Cornerstone

John 21:1-17

We lost our cat. Oh, we know where he is. He is in the neighbor’s house next to where we used to live. We lost our cat? Yes, because of love. He was a good old cat. I even kind of liked him. That is saying a LOT. My wife and boys loved him. When we moved, however, we knew that we were going to have to do something with “Kitty.” It was when we mentioned this to our neighbor that we found that during those times when “Kitty” would disappear he was actually next door in our neighbor’s house playing with her cat. The neighbor had even been feeding “Kitty.” So, when our neighbor asked if she could have “Kitty” and showed such love and compassion in her request it seemed natural to say, “Yes.”

Jesus made a similar comparison. He called us sheep. This is not a compliment at all! Sheep are pretty dumb and completely dependable. They need someone to care for them. He was leaving, however, and needed someone to care for His “pets.” Feed my sheep. That is a call to ministry. That is a call to love. Jesus dearly loves His sheep and wants His love channeled through us to His “pets.” His call includes finding lost sheep (evangelism), and protecting/ feeding sheep (discipleship). When He returns from His trip He will hold us accountable for how well we have done in caring for His “pets.”

Dr. Gayle Woods

Psalm 116:12-19 (17)

We had just been given a fairly late model car. Actually I bought it. I was told that if I wanted the car I should add a dollar a month to my missionary giving that year.

I was overwhelmed. After driving a junker the thought of driving something respectable was delectable. After driving a moving repair bill the thought of having a reliable vehicle was enough to make me delirious. I was grateful but as I listened to the man’s story I began to understand what real gratitude meant.

He was grateful for God’s mercy and protection. He had been shot down over Germany during World War II. He survived the plan crash and walked out of the country under the cover of night. He sobbed as he relived the terror, suspense and anxiety. He was a Lutheran by up-bringing. Years later he found our church and during an invitation came and knelt on top of the altar. Our evangelical ways were foreign to him and yet he knew that God had spoken and he owed God all. Now God had spoken again. God told him to give his pastor a car. In gratitude for what God had done for him he knew that giving many cars would never repay his debt of love.

The Psalmist said the he would live for God, pay his vows and even die for God. Giving all as a sacrifice of thanksgiving seems as nothing in comparison to His great gift.

Dr. Gayle Woods