Devotional BICYCLE

The time I learned to ride a bicycle (3rd grade), we lived next to a huge parking lot that was a paradise to ride around in. I remember one afternoon, on my bicycle on the sidewalk about to turn the corner and come home, my “mental computer” jammed. I saw a post man—there was no e-mail; we wrote letters back then—walking in my direction. If I turned the corner, I would run straight into him. I COULDN’T!!! My brain froze. Instead of turning the handle, I let the bicycle plow on straight ahead…into the car parked at the curb!

Bonk. (Good thing my child’s bicycle wasn’t going very fast anyway.) The bicycle’s rubber wheels hit the car’s metal fenders, spilling me onto the grass. The mailman came running, questions flying.

“What are you doing? Are you all right? What happened?” 

“I…I saw you…I was going to turn the corner…But if I did, I knew I would run into you, and I didn’t want to do that, so I didn’t know what to do and so kept going straight” (like the time I stayed on the bus and went all the way to the terminal!) 

“Why didn’t you just put on the brakes?”

“I…yeah…uh…I didn’t think about it.” I didn’t know what to say, really.

I think he saw I wasn’t hurt (except my silly pride) and sent me back home reminding me to use the brakes next time. I can’t remember too clearly. That’s a memory I don’t often think about, try to forget, actually; don’t really know why I’m sharing it with you. Perhaps it’s to show if God can choose things this foolish to serve Him and to glorify himself—all He asks is that we say, okay God, YOU DO YOUR THING, because I’ve proven I can make a mess doing mine.

Devotional THE POOR LITTLE THING

Sarah, my daughter's friend, was a spirited, adventurous personality. One Sunday afternoon when she was a toddler, we couldn’t find her in any of the church rooms—even closets--; rooms at the house, around the trees in the yard.... And she’d shown up on her tricycle, where she’d gone across the street by herself! 

Sarah had 3 older brothers—she was a tough one, but her heart hadn’t forgotten its quick soft smile, and she and Emi were fast friends. One day, one of her brothers was teasing her to an extreme, it seems, such that it brought Emi to tears.

"Stop that! No more!" she wailed, and the mother came rushing into the room; the siblings had to explain that no one had been mean to Emi, and they had to calm her down!

Then there was the day Sarah found a dead baby bat. Most little girls would be screaming at the sight of a rat, but Sarah shed tears for “the poor little thing.”

Adults might look at these two girls—one who would cry for a dead animal, and one for a teased friend—and conclude they were just immature.

I wonder if their tears show their hearts were still tender, and they hadn’t yet lost the ability to express love? Maybe THEY were still rich, and we “mature” adults are the actual “poor little things”?)

Devotional PEARLY’S FLOWERS (Written May7,2022)

 When my daughter gave me my first grandchild, Kinya and I were asked to go over to help out about three times a week.

The background? I wanted to draw a flower garden but didn’t know how so just cut out the sketch of the baby and plopped it on my Bible cover. Well, of course I felt prayers he would find life in the Word.

I found that picture of “Pearly” and took just the pink gladiolas she pointed to with her tail. And I gave it to the young parents, congratulating them for their new arrival. They told me the picture was perfect, since they wouldn’t have to worry about the pollen and insects as if I’d given living plants.

Not only that, Naoki, my son-in-law, liked the flowers so much, he right away double-stick-taped them to the baby’s crib musical mobile motor, and it fit just right.

I could almost hear Pearly saying with approval, “Looks purrrrfect!”

I’d started serious drawing in May 2021, and that was June, just one month later. I’m sure Naoki had no idea what a big encouragement he’d been.

God gives us encouragements, in even the littlest things, doesn’t He?

Devotional FLIGHT STUFF

On board when I was a Baby:

Most people don’t know what the pilots’ quarters look like, because now they’re sealed off from passengers’ cabins. Did you know that a long time ago—I’m talking 1960; I don’t know what it’s like now—there was a sleeping area back there so that for overnight flights, the pilot and co-pilot could take turns resting while they set their side of the instrument panel on automatic flight control?

How do I know? My mother told me about a flight when I was a year old, and my sisters were two years old and only a few months old. A helpful flight crew, seeing my parents’ situation, gave them the pilots’ bunk cubbyhole. So my folks were able to stretch out their legs, and we were able to crawl onto their laps, nurse, or sleep all the way across the Pacific. And we had booked economy!

He cares for me.

On board as a Youth:

Does God see our problems? Yes, He sees, but let’s get back to the plane.

One morning, when I awoke—I’d been asleep on board—and looked out the plane window, it was dark. Just plain black. But we were flying into the morning, so gradually, it got brighter, and the tops of the clouds could be seen, slightly lighter gray than the surrounding ash. Then the blues came, then pretty pinks, and then all the light! Wait…what was that below? In the white billowy stuff was a teeny tiny, squarish opening of whispy threads. I kept looking hard at it, and after a while realized what it was: a tempest! Torrents of wind and rain engulfed the ship down there. Hm; I thought to myself. Fiascos that terrify human navigators are no bigger than postage stamps to Him Who rides the stormy skies and manages the seas!

He cares for me.

On board as an Adult:

Have you heard the illustration of the person “cured” of his terrible headache when his friend stepped on his foot? He was so busy thinking of the pain in his foot, he completely forgot about the pressure in his head.

Several years ago, just before getting on the plane, a terrible misunderstanding was mentioned, and during that flight, I was trying to read scripture and wrestling with God about it. The frustrating part was that our plane was flying over a minor typhoon, and some of the trip was so rough, even flight crew had to get strapped into their seats. The passengers seated to my side or across the aisle were sweating in their seats, but my mind was too full of my problem to be terrified, and the jostling upset me more that I couldn't read what I really needed.

I’m usually a fraidy cat big time when it comes to air turbulence, but this time, my mind was so full of another heart pain, it had no time to think about it! I guess God’s way of giving us the help we need is 100% effective. Perhaps sometimes in wisdom He even brings pain into our lives that actually weakens the blows of other fears!

This awesome God cares for me.

Devotional ISN'T IT UNCLEAN？

After I'd spending time with my daughter and grandson, the Lord reminded me not to neglect my own son. I remembered the e-mails I sent him in December, thought maybe I could do a repeat, or draw a nice picture of something he liked.

I rushed over to his room and asked what he was interested in. But as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew I shouldn’t have. Sure enough, my son said, “FPS Gaming.” and pointed a gun with his fingers.

“A killing instrument God? For real?” God seemed to have led me to ask what to draw, but...”isn’t this an ABOMINATION, GOD?!”

For a few days, I tried stalling. Maybe God would give me another idea. I chose the paper, canvas, sizing, preparing, base coloring, drying, smoothing...until I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer, and God hadn’t given me any thoughts about what to do. Then I thought I’d add the theme of the roaring lion hunting the souls of men, transfixing their minds with spiritually insignificant battle...maybe this roaring lion could fight with the “lion the tribe of Judah”? Nah. Too much like “Lion King”, where Scar fights Simba. A Shepherd protecting His sheep from the lion would be better! But who was I kidding? Those ideas weren’t Heaven-sent but were my own desperate attempts to steer away from raw FPS.

I actually began drawing and painting the lion...but then God made the colors, lines, and textures so fit another painting, it was as if He declared if any lions were drawn, they should be kept there, not here, in this picture.

Doesn’t it look like he fits here, in a Safari?

So I threw up my hands mentally and said all right God; You know what You’re doing. I’m just going to draw the picture then, and did, drawing my son’s chair in the dark--from the back. I pretty much kept the computer display down to a firing mechanism, a horizon with some clouds, and an approaching ogre-like figure.

Along with the picture, I sent my son an e-mail. “I hope you know your mother well enough by now to know this is not saying I think violence is ok as long as it’s only a game. It’s still wrong. But I love you, want you to be all you can be, and want you to know I want to spend time with you, okay?”

The next day, for the worship service message, it was as if God sent His approving smile. The text was from Acts 10. Barry Potter said Peter too had responded to God’s voice: “Rise, kill, and eat.” with an unequivocal “No!” In God’s patient dealings with Peter, I don’t know if Peter stalled or came up with his own “clever” ideas and slippery dodges, like I tried...until he too agreed with the Lord: ”What God has cleansed, call not unclean.”

In the text, it was shown how Peter was able, right after that, to show peace by Jesus Christ to Cornelius and the Gentiles. (Acts 10:36)

Details may differ, but when our Lord tells us to do something that goes against our grain, we need to swallow pride in our past and just obey Him. Maybe then God can show others the peace of Christ through us too.

Devotional NIBBLING ALL DAY LONG

Today, as I was watching the mallards at Step Creek look for bugs at the bottom of the creek; forage for food on the side of the slope near the waterfall; I said to myself…they are looking for food all the time, getting teeny tiny mouthfuls at a time, staying alive that way. No wonder they’re in shape. I rarely see an obese bird.

And I said to myself, hm; we Christians should learn from the mallards—you have to keep nibbling life all the time. You don’t just ingest truth at Worship Service or Sunday School or Midweek Prayer Meeting. Some people think they are good Christians if they pray before meals or at bedtime. To others, an even better Christian discipline is to start each day with “quiet time”.

But it’s gotta be smiling with the Father and whispering with Him all day long, to really stay in any Father-Son relationship. Nothing else really works—and actually, once tasted, nothing else will do.

Devotional WHY SERPENTS, FATHER?

Snakes. It seems to be these creatures are what God has been talking to me about recently. And I think the light bulb that finally turned on in my mind was the concept: God permits evil to fulfill His purposes.

l White Snake from the ceiling – When I opened my eyes from a nap, I saw one looking down at me from the ceiling. I screamed, and threw up my futon at it, “smothered” it. Kinya told me I’d been asleep until he sneezed, when I’d let out a yelp and woke up. God may’ve chosen some of my spouse’s seeming “wisdom of a snake” ways knowing someone like Kinya would be needed to watch over me.

l Tai & Lenny in part 4 of my book – at first, I thought, does the Father not want the public to read about these animals, or what? Then I realized: my being an outcast from others had led to unique friendships with these two snakes in the park, had it not? (Maybe I’ll share about it later. ) No; He definitely wanted them written.

l “Kaa’s Hunt” was what I read then in the “Jungle Book”. I wasn’t sure how to respond to this, because the snake Kaa is shown as a powerful and almost scary spell-binding force, but he did come to their rescue. That made me think: great potential for evil can be turned, in the Hands of the Almighty, to protect the righteous.

l Snakes Nag & Nagaina come up later. Hadn’t seeming danger and sinister threat ended up making a timid mongoose like Rikki Tikki Tavi, who began the tale half-drowned, into a gallant life-saver himself? God knows just what we need to make us what we need to become. And usually, that includes things we may find distasteful.

God permits evil to work good ends. Isn’t that the message behind the redemptive work of the Bronze Serpent in the Wilderness? Fiery serpents were sent among the people to bite and inflict suffering and death, yet looking to an image of the creature of agony was supposed to bring deliverance. The serpent, in the Garden of Eden, enticed the woman—and all mankind—to suffering and death—yet the seed of the woman, crushed the head of the serpent; if we look to Him in faith, altho’ it looks like the narrow way is the way of suffering, we too can find deliverance. 

And, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Devotional COUNTERFEITS （I'm not trying to be John Bunyan; I really dreamed this!）

 But they were going after the wrong things.

One night, for some reason, I dreamed I was a teenage-boy...who would sneak out of his bedroom window at night and spend several hours with shady characters downtown, then climb back into the room so that the next morning, my parents found me in bed and never caught on to what I was doing.

In my dream, I was at my window about to make another trip to the city when I heard some whispering in the backyard. From what I could gather, my father had stored some boxes there labeled "light bulbs", "lampshades", or "extension cords", but they really contained classified armament. These men had taken these crates to the van on the curb and replaced them with identical cartons of light bulbs, shades, cords...then hired amateur thugs to steal them!

The next morning, my father hired a detective to hunt down the burglars who had left incriminating evidence all over the place. With these clues in hand, they set off to find the thieves and stolen goods. I heard my father muttering, "If only I can get them back...my problems will be solved." But they wouldn't, I knew. They were counterfeits to begin with; new problems would commence when they were found. I woke up then.

"Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labors for that which satisfieth not?" (Isa.55:2)

Devotional EXPIRATION DATE

This morning, I got up at 5:45. I wanted to hurry and eat my salad purchased at the convenience store yesterday afternoon – it had an expiration time of 8 a.m., Feb. 6, so to be safe, I wanted it eaten by 6. (They eat salad for breakfast in Japan.) Altho’ it had been put in the refrigerator as soon as I got home from the store yesterday, who knows how many hours had passed between the time the vegetables were cut, packed, and combined with the shredded chicken distributed to the store, set out on the stand, etc…

Who knows how much earthly time passes between the formation of…hm; I began thinking of what goes into Divine preparation of one human soul, and it doesn’t even start with his birth. It doesn’t start with his formation inside his mother’s womb. It doesn’t even start with his parents’ getting together. It doesn’t begin with influences like personalities influencing their being able to meet and marry, nor with factors like economics and politics affecting whether their families will even live within close proximity of each other. The God of the Ages navigates forces in history like the movement of people and formation of continents and languages, according to the beginning of Genesis. And if you want to see things logically, it is the same God that actually created the universe and all things called “life”. So…the “expiration date,” when creatures will be hearing “time up” and know they have to be shuffled off to eternal torment or everlasting bliss—that may come within the next 90 years or so, “but who knows how many ‘hours’—eons--have passed before that creature ever appeared on the shelf of life?”

Most people have no idea God has put that much time and thought in preparing for them.

We need to prepare to meet Him—before our time expires.

Devotional TROUBLED TEENS, WASTED OPPORTUNITIES

Recently, I viewed several programs where unruly teenagers are encouraged by others who had grown up in much less privileged situations—some had endured poverty or constant physical threat, with no family-home-security. These youths go back to their former chaotic lives and belligerent no-care attitudes determined not to let go of the opportunities handed them.

  Thousands would give their right arm to own Bibles. What am I doing with mine? How many would die to live in a house with cement walls, carpeting, running water (hot showers?!) electricity, refrigeration, cooking flame, air conditioning and heating, a lock and doorbell. Am I grateful—really? What am I doing to share it? (Okay; it’s rented; not really “mine” so there are limitations. Lame excuse.) Do I have any idea what can be done on a laptop? What percentage of it am I doing with it? How many would cry to have siblings, spouses, children who knew the Lord? Who said they had to be perfect—indeed, even God declares they will not be this side of glorification—but what am I doing with them? “And June, some people do not have the brains, body parts, senses, that you possess;” I seemed to hear. “What are you doing with those opportunities?”

  Oh God—stop! No more!

  Just one more, June. After the churches in Okinawa, your parents were led to Inter-City, a fellowship who would not throw away missionaries on the field even if they had questionable stands but lovingly waited to talk with them on furlo. During college, God showed you Mt. Calvary, a small (then) Bible-loving assembly. Back to Japan, you were involved with the vibrant young people at Megumi, those mature strong warriors at Koriyama, then the zealous witnesses at Bethel. Now the earnest cornucopia of MCC is what your Father is handing you.

  These opportunities June, your Father has painstakingly chosen for you. I hope you realize that you are loved and worth it. Those teens often couldn’t hold back tears of blessed resolve either. June, are you going to just criticize those who are rebellious and you think you are better than, or are you going to be grateful for what you have been given and make the most of them in living for Me?

  I found I couldn’t speak a word—but I knew God knew what my answer was.

Devotional I NEVER SAW SO MUCH NEVATIVE IN THIS PASSAGE BEFORE

 “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways; a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God; they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching God.”                                     (Isaiah 58:2)

  I never saw so much negative in this verse. It comes after “show my people their transgression,” altho’ it seems aimed at fervent, polished, worshipful folk—God says we’ve got it all wrong.

 “Yet they seek me daily”. Nothing’s wrong with Daily Worship, if we’re really seeking Him, but often it’s vessels finding happiness in character building and self-awareness; God can tell the difference.

“delight to know…my ways, in approaching God.” Delight to know God? No! According to this verse, we often delight in God’s ways and delight in approaching Him—in other words, in ways and means, not God Himself. This century has seen greater delight in seminars and counseling than ever before, has it not?

“nation that did righteousness” Genuinely regenerate ones cannot help but love God with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind, not just with their actions. It says something when an entire nation seek performance, results.

“forsook not the ordinance of their God” Again, the focus was off. It was more important to look like a person of principle here, not to love HIM. “Forsook not their God” should’ve been more important than “forsook not the ordinance of their God!”.

“they ask of me…ordinances of justice” Most people don’t really ask God what He thinks. We often ask God to bless our efforts; assuming He always agrees with us.

   

God must be saddened to see us smile at ourselves in the mirror happy with how we’re doing everything right. “Changed Into His Image” is a wonderful, scriptural truth, but we need to remember it is our Father Who patiently moulds His children into becoming like Himself. How good it is to be one of His own.

Devotional REAL PERSPECTIVE

  I don’t think Jesus would’ve been too offended with my getting upset with the way things were done here. Even He got fed up with human moneychangers in the temple. We were collecting money from unsaved children…because “all the other churches were doing it…to teach them English conversation in VBS…to get them to come, supposedly so we could give them the Gospel…but then, staffers were not told to pray for opportunities to relate the Gospel, but they were told to use English as much as possible since people paid to hear it (?!)

  So I asked to teach a summer activity for children who wanted to come for free, in which we didn’t have to teach English (altho’ that was my minor in college). This was done much simpler, on another day, after the church VBS was over. (Shouldn’t it have been the other way around?) It seems to me the Church’s main thrust should be getting out the Gospel, and neighborhood English for pay should be secondary at best. Some claim it’s evangelism of the lost merely using English education and ask the faithful to adapt to this form of outreach to remain relevant; in actuality, it seemed to be the church trying to keep up with the mainstream…I felt so frustrated.

  “June, look at it this way”, I thought I heard: “If getting out the Gospel and doing the work of the Father is what Heaven is interested in—not the English activity with all the money, time, work, manpower, art, food, people, music, printing that went into it; then just think: ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN, when they turned on their television channels to your church’s VBS with its English perks, had little interest in it and clicked off the remote even with 50 or so faces showing on the screen. Even if it does look attractive.

  But when they switched on later onto a quiet table, the blander free session but dealing with matters of eternal consequence, THEIR EYES WERE GLUED TO THAT MONITOR, even if it had only 2, 3 children and 2, 3 adults showing. And when one little girl’s soul found Christ, 1000 of those angelic beings erupted into ‘Hallelujah!’”

 

Chisato, 5th grader, found Life!   Shion, 1st grader nearby, wanted to pray too

  A voice probably sounded, “Look! Look! There’s a first grader saying he wants to pray too, but he doesn’t seem to know what it all means!” Everyone settles down to watch.

  The teacher immediately consults Headquarters which beams back the advice: “Just wait a few years ‘til that boy is a little clearer. He can pray then.”

  Jesus steps in front of the throng with a smile. He wants to assure them that first grader is going to be determined to find out more, and Jesus is going to make sure he keeps coming to Bible Club until he does, even after that teacher leaves, until years later he can pray for himself and find eternal life too.

  There is near-pandemonium in Heaven.

  Down on earth, as part of the church English VBS rally, the 50-some-odd group were singing a rousing, “Arky, Arky” (Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory), complete with all the fun motions.

  But now it sounds lame compared to the roar, the Hallelujah, “He Finds Salvation!” filling all Heaven!

  Come on June—you don’t really think that’s the way it is, do you? Well, other than the fact that it’ll be a TV set, I think so. Really.

*   *   *

About 4 years after the above, I had the privilege of returning to the above church and visiting a children's ministry, at the end approaching a 5th-grader,  asking if he remembered me. He stared hard, then a light of recognition went on. He beamed: "Yes--you're that...SUMMERSCHOOL!"

It was Shion.

Devotional RECESS!

 “Disclaimer”:  The article below was composed when pondering God’s provision to His own of the Sabbath. Those who know me know I am not speaking of a legalistic keeping of the seventh day but am espousing the need to revel in, not regret, a day to keep distinct from the rest of the week.

 

  Recess! Run, laugh, jump, play! If you ask elementary children what their favorite class is in school, a lot of them say “recess”. It’s the feeling of being released from having to do something hard for a while. And it feels good and natural to work hard, but to let go for a bit; work hard again, then let go again.

  And the One Who “tinkered” and put us together so knows we function this way, also gave us week-long cycles with “Let-go Days” at their ends, Recesses called Sabbaths.

  I rarely hear schoolchildren saying, “Recess? Do I have to?” But that’s what a lot of adults—who are supposed to be smarter—do. And they go on studying or working, although the Creator knows they were made to best operate on work and rest cycles, and they’re headed for physiological strain, relational problems, and all sorts of complications without “Recess”.

  Scripture tell us to call the Sabbath a Delight. If you look into the word “delight,” it refers to letting yourself luxuriate. So, really, people shouldn’t look on the Sabbath as forced deprivation from the chance to make money.

Of course, like children at recess bell, who first run out the doors and jump into the open, on our “Let-Go Days”, we too can know the freedom to soar into the heavenlies and gaze into our Heavenly Father’s face. And it’s a day to marinate (for real; slow cooking can be done when there’s time!) That call you wanted to make; the article you wanted to read, the attachment you wanted to fix; the irritation that needed to be attended to—there’s time to take care of it all today: it’s a Sabbath! Let lubricating oils spread over equipment and comfortable dependability seep back into the battered soul (one day’s restoration after a week’s battle is not overpampering!)

Even one day’s rest can give a person more shine, strength, and decisiveness…than trying to grind on nonstop because one can’t afford to pause!

  There’s the bell. End of recess; hey, that felt good! Gotta buckle down and get back to work now. Wonder what’s new?

OT and NT ABOUT TITHING Abraham Wasn't Tithing!

 REAL GIVING - HAPPY SYMBOLS OF FREEDOM FROM EVIL RULERS

"To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;" (Hebrews 7:2)

"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch, Abrraham, gave the tenth of the spoils." (Hebrews 7:4)

Without realizing it, many misquote this Heb. 7 reference:

1. This verse was referring to the greatness of the person, not the institution, to whom Abraham gave. Some people say, "See? Even Abraham tithed to the church!" He did not! He gave to Melchizedek.

    Do we know and give to God as a Person as well, not to an impersonal organization?

2. Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils. Some people say, "See? Even Abraham gave a tenth of his income!" He did not! He gave a tenth of his spoils after slaughter of the kings. There is no record he did this all his life. "spoils" refers to the "booty" after battle.

3. But, in another sense, Abraham had given God all his life, not merely a tenth of it. Mt. Moriah (he was going to give his son Isaac!) proved it. The enemy gets us tangled up thinking about the difficulty of giving God one tenth. Abraham probably had no problem giving God one-tenth of the glittering gold after the battle with the kings, because it was already all God's. What Melchizedek was given: a small, small token of Abraham's gratitude to God. All other personal possessions and rights had already been let go of anyway; letting go of the gift and words "Thank You" didn't hurt at all.

4. Actually, if you follow it through--what this passage says is Levi, in the loins of Abraham, tithed to Melchizedek. Before he was born, Levi was thanking God. This passage is not saying individual believers should tithe, but rather, that it is the nature of God's priests to tithe. Is the church radiating an irrepressible, giving spirit of thanksgiving, or merely calling on sheep for dutiful titthe?

Abraham’s POSTURE OF GRATITUDE TO GOD for giving him victory over the five wicked kings and freeing his nephew, could be seen when he met the priest Melchizedek. In reporting his joy, he dowsed the King-priest with much gold and precious gems from the spoils—they were kings, after all. No doubt not every conflict ended this way, but this time he was able to give away a tenth of all he took in battle, and even this turned out to be a generous amount!

Devotional HEY, UM… (May 22,2022)

  The Samaritans begged Jesus to “tarry with them; and he abode there two days.” (Jn. 4:40)

  That verse caught my eye. The Jews didn’t have much use for the carpenter’s son. In fact, they chased him out of the temple, at first denounced any who would also follow him, then later ended up just plain crucifying him.

  But before that, I wonder if there was a neutral: “Come if you want to”?

  I’m thinking that is the way it is with a lot of Christians today. Out of their mouths come the words, “You’re welcome if you’d like to come.” But it’s a big contrast from the Samaritans who said, “Please stay,” or better yet, Jesus who actively sought out the lonely person (Jn. 9:35) instead of waiting for him to come on his own, only if he “wanted”.

  In this day that values individuality and privacy, it’s scary to reach out. But

  “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in” is God’s mandate.

  Lord, give us the loving willingness to get kicked in the teeth to reach out.