Daily Devotion - Tuesday, January 26

SFGTD

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is God’s faithfulness, Great is God’s faithfulness.”
--A paraphrase of an early Hebraic song

No, this is not an eye test. Yesterday I shared the story behind SFGTD, which stands for Something For God To Do. As a follow up to yesterday’s devotion, I hope you will enjoy this ancient Chinese story.

There was an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields. One day the horse escaped into the hills and when all the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?” Then, when the farmer’s son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this was very bad luck?! Not the farmer, whose only reactions was “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

Everything that seems on the surface to be an evil may be a good in disguise. And everything that seems good on the surface may really be an evil. So let us be wise and leave the decision making to God. So let us be wise and learn that in all things we can and should give thanks. So let us be wise and give everything to God.

--Ben Keckler
01.26.10

Daily Devotion - Thursday, December 17

Setting Down the Luggage

“O give thanks to the Lord, for God is good;
the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever!”
--Psalm 118:1

Life is meant for sharing, for giving and receiving gifts, for unwrapping new things and savoring the things we treasure. At this time of year we seem to understand this reality more than at any other. Today’s verse reminds us that the sharing, the giving and receiving, is a daily reality when we discover the steadfast love of God.

A few years ago I was privileged to unwrap a deck of cards. They are a bit different than the normal deck of cards. These cards are called “Comfort Cards,” a deck of 50 cards with powerful little statements from the pen of inspirational writer Max Lucado. Here is what one of the cards says:

“This morning, somewhere between your first step on the floor and your last step out of the door, you grabbed some luggage. The bags you grabbed are not made of leather; they’re made of burdens. A suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. A duffel bag of weariness. Set them down.”

We know that steadfast love is ready to embrace us today. So, friends, set down all of the baggage, walk away from it and know that you are loved with an enduring, forever embrace.

Prayer: God of today, accept my thanks for your embrace I pray. Amen.

--Ben Keckler
12.17.09