Good evening! Lord willing, I am now in Vietnam! Tonight's entry is again from my former colleague/boss/elder/friend/brother in Christ, Joe Widick of Lebanon, Tennessee. Joe often fills in for me while I am out of the country! Keep me in your prayers!
Several weeks ago I had a call from
Friendship Christian School, asking if I would be able to drive a bus for them. One of the drivers had had a death in the
family and they were in a crisis mode. I
was glad to be able to offer a little help. It was strange going back to a place that I had worked at for
twenty-five years. I had driven a bus
route, pep bus, team bus, and field trip buses for years when I was
teaching. I often thought I could write
a book about some of the experiences I had while driving. I had even come up with a title for the
book. Because while driving the bus, I
had to also be aware of what was going on, on the bus, I was going to call it
“From the front of the bus looking backwards.”
Some days it seemed as though I had to look more in the mirror at what
was about to take place on the bus, than on the road in front of me. I still drive the church bus; obviously the
group I normally drive do not need as much scrutiny as the kids I used to
drive. I drove the Young at Heart to
Whitwell a week ago and did not have to raise my voice once to tell them to sit
down!
Have you ever looked in the rearview
mirror of life, spending time reflecting on events or people that have come
into your life and impacted it in one way or another. I am convinced that the Lord has allowed
certain people as well as certain events to take place in your life and mine
for a reason. Are you able to look back
with confidence and say I am thankful for the opportunities that life has
presented to you. You may recall the
Lord’s temporal mercies such as good health, the enjoyment of a wonderful
husband/wife, the pleasures and challenges of raising children. Think of the opportunities that came your way
to make a difference in life. God is
truly good!
More important than the temporal
mercies you might recall are the spiritual mercies that have come into your
life. The influence of Christian parents
and other Christians who helped to mold your life. You may not have realized it at the time, but
from the convenience of a rearview mirror of life you see more clearly. Maybe you see the experience of God’s
forgiveness when you accepted Christ as your savior and had your sins washed
away in baptism. It could have been the
encouragement you received from church, or Bible study. They are moments that have become
increasingly important and you realize how much you have to be thankful
for. The psalmist said it this way; “Bless
the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” Psalms
103:1. Why not make it a point to give
loving thanks for the Lord’s lavish gifts.
What a joy to be able to look back !
Praise God for his goodness in my life and yours.
God bless,
Steve
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
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