Recently I was talking with someone and they shared the terror of seeing their child choking on a small piece of candy that had lodged in their throat. It brought back my own memory of when as a teenager and had a similar experience. I was hanging my coat on a hook on the back of my bedroom door. I had a sour ball in my mouth, and when I tipped my head back to hang up the coat, the candy dropped into my windpipe. I ran into the kitchen where my mother was, pointing to my throat and gasping for air. As she realized what was happening she began to try to dislodge the candy by beating me on the back – all to no avail. It seemed to me like all this was happening in slow motion. I could picture the ambulance having to come, and the thought of death was very real. Finally my mom encouraged me to stick my hand down my throat and see if I could remove the sour ball that way. I did, and the offending candy went flying across the room. Air! Breath! How wonderful!

As I recently contemplated on that incident I thought, “The Lord could have taken me home right then, but He didn’t.” Even after all these years that situation made me realize again that God has a plan for my life and desires to use me. Each day that He gives me is a gift from His hand so that I can fulfill His purposes in my life.

It’s the same for you, Friend. God has preserved you for this day. He’s protected you perhaps in ways you don’t even realize. Or perhaps you’ve had some close encounters and are truly aware of just how He has kept you alive. It can give you a better perspective on today. Why are you and I here? For starters we could consider:

• To bring glory to God (I Corinthians 10:31)
• To live for Him (Romans 12:1)
• To tell others about salvation through Christ (Matthew 28:19,20

If we can take a breath today there’s a God-ordained purpose – to be a channel that God can use. http://www.playlist.com/playlist/15196177163

Have you ever noticed that whenever something bad is happening people seem to love to see it? Let’s just think of the realm of someone doing something wrong. If there’s a student in class messing up, the rest of the students are very interested in seeing the teacher correct him. If a police officer has pulled someone over brake lights will light up so the passersby can get a peek at the offender. If a child in church throws a fit and the parents take him out of the service, all eyes are on little Jr. Why are the court shows on television so popular? Because people like to see when someone gets caught doing something they shouldn’t have done.

Last night in church we were encouraged to take a hard look at our own lives to see if there is unforgiveness there. As we looked at many passages of Scripture we saw how Christ was treated because of our sin and also how He responds to us even though we are sinners. One verse especially caught my attention; it was Micah 7:18 – “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?…” Since I’ve been saved and have confessed my sins, God chooses to pass by my transgression. He doesn’t stop and stare at my sin, then look at me, like I would be prone to do. He passes by! What a wonderful truth! My nature is to look at a wrong someone has done and gawk, but not God. He has removed my sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). Indeed, who is a God like thee? No one. He forgives and then chooses not to look!

Being a mother is a roller coaster event. Some days your children are sweet and obedient. Things go smoothly at home. They appreciate your efforts, express their love and respond with gratefulness to your sacrifices. The next day, however, doesn’t go as such. The children whine instead of obey. Nothing goes as it was supposed to – you run out of milk and the kids us Kool-Aid in its place (and half of it ends up on the floor). Supper burns because your attention was turned to children that were scrambling in a heap in the living room. When your husband comes home from work you’re frazzled and ready to turn in your Mommy badge!

I recently heard about a church member that had given his pastor trouble for years. He was always fussing, always critical of the way things were being done in the church. He saw it as his job to keep things in line. He hindered the work of the ministry and discouraged his poor pastor week after week.

This dear man was miserable and came to talk to his pastor a couple weeks ago to talk about it. As their conversation progressed the pastor asked him about his salvation. This man had never truly been saved! He had considered his church membership enough to get him to heaven. That night he trusted in Christ’s work on the cross for his sins and was saved! He then became a follower instead of a finger pointer!

I thought of that man this morning as I read in Mark 2. In this passage the scribes and Pharisees were so consumed with legalities of religion that they couldn’t rejoice in the life of the Redeemer. They were always looking so they could accuse Christ. Their first issue was that Jesus ate with publicans and sinners. They, who were sinners themselves, yet didn’t see themselves as such, were critical of Jesus’ spending time with the “worst of sinners.” How else would sinners be reached if time was not spent with them? They spoke to His disciples to try to dissuade them from following Christ. Stirring up dissension is what the devil does best.

The next criticism was aimed at the disciples because they didn’t fast. Jesus’ reasoning was because He was still with them. There would come a day when He was gone that they would fast., but now there was work to be done!

Then the disciples plucked corn off the stalks in the field and ate on the Sabbath…another no, no according to these wicked scribes and Pharisees. God’s servants needed the strength from the food so they could continue to serve.

Lastly they saw the man with the withered hand in the temple on the Sabbath and watched to see what Jesus would do, whether He would heal him or not. Jesus knew their wicked thoughts and healed the man. Jesus came to “save life” even on the Sabbath day!

These scribes and Pharisees were not godly. They were not followers of Christ. They were only religious. They were more concerned with legalities than they were with pointing people to the Savior. They wanted to make sure that all the commandments were followed to the letter. They really weren’t happy unless they had something to stir up.

There are those who proclaim to be righteous, but have their notebooks out, looking for an opportunity to stick out an accusing finger and place blame. Those that are looking over the edge of their glasses with a critical eye at what is being said and done are much like these unregenerated men. They are not lovers of Christ, but of Belial. They are following the pattern of the Accuser.

Note too, that the opposers are in the minority. Most of the people were in the crowds and wanted to be near Christ to hear His teaching (up to the point of His death that is). The S&P’s tried to hinder the work that Christ did. Stirred-up church members are also hindering. When they whisper behind their leader’s back and speak in hushed tones with eyebrows raised, they are not supporting the work, but tearing it down.

Which group do you find yourself in – the followers or the finger pointers? Be careful of Satan’s tactics. He’s looking for those he can use to keep things stirred-up. Let’s each determine to stand up instead to support the work of the ministry and encourage sinners to be reached, servants to be strengthened, work to be done, and life to be given.

This morning I woke up after being a bit lazy. I got up and headed to the kitchen as I always do to feed our kitty, Liza and to get the coffee perking. As I neared the island in the middle of the kitchen I saw a note lying there – it said, “Gone walking. Allison.” This was a new wrinkle for my teenager. She usually waves her dad and me on when we walk in the mornings. I went to the front window to see if I could see her up the hill near our house or rounding the corner of the street. When I didn’t see her I decided to call her cell phone just to see where she was. I called…no answer. I looked up the street again. After a few minutes I called again…her voice mail picked up. My eyes scanned the street again and I still didn’t see her. She’s a big girl, she can take a walk, but her not answering my call was making me concerned. Finally on the third call she answered, and at the same time I saw her rounding the curve, her bright yellow hoodie bouncing with her step. Her phone had been on vibrate and she hadn’t heard when I called the times before. All was well.

There was a statement was in our Sunday school lesson this week that really got my attention. It said, “What the heart loves the eyes will seek and find.” Why were my eyes seeking for Allison at the window? Because I love her. If I had no love for her I would have read the note and then finished getting my coffee. It wouldn’t have concerned me if she still wasn’t home at noon! But no, my love for her caused my eyes to look for her.

What my heart loves, my eyes will seek and find. What other loves do my eyes seek and find on a daily basis? Are my eyes looking for the Lord this morning? I will find Him. Am I eagerly seeking how He is at work right now in my life? I will see it! Do I seek for my Bible when I first arise because I love His Word? I will find treasures! Will my eyes be looking for someone with whom I can share the Gospel? God will see to it that I find them.

Or do I love my email and seek for it first thing in the morning? Do I love sleep more than prayer? Do I love entertainment more than worship? Pleasure more than service? It’s right at my fingertips. I’ll look for it and find it.

Do you want to know what your heart loves? Think back to what your eyes are looking for today – it is the tell tale sign of the greatest longings in your heart.
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