Train Up A Dog....

Ephes. 4:32 (Msg)
Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

If you haven't guessed by now dear reader, New Hope is a special place. It's a different place, and very special. We're not trying to raise up "church people", instead we are trying to raise up people who are comfortable "being church".

We want to connect people, and hardwire into them the idea that their church family should be the place they feel most at home.

We're turning over a page in our 40 Days of Purpose this weekend and beginning to look at the fact that we all were formed for God's family. Within the family, when you have a great experience, you share it.

So it shouldn't have been surprising that immediately after Bible Study Wednesday night, I was summoned by Katie Shermer and Michelle Poremba to see "Angel Face". She's a dog. A dachshund to be precise, and she's a cutie. But she doesn't get by on her good looks, she has talent too. The girls were having "dog night" last Wednesday, where they can bring their dogs to church to show everyone else how special they are. (This was preceded by "cat night" the week before, so please no emails from cat lovers. :)

Yes, Angel Face is quite the master thespian. When Michelle points at Angel Face and says "Bang", she plays dead. Everyone who saw her performances Wednesday night raved about her.

She's been trained well.

But she wouldn't do it for me. Too many new people, too many little hands on her.

What was neat to me though, was to see how she was treated when she failed.

She got a hug and a "That's okay." So Angel Face gave her back a big dog kiss for her effort.

I loved it! That's Christlike love in action. And it is exactly the type of love we are trying to teach our kids to give and receive. So Angel Face failed - big deal - she's still loved just for who she is.

It's the same for anyone else who will accept God's offer of forgiveness and everlasting love. It's not about our "performance", it is and always will be about God's great and abiding love for us.

Have a great and God filled weekend!

Grace!

David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.