Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"True Success"

"One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:42

In the bookstore the other day, I came across an entire section of books that explained how parents could help their children get ahead in this world.

That’s a good thing.

Amazingly, many of those learned authors came up with opinions that contradicted each other. That discovery prompted me to do a little research. I came across a study made way back in 1986. The researchers of that study asked Japanese mothers and American mothers what they thought were the most important things a child needs if he or she is to succeed in school. I was surprised to find that the U.S. moms most often said “ability” was the most necessary component for success. In contrast, the Japanese moms thought success was based on "effort."

I’m not wise enough to know which group of mothers is right. Probably you need a mixture of ability and effort. One without the other just doesn’t do the trick.

There is no such hesitancy when it comes to the question, “How does a person get into heaven?” Yes, I know there are a fair number of folks who say that a “person has to do good,” or he should “be the best person he can be.” Others will say you need to believe in some sort of generic god.

While those answers may sound sensible, they miss the point. If a person wishes to be forgiven, if he wants to get into heaven, if he wants peace in this life, the one thing he needs is faith in Jesus Christ. We need to acknowledge Jesus as the sinless Son of God who took our place, lived for us, died for us, and saves us from all the bad nasties of life. Now you know what it takes to succeed--a Savior--nothing more, nothing less. He is the One thing necessary. Jesus’ successful sacrifice – that’s what saves us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"We Were Warned"

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15 (KJV)

Sir Isaac Newton’s 1st law says, “A body at rest tends to stay at rest.” When Sir Isaac came up with that brainstorm, I assume he wasn’t thinking of my house during Sunday afternoon football games.

On the other hand, he might well have been referring to some of the people who live next to Mount Kelud. It appears a fair number of the native folks are ignoring the warnings that are being put out by The Indonesian Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation. Yes, that’s the name of the place that’s putting out the warnings. Maybe people aren’t moving because they fall asleep when the Centre’s representatives introduce themselves.

Even so, ignoring the government warnings is a dangerous thing to do. Over the years Mount Kelud has earned a reputation as being a nasty and very active volcano. In recent days, Kelud has had so many tremors and rumblings they can’t be counted. That’s why the Indonesian Centre for… (you know the rest of the name) told its people monitoring the situation to clear out. It’s simply too dangerous for them to stay.

Sadly, many of the 100,000 people who have been told to evacuate have decided to stay. They don’t think the volcano is ready to blow, and until they become afraid, they’ve decided to stay. So much are these bodies at rest committed to staying at rest, that when 400 police fanned out to escort people to shelter, the people hid. One person said, “We turned off the lights so that the police thought we had left.” Those are some pretty brave words from a person whose village was badly damaged in the last eruption.

A body at rests tends to stay at rest. That’s also true when it comes to matters spiritual. For 2,000 years God’s people have been sharing the Savior’s story of salvation with the lost. For 2,000 years, those lost have heard how heaven is God’s gift to those who have been given forgiveness of sins through the Savior’s sacrifice. For 2,000 years these lost have been informed of the lake of fire that awaits those who refuse to acknowledge the Christ as their Savior.

And what is their reaction? Newton said it, “A body at rest tends to stay at rest.” Now, while I am fearful for the people who are challenging the fires of Mount Kelud, I’m even more anxious for the people who ignore the eternal fire of damnation. In science, a body at rest may tend to stay at rest… but in matters spiritual, those bodies need to be moved from damnation to salvation. That’s what Luther said in the Reformation. It’s why we pray.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Not So Bad"

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15

Some of my younger friends, those who are parents of little children have become very cautious when they pick out toys for their children. The recent scares about lead paint have made them apprehensive about purchasing toys that are made in other countries.

It all goes to prove you just can’t be too careful. It also proves that a toy that looks safe may not always be safe.

For example, last week, Reuters News Service carried the story of children in Amsterdam who were playing with a large metallic object in a city park. Apparently it was quite an attraction, as for months, children kicked, hit, rolled, and played with the toy.

Parents and children alike enjoyed the fascinating object until someone commented: “That looks like a military shell.” Others agreed. Eventually, authorities were called in to assure the questioners that things were perfectly safe.

They weren’t.

The explosive truth is this: for months the children had been having fun with a high-explosive, undetonated World War II bit of munitions. The police called in a bomb squad, which detonated the shell in a protected location. Things that look safe may not always be safe.

If World War II munitions had been around at the time of the Savior, our text for today’s devotion might have read: “Beware of false prophets who come to you looking like toys, but who are really unexploded military shells.” Since there were no such weapons back then, the Savior warned, “Beware of false prophets who look like sheep, but, in reality are wolves.” The meaning is the same.

The Christ wanted us to realize Satan, the spiritual seducer, doesn’t always attack God’s people head on or face to face. Sometimes, to accomplish his purpose, the devil will put on disguises to confuse and confound. It is a method that he has found to be most effective. Indeed, Satan has been so successful, the Psalmist was inspired to write: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” He wanted everyone to know God’s Word alone should be trusted to give direction to the lives of the redeemed.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Found Faithful"

Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” Daniel 6:4-5

Paul Tibbets of Columbus, Ohio, has passed away at the age of 92. It is quite possible that you might not remember, or ever have known the name of Paul Tibbets. That’s surprising, because there was a time, many years ago when Paul was a famous individual. Paul, you see, was the pilot of the Enola Gay, the World War II Super-fortress that, on August 6, 1945, dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Somewhere between 70,000 and 100, 000 people were killed in the blast. Many more were injured.

Since that day, some have criticized Tibbets for being a murderous monster, while others have proclaimed him a faithful hero who followed orders and brought the war to a quick conclusion, saving numerous American lives. Paul found out it is a rare action that will be universally allowed, accepted, or applauded.

That kind of mixed reaction is not confined to matters military. The Bible is filled with numerous examples of God’s designated leaders who were condemned because they tried to honor the Lord and do as He asked. The liberator Moses was constantly bombarded by the complaints of God’s people during their wilderness wanderings, and most of the prophets found themselves being ignored, persecuted, and despised. In the text, which acts as the inspiration for today’s devotion, Scripture tells of how jealous political leaders hatched a plot to bring down Daniel.

Of course, our text has greater importance than simply telling God’s people, “You’re going to get criticized for the things you do.” Life’s experiences have taught that fact to most of us long ago. Please, look carefully at what the text says. After examining Daniel’s entire life, the leaders who were trying to ruin him came to the conclusion: “We shall not find any ground for complaint… unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” The only area where the unbelievers thought they might successfully criticize Daniel was in his devotion to the Lord. That’s not a complaint… that’s a compliment.

How wonderful it would be if the unbelieving world, looking at Christians as individuals and as a group might come to a similar conclusion: “Christ’s people are OK, except for the fact they live their lives in thanks to the crucified and risen Savior.” If you believe those words to be a compliment and not a complaint, the Lord may be giving us a goal toward which to strive.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Good Fear"

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

Now that Halloween is over, I’d like to introduce you to David Zald. David, a psychology professor who lives in Nashville, takes Halloween seriously. How seriously? David puts skeletons in the trees, puts out machines, which surround his house with fog, and he has scary objects move around when motion sensors detect the approach of children coming to his door for candy. Oh, I forgot, last year David dressed like the devil.

David likes Halloween. Well, actually, David likes fear. In his laboratory, he studies how adults react to fear; at Halloween he watches how children deal with the same subject.

In an interview given to the Associated Press, David says children, in their desire to get candy from him learn to control their fear. David maintains the ability to control fears is a very healthy lesson for our children to learn. To which I say, “Maybe.”

I don’t want my grandchildren to want candy so much they step into the car of some stranger who is offering them a giant candy bar. I don’t want the little ones I see riding the bus to lose their fear of what unknown and illegal drugs can do to them. Sometimes fear can be a good thing, a very good thing indeed.

That’s what Jesus was saying in our text for today. He wanted people to know that fear isn’t necessarily bad if it is directed against the right person. When Jesus said that, He wasn’t encouraging people to be afraid of snakes, spiders, flying, or heights, and He wasn’t saying His followers should be terrified of speaking in public or being alone in the dark.

Jesus said we should be afraid of the One who can destroy our bodies and souls in hell.
Amazingly, the devil seems to be the one person who never appears on anyone’s list of fears. I’ve met numerous people who are afraid of terrorists, but who never give a moment’s consideration to the devil who is trying to destroy them. I’ve listened to many people who are afraid of a nuclear war or the outbreak of an illness, which can kill millions, but the thought of Satan – that only makes them smile. To them, the devil is a joke.

Our Savior thought differently. So we might be saved from Satan, the Lord was born, lived, died, and rose. Now, all who believe on Jesus as their Lord are forgiven and free. Because of Jesus, we no longer need to cringe at the devil’s approach; we just might be wise to keep our distance from Him. That’s a healthy fear.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Not A Slave"

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth; everyone who sins is a slave to sin." John 8:34 (NIV)

Freedom and democracy are the main goals of modern society in some countries. Some countries have free speech, or freedom of the press, and other countries have no freedoms at all. The Russian politician and leader of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Vladimir Lenin, wrote: “It’s impossible to live in the society and remain free from the society.” An example of this would be a journalist working for a newspaper. He depends on the employer, but the journalist can change the work place. The same is true concerning religious liberties.

What about the freedom of man’s actions? When is a man free to choose how to act? The answer seems easy –when there is no law to direct otherwise.

The Bible says that you are always a slave. You are a slave to sin. “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34). A slave fulfills somebody else’s will, not their own.

We can follow our own desires, or we can fulfill the will of God. This is not a dilemma for the believer. We certainly should follow the will of God, but here comes the problem. The apostle Paul said, “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19). Thus, every one is a slave to sin as we live in the flesh. This sin is inherited from our first father, Adam. It is sin that leads to punishment, and the only punishment for sin is death.

In spite of where we live, and the freedoms we enjoy, we still remain a slave to sin. There is no revolution capable of overcoming that slavery. There is no law capable of demolishing it. So, what can we do? Is there a way to become free? Yes, there is, the Bible says that where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom. St. Paul found liberation from the slavery of sin in our Savior Jesus Christ. And this is the way for us, too.

[Soldier4Christ]

"No Matter What"

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118: 8-9

A first-grade teacher once shared a story with me. It took place during the first week of class. One of her students was having a difficult time fitting in. Motivated by a desire to help that student, at recess time the teacher walked over to the little girl who was standing by herself.

The teacher began by making this offer: "Elizabeth, I want to be your friend. I will never tell any of your classmates anything we talk about if you don't want me to. I want you to know that you can always trust me." With thankful eyes, the little girl looked up and replied, "Gee, Mrs. Schultz, you're just like my dog."

That story has stayed with me. You see, I’m fairly sure most people wouldn’t think of those words as being a compliment. We like to be told we're handsome or pretty, smart or wise, rugged or athletic. Who wants to be told, “You're just like my dog”?

In contrast to what many might feel, my teacher friend commented she had never been given “higher words of praise.” She knew being someone whom a child considers to be accepting and worthy of trust, no matter what, is just about as good as it can get.

Did you ever wonder what Jesus might consider to be a high compliment? Would He be pleased when people call Him a “wise man”? Might He prefer it if we said He was a “prophet,” a “philosopher,” or a “miracle worker”? There is, I believe, nothing more pleasing to the Christ than for people to call Him, “Savior.”

Jesus is the Savior who was born to save us from our sins, to rescue us from damnation. Now, as our Savior, He promises to listen to us, to carry our burdens, to be by our side and do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. He is Someone who can be trusted, no matter what may happen to us.

[Def]

"No Matter What"

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118: 8-9

A first-grade teacher once shared a story with me. It took place during the first week of class. One of her students was having a difficult time fitting in. Motivated by a desire to help that student, at recess time the teacher walked over to the little girl who was standing by herself.

The teacher began by making this offer: "Elizabeth, I want to be your friend. I will never tell any of your classmates anything we talk about if you don't want me to. I want you to know that you can always trust me." With thankful eyes, the little girl looked up and replied, "Gee, Mrs. Schultz, you're just like my dog."

That story has stayed with me. You see, I’m fairly sure most people wouldn’t think of those words as being a compliment. We like to be told we're handsome or pretty, smart or wise, rugged or athletic. Who wants to be told, “You're just like my dog”?

In contrast to what many might feel, my teacher friend commented she had never been given “higher words of praise.” She knew being someone whom a child considers to be accepting and worthy of trust, no matter what, is just about as good as it can get.

Did you ever wonder what Jesus might consider to be a high compliment? Would He be pleased when people call Him a “wise man”? Might He prefer it if we said He was a “prophet,” a “philosopher,” or a “miracle worker”? There is, I believe, nothing more pleasing to the Christ than for people to call Him, “Savior.”

Jesus is the Savior who was born to save us from our sins, to rescue us from damnation. Now, as our Savior, He promises to listen to us, to carry our burdens, to be by our side and do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. He is Someone who can be trusted, no matter what may happen to us.

I am happy you are back ,
and i am bless by all your blessings
God love you Pastor Roger.
Love in Jesus bye bye, Def

[Soldier4Christ]

I am happy you are back ,
and i am bless by all your blessings
God love you Pastor Roger.
Love in Jesus bye bye, Def

Thank you, sister. It is great to be back.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Smile"

". . .for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Not so long ago, I was able to speak at the LCMS Michigan Professional Church Workers Conference. At the end of the first day, even before we were wearing our name tags, Pam commented, “Everybody here is so friendly. They don’t know who I am and they’re smiling at me.” Congratulations, Michigan!

Smiling doesn’t come easily to some people. Some of you may remember the 1994 Olympic games, which took place in Lillehammer, Norway. Actually, I don't remember much about the games, but I do know, that before the games started, many of the Olympic employees had been training with "smile holders."

"What's a smile holder?" you ask. It's a mechanical device that slips on your head and has clips, which attach to the corner of your mouth. By pulling on a strap, it forces your face into a brilliant smile. Since the planners of the games wanted to make sure that their staff wouldn't look standoffish when the world arrived, they encouraged people to practice smiling with their smile holders.

At first, I thought the idea was really strange. I guess I still do. But it does show the importance of a smile.

It also shows that most people usually need an outside source to encourage them to smile. As a Christian, I consider myself very fortunate. The Lord has not only given me a loving family and children –one of the greatest natural sources of smiles, He has also given me a Savior who is with me in troubled times, and laughs with me in the good. The forgiveness He has won for me, the eternal life He assures me, is guaranteed to cause a smile.

I'm not alone in this. At least I shouldn’t be. If you take a good look at your life, you may find a great many God-given reasons for smiling.

So, in a strange sort of way, I guess my prayer for you may be this: “May God’s love give you a natural, a joyful smile in Jesus.”

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Unseen"

He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:2b

When Joseph interpreted the dream of Pharaoh, he talked about the “lean years”. For many people, the “lean years” are the time they spent at college. Tuition is overwhelming, the price of books is outrageous, and living expenses are shocking. That’s why college students cut financial corners in any way they can.

Cutting corners –that’s what a student in Berlin, Germany was doing when she went to a flea market a few months ago. Having to furnish a room on a shoestring, she debated about every purchase she made. Only with great reluctance did she lay out $215 for the purchase of a sofa bed.

It was a good investment. When she got the couch home and pulled out the bed, she found an unsigned painting. The painting was only 10x15 inches in size, but she liked it. She liked it enough to have it appraised. The person who did the evaluation concluded the picture, which was now being called “Preparation to Escape To Egypt”, was painted by an unknown artist somewhere in the early 1600’s. The appraiser also said the artist, while unknown, was close to the Venetian painter Carlo Saraceni.

Now unless you are a serious lover of Italian painters, the mountain of information I’ve given you may seem like cultural overkill. That may be what the college student thought until she put the painting up for sale at a Hamburg art auction. Last week the picture sold for $27,630.00.

Sometimes things are more valuable than they appear. That is certainly true of the Savior. The prophet Isaiah, when He was talking about the coming Messiah said Jesus “had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.”

Anyone who looks at the Savior’s life will quickly conclude Isaiah was right on the money. The people of Nazareth saw Him as “the carpenter’s Son”. The Galilean crowds saw Jesus as a free meal, and the Priests and Scribes looked upon Him as competition.

It is only when the Holy Spirit lets us see the Savior with eyes of faith that we are enabled to perceive Him for who He really is: the sacrificial Savior who loves us so much He died on a cross so we might be forgiven. Only when we see Him in this way can we join with the saints of heaven and say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12)

[Soldier4Christ]

"Defiling"

It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person. Matthew 15:11

Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder of Westminster, Maryland, was killed in Iraq.

It goes without saying Matthew’s family mourned his death and sacrifice. The family was joined in their pain and supported through their loss by countless friends, many of whom were Christians.

That is the way it should be. No matter how an individual feels about the war, the loss of a young son or daughter is a tragedy, which should be universally respected by all. That this was not the case when the Corporal was buried is a tragedy. That his funeral rites were disrupted by Christians carrying signs reading, “Thank God for dead soldiers” is a terrible embarrassment to the cause of Christ.

Feeling as I do, it wasn’t upsetting when, last week, I heard a federal jury had awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages, $6 million dollars in punitive damages and $2 million dollars for emotional distress be paid by the church to the Corporal’s father.

Now, if you’ve reached this point in the devotion, you may be wondering, “Who is the pastor, and what is the denomination of his church?” I could tell you, but I won’t. I’m not going to give him more publicity; I’m not going to get involved in a discussion on First Amendment rights, and I’m not going to be accused of name calling or finger pointing. That’s not the purpose of this devotion.

It is far better to reflect on the words of the Savior: “It’s not what goes into the mouth of a person that defiles him; it’s what comes out of his mouth which causes him to be unclean.” Those words of our Lord were not just pious platitudes. While Jesus had no problems condemning sin or speaking honestly to people, He was always conscious of the power of His words and used them appropriately.

It is a lesson that every Christian should remember. We have been entrusted with the wonderful opportunity of sharing the Savior’s story of salvation with sinners around the world. While we should never treat sin as less than the disobedient and damnable act that it is, our words must always be spoken in tones of love. That is what the Savior has done for us; it is what we should do for others.

Scripture is clear: the world will always be offended by the cross and the forgiveness, which the Savior won for us there and, at the open tomb. We must, as Christ’s redeemed brothers and sisters, do all we can to make sure our words do not cloud that cross or confuse its saving message.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Impossible"

For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3a

Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Charles and Linda Everson would agree.

What, you don’t know Charles and Linda? I’m surprised. They are pretty close to being celebrities. Charles and Linda Everson were celebrating their first-wedding anniversary. The little-more-than-newlyweds had traveled from Westland, Michigan, to Manson, Washington. Having spent the day taking in all the sights, they were in their minivan traveling back to their hotel.

That’s when the 600-pound cow fell on the hood of their minivan. Yes, you’ve got that right. A cow fell on their minivan. The cow, which had been reported missing from a local farm, fell off a 200-foot cliff and landed on the Everson vehicle. Mr. Everson never saw the cow coming, and he really didn’t know what to make of the disaster until he had gotten out of the vehicle and took inventory of what had happened. For those of you who are wondering, the cow passed away; the van is in critical condition, and the Eversons were examined at a nearby hospital and released.

Arnold Baker, a local fire chief, said the couple missed being killed by a matter of inches, while Mr. Everson kept saying, “I don’t believe this. I don’t believe this.” Who would? Nobody would ever think a cow would fall out of the sky and crush his or her vehicle –just like most folks don’t think Jesus is coming back to judge the world.

But He will. It’ll happen when people are saying, “Judgment Day is never coming; Christ’s return is just a figment from the imaginations of some overly-religious writers.” It’s then, when people are thinking, “Things sure seem pretty peaceful and secure”, Jesus is going to show up. And, unlike the Eversons, nobody is going to escape by a matter of inches. Jesus is going to return, and His coming is going to be good news for some and bad news for others.

Between now, and that unknown hour of judgment, Jesus has entrusted us with the task of sharing His story of salvation with as many people as possible. Why? He wants to move people from the group of the lost into the company of the saved.

To make Jesus’ wish a reality, won’t you please tell somebody about the Savior today? Why? The Eversons can tell you better than I: a person just never knows what is going to happen. Why? A cow might fall from the sky, or Jesus might return. And while we can’t prepare for the former, we can be ready for the latter.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Recycling"

1 Peter 1: 3b-5 (God) he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

This devotion is being written at my home office. With Pamie in Texas, I am wearing my old, gray shorts, and my knit black shirt, which has large holes in it. If Pamie were here, I would not be wearing my old, gray shorts and the black knit shirt that has holes in it. It’s as simple as that.

In truth, Pamie has repeatedly thrown these articles of apparel away. As many times as she has tossed them in the garbage, I have fished them out. That’s because these clothes are perfectly good, wonderfully comfortable, and as far as I am concerned, they have another 30 or 40 years of wear left in them.

Most wives say their husbands have similar favorite articles of apparel. The husband wants to keep them; the wives want to send them off to be recycled into rags, paper, ballast on an oil tanker, whatever. And that is the smoothest transition I could come up with into the subject of this devotion: recycling.

Recycling. It’s a good idea. For example, did you know that you could go to any Niketown or Nike Factory store and drop off your old tennis shoes? It doesn’t make any difference what brand your shoes are; Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program will take them. Surprised? Me, too. Just as I was surprised to find out Staples and the nonprofit company CollectiveGood will recycle your old cell phones, pagers, and PDAs.

It seems everything can be recycled nowadays, including us.

You may never have thought about it that way before, but Jesus has recycled us. Without the Savior, when we were unsaved and still covered with sin, our holy Lord found us to be pretty undesirable. Do you remember how Pamie feels about my gray shorts and holey shirt? Well, multiply that feeling by infinity and you will begin to get an idea of how the Lord used to feel about us.

But things are different now. Jesus has come and offered Himself as the sacrifice that has changed us – recycled us. That’s what Peter was saying in the text above. He wanted to let God’s people know they had been, because of Jesus’ resurrection, born again, recycled. Once we were spiritual orphans, now we have been adopted into the family of faith; once we were lost, now we’re found; once we were sick, now we’re healed. Once we were damned and in despair, now we are redeemed and have been recycled.

[Soldier4Christ]

"God Is The Guardian Of Men"

He will not let your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 121:3

Have you ever had fun sliding around? It’s amusing to slide, and there can be much merriment in it. It can be pure joy, especially in winter on skis, skates, or a sleigh. But these are pastimes we engage in intentionally, and are done purely for amusement.

Sometimes one’s sliding can have disastrous results, however. And this devotion is written to help against slipping or sliding in that way. The writer of the 121st Psalm above knew full well who was in charge of his steps. There is an extraordinary optimism given by God that, whatever happens, it will be all right. This does not mean there will be no winter frost and ice, no mountains to scale. It does not mean there will be no summer heat and heavy burden of work and suffering. But it does mean there is great comfort in a faith committed to God as we find blessing in each step He guides. This is what the psalmist is singing about.

This sense of God the Father’s guidance must have been close to Jesus’ thoughts as He traveled the countryside. It must have seemed for most people, unfamiliar with our Savior’s mission, that His steps were always heading in the wrong direction –away from an easy life, comfort, and home, and towards troubles, suffering, the cross, and death. But how those steps led to our only way out and the salvation to the world!

So, too, us, if our lives’ passages twist and turn in different and unknown directions we can hold fast in faith and echo the psalm-writer’s words that He who keeps us is ever alert and ready to help. There are a lot of surprises in life, but not for God. In everything, even a tragedy, He sees a deeper sense. God is always watching over us. The question is – do we care which path we are on?