Yesterday I had plenty of time on my hands as I waited to hear news of my father’s very serious operation which lasted over 8 ½ hours. During that period I probably received some 300-400 e-mails, texts, and calls from friends and family who were praying for him; (Thank you!). It took a significant amount of time to read them and it helped pass the time.
A steady stream of dad’s friends from church came by to pay their respects and it was good meeting them. One lady came into the CCU waiting room and introduced herself to me. It turns out that she’d gone to high school with me! I didn’t even remember her name, but it was nice seeing her. Then in a little while another lady came in and said she went to high school with me too. She owned a Chick-fil-A and brought some chicken from her restaurant to us. I recognized her name but not her face.
I was amazed that they remembered me all of the way back to the 60’s. The mystery was solved when they told me they’d somehow heard about my book and read it, and subsequently became subscribers to WFTD and learned of my father’s plight from the postings I’d made about it.
I received two phone calls in the waiting room and two e-mails from some other folks who live in Columbus MS and it was the same story with them. They knew I’d be there in their hometown from reading the WFTD posting and wanted to wish my father well.
In addition I received e-mails and texts from all over the country and some from as far away as Barbados in the Caribbean. Man the outpouring of concern for my dad was amazing, especially in light of the fact that he didn’t know any of these folks and I didn’t know that many either; (at least personally) . . .
Even when I flew from Dallas to Mississippi to see him on Sunday I was passing through the huge Atlanta airport and ran into two separate folks who read Words for the Day who stopped me and told me they’d be praying for him. I didn’t know either of them, but they knew me and apparently have read my book and read this devotional most every day.
Hmmm . . . What to make of all of this . . .
I went from being a loner to having friends galore . . . I like having friends better . . .
It’s a great feeling to know that there are others who share our Christian values and care about each other; even complete strangers.
The term “church” has become a derisive term to many and is emblematic of hypocrisy and self-righteous people, who strut around grandiose institutions implementing programs like they are gods themselves, but the Bible doesn’t define the church as a building, denomination, or religion; it refers to it as a body of believers and followers of Christ. The church is a wonderful institution founded and led by Jesus Christ Himself.
The church doesn’t judge or condemn; it helps the poor, cares about the down trodden including prisoners, provides food to the hungry, comfort to the sick and ailing, and those who otherwise need a helping hand. The church is comprised of folks like those of you who prayed for and sent your outpouring of love to my father and our family.
Speaking as someone who didn’t have a friend until I was a grown man, to now having them all over the world, I can tell you that being in the true church, the one with Christ as its leader, is a wonderful experience unequalled in this world.
I urge you to get involved with the true church and begin following Jesus. You will know you’re there when you begin to develop compassion, mercy, and love for God and those folks around you, (see verse below). We all struggle in this fallen world, but being a Christian makes it bearable and other Christians can and do lighten our load.
Okay now for the update on dad. He did survive and though he’s not going to play any soccer games anytime soon (and he’s in considerable pain), he’s alive. He’s been through a lot, but I wouldn’t bet against him. My father is as tough as pair of elephant hide cowboy boots and I told my wife that if he died I wasn’t going to tell anyone for three days just in case he comes back to life. He’s like bad grass, you can pull it up, but it just keeps coming back.
So I don’t know what today will bring but I’m confident that God’s perfect plan will unfold right on schedule, because (thank the Lord) He’s in control of our lives and this world, (including the ObamaCare debacle). Selah . . .
Matthew 25:45
Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
November 12, 2013 – Click here to listen