Have you ever noticed that there are risks all around you? Every day we have choices to make that require some kind of risk on our part. About two years ago, my sweet Greg noticed a blind lady walking outside barely bundled up in the negative degree temperature on a very blistery cold day. He immediately pulled our car around through the medium to go to her. Greg asked me to get out of the car so she would not be uncomfortable with it being a man and ask her if we could give her a lift home. She didn’t even have hose on under her light weight dress! She graciously accepted our offer to take her home. I guided her to the car as I described that it was a van and that she would have to take a major step up to get in. We then listened to her directions on how to get home. She entrusted her care to us freely because the bitter cold literally felt like it sliced the skin that day. We were humbled by the risk she took in allowing us to help her and she was delighted by the risk we took in stopping to offer help.
On another day as my children and I drove to a local ice skating rink, we saw another blind person walking up a very long stretch of road right after we commented on the zero degree mark on the bank marquee. Following in my husband’s footsteps, I also turned around to go and see if I could take the gentleman home. I told the children to stay put in the car and I ran up the sidewalk toward him yelling, “Sir, can I give you a ride?” I kept yelling, but he never responded. I wondered if the wind kept him from hearing me, but I did not want to go up and touch him for fear that I would scare him. So I yelled louder. Finally, when I was about one foot behind him he hesitated and turned. So I spoke directly to him. “Can I give you a ride somewhere?” He turned back and I thought, did he not hear me? I know he did not see me, but can he not hear? I YELLED LOUDER! He turned and said, “I can tell you are talking. I am also deaf. I can’t understand you. It is okay. I am fine.” He repeated it twice and then turned again and began to walk away. I felt so frustrated because he knew I was there. His body sensed it, but he could not connect with me. Even though his words were clear his sight and hearing were dulled. He wasn’t able to let me help him. The risk was too great because there were too many unknown factors for him to trust me with.
I left him alone to face the cold by himself. I hurt inside because I had everything at my finger tips to make his journey so much more pleasant, but he did not want to receive it because the trust factor was too great. This is how we can get with God. We can sense that he is there, but we are too dull in our senses to really see Him or hear Him. We are not willing or able to let Him work in our lives because we see the risk as too great. Faith let’s go of all fears and trusts the guide for the journey.
Excerpt from: Embracing His Vision Abandoning Mine, page 18.

Two quotes have greatly impacted my mind this week... listen to these:

"A century as slaves made them think like slaves." David Guzik (Bible Commentator)He is refering to the Israelites as the walked in the promised land.

"And the disciples went everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the Message with indisputable evidence." Mark 16:20/The Message

After reading both of these early in the morning, my mind began to think of how God's chosen people can still think like slaves and not live as if they have the Master working right along with them validating the Message with indisputable evidence. Since, the Bible tells us that God does not play favorites, we can safely assume that if Jesus walked along working with the disciples He will do the same with us! Isn't that awesome! Instead of serving with the thought process of a slave, we need to be serving with the thought process of someone who has the Master beside them. He alone validates the message we give--that is His job! Our job-- to not live like a slave to our past! No wonder we are told to walk in the newness of the life He gives!

“Treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?” Psalm 14:4/The Message

Father, You are fine dining! Everything about You signifies a seven course meal with the finest of China! There are no paper plates or plastic wear at Your table! Thank you! As I read this verse LORD, I realize that I easily fall into the trap of treating others like a fast food meal! OUCH! Forgive me LORD! Cleanse me of this unrighteousness! Fine dining at Your banqueting table requires for me to slow down, taste, smell, savor, and relax. I want this in my walk with others LORD! Help me to treat those around me as if they are a seven course meal at Your banqueting table! Help me to dine with them where they are and savor them in You! Help me to hold them tenderly like fine china and not flippantly like fast meal paper wrap ready to toss in the heap. Do this for Your Glory and Name sake in me and through me! Even as I pray this I realize that I will walk away full! Thank You! In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!