There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God, or so the story goes. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with cupcakes, several cans of root beer and started on his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he saw an elderly woman. She was sitting on a park bench watching the pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed the lady looked hungry so he offered her a cupcake. She gratefully accepted and smiled at him.

Her smile was so wonderful that he wanted to see it again, so he offered a root beer as well. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling without saying a word.

As it began to grow dark, the boy realized how tired he was and wanted to go home. He got up to leave but before he had gone no more than a few steps, he turned around and ran back to the old woman, giving her a big hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy arrived home his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked, “What has made you so happy today?” He replied, “I had lunch with God.” Before his mother could respond he added, “You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile in the whole world!”

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face. He asked, “Mother, what has made you so happy today?” She replied, “I ate cupcakes in the park with God.” And before her son could reply, she added, “You know, he is much younger than I expected.”

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring; all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Take no one for granted and embrace all equally with joy.²

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to so live that people will see Jesus in me and, seeing him, will want Jesus in their heart and life too. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV).

2. I believe this story to be written by Leo Buscaglia, author of Living, Loving and Learning. If anyone knows for sure, please let us know.

Late one evening a professor sat at his desk working on the next day’s lectures. He shuffled through the papers and mail placed there by his housekeeper. He began to throw them in the wastebasket when one magazine—not even addressed to him but delivered to his office by mistake—fell open to an article titled, “The Needs of the Congo Mission.”

The professor began reading it idly, but then was consumed by these words: “The need is great here. We have no one to work the northern province of Gabon in the central Congo. And it is my prayer as I write this article that God will lay His hand on one—one on whom, already, the Master’s eyes have been cast—that he or she shall be called to this place to help us.” The professor closed the magazine and wrote in his diary: “My search is over.”²

He gave himself to the Congo. His name? Albert Schweitzer!

If you know about the marvelous missionary service done by Albert Schweitzer, you will realize that it was no accident that this magazine was delivered to Schweitzer’s mailbox “by mistake” and then fell open at the article, “The Needs of the Congo Mission,” as he was about to throw it in the trash.

Over and over again each of us who are committed to following Christ in our daily life can also testify to God’s appointments in our life. And as we look back over the past, we can trace the footprints of God leading and guiding every step of the way. And they will keep doing so until the end of life’s journey and we meet Jesus face to face and hear his, “Welcome home, good and faithful servant.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that my life is in your hands. Thank you, too, that you lead and guide me every step of the way when I daily commit and trust my life and way to you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Psalm 37:5 (NKJV).

2. Leadership, Vol. 12 No. 3.

Anyone whose aim and efforts are invested in achieving noble and worthy goals for God will, without doubt, at some point face opposition and criticism—and the greater the hostility of those opposed to God’s Word, God’s ways and Christianity, the greater will be the opposition and even danger. The fact is you cannot please everyone and those who try to do so end up pleasing no one!

C. T. Studd, (1860-1931) the famed English missionary who served God in China, India, and Africa, once remarked: “Remember the miller’s donkey. The miller, son and donkey went to the market. The miller rode the donkey all the way and people exclaimed, ‘Cruel man, riding himself and making his son walk.’ So he got down and his son rode; then people slanged, ‘What a lazy son for riding while poor old father walks.’ Then both father and son rode, and people then said, ‘Cruelty to animals, poor donkey.’ So they got down and carried the donkey on a pole, but folks said, ‘Here are two asses carrying another ass.’ Then all three walked and people said, ‘What fools to have a donkey and not ride it.’ So let’s go ahead with our work for God and not care what folks say.”

Studd also said, “Had I cared for the comments of people, I should never have been a Missionary.”

With a sense of God’s call in your heart there may be times when you need to do what you need to do even if the whole world votes against you. And that can be really hard to do, so be sure it’s God’s call and not that of your mother, father, friend, or anyone else—or from your own mixed motives—otherwise when the pressures of opposition hammer home, you’ll crumble beneath the load.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to know without a shadow of a doubt what your plan and purpose for my life is—and give me the faith, courage, and determination to pursue and achieve that goal no matter what—knowing that you are always with me and will never forsake me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 11:24-26 (NIV).

One of my favorite quotes is from Theodore Roosevelt who said, “In the battle of life it is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause. Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

And as another has said: “It is better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all.”

However, when we seek and discover God’s plan and purpose for our life and give our all to that noble and worthy cause, we may never get our name emblazoned on the billboards with the rich and famous, and though we fumble and fall a thousand times, as long as we keep getting up and going on, we cannot fail and the results will last for all eternity.

As martyred missionary, Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to see your plan and purpose for my life, give me the courage to pursue it with all my heart, and never to give up knowing that you will be with me to the end. And then, at the end of life’s journey, may I hear your welcome words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV).

“There’s a story about a woman finding herself alone in an elevator with the famous and very handsome Robert Redford. As the elevator moved up the floors, the woman, like many of us might, found herself uncontrollably staring at the movie star. Finally, in her excitement and nervousness, she blurted out: ‘Are you the real Robert Redford?’ To which Redford responded, ‘Only when I’m alone.’”

I think that if I were an actor—especially one as successful as Robert Redford—I might find it very difficult to be the real me when I am not acting a part and may all too readily forget who the real me is.

Even without being an actor, I find that one of the most difficult things in life is to be honest with myself. It’s hard enough to know and admit what my true feelings are, let alone my motives! And it’s all too easy to act out any part to avoid facing the real me. I may act the part of a super-nice (saccharine sweet) fellow to avoid facing my unresolved anger…or super-brave to hide my hidden fears…or gruff and macho to hide my insecurity and so on.

However, it’s only as I get real and courageously honest with myself and God that he can help me to grow and become the person he wants me to be. The same goes for getting close to people. Only to the degree that I am open, honest, and real can I relate intimately with those I love. And, unfortunately, the more I hide my true self the more I will live with others together alone apart—a very lonely and unfulfilling existence.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be real—one in whom there is nothing false—so that I can become all that you planned for me to be and have loving, wholesome relationships with you and all of my loved ones. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 1:47 (NIV).

Alan Smith tells the story about a carpenter who was giving evidence about an accident he had witnessed. The judge asked him how far away he was from the accident.

The carpenter replied, “Twenty-seven feet, six-and-one-half inches.”

“How can you be so sure of that distance?” asked the judge.

“Well, I knew some idiot would ask me. So I measured it!” replied the carpenter.

Oops … not a good way to answer a judge!

As Christians we need to be prepared to give a reasonable answer to everyone who asks about our Christian faith—and to do this in a spirit of “gentleness and respect.”

Remember too, that our life speaks much louder than any words we ever say. Furthermore, people who know we are Christians will be constantly reading and hearing the messages our life broadcasts. May we, like the early Christians, be known by our love for one another and for our gentle spirit and respectful, courteous manner.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me always to be prepared to give an answer to all who ask about my Christian faith—and help me always to answer in a gentle and respectful manner. And help me to so live that my life will always be communicating your love to every life I touch. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV).

“National Geographic magazine (May 1984 issue) showed through a series of color photos and drawings the swift and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman Cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79. The explosion of Mount Vesuvius was so sudden, the residents were killed while in their routine: men and women were at the market, the rich in their luxurious baths, slaves at toil. They died amid volcanic ash and superheated gasses. Even family pets suffered the same quick and final fate. It takes little imagination to picture the panic of that terrible day.

“The saddest part is that these people did not have to die. Scientists confirm what ancient Roman writers record—weeks of rumblings and shakings preceded the actual explosion. Even an ominous plume of smoke was clearly visible from the mountain days before the eruption. If only they had been able to read and respond to Vesuvius’s warning!”²

With tireless regularity—every year—Christmas and Easter remind us of the first coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to earth as a babe and then, as a man, died on the cruel Roman cross for the sins of lost mankind. This also reminds and warns us that Jesus promised he would come to earth a second time, but this time it would be as King of kings and Lord of lords to put down all reign of terror and to take his true followers to be with him forever in heaven. As every prophecy in God’s Word about Christ’s first coming was fulfilled in minutest detail, we can be just as certain that the prophecies promising his second coming will also be fulfilled in detail.

When Jesus’ disciples asked him what would be the signs of his coming again, he said that there would be many “rumblings” (warning signs); that is, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilences, “Men [people] will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things BEGIN to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”³

Could all the wars, violence, deathly disease, disasters, and increased terrorism in today’s world be part of the warning signs Jesus said would occur preceding his second coming—just as there were warnings preceding the explosion of Mount Vesuvius? Jesus is coming again. The exact day and hour we don’t know, but the signs of the times may be an indication that his coming is getting nearer every day.

When he comes, it will be sudden and swift. The important thing is that we are ready NOW. For he will come when the vast majority of people least expect it. Let’s not be like the people in the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79 who failed to heed the warnings of Mount Vesuvius and suffered a dreadful quick and final fate. Whatever you do, don’t put off any longer making sure that you are ready for Christ’s return. For help see No. 4 below.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that we have your promise that Jesus is coming again for this is the blessed hope of every Christian everywhere. And thank you that you told us the ‘rumblings’ (signs) that would precede and warn us of your soon coming. Please awaken us to the fact that it could be today. And help us to spread your salvation message to as many people as possible all around the world while the door is still open. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Jesus in Matthew 24:43-44 (NIV).

2. Michael Bogart, Lemoore, California. Leadership, Vol. 6, no. 4.

3. Luke 21:26-28 (NIV).

4. For help see “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: /www.actsweb.org/articles

“True love is like quick-silver,” said Ann Landers, “if you hold it in the palm of your hand, it will remain. If you try to grasp it, it will slip through your fingers.” Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said, “Whoever will save his life will lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.”

Some parents never let go of their children even when they are adults. Out of their own insecurity they cling to their offspring and smother them. In so doing they drive them away and the thing they need the most—love—they lose. As the saying goes, “If you love someone, let them go; if they come back to you, then they are truly yours. If they don’t, they never were.”

In other words, when we cling to life to live for ourselves or cling to someone else for our own sake out of our own need, we lose what we need the most—love. This is because we have mistaken need for love. Only as we let go of clinging are we free to love and live life to the full.

When we do this and truly love, we give love without strings attached. In so doing we receive more love to give.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please heal the deepest wounding of my heart so I am set free to truly love others and you without strings attached, and be a clear channel through whom your love for others will flow. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Jesus in Matthew (16:25).