Pastor Chris -
Jeremiah 13:23 -
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?"
Some things, like leopard spots, can't change. But other things can change in a flash. Or as our Cabin Coach at camp last week said, "Life can change on a dime."
My daughter, Cassidy, and I were sharing our 6-hour, end-of-the-week, Daddy-Daughter-talk at camp on Saturday. Cassidy likes to have talks in the car. So we were driving in beautiful (translation "distracting"), northern California mountains on winding, narrow (translation "you better be paying attention") roads.
I ask Cassidy a profound Daddy-Daughter-talk question, "Where should I spit out this bad piece of the apple?" She moves a brown paper bag toward me so I can look down and spit.
Future memo to self: Looking down to spit out an apple while driving on a mountainous, California road is ridiculously more stupid than texting while driving on any road.
Thank God for the angel that moved Cassidy to look up, to see the 150-foot cliff we were about to run off, and to say, "Dad!"
Guys, we were like "this" close, "life can change on a dime" close to dying.
A leopard can't change his spots, but life can change on a dime. So enjoy each moment, love one another, and Praise God!
Now, here's Kristen's God-glorifying devotion.
"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And whatever he does, he prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3
We communicate the Gospel when we're deeply rooted in the word of God; it is the bottomless, never-emptying well from which we continually drink the water of life until we are reunited with our God through Jesus Christ and are able to drink from the true well of everlasting life.
Take a few moments to visualize this tree; its gigantic trunk, sprawling branches, big, bright, green leaves, and deep, deep roots that penetrate the ground in search of water. How many animals and bugs do you suppose find their home or food in the tree? How many men seek to be shaded by its branches? And what would be the consequence of this tree no longer getting all of the water it needs to survive? It would die. And the other living things depending upon it for life would die, too.
Fortunately, God's promises speak to this tree so it never has to worry about that as long as it remains "firmly planted by streams of water." It will continue to yield "its fruit in its season," and its leaf will not wither; and whatever it does, it prospers.
So, believe in God's promises, and spend plenty of time reading about them, reflecting upon them, and sharing their fruit with those who look to you for food and shelter. A sandwich and a cup of water are great, but they quickly become waste. The word of God endures forever; it does not rot or become moldy or lose value in any way.
Eat and drink of the everlasting bread and water, i.e. the word of God, and then feed it to those you know and meet. And you'll be for them as this tree is for its inhabitants – a place of refuge, strength, and life.
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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