[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Wednesday, March 19, 2014

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all on this Wednesday.  I hope that you all are doing well on this hump day.

Well, that magic day has almost arrived, the first day of Spring officially.  Yes, tomorrow is that big day.  Now perhaps in your part of the northern hemisphere it doesn't look like spring, but wait on God and He'll soon bring that magical time of year to you, but in His way, will and time.  And as for you in New Zealand and parts of Australia, your autumn or fall season is also coming up.  Anyway time to do more stuff out of doors, something I'm looking forward to.

The author of your Daily Thought article for today, Jan Alonso, lives in Georgia.  Her article is entitled "Jump Into My Arms," rendered as follows:

For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I walk before You in the land of the living.  Psalm 116:8-9

Gilly is a Jack Russell terrier and her experience is a lesson in a divine intervention that had a life saving as well as a life changing impact for her.  It would be challenging to find a pet that has a more loving and comfortable existence.  That was not the case a year ago (2012), and most likely would not be the case today if Gilly had not taken a literal leap of faith.

Last year a neighbor was returning home from a visit with her mother.  As she was driving along a winding, mountainous highway, she noticed in the distance a pack of dogs chasing a much smaller dog.  The mongrel was literally running for its life, but it was obvious the little dog was losing the race.  Sooner or later, the snarling, snapping pack would overtake and destroy its target.  My friend pulled over to the shoulder and opened the passenger side door.

"Jump!" she yelled as the little dog ran by.

And jump the little Jack Russell terrier did.  Without a second thought or a moment's hesitation, she propelled herself into the safety of the car.  Gilly was a pitiful case, fouling the car with her grime and smell.  My friend took her home and called a mutual friend who'd recently lost her Labrador and was looking for another pet.

Gilly was infested with ticks and fleas, mangy, and malnourished and had severe trust issues.  After numerous trips to the vet and much love and patience from her new owners, Gilly transformed into a new "person." She put on weight, walks with a swagger in her hips, and is beginning to approach strangers without fear.

Recently when I saw Gilly and my friend on a walk one day, I rolled down my car window and said, "Gilly, talk about the hand of God scooping you up.  One day you're running down a path of destruction and the next moment you're living in Paradise."

I love Gilly's story and share it at every opportunity.  There are many of us who could benefit from her wonderful example.  Mary, the 12 disciples, Paul, and the weak and the infirm are just a smattering of individuals in the New Testament who made that bold choice, a choice that transformed their lives.  I read inspirational magazines packed with modern-day stories of people who trusted God and had their lives turn out for the better.  With that much personal testimony, why is it then that the leap is so difficult?

There have been times in my life that I've been like Gilly.  I've felt that it was just a matter of time before "the pack of dogs" was going to catch up with and overtake me.  Periodically my life becomes consumed by troubles and woes that make me feel that I am barely staying ahead of the snarls and snaps.  These barking demons keep me worrying and fretting; however, worrying and fretting solve nothing and only serve to wreak emotional and physical damage.  If I continue to try to run the race alone along the same path, the result will be devastating.  At these times the problem boils down to one simple fact:  I simply can't give up control.  It's not that I'm being defiant; I just feel that I can take care of the situation myself.  I think that if I keep pushing and forging ahead that surely things will improve.  Instead I need to follow Gilly's beautiful example and leap through the open door, and then peace will be my reward.  That open door is the Bible and the open arms are Christ's.

And there you have Jan's article for today, which I hope was a blessing to you.

Before I close, I find that I'm delinquent in a little matter.  Because I came home at a somewhat late hour and didn't think of it at the time, I forgot to give you the answer to Sunday's Bible game.  The answer is Matthew 6.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be yet another Daily Thought message for you.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul