Backward lives?

02.19..20—Purpose!—Philippians 2:2

My friend, may I ask you a question? Often we're so sure that we've got our lives put together right that we may fail to see the purpose we're missing? How do we fix that?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I’m M. Clifford Brunner

I bought my first roof rake last year. For years I really couldn't see the need for pushing snow off my roof; that was until we had the record snowfall that we had. It wasn't long until the ice dams forced me to take action. I went to my local hardware store and bought a roof rake. Now, I'd never put one of these things together before let alone really seen one in action. It came in pieces and the instructions were cryptic. But, I decided to forgo the usual course of action (which was to impress my son into putting it together) and put it together myself. Forty minutes or so later I was done. Roof rake in hand I went to work and attacked the roof. It was slow going. In fact, nothing much was coming off the roof at all. That's when Dan happened by and asked me what I was doing. "Raking," I said. He looked a bit puzzled and then replied, "Then why do you have it upside down?" Yup! I had put the thing together backwards and didn't even have a clue that I had it wrong.

Similarly, often we're so sure that we've got our lives put together right that we may fail to see the purpose we're missing.

Here's a story: One of golf's immortal moments came when a Scotchman demonstrated the new game of golf to President Ulysses Grant. Golf was relatively unknown in the United States at the time and Grant, to be polite, decided to let the friendly foreigner give him a few tips on just how the game was played in Scotland. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, the Scot took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President's beard and surrounding vicinity, while the ball placidly waited on the tee. The embarrassed golfer apologized to Grant and struck up his driving pose again. Again the Scotchman swung, and again he missed. There was stony silence as the president brushed the dirt from his beard and coat. Grant waited patiently through six more tries and then quietly stated, "There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball." (Campus Life.)

I recently saw this sign on a business door: "Gone out of business. Didn't know what our business was." I know that the former business owner was being more trite than honest. Nevertheless, it made me think. Could you and I be walking around with a similar sign around our necks from time to time? If the lives we're leading give others no clue of a better purpose, that of glorifying our Heavenly Father, perhaps were about as effective in communicating purpose as that hapless Scotsman. When our focus is on the world and not on things heavenly, frankly, we've put our lives together, well, backwards. How smart is that?

We pray. Heavenly Father. When our focus is on the world and not on things heavenly, Lord help us, but have we put our lives together backwards. Have we gotten on a path that leads to nowhere, perhaps trouble, shame, doubt or worse? Are we walking around with any real purpose in life? When an unbeliever sees us are we someone they wouldn’t want to be? Forgive us Father when we show the world a side of us that is shameful and without purpose. Help us by Your Holy Spirit to always show not only our brothers and sisters in Christ, but all our unbelieving neighbors a Christian perspective on life that shows we know where we are going both now and in eternity. Now that would be smart. Thank you Father. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Backward lives?

02.19..20—Purpose!—Philippians 2:2

My friend, may I ask you a question? Often we're so sure that we've got our lives put together right that we may fail to see the purpose we're missing? How do we fix that?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I’m M. Clifford Brunner

I bought my first roof rake last year. For years I really couldn't see the need for pushing snow off my roof; that was until we had the record snowfall that we had. It wasn't long until the ice dams forced me to take action. I went to my local hardware store and bought a roof rake. Now, I'd never put one of these things together before let alone really seen one in action. It came in pieces and the instructions were cryptic. But, I decided to forgo the usual course of action (which was to impress my son into putting it together) and put it together myself. Forty minutes or so later I was done. Roof rake in hand I went to work and attacked the roof. It was slow going. In fact, nothing much was coming off the roof at all. That's when Dan happened by and asked me what I was doing. "Raking," I said. He looked a bit puzzled and then replied, "Then why do you have it upside down?" Yup! I had put the thing together backwards and didn't even have a clue that I had it wrong.

Similarly, often we're so sure that we've got our lives put together right that we may fail to see the purpose we're missing.

Here's a story: One of golf's immortal moments came when a Scotchman demonstrated the new game of golf to President Ulysses Grant. Golf was relatively unknown in the United States at the time and Grant, to be polite, decided to let the friendly foreigner give him a few tips on just how the game was played in Scotland. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, the Scot took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President's beard and surrounding vicinity, while the ball placidly waited on the tee. The embarrassed golfer apologized to Grant and struck up his driving pose again. Again the Scotchman swung, and again he missed. There was stony silence as the president brushed the dirt from his beard and coat. Grant waited patiently through six more tries and then quietly stated, "There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball." (Campus Life.)

I recently saw this sign on a business door: "Gone out of business. Didn't know what our business was." I know that the former business owner was being more trite than honest. Nevertheless, it made me think. Could you and I be walking around with a similar sign around our necks from time to time? If the lives we're leading give others no clue of a better purpose, that of glorifying our Heavenly Father, perhaps were about as effective in communicating purpose as that hapless Scotsman. When our focus is on the world and not on things heavenly, frankly, we've put our lives together, well, backwards. How smart is that?

We pray. Heavenly Father. When our focus is on the world and not on things heavenly, Lord help us, but have we put our lives together backwards. Have we gotten on a path that leads to nowhere, perhaps trouble, shame, doubt or worse? Are we walking around with any real purpose in life? When an unbeliever sees us are we someone they wouldn’t want to be? Forgive us Father when we show the world a side of us that is shameful and without purpose. Help us by Your Holy Spirit to always show not only our brothers and sisters in Christ, but all our unbelieving neighbors a Christian perspective on life that shows we know where we are going both now and in eternity. Now that would be smart. Thank you Father. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.