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I want to take a
moment to thank everyone for making my 50th birthday one
that I will always remember. I have taken quite a bit of
abuse about being a “half-century old” but the truth is
I don’t feel old and don’t think I look too old, or I
didn’t until last week. Last week Renee and I moved
Kelly and Carrie back to school in Greensboro. We went
to lunch at Fuddruckers, placed our order and the
cashier told me the total and then said something about
a discount. I didn’t hear all she said; I guess the
hearing is the first thing to go, so I asked her what
kind of discount I was getting. She proudly replied,
“Oh, I gave you the SENIOR discount!” At first it kind
of made me mad, how dare she insinuate that I was old! I
started to tell her, in a loving, Christian manner of
course, that she could just keep her discount. Then I
realized that I was getting almost three dollars off my
bill and I didn’t mind so much. I laughed and told her
that it was very fitting that she give me the discount
because I just turned 50 and thanked her for the
discount. She said to me, “As long as you keep that
attitude you will be around for many more birthdays.” I
told her, “I hope so, but if I’m not I know where I will
be.” This lady clapped her hands and said, “Hallelujah,
I know what you are talking about, you know the Lord!”
“I know the Lord!” That is the greatest claim that
anyone can ever make. Just imagine, to know the one that
spoke the words “let there be” and from nothing, chaos,
emptiness there was something and “it was good.” We can
take great comfort in the fact that God, the One who
spoke it all into existence, is still as real and in
control today as he was then.
When that cashier offered me a free gift, I was about to
turn it down out of pride. Jesus offers us a free gift,
forgiveness and eternal life. Don’t let pride or a false
sense of self-sufficiency keep you from knowing what God
already has for you.
Love,
Fred
“I am the
good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My
own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father,
and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
(John 10:14, 15) |
