Proper Timing

January 29

Whoever obeys his commands will come to no harm, and the wise

heart will know the proper time and procedure.

Ecclesiastes 8:5

He stood silently by and watched as I swung the sledge against the wedge,

attempting to fell the tree. It was a big, old tree, seventy feet tall and spreading

out some forty feet. It would make a lot of firewood. I began to hear a chuckle

every now and again.

After ten minutes of pounding, I was tiring quickly and sweating profusely.

I’d made no progress, and he was openly laughing. In my wounded pride, I said,

“If you think you can do it better, have at it.” 

He stepped over, re-placed the wedge, and in three, well-timed swings, dropped the tree right were he wanted. Exasperated, all I could do was shake my head, smile, and ask, “So what’s the secret?” 

My father-in-law winked, pointed at the sky, and said, “You have to look up when you’re wedging a tree. You wait until the tree sways against the wedge, then, as it begins to sway the other way, you drive the wedge deeper and wait, driving it deeper with each swing. It’s all in the timing. To get the timing right, you have to look up.”

h

Often, we struggle against unseen pressures, forgoing the council of those wiser

than ourselves. Instead of seeking their experience in regard to the pressure

we’re facing, we forge ahead, making our own way. 

Our self-sufficient mind-set doesn’t leave much room for admitting we could benefit from someone else’s wisdom, and our efforts are diminished when we navigate life on our own.

Like wedging a tree, we need wisdom concerning our actions in overcoming

the pressures we face. God, if we will allow Him, can move people and sway

things to work in our favor, moving them in such a way that it increases our

strength, not deplete it. “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” That’s

God, us, and others.

 

Prayer

“Lord, I tend to have tunnel vision at times. Please

whisper for me to look up to You. Help me change

from my self-sufficient ways in an effort to become God

sufficient. I admit I cannot do this on my own. Amen.”

 Granddad’s Treasure Chest

January 28

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19

As Tom brushed dirt from the miniature treasure chest, he was transported

fifteen years back through time to the day he and his Grandad had buried it in

the backyard of the family farm. 

Grandad had said, “Tom, there are only a few things really important in life: the love of family, the feel of a good book in your hands, and most of all, the love and faithfulness of God. Without the latter, the others don’t have any significance.” 

Throwing dirt over the chest, he had said, “Let’s dig it up on your twentieth birthday and weigh the importance of the things we’re burying today.” 

As Tom opened the chest, he couldn’t suppress a sob; he wished Grandad were here to do this with him. The first item he uncovered was the medal Grandad had received for service to his country. Next was an old pair of Grandad’s eyeglasses; Tom had always liked them and thought he might need them in the future. There was an old report card, a few old coins, and a pack of baseball cards. The last item Tom pulled from the chest was a pocket-sized Bible. It had been the first item Grandad had placed in the chest.

h

Tom remembered what his Grandad had said when he’d placed that little Bible

in the chest. “Son, everything we have placed in here will have a price placed on

it when you dig it up, all except this one; this little Bible is priceless. The words

of this book will sustain you when all these other things are gone. Never place

a higher value on the things of this world than you do the Word of God. If

you trust in God, you’ll never be alone, never be poor, and never be lost.” Tom

smiled. He had adhered to his Grandad’s faith.

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I want my heart to be in heaven. Help me live

for You here so that I can live with You there. Amen.”

 Anchors Away

January 27

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show

restraint.

Proverbs 23:4

They had a swimming pool in the backyard, a five-bedroom, thirty-two-hun-

dred-square-foot home on seventy well-groomed acres, a cabin in the moun-

tains, and stress that wouldn’t be assuaged! 

Brad and Beth worked nonstop, six days a week, and never seemed to have enough time to relax and enjoy the things they’d worked so hard to obtain. Brad could still hear his father assert, “Be the best at what you do, Brad.” He’d taken it to heart. 

He was the CEO at Corporate HQ and Beth was a successful civil attorney. Top in their individual fields, they had gone on numerous business vacations over the years for business personnel only. Their kids were being raised by a nanny and seldom saw their parents during daylight hours. It had all seemed so grand in the beginning; now it seemed as if they worked too hard and missed too much just to

pay the bills.

h

Having material possessions is not wrong in and of itself. However, how we

make use of those possessions and our time does matter. Brad’s father had

died young, leaving Brad as the man of the house at an early age. 

What Brad had thought of as sound advice had driven him to his version of success. He had achieved the top of the hill. But since Sundays were their only day off, they spent them maintaining their property, including spring cleaning and fall closure of the cabin, which was mostly rented out to people they would never

meet. 

They hardly ever had time for family outings, rarely used the pool, and

never made it to church. All the things they held precious had turned out to

be anchors around their necks. 

Brad remembered how in Sunday school his father had told the class, “We should live our lives as pleasing unto the Lord.” Somehow in his youth Brad hadn’t made the distinction between working like a dog and working for the Lord. It was time to make some changes.

Prayer

“Father, please give me the wisdom to know when

I’m working for me instead of You. Help me to know

when enough is enough. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Pop Bottles

January 26

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,

shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For

with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Luke 6:38

It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and the boys of Scout Troop 429 were on a

pop-bottle drive. They needed new pup tents. The torn and leaky World War II

leftovers just weren’t cutting it anymore, so they were in search of anyone who

would donate to their cause. 

Coming to a place that appeared to need of a lot of yard work, the boys noticed several bottles lying by the back door. It looked as if they’d been discarded where they’d been finished. 

Knocking, they were greeted by a gruff-voiced old man leaning on a cane. They explained why they were there and proposed that they be allowed to keep the bottles in exchange for mowing his lawn, saving him the trouble of cleanup. The old man thought a moment, rubbed his bald head, then smiled, saying, “Tell you what. If it’s okay with your parents, and you younguns would like to help me out a mite by cleaning things up and such around here, I’ll just buy each of you a tent myself, and you can have all the bottles you find.” 

Wow, what an offer! With their father’s permission and the details ironed out, the boys spent the rest of that day cleaning off the porch and with a mower retrieved from the backyard shed, mowed the lawn, restoring the Jenkins place to its former charm. Per their agreement, they would tackle the windows and garage next week.

h

What the boys hadn’t known before striking their bargain with Mr. Jenkins was

that his garage was stacked full of old soda bottles he’d never gotten around

to redeeming—over two thousand bottles at three cents apiece! What a deal

indeed! Willing to help Mr. Jenkins for the promise of only a few bottles, they

were rewarded beyond their wildest dreams.

Prayer

“Lord, we ask for your guidance. Teach us to care about

others, not for personal reward, but because it’s the right thing

to do. Lead us to those who are unable to help themselves

and use us to meet their needs. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 The Chair and Tuesdays

January 25

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me

dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

I had noticed the chair but hadn’t asked about it. It sat just to the right of the

headboard of her bed, close enough that she could reach out and touch it. The

story she shared was from her soul. “That chair’s been sitting right there since

1984. That’s the year Bill died. I put it there so I could talk to him. I sure do

miss him. I never really got over losing him, you know. I was angry at God for

a while, especially about Tuesdays. It was a Tuesday when Bill died. The fol-

lowing Tuesday, Bill’s best friend died. The week after that, my dog died, and

the week after that, Mom had a stroke and died fourteen months later on a

Tuesday. I hate Tuesdays!”

She shared her pain with me that day, and I understood; we all have things

we get angry at God about. Even the most God-fearing people get angry at

God from time to time. She finished by saying, “I’m not angry at God anymore,

but I still hate Tuesdays! Now the chair is there so me, Bill, and God can all

spend time together; then they don’t feel so far away. I sure miss Bill.”

h

We have a God who knows our pain, every wound of our heart. He knows

every thought, too. So He’s not surprised when we finally admit that we’re mad

at Him for one reason or another. He has enough love and patience to hear us

out, walk beside us, or carry us when that’s necessary. He knows all our faults

and waits us out, hoping our rebellion will end so He can lead us into deeper

understanding.

God’s desire is that we bring Him the burdens we weren’t meant to carry.

He always meets us where we are and accepts any advancement in His direction.

Prayer

“Abba, forgive me for my unrepentant anger. Help

me want to give it all to You. I struggle with forgiving

others. I feel it’s my right to hang on to the pain. Help

me understand what Jesus meant when he taught the

disciples, ‘And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive

those who trespass against us.’ In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Open Waters

January 24

Fear not, for I have redeemed you … When you pass through the

waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they

will not sweep over you.

Isaiah 43:1, 2

He had never known real fear. He hadn’t realized this kind of fear even existed

before today. Sure, he’d been scared before, but never anything like this. 

Surfacing after jumping off the pier, Phil was facing open waters; he had an unobstructed view of Lake Erie through his diving mask. All he could see was the vast expanse of water, and he was instantly paralyzed; he couldn’t breathe! 

To say he was afraid would have been a tremendous understatement. Then his training and experience kicked in; survival mode took over. Perplexed and still unable to draw a breath, he turned, and in a state he would later describe as controlled panic, swam back to the dock and climbed up the ladder. Finally able to draw a breath, he emerged from what had felt like a death trap.

h

With an understanding that God has redeemed us by our act of repentance and

turning to Jesus, the promise from Isaiah applies to each of us. As with literal

open waters, spiritual waters hold danger. 

Phil was an experienced swimmer and lifeguard, yet he wasn’t ready for the shock he received when the only thing his eyes could see was open water. Left completely unprepared, it could have meant death. His training had been enough to save his life. 

It is imperative that we understand the dangers we face ahead of time; there are predators in those spiritual waters seeking our spiritual death. We may not know in what form they will come, but by preparing ourselves with biblical wisdom, the training needed for survival, we will be better able to recognize and fend off the attacks when they do come.

Prayer

“Holy Spirit, please show me where I lack wisdom. Teach

me Your ways as I open the Word so that I might be able to

stand against the enemy when he comes. Train me so that I

may also help others stand against the enemy. Thank You for

Your presence when I pass through the waters of life. Amen.”

 Love Your Neighbor

January 23

Therefore, as God’s chosen people and dearly loved, clothe yourselves

with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

It was raining hard when they drove by the man walking along the side of the

road. Soaking wet, he blended into the darkness. They’d seen him before and

knew he was headed for the bridge up ahead. He would spend the night under

the bridge above the river.

Continuing across the bridge, Kenny dropped Betty off at home and

quickly gathered a few items. Returning across the bridge, he found the man

just reaching the point where he usually dropped off into the underworld he

preferred. 

Rolling down the window, Kenny asked if there was anything he could do. The man shyly declined and began to step over the guardrail. The urgency in Kenny’s voice stopped him, and the rain-soaked man turned, saying, “I could use a little bit to eat if you’ve got something.” 

Asking him to get in, Kenny headed home where he and Betty shared conversation and a meal with the man. Finished eating, he declined lodging. He was given dry clothes, a backpack, and an umbrella. Eagerly accepting the items and excusing himself, he left the house, opening the umbrella as he walked down the hill toward the bridge.

Neither Kenny nor Betty would ever forget the broken-toothed grin that

was shyly given in response to the love they had shared with this child of God

as he walked out of their lives.

h

Blessings beyond our wildest imagination are both given and received when

we step outside our comfort zone in an effort to treat others with respect. 

We are given opportunities to minister in difficult circumstances. 

It is God’s desire that we take the time to let our hearts express the kindness and compassion He inherently gave us. We don’t know what this act of kindness did for that man on that rainy night, but we rest in the knowledge that God never leaves seeds unwatered.

Prayer

“Father, please make me an instrument of Your love.

Teach me to give of my time as well as my finances. Help

me recognize the opportunities for what they really are,

Your test of my love for You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”