FINDING IT'S NOT THERE

Seek the LORD while He may be found; - Isaiah 55:6a (NAS)

      “Hurry up, Dad! Hurry up!” Harold shouted as he banged on his parent's bedroom door. “It's my birthday and I know what I want.” In response Harold heard nothing so he tried to open the door but it was stuck. Desperate to get going, he pushed harder and harder on the door, yelling for his dad to hurry up and than all of a sudden the door flew open and Harold found himself falling out of bed.

     “I must have been dreaming.” Harold thought out loud as he jumped to his feet, “I need to get going, it's my birthday today and I know what I want.” Quickly throwing on some clean but wrinkled clothes, Harold ran to his parents bedroom and started banging on the door. “Dad, Dad, Hurry up, I need to get to the pet store.” After banging on the door for several minutes and getting no response he opened the door and went in.

     As he walked into his parents room he let out a gasp – the room was empty. Furthermore, he noticed the time on his parents alarm clock, it read 4:25 P.M. “AHHK” Herald screamed, “I slept too long from staying up all night and the pet store is about to close.” In a whirl, Harold took of running through the house looking for his dad but he couldn't find him, in fact, he couldn't find anybody.

     After ten minutes of searching, Harold found a note on the refrigerator that said they couldn't wait for him to get up and went to the park for a picnic and that they would be back around 5:30. “NO!!!” Harold screamed and then started to panic, “I'll never make it in time.” In a flash Harold was out the front door, on his bike and peddling as fast as he could.

     With five minutes to spare, Harold burst through the pet store's front door and frantically ran up and down the aisles looking for the pet he so desired to have for his birthday. “Where are they?” He yelled as tears started to well up in his eyes. “The store's closing and I can't find one. They've got to be here somewhere.”

     “You'll have to leave now boy,” came a voice from a clerk standing behind Harold, “I'm closing the store.” “But you can't,” Harold protested, “I haven't found my birthday pet.” “Well, what is it you're looking for? “ the clerk sighed, “I'll see if I can help you if you’re quick.”

     “I'm looking for a pet skunk.” Harold told the clerk “Right this way.” the clerk told Harold and led him through a door and into the alley. “Skunks are not pets.” the clerk said, “We do not carry them. The only skunks that ever come around here are the ones that try to get into our garbage.” “But I've got to have one.” Harold protested.

     “Do you even know anything about skunks?” The clerk asked as he turned to go back in the store to close it up. “Well, sort of. Maybe a little.” Harold told the clerk. “Then you should know they don't make good pets.” The clerk responded, “Now get lost.” and with those words the clerk shut and locked the door leaving Harold wondering what he really knew about skunks.

     I think the Bible makes it clear that we are to seek the Lord

• Deuteronomy 4:29 "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. (NAS)
• Psalm 105:4 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. (NAS)
• Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. (NAS)
• Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (NAS)

     We should be seeking the Lord in everything but too often we seek like Harold in his attempts to find a skunk or like Asa the king of Judah – we go seeking in the wrong spot.

      In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s rule, Baasha king of Israel attacked Judah. He made the town of Ramah strong so he could keep people from leaving or entering Judah, Asa’s country. Asa took silver and gold from the treasuries of the Temple of the LORD and out of his own palace. Then he sent it with messengers to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus. Asa said, “Let there be a treaty between you and me as there was between my father and your father. I am sending you silver and gold. Break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will leave my land.“ Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies to attack the towns of Israel. They defeated the towns of Ijon, Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all the towns in Naphtali where treasures were stored. When Baasha heard about this, he stopped building up Ramah and left his work. Then King Asa brought all the people of Judah to Ramah, and they carried away the rocks and wood that Baasha had used. And they used them to build up Geba and Mizpah. At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “You depended on the king of Aram to help you and not on the LORD your God. So the king of Aram’s army escaped from you. The Cushites and Libyans had a large and powerful army and many chariots and horsemen. But you depended on the LORD to help you, so he handed them over to you. The LORD searches all the earth for people who have given themselves completely to him. He wants to make them strong. Asa, you did a foolish thing, so from now on you will have wars.“

2 Chronicles 16:1-9 (NCV)

     Asa was in trouble and needed help. He went looking in the wrong direction and found an answer but and it helped him out for awhile but in the end it was the wrong answer for it did not come from God but from men.

• Jeremiah 17:5 -This is what the LORD says: “A curse is placed on those who trust other people, who depend on humans for strength, who have stopped trusting the LORD. (NCV)
• Psalm 14:2-3 - The LORD looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding, one who seeks for God. But no, all have turned away from God; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one! (NLT)
• Psalm 10:4 - In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. (NIV)

     There are many things for which we may go seeking it may be help in a difficult time, it may be answers to puzzling questions of life, etc. If we go seeking for answers or help from the world we may find answers that seem to work but will never ultimately satisfy.

      Here's Something To Ponder

• When you need answers or help where do you go?
• Are there better answers to that which you seek?

HURRY UP AND CHOOSE ALREADY

Listen to advice and accept instruction - Proverbs 19:20a (ESV)

      The night before his birthday, Harold laid in bed tossing and turning. For weeks he had been wanting his birthday to arrive, for weeks he had been asking if it was here yet, for weeks he had been driving people crazy, for weeks he had forgotten to figure out what he wanted and as a result he couldn't sleep.

      Around 4:00 in the morning Harold decided to get out of bed. “I'm never going to get to sleep until I figure out what I want for my birthday,” he thought. “And I can't do it on my own.” A few minutes later Harold was on the phone calling all his friends over to help him decide what he wanted for his birthday.

      Calling your friends at 4:00 in the morning is never a good idea and asking them to get dressed and come over to help figure out what you want for your birthday is even worse. For the most part all Harold got in reply was a click and a dial tone. Barney did manage to come over but he had to sneak out of his houses and the wasn't to happy about doing it for he wanted to sleep like everyone else.

      Knowing they he would rather be in bed, Barney hoped Harold wouldn't take too long to make up his mind but he also knew that the only thing Harold was quick to do was eat and get into trouble. “Hurry up and choose already!” Barney told him as he sat down at the kitchen table with him and grabbed a couple of tooth picks to prop his eyes open.

      “I wish I could but I can't,” Harold told barney, “That's why I called everybody over here.” “So where is everybody than?” Barney asked with a yawn. “They didn't want to come,” Harold answered, “They wanted to go back to bed and sleep.” “Well, so do I!” Barney growled, “So hurry up and choose already.”

      “I need your help coming up with some good ideas.” Harold explained to Barney, “What ever I decide to get has to fit me perfectly.” “An all you can eat pizza for a year coupon should fit you perfectly.” Barney told him, “Now can I get back to bed?” “I'll already get to eat all the pizza I want and to tell you the truth I'm getting sick of pizza.” Harold said, shaking his head.

      “What about a bed?” Barney suggested next. “No,” Harold shook his head again, “I just got a new one, besides, I have no room in my bedroom for one.” Well,” Barney yawned, “I'll take the bed and crawl in it. I'm tired.”

      “What I really want is something I don't have.” Harold told Barney “Like a pet.” “Than get a pet.” Barney said and then closed his eyes. “But what kind of pet should I get?” Harold asked Barney but the only response he got from Barney was a loud snore. As Harold got up to go to bed he heard a rattle from the garbage cans behind his house and then he got a whiff of a rather unpleasant odor. “That's it!” He exclaimed, “I know what kind of pet I want.”

      Have you ever had to make a decision? Have you ever had to decide if you would get out of bed or what you would wear once you got out of bed? Have you ever decided what you would eat or where you would go? Have you ever decide on what you would like for your birthday or if you should go to battle?

      When you make your decisions do you make blind choices in a hurry or do you take your time and carefully think things through. Do you seek the advice or counsel of others, of God or do you make all your decisions strictly on your own. Let's look to Jehoshaphat as an example - twice.

      1 Kings 22:1-7 For three years Syria and Israel continued without war. But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?" And he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Inquire first for the word of the LORD." Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king." But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire?" (ESV)

      2 Kings 3:9-12 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, "Alas! The LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab." And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?" Then one of the king of Israel's servants answered, "Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah." And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. (ESV)

      When it comes to making decisions, it is a great idea to get advice from others. Look at these verses from Proverbs, written by the wisest king of Israel.

• Proverbs 11:14 - Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. (NASB)
• Proverbs 12:15 - The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. (NASB) 
• Proverbs 15:22 - Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success. (NLT) 
• Proverbs 19:20 - Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days. (NASB)

     We do need to remember though that some counsellors need to be avoided for they will give bad advice - Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; (ESV)

      Here's Something To Ponder

• Do you seek out help when making decisions?
• Is God one of those whom you ask for advice?

IS IT HERE YET?

And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. - Philippians 3:20b (NLT)

      It happens to all of us whether we like it or not, unless of course we're dead. Some people try their best to deny it while others look forward to it with great anticipation. Every year we have a birthday and every year Harold Peterson has a birthday and every year he can't wait for it to arrive and in the process of waiting he drives his entire family crazy.

     The year he got Muffy was most likely the worst year. Most years Harold waited until a month before his birthday before he started in with the “Is my birthday here yet?” routine but on this particular year he started two months early. I'm not sure if he couldn't read a calendar or just loved driving his family, and everyone else for that matter, crazy.

     It started the Monday morning after Stella's birthday when he asked his mom if he could have his birthday early because Stella had her birthday early. “Stella didn't have her birthday early.” his mom told him, “She had it right on her birthday and you know that.” “But it was earlier than mine.” Harold complained “I shouldn't have to wait.”

     Seeing that he couldn't get any where with his mom, Harold next tried to convince his dad that he should be allowed to celebrate his birthday early. “But, two months is too long to wait.” Harold told hid dad, “If I have to wait that long I'll die” “Well than, hurry up and die.” his dad told him, “So we don't have to keep listening to you ask about your birthday. In the mean time you can wait for it like the rest of us.”

     Trying to get his birthday here quicker, Harold tried to trick everybody by messing with the calender but that almost back fired because he eliminated too many days and made it looked like his birthday was already over. Harold finally settled on asking everyone if his birthday was here yet 50 times a day and telling them he couldn't wait for it to come.

     After two weeks of this Harold's mom told him that of he didn't quit asking if his birthday was here yet he would be celebrating it with his uncle Ralph. That sounded great to Harold until he remembered that his Uncle Ralph was buried in the cemetery. Not wanting to forgo his birthday, Harold finally decided to wait patiently or at least try.

     After several weeks of silents and with only one day until his birthday Harold's dad asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday and what he wanted. It was at that point that Harold realized that in all his anticipation for his birthday he had forgot to prepare for it. He didn't know what he wanted to do or what he wanted.. He wasn't ready and secretly hoped his birthday would wait.

     Anticipation, something we eagerly look forward to. While we may not have drove everyone crazy while waiting for our birthdays to come, I'm sure many of, none the less, looked forward to our birthdays in our younger years and maybe still do.

     Birthday's aren't the only thing people look forward to. It could be a wedding day, an anniversary, pay day, mail, holidays, vacations, the fair, the weekend, a visit, supper, the dentist, bills, changing a dirty diaper, well maybe no those last three. Above all of these things there is something that we should be eagerly looking forward to coming but we may not be.

     2 Peter 3:10-15 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, (NASB)

     I suppose if we're living outside of Christ we may not want Christ to return but we are to look for that day wanting it to come quickly and we should live as if we can't wait for it to get here.

• Jude talks of waiting anxiously - keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 1:21 (NASB)
• Philippians talks of waiting eagerly as well as Hebrews - But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. Philippians 3:20 (NLT)
• so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. Hebrews 9:28 (NASB)

     We may talk of wanting and looking forward to Christ's return but are we living in a way that says “Bring it on?” If Christ came today would we be ready? IN Luke 12:35-40 Jesus talks about being ready looking for His return because we don't know when that day will come.

     "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. "Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. "Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. "Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect." (NASB)

     Here's Something To Ponder

• Are you eagerly waiting for Christ to return?
• Can anyone tell?

New Series.....

     I have no official story this week but over the course of the next 13 weeks I'll be working on a new series based on a story I told my kids years ago while camping.  It was one of those night when the kids didn't want to go to sleep so I made up a story about how Harold ended up with his dog Muffy.  I jotted down the out line of the story the following morning and have thought of doing something with it so I'll have to see how it goes and what kind of lessons I can attach to them. I think I'll title the series "Muffy's Arrival."

WHERE BABIES COME FROM

Children are a gift from God; they are his reward. - Psalms 127:3 (TLB)

     Randy sat at his desk staring at the computer screen before him. He was trying to work on next Sunday’s Sunday School lesson, but like the screen before him, his mind was blank. “O,Lord,” he called out “What should my topic be?” but all he heard in return was someone singing.

     “Mama and Papa sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Mama and the baby carriage.” Came the words of an old familiar song. How often his little sister would tease him with it when he was dating Daisy but it wasn’t his little sister singing, it was Stella and she was coming down the hall to his office.

     “I just learned a secret from Mindy,” She said as she walked through the door, “Or was it Cindy, I’m always mixing them up.” “Is that why your singing that song?” Randy asked as he looked up from his blank screen. “Sort of.” Stella responded and than started singing again. “Well, that’s nice,” Randy told, “Now run along, I’ve got work to do.” But Stella didn’t leave.

     “Is something wrong?” Randy asked a few minutes later. “Don’t you want to know what the secret is?” Stella asked . “No” Randy told her. “Aren’t you even curious?” Stella asked in return. “No.” Randy told her again but that didn’t stop her from telling her little secret. “I learned where babies come from!” she blurted out.

     “What was that” Randy coughed and sputtered “Cindy told me where babies come from” Stella replied, “So do you want to know too?” she asked. “I already do” Randy quickly told her and started to think of some way to change the subject. “And you do you know what else?” Stella added, “I think the stork made a big mistake.”

     “Stork?” Randy said with a puzzled look, “What stork?” “The one that brings the babies, Silly” Stella answered, “And I think he made a big mistake when he brought Harold to our house.” “Oh, that stork” Randy said with a chuckle.

     “By the way” Stella started to ask, “So you know the stork’s address?” “No, I don’t think I do” Randy replied, “Why do you need to know” “I want to ask him to bring me a baby sister and see if he’ll take Harold back.” “Knowing Harold, I can see why you would want to send him back.” Randy smiled as he turned back to his blank screen but now he had an idea for his Sunday School lesson.

     Psalms 127:3 says Children are a gift from God; they are his reward. (TLB) It may be fun to talk of storks that bring us children but we need to remember that each child is a gift from God. To help illustrate this idea let's look at three different stories in the Old Testament.

     The first story is Hannah's story and can be found in 1 Samuel 1:1-6. One of the first things we learn about Hannah is the fact that she is one of two wives belonging to her husband. We than learn that she had bore no children while her husband's other wife had. And while she was loved by her husband more than his other wife, she was constantly ridiculed for not having bore children which we learn was a result of God closing her womb.

     Our next story revolves around a man named Abimelech and his story is found in Genesis 20. Abimelech was a king and like most kings he collected many wives for himself. Well, this time he collected another man's wife after as because of a lie and as a result his other wife and his maids cease to be able to have children for God had close their wombs.

     In our third story we turn to Genesis 30:1-2. where we read of Rachel's dilemma. Rachel had an older sister name Leah and they were both married to the same man. Because Leah was not loved as much as Rachel was, God allowed her to have children but kept Rachel barren. Needless to say, this caused problems in Jacob's household and in verse 1 Rachel demands that her husband giver her children or she would die. This didn't set too well with Jacob and in the following verse he replies “Am I in the place of God , who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

     There were two things Jacob knew. First, he knew he wasn’t God. Second, he knew that children originate with God.

     When we look at all three of these stories, we can see that what Jacob knew was and still is true. In each story we can see that children were desired but it was by God's choice they children were not being born for children are His gift to us.

     Psalms 127:3-5 reads Children are a gift from God; they are his reward. Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows to defend him. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. That man shall have the help he needs when arguing with his enemies. (TLB) To that let's add Psalm 113:9 - He gives children to the childless wife, so that she becomes a happy mother. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.

     The Psalmist recognizes God as the giver and creator of life when he writes in Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (NIV)

      Here's Something To Ponder

• Do you see children as a blessing or a nuisance?
• We were all once children if we're not still

SURPRISE ENDINGS

No one can explain the things God decides or understand his ways. Romans 11:33b (NCV)

      In Isaiah 55:8 we read "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. (NASB) Have you ever been surprised by the way God works things out? Harold was about to receive a one of those surprises, one he never could have imagined - and Harold’s got a great imagination.

     As Harold flopped himself down at the table in His grandparents’ kitchen he looked over at his Grandpa Robert and said “I still can’t believe it.” “Believe what?” Robert asked him. “Why Stella would ever do such a thing?” Harold told him “Do what?” Robert asked. “You, know Grandpa.” Harold replied, “Lose Muffy. I would never do anything like that.”

     “NEVER?” Robert had to question for he knew what his grandson was like. “I never do anything wrong.” Harold quickly replied. But Robert could only shake his head, “If I were to make a list of all the things you’ve done wrong,” he said, “I would have to buy a semi load of paper.” “Yeah, right.” scoffed Harold, “Next you’ll be saying Stella learned her trick from me.”

     After a bit of silence, Robert decided it was time to fill Harold in a few facts about Muffy. “You know, Harold.” he said, “I don’t think Muffy was really lost.” “Of course he was.” Harold reminded his Grandpa, “Stella said so.” “I know,” Robert replied, “But you and Muffy go through the woods a lot and Muffy knew HER way back home.” “I never thought of that.” Harold said with a humph

     “Muffy didn’t come back,” Robert continued explaining, “Because SHE had a special reason to stay.” “Grandpa,” Harold interrupted, “Muffy was a HE not a SHE.” “Did I say SHE.” Robert asked with a smile. “Yes you did.” Harold let him know. “Well,” Robert continued, “I said SHE because Muffy was a SHE and SHE didn’t come back because SHE had seven puppies out there in the woods and they all look like her.”

     “P-U-P-P-I-E-S!!!” Harold shouted in surprise. “What am I going to do with seven puppies?” “I suppose you could give them away” Robert suggested. “But who would I give them too?”: Harold asked “I can think of several people,” Robert answered, “Starting with your sister.”

     “Give one to Stella?” Harold questioned. “She’s hurting too,” Robert answered, “And I think a puppy would cheer her up.” Well,” Harold said after thinking about it for awhile, “I suppose I could and maybe I could give one to Barney and Tracy too.” “I’ll help you.” Robert told him, “Let’s go to the woods and get them.”

     Would you say you like surprises? I suppose it might depend on the type of surprise, if it was a dividend or am unexpected bill. Do you suppose Harold was surprised to find out Muffy was a she and had 7 puppies? Do you think Stella will be surprised when Harold gives her a puppy? For good or for bad, surprises are a part of life. When we read the Bible we find many people receiving surprises - Let's look at a few.

     The first one I'll look at is found in 2 Samuel 12 and comes int the from of a “I know what you did.” David, although he was called a man after God's own heart, was still human and he sinned by getting another man's wife pregnant and than in an attempt to cover it up he had the woman's husband killed. All seemed to go fine till Nathan showed up. To make a long story short, He had to tell David surprise! God saw everything and you're going to be punished.

     Sarah received her surprise in Genesis 18. She was likely minding her own business when three strangers showed up. They must have been important the way her husband treated them and than she heard one of them say she would have a baby. Now having a baby might not be a surprise if your young but Sarah was old – closing in on 90. When she heard she was to have a baby she laughed as if to say no-way. A few months later I'm sure she was surprised to find out she was pregnant.

     Peter was a fisherman by trade and in Luke 5 he'd been out fishing all night but had nothing to show for it. Jesus told him to try casting his nets in the water one more time. Not thinking it would do any good he did it any way because Jesus had told him to and was he ever surprised. He caught so many fish his nets began to break and his boat began to sink.

     Sitting in a Roman jail with no hope of release, Barabbas was just waiting to be for the day when he was to be killed for the crimes he had committed. But that's not what we read in Matthew 27. Soon the fateful day came or so he thought. Prepared for the worst he must have been greatly surprised when he was told he was to go free and some man named Jesus was to be crucified instead.

     It had been three days since she had seen Jesus crucified, three days since His body had been laid in a tomb and sealed in and now, Mary Magdalene wanted to go see the dead body. When she got to the tomb was she in for the surprise of her life. Instead of a dead body in the tomb their were two angels and the man standing outside whom she thought was the gardener was Jesus and He was alive.

     As you go looking through the Bible you'll find many more surprises. As you look back on your life you'll find you've been surprised many times and chances are you'll be surprised again.

     I think God likes to surprise us and I think He will because His ways are so much better than ours. Isaiah 55:8-9 says The LORD says, “My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (NCV) Because God's ways are not our ways we often find ourselves being surprised and sometimes for good and sometimes for worse. Let's be thankful for God's greatest surprise – the risen Lord.

      Here's Something To Ponder

• How has God surprised you?
• How do you react to the surprises in your life?

UNFORGIVEN UN-FORGOTTEN

Forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ. - Ephesians 4:32b (TEV)

      Sometimes, it can be very hard to tell the truth, sometimes, it can be very hard to hear the truth. For the Peterson kids, Stella and Harold, this was to become a bold reality.

     Harold, had been grieving all week. In an attempt to try and cheer him up, Harold’s dad, Bill, helped him have a funeral for Muffy and to bury him, he even put a cross up on the grave. All Bill’s efforts seemed to be working and Harold was starting to cheer up but that was soon to come to an end.

     Although it had been nearly a week since Muffy had fought with the bear saving Stella’s life and giving his in the process, Harold hadn’t yet heard the whole story as to why. Stella was about to tell him.

     “What are you doing here!?” Harold snapped at Stella as she stood outside his bedroom door. “I need to talk to you about Muffy.” Stella told Him. “What’s left to talk about?” Harold growled, “He’s gone now, and he’ll never chew on your toys again.” “Well, Uh,” Stella continued, “ Dad wants me to tell him the whole story about what happened to Muffy.”

     “What story? What are you talking about?” Harold asked “Well,” stammered Stella, “Remember how you thought Muffy ran away? Well, he didn’t. Barney and Tracy and I helped take Muffy away and get him lost so he would never come back” “NO!” Harold injected, “So this is all your fault!” “Muffy always got in the way and caused problems,” Stella continued, “and you wouldn’t play with us anymore.”

     “Why would I want to play with you?” Harold shouted back at his sister. “Than there was the bear cub,” Stella started to say. “And you just couldn’t resist going and petting him because he was cute.” Harold interrupted his sister again. “Yeah, and that’s when the mother bear came.” Stella continued, “We tried to run away but I tripped. Than Muffy came and fought the bear. “He saved my life,”

     Upon hearing Stella story, Harold started screaming at his sister, “So you’re the reason Muffy died.” he said, “I’ll never forgive you for that. I HATE YOU. SISTERS ARE WORTHLESS. THAT BEAR SHOULD HAVE GOT YOU INSTEAD. Than Muffy would be here and the world would have one less girl in it. I’ll never forget what you did. I’ll hate you forever.” And with those words he slammed his door in her face leaving her crying in the hallway.

      How do you respond when you learn the truth? Matthew 6:14-15 says If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done. (TEV)

     Have you ever felt like Harold? Hurting, angry, and unwilling to forgive? Maybe it was a relative like Mom or Dad or a brother or a sister, etc. Maybe it was a coworker or a friend, soul-mate it might have even been an enemy or God himself that has somehow caused you to feel the way you do. And maybe it has happened one to many times and you've come to the end of your rope. Why should I forgive them – God will understand if I don't.... or will He?

     In Matthew 18:21 Peter came to Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times? (TEV) Look at how Jesus answers him in the next verse “No, not seven times but seventy times seven.” Jesus than went on to explain why with a familiar story.

     The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who decided to check on his servants' accounts. He had just begun to do so when one of them was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. The servant did not have enough to pay his debt, so the king ordered him to be sold as a slave, with his wife and his children and all that he had, in order to pay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before the king. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay you everything!' The king felt sorry for him, so he forgave him the debt and let him go. "Then the man went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and started choking him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he said. His fellow servant fell down and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back!' But he refused; instead, he had him thrown into jail until he should pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were very upset and went to the king and told him everything. So he called the servant in. 'You worthless slave!' he said. 'I forgave you the whole amount you owed me, just because you asked me to. You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you.' The king was very angry, and he sent the servant to jail to be punished until he should pay back the whole amount." And Jesus concluded, "That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." Matthew 18:22-35 (TEV)

     To bring this into perspective 1 talent may have been worth at that time 15 years wages which would mean he owed 150,000 years worth of wages to the king. If you make $25,000 a year that would be the same as $3,750,000,000. Which of you would be able to pay that debt – on demand.

     The other fellow, well his 100 denari was 100 days wages. If you made $10.00 and hour that would be a debt of about $8,000 (more or less depending on what you make.) compared to the first fellow his debt was almost non existent.

     We are the first fellow before God, the second fellow is any body else before us. The money is the wrongs that have been done. Do you get the picture? We need to forgive because we need even more forgiveness than we may ever have to hand out.

     God is willing to forgive us – 1 John 1:9 reminds us of that But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. (TEV) There for we need to be like God and forgive those around us - Ephesians 4:32 be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ. (TEV)

      Here's Something To Ponder

• When was the last time you needed forgiveness from God?
• When was the last time you failed to forgive some one who needed it from you?