and God is the same God, regardless of my circumstances.

He is our strength in good times. He is our strength in hard times.

LAST THOUGHT …

We are not to wallow in our difficulties in order to get mileage or sympathy points out of our suffering. If things are difficult, we stay on course, and give thanks when caring people pitch in and lift us up.

  • 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

Stay steady in all circumstances, difficult or easy,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is … DANCE

Tue-Nov-26-2019
You can talk about the pro’s and con’s of the other side of the fence, but eventually you’ve got to just hop over.

“Life is not about how you survive the storm, it’s about how you dance in the rain.” – Anonymous

It is certain that we will have troubles in this life. But these troubles do not have to rob us of our joy, because:

FIRST – There is a great joy coming that outweighs everything. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” – The Apostle Paul (2nd Corinthians 4:17)

SECOND – As blessings come and we grow in faith, the troubles are forgotten. “For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.” – The Prophet Isaiah (65:16b)

THIRD – We have help from God who can overcome them for us. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – Jesus (John 16:33)

I hope you can learn sooner than I did to let loose and “dance in the rain.” You can make up lots of reasons not to, which I have done. But it is highly unlikely that you will get the courage to dance in spite of troubles by coming up with “logical reasons” that you should do it. You might just have to decide in a crazy moment … why not just dance! Of course, dancing can be embarrassing. But embarrassment can be quite the thief. How much has it stolen from you?

There may not be anything in your circumstances that says you have the right to dance, the desire to dance, or the energy to dance. But don’t let that stop you!

For me, it was a little like jumping a fence. You can talk about the pro’s and con’s of the other side of the fence, but eventually you’ve got to just hop over. And the people around you will just have to get used to what you are like on the dancing side of the fence.

Go ahead and dance in the rain,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is … CLEVERLY

Mon-Nov-25-2019
How cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good.

After 7 years of college and graduate school, and reading what professors told me to, the first post-graduate reading I did was the series of 7 books by C. S. Lewis called The Chronicles of Narnia. If you have never read them, you should do so. Three or four of the books have been made into movies. Even though they are touted as children’s books, there are such deep truths in them that any adult would grow forward in life and faith by reading them. (They’re also light and fun.)

In the sixth book called “The Magician’s Nephew,” I came to a sentence that rocked my world …

The children in the story were asking Aslan the Lion (the Christ-figure in this series of books), why their Uncle Andrew was such a grouch. How did he get to be that way? And Aslan gave a strange but profound answer …

“Oh, sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good.”

I was stunned enough by that sentence that I suspended reading the book for a few days while I thought about that. Do I have creative excuses for not doing the things that would really be of benefit to me?

When is the last time you should have gone to some event with a friend but instead said, “No thanks, I’m too tired (or too busy).”? What are the things you have skipped out on that would really have done you great good?

Now, I’m not suggesting you wear yourself out and fail to take needed rest or to keep proper boundaries. Nor do I propose that you say “yes” to every invitation that comes along. But looking back over the last year or two or five of your life … what if the good invitations or ideas you declined added up to 148, and the ones you accepted came to just 15? Then this may not be about getting your rest … it might be about “cleverly defending yourself against all that might do you good.”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Hello world!

Interested in some down-to-earth daily devotions?

My name is Mark Davis. I am a recently retired hospital chaplain and long-time pastor. I have been writing daily devotions for hospital employees and other friends for several years. I get lots of great feedback, because I try to write easy-to-understand ideas and things you can use immediately. I like to teach people to understand why we do the things we do and how to develop a successful and fulfilling life. One of my goals is to offer an idea or approach that you haven’t heard before … something profound yet practical.

Comments are welcome. They keep me informed and encouraged!

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark