Our trip to Italy included the worst crowds we’ve ever experienced. Actually, our day sardined at the Palace of Versailles, outside Paris, brooks no rival. But don’t imagine for one moment that heaven has gotten so congested that a ‘No Vacancy’ sign hangs on its gates. No way. Lots more room than one cult’s mistaken restrictions on the 144,000 symbolic number. More room than ever. There’s so much. Plenty of it, for you and me!

Good news, yes? But hold your horses. Don’t I need extra academic degrees to hang on my heavenly office walls? Some connections and pedigree? Having been more good than bad? You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Some unnoticed fine print in your Bible?

Not really, except for being one of Jesus’ own. Committed to Him. Giving your heart to the Lord in trust and love. That’s it. Complete. Buttoned up. A wrap. As the Brits say, ‘And Bob’s your uncle!’

If you don’t feel qualified or good enough to be a Christian, then read our Bible section in Mark chapter 3, where Jesus calls His twelve apostles. They’re handpicked and favored. They didn’t apply for the job. He chose them.

And what a motley crew. All laymen. No Bible scholars. No university or seminary degree holders. No Pharisees or scribes who, in Jesus’ day, really knew their Old Testament. Four were fishermen. One, a hated tax collector. Another, a former member of a murderous terrorist organization. Those remaining, we know almost nothing about except their names. One even betrays Jesus. Yikes? Don’t you wonder about His choices?

Then again, what about me? And you? What do we have to offer Him? I’m no great writer. Never a Billy Graham. No missionary in my family. Not a billionaire or a celebrity. None of the above.

But, guess what? I don’t need any of that. Neither do you. Might even be better, as the Lord uses the foolish things of this world for His glory–‘But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong’ (1 Cor. 1: 27). Did you hear that? Sounds hopeful, doesn’t it? Food for thought? Agreed?

Well, there you have it. If that motley crew became Jesus’ followers and worshippers, and turned the world upside down, then there’s room for me…and you. Jesus is the key to the city as His angels roll out the red carpet! Welcome!

Thank you, Jesus, for providing a wonderful place for me in your growing family of faith. Amen.

I remember hearing about some celebrity who bargains with God that if a certain family member is healed of cancer, this bigwig would become a follower of Jesus. Death rudely enters the picture with this VIP ushering God to the exit. The Almighty fails, so why follow such a cosmic loser?

It’s never a good idea to bargain with God. I’d much rather trust Him and follow in His footsteps, for He holds all the cards and does so with the greatest wisdom and love. How that all works out is up to Him. It’s best to go about your life knowing that He’s doing what He does best, whether I can figure it out…or not.

Be like Old Testament Daniel’s three friends. They take a stand not to bow down and worship some giant golden statue that probably resembles the face of the ungodly Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Drop to your knees and worship me, the high mucky-muck spews and threatens. But these Jewish exiles know that the Law of Moses prohibits any idol worship, in any form, at any time, for any reason, which could put them face-first into a fiery furnace if God decides not to spare them.

Hear what they say to this over-bloviating king–‘…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up’ (Dan. 3: 17-18). These are some of the most heroic words ever spoken. ‘But if not…’

Don’t you want to be like Daniel’s three friends? Standing your ground for the Lord? Not trying to make deals with God? Letting God be God? Trusting Him despite being out on a limb seemingly without a prayer? Believing in the Lord, even if my hopes and wishes crumble and get tossed to the ground, becoming like Humpty-Dumpty? Even then?

‘But if not…’ That’s my prayer that nothing and no one can shake me loose from believing in Jesus, that His way is always best, no matter what. Do I hear an ‘Amen’? ‘But if not…’

Lord Jesus, toughen me to stand tall with you no matter what. For your sake. Amen.

I’m not sure why I find sleep so difficult. I rarely enjoy undisturbed dreamy slumber until refreshed after a good eight hours of shut-eye. My mother was much the same, except that she developed the habit of listening to talk radio until all hours. She couldn’t turn off the gossipy clap-trap. Her choice, not mine.

Imagine a full night without waking up with a start. Such a blessing. But not for me. I come round suddenly. Ready to get up and go. What, at 3:38 AM? Not quite. So, I turn over, hoping not to worry about this, that, or the other, as old resentments get replayed in my craw and someone’s nasty comment hangs around unforgotten. Why not catastrophize while you’re at it, Fischer? So, who can sleep?

Until I do what our psalmist does–‘…when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy’ (Ps. 63: 6-7).

Instead of worrying, I pray. I think about how wonderful my Lord is. I remember His attributes as a promise-keeper, who forgives and forgets, who loves me more than I could ever imagine. I thank Jesus for our family. Our friends. Churches we’ve been involved in and their pastors and leaders. The world today, such as it is. Children overseas whom we support with some of their needs. And those mission groups, I think the world of, for all that they do for Jesus and His Kingdom.

Guess what? For years now, there’s been no extra anxiety that used to cause me to walk the floors at night. Do I sleep better? More? I don’t think so. Not really. But the time awake is better spent with my God. Much better.

Try it? Maybe you don’t need to. That’s a blessing. But if not, forget about counting sheep. Pray. In time, you’ll start to relax, grab some shut-eye, and nod off into the arms of… Well, you know who, don’t you?

Lord Jesus, you are always with me, night and day. Thank you. Amen.

I was never so thirsty in my entire life. Even though my wife Sue and I brought sufficient liquids with us, multiple cans and bottles of water and soda pop, after about the first hour, it was too little, too late while traversing the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. This was in the summer when temperatures easily exceeded 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Liquids ran drier than us. We were hot, dry, and parched, plain miserable.

Later on, I learned how good it was to quench that thirst while feasting on some good food at a German restaurant near the bus park in Petra. When a gargantuan bottle of cold water gets passed around, I grab it like a drowning man clutching for a life preserver. Ah, finally, slaked with ice-cold H2O with what seemed like gallons and gallons.

Psalm 63: 1–‘O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.’ Can I identify with the feelings of the psalmist David? You bet your bottom dollar, even though I don’t like gambling.

In this verse, David ponders his relationship with the Lord. He yearns to know Him better, believing that God can meet his needs. Without the Lord, all life would dry up, fade and fly away.

That’s what happens when we lose touch with God. When Jesus becomes more of a curse word than someone deserving all our praise and thanks, with our Bible becoming a distant memory. Then we’ll have a problem. A big one. Growth stops. Withering begins. Life with our Lord Jesus ebbs farther away. Until… and if…

…I decide to get back with the One who loves me more than anyone else. I’m going home to Jesus and His Word, relishing being with God’s people, and opening our wallet to care for others’ needs. There’ve been times, sad to say, when I was far from the Lord, far from His shore where I could barely hear His voice bidding me to come back to Him. He hadn’t abandoned me. Quite the contrary.

But now I know where water can be found–abundant, tasty, clean, and refreshing. I’ve decided to drink without measure with my Master, Jesus. I’ve discovered that when I do that, any lingering thirst motivates me to spend more time by His streams. Here I’ll be blessed with more of my Lord, even in greater proportion than I can imagine.

Like the psalmist says–‘…your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy’ (Ps. 63: 3-7).

La Chaim! Bon Appetit! Drinking in and feasting on God’s steadfast love and faithfulness! Enjoy!

Thank you, Jesus, for being my all in all. Amen.

Years ago, a friend gave us an old clock. It’s a Seth Thomas mantlepiece, 8-day windup. When was it made? Well, at least 150 years ago. How do we know? No date is listed on the timepiece. But we’ve learned that after Seth Thomas died, the locals revamped their town’s name from Plymouth Hollow to Thomaston, in the clockmaker’s honor. Our clock has printed inside its cherrywood case that it was made by ‘Seth Thomas, Plymouth Hollow, Conn’. Well, smarty-pants, my clock was crafted sometime before 1875, when the town name was changed. I’m old, but our clock is much older!

Opening the cabinet, you’ll find two lead weights that require manual winding at least once every 8 days. But I never let it get that close to the bottom. After a few days, I scrounge around for the winding key to boost our clock’s weights. Up they go, producing more gravity-power to run this timely piece of furniture, which still has reverse artwork on its glass frontispiece with gold leaf as trim, in addition to an early patriotic seal of the United States in its glass center, picturing a horse galloping off to who knows where!

Obviously, my wife and I cherish our old clock. Why do I mention this old timekeeper? What’s the point? It reminds me of my Bible and prayer, as both keep my spiritual life running like clockwork. Both need constant attention and care, even more often than an 8-day windup.

My Bible–‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work’ (2 Timothy 3: 16). Keep the Word of God’s teaching taut, tense, tightly drawn and snug within as its weights carry all the pressures of this life and the promises of the next. Don’t let it run down and out. Wind it up. Read, already!

Prayer–‘…pray without ceasing…’ (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). Simply put– pray always, in all circumstances, in season and out, whether you feel like it or not. Pour out your heart to God. Hold… back… nothing! Masks removed. Be as open as you can be with your best friend ever. Don’t slack off when the weights of life come crashing down. Tighten those prayers. Don’t babble on, but keep winding everything around the love of your Lord Jesus. He knows all about it. and can handle whatever much better. That I do know.

These are a couple of thoughts as I wind my old Seth Thomas tick-tock this Saturday morning. Now it’s time to clock in and get busy with my Bible and prayer. Will you join me?

Thank you, Jesus, for my relationship with you. Amen.