Lunch with God
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him some chips.
He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.
His smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted!
They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever…
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?”
He replied, “I had lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? He’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, “dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?”
He replied “I ate potato chips in the park with God.” However, before his son responded, he added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime!
Embrace all equally!
Have lunch with God … bring chips.
Blessings this summer, Pastor Michael
Freedom
Each one of us is born most free
And we alone can choose
To do what God would have us do,
To use what God would use.
Or, we are also free to seek
The proud and selfish way —
A life where other gods come first
To reign and hold full sway.
But when we follow where Christ leads,
We find that freedom’s place
Is really in God’s Will for us,
And we have chosen GRACE!
—Peggy Ferrell, Prayers and Poems
Freedom Worth Guarding
Because many Americans have never known life without freedom, it can be easy to take our liberties for granted. The Israelites, however, knew the harsh reality of slavery. Yet even after God led them out of Egypt, they struggled to embrace their newfound freedom. Faced with uncertainty, they grew fearful and complained against Moses and Aaron, longing for the familiarity of their former bondage rather than trusting God’s provision.
Their story feels surprisingly familiar. As Christians, we have been set free through a far greater deliverance. Our freedom was secured at a great cost through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yet, we sometimes drift back toward old habits, attitudes and patterns that once held us captive.
Scripture reminds us to stand firm in the freedom we have been given. As Paul writes in Galatians 5:1 (NKJV), “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
True freedom is not simply the absence of restraint. It is the opportunity to live fully in God’s grace, walking in obedience, joy and purpose. This kind of freedom is worth celebrating, protecting and living out every day.
The Sacred of Rest
Jesus, who often withdrew with his disciples to quiet, deserted places, understood something we easily forget: transformation takes time. The richest, most life-giving compost does not form overnight. As author James Gleick observes, “You can’t hurry compost for the same reason you can’t hurry love and you can’t hurry a soufflé. The biochemistry has its own inherent pace.” In much the same way, the most meaningful parts of life unfold slowly. Relationships deepen over years. Wisdom grows through experience. True rest cannot be rushed.
Disciples of Jesus today are invited to rediscover the value of the deserted place. It is not empty or wasted space, but sacred ground. It is where long books can be read, unhurried prayers can be offered and deep thoughts can take root. It is where Sabbath is honored through rest, renewal and quiet attentiveness to God.
In a culture that prizes speed and productivity, stepping away may feel counterintuitive. Yet it is in these still moments that our souls are restored and made fertile for growth. The deserted place becomes a gift, shaping us into people who are grounded, attentive and spiritually mature, ready to reenter the world with renewed strength and purpose.
Still Worth More Than You Know
A speaker opened his seminar by holding up a $20 bill and asking a crowd of 200 people, “Who would like this?” Nearly every hand went up.
“I’ll give it to one of you,” he said. “But first…” He crumpled the bill tightly in his fist. “Who still wants it?” Hands remained in the air. He dropped it to the floor and ground it under his shoe. Then he picked up the wrinkled, dirty bill. “How about now?”
The hands rose again. “My friends,” he said, “you’ve just learned an important lesson. No matter what I did to the money, it never lost its value. It was still worth $20.” Life can feel the same way. We are dropped, crumpled and ground down by our choices and by circumstances beyond our control. At times, we may even feel worthless. But our value does not change.
In God’s eyes, you are never less than priceless. Clean or dirty, wrinkled or whole, you remain precious to Him. As Isaiah 43:4 says in the NIV, “You are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.”
