05.16.06

God’s Word: Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. - Romans 12:1.

Reflection: I read in USA Today that three out of four businessmen that travel, carry a Palm Pilot.  A Palm Pilot is one of those little handheld computers. You have probably seen one of those ultra organized people using these little machines. They can store their entire lives in alphabetical order cross referenced by zip code. When you ask them a question they whip out, from their hidden pocket, this little personal computer and start punching away. These kinds of people get great satisfaction in seeing their life organized on a tiny little screen. Then there are people like me. I have to confess that I am not known for my organization. Oh, God has given me wonderful skills, talents and gifts, but organization has yet to be found in my life. (I have a desk that has not seen daylight since man walked on the moon.) So I need all of the help that I can get to stay organized. I married one of those organized people. I fall to me knees everyday and thank the Lord for giving me a wife who helps me keep my stuff together. She has a Palm Pilot. I do not. However, I own more organizers that the average human being, but I cannot find them. So I have been considering investing in a Palm Pilot.

The Sunday paper announced a sale and listed all the marvelous things Palm Pilots can do. The advertisement boldly announced that it could hold 12,000 addresses, 400 hundred e-mail addresses and…wait a minute! Who has 12,000 addresses? More appropriately, who needs 12,000 addresses? I added up my address book and I have a total of 181. I am not really sure who some of them are. If I add my doctors' addresses that will give me a total of 183. If I add the plumber, the mechanic and the pizza delivery number that would get me up to 186. Now I need 11,814 more. My hometown does not have that many names in the entire telephone book. Maybe I could ask all of you to send me your addresses since you are a part of my extended family. But even that would not be enough. So I have to ask myself a very hard question. Is it something I need or is it something I want? Do I really need something that holds 12,000 addresses?

The Lord reminded me that most of the world does not have their needs met, let alone their wants. Our families should be grateful that the Lord has met our needs. Then, our wants seem insignificant when we take it before His throne. Besides that, if I do get one of those electronic organizers it would be sitting in the bottom of the drawer with the others.

Insight: A child who does not know the difference between needs and wants will never understand the concept of sacrifice.

Prayer: Dear Father, today as I plan my life I want to thank You for already giving me what I need. Help me to teach my child not only to need You but to want You. May they have a desire to walk in holiness and to be in Your presence so they will present themselves to You as a living sacrifice. Amen.