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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.”

 Dignified

January 22

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of

the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

Matthew 25:40

As a hospice nurse, Mandy had been tending Harlan’s needs for several weeks.

Early on she’d learned about his love for Jesus and the old hymns. An integral

part of her life growing up in the church, hymns spoke to Mandy’s heart as

well. So as she tenderly wiped his brow with a soft, cool cloth, or massaged his

atrophied muscles to aid in blood circulation, she sang hymns. It didn’t matter

that Harlan never responded to her efforts because of his deteriorating condi-

tion; she sang as if he could. Yet deep inside she wondered if Harlan heard the

words he held so dear?

Today, as she finished singing At The Cross, Harlan opened his eyes, turned

his head toward her, and smiled, as tears of gratitude slipped from the corners

of his eyes. His whole countenance was transformed in that moment; and so

was Mandy’s! For with that smile came the understanding that he had heard!

No longer did she wonder if her service was witnessed by the Father only. It

was as if God were saying, “Thank you for treating Harlan with dignity. He has

served me faithfully, as you are doing now. Well done!”

Then, as quickly as the moment had come, it passed. Harlan closed his

eyes, turned his head back to center, and slipped away into the arms of Jesus.

Having lived his life unto the Lord, this humble servant was now with

his Redeemer. His last breath on earth was followed immediately by his first

breath in heaven! Harlan was now face-to-face with Jesus!

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The dignity shown to Harlan, by a woman having limited knowledge of his life

and how he’d lived, was grounded in the understanding that all life is precious

to God.

Young or old, healthy or infirm, we are directed to be considerate of others,

showing them respect and dignity. For when we dignify them, we dignify Jesus.

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, please make me sensitive to those who need a touch

of Your love so that I might serve You by serving them. Amen.”

 The In Between

January 21

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Ephesians 4:1

There were tears mixed with laughter at the dinner. There must have been three

hundred people in attendance. All of them had come to share precious memo-

ries of the man they had laid to rest that morning.

He had not been a pillar of the community, nor was he well known out-

side this circle of friends. Yet his life had a profound effect on the people he

touched.

A philanthropist of sorts, Byron had given over seventy percent of his

meager earnings to others in need. He’d held on loosely to what he had; it was

his way of giving to the Lord. He never made it public and would have denied

any connection to the prosperity others enjoyed due to his generosity. He lived

a simple life in a simple home.

His wife had preceded him in death. He’d kept her memory alive by spend-

ing time doing things they’d done together: walking in the morning dawn,

watching the sunrise, or watching the eagles soar over the river bottoms, so

majestic and awe inspiring. Simple. Yes, that was how he’d seen himself.

But these people knew him for who he really was. He’d shared selflessly

with each one of them somewhere between the day of his birth and today. They

each had a personal story of his eager generosity. And together they repre-

sented his in between.

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Gravestones are purchased to memorialize the life of loved ones. On them we

place a date of birth and a date of death. But what happens between those two

dates is how we will be remembered.

In verse four of today’s text, Paul spoke of “one hope”: the hope we have in

Jesus through His Holy Spirit. It is His Spirit at work in us, the Spirit of God

Who teaches us how to live. Our response to His urgings can make a differ-

ence in the lives of untold numbers of those in need if we respond accordingly.

How will we be remembered for our in between?

Prayer

“Spirit of God, lead me. Help me make a difference in

the lives of those who need a special touch. And help me

remain obscure whenever my pride screams for recognition.

Help me be a vessel of hope. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”