Basic Truths | Finding God in Everyday Life

  As a doctor, I was surprised at how often people with a life-threatening medical problem waited to come see me about it. Sadly, most of the time they waited too long, turning what would have likely been a curable problem into a terminal one. Once in a while I would ask them why they delayed. The usual answer was some form of wishful thinking, hoping that if they ignored the problem, it would go away on its own.   It can take courage to start the healing process if we know that it will likely be a painful one. Just hoping that things will get better usually doesn’t cut it. This is true, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual healing or the healing of a relationship.   God wants us to come to Him for whatever we need, whether it be healing or anything else. He already knows what we need, so we can simply open our hearts to Him and ask that His will be done in our situation, knowing that He will work out what is best for us. He may use other people as inst...

  As I mentioned last week, I had surgery on my right knee to repair some damaged cartilage. The surgery went well. Although I am still having some pain, I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to get back to doing my regular activities within the next few months. I was willing to accept the pain and possible complications from the surgery because I wanted to be able to do the things I enjoy again.   We probably all have something in our life that needs healing. It may be a physical healing, or it may be an emotional or spiritual healing, or the healing of a relationship. We may be choosing to live with the problem, because we think that the healing process will be too painful.   God is the Great Healer. He desires that we be made whole. We can always come to Him with our needs.   The psalmist tells us, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).   Jesus healed a large number of people when He was ministering on earth. Many of those m...

  Rest is a subject that has been on my mind the past few days. I’ve been working in the backyard getting things cleaned up for spring. The trees and the grass are still dormant but the daffodils and the tulips have already poked up above the ground. I’m fascinated by how they rest and store up their energy to burst out anew when it’s time. We also have been resting or getting ready to rest. My wife has been sick the past few days and she has been resting a lot while she gets over the effects of a respiratory bug. I’m getting ready to have an enforced rest period. By the time you read this, I will have had arthroscopic surgery on my knee and my post-operative activities are going to be limited for a while.   For those of us who are retired, rest comes a little easier. For those who are working, raising a family, going to school, and/or dealing with other responsibilities, rest is often what’s left over when you have gotten everything else done.   God places a grea...

  I saw on the news last night that Fort Worth has adopted an ambassador program for its entertainment district.   The ambassadors are private individuals who patrol an area to assist the police in keeping people safe. They wear bright yellow vests to show who they are to the people around them.   We are called to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Our lives should reflect this calling.   People around us should know who we belong to and represent, just as though we were wearing a yellow vest to distinguish ourselves. If we just blend into the society around us, we won’t be very useful in advancing the Kingdom.   Being an ambassador involves both words and deeds. We should be willing and able to speak about what God has done for us, and what He offers to everyone. Our greatest witness, though, is the way we live. People should be able to look at us and see that there is something different about us, something that they might want for themsel...