The Wait

Frank and his wife were cleaning out the attic one day when he came across a ticket from the local shoe repair shop. The date stamped on the ticket showed that it was over eleven years old. They both laughed and tried to remember which of them might have forgotten to pick up a pair of shoes over a decade ago.

"Do you think the shoes will still be in the shop?" Frank asked.

"Not very likely," his wife said.

"It's worth a try," Frank said, pocketing the ticket. He went downstairs,hopped into the car, and drove to the store.

With a straight face, he handed the ticket to the man behind the counter. With a face just as straight, the man said, "Just a minute. I'll have to look for these." He disappeared into a dark corner at the back of the shop.

Two minutes later, the man called out, "Here they are!"

"No kidding?" Frank called back. "That's terrific! Who would have thought they'd still be here after all this time."

The man came back to the counter, empty-handed.

"They'll be ready Thursday," he said calmly.

Do you think Frank was happy with that? I'm guessing not. I'm fairly sure he was expecting the shoes to be ready if they were there at all. The show repairman found a way to turn an amazing discovery into a doubled discouragement. Some people just have a knack for that. They've been known to turn up at church on occasion. :)

Once when I was teaching a group of 1st graders on Sunday nights, I was trying to explain about the people who didn't like what Jesus was doing. No sooner had the word Sadducee come out of my mouth when one little girl shouted (my class control skills weren't the best) "I know one!"

"You know one?"

"I sure do. Mr. Hank* is a Sadducee. He never smiles." *(not his real name)

I did.

Hank was a man who accepted Christ and was serious about his faith, and everything else. Though he was blessed, you'd never have known it. There were times I thought I saw a little black cloud following him around.

Friends, if you're alive when you read this, you've been blessed. If you are eating on a regular basis, you've been blessed. If you have family and friends, you've been blessed. I'd go on but you're saying "I know that."

Great. Now tell your face!

Proverbs 17:22 (Msg)
A cheerful disposition is good for your health;
gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

If you are finding it hard to make it these days, maybe you are in need of an attitude adjustment. Paul wrote to the Corinthians (and Lord knows they were a mess) and said:

2 Cor. 13:11 (Msg)
And that's about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.

There's a lot to be said for counting your blessings. It always makes me feel better to remember you as I write these devotionals. You are a blessing, now be one! Don't wait.

Grace!

David

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.