Day of Praise

Mon, 08/22/16, "Day of Praise"

After having all three kids (ages 23, 21, and 17) home for the summer, maybe for the last time ever, I just want to share again the following devotion from June 19, 2013.

"And a little child shall lead them." - Isaiah 11:6b

I hurt my left shoulder very badly months ago and like any good man, who never asks directions, I still haven't been to the doctor about it. Furthermore, I'm still terrified of heights, and I still think the only three uses of water are rain, getting clean in a shower, and Holy Baptisms.

So!

Why in the world would I even consider sliding down a 60 feet high, 100-yard long zipline and crash back-first (if I hit it just right, otherwise it's the injured left shoulder first) into a manmade lake at camp last week?

Why?!?!?!

Because my 17-year old daughter, Cassidy, asked me to.

"Daddy," she says, "do you wanna go down the zipline with me?"

She's 17! Not 7.

I'm 48.

There aren't many of these invitations left in life.

So we gear up; we walk up; we climb up; we get hooked up; we get instructed; we stand backwards on the platform; they open the gate; and she starts singing.

"Jesus loves me! This I know..."

She looks at me, still singing; she bends her knees; she says, "Bye, Daddy!"; and there she goes.

What's a real man to do?

Well, let's just say that, with the exception of losing my swim shoes when I hit (and thankfully not my swim trunks...well, not completely, anyway), it was an incredibly smooth landing in the lake.

And what else should I have expected?

After all, God promised, didn't he? "And a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)

Hey, Gang, do something with a kid today. You'll be blessed!

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