Ask ye of the Lord…For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain– Zechariah 10:1-2

There are a thousand different places and people and pleasures that promise comfort and healing and satisfaction…but their comfort is vain, their promises are empty. Cosmetics are not the fountain of youth they claim to be, cars do not satisfy the cavernous need for pleasure that people have, and college will not fill the need for knowledge that every one of us feels. They comfort in vain.

Many religious leaders or philosophical seers or academic icons pretend to understand the needs of mankind and claim to have found the answers to life’s big questions. But they have seen a lie. They are just as blind in their own musings and speculations as those whom they persuade to follow them.

The only true promise, the only full comfort that is to be found in all the universe is found at the feet of Jesus. He is the Way, He is the Truth, in Him is the Life. Everything else and everyone else that makes a pretense of substituting the creator God is telling you a lie, is offering empty promises, is plying a false comfort.

Are you looking today for a soul-filling, need-meeting, pleasure-supplying comfort? The greatest pleasure the world will ever know is the satisfaction of submitting to God, confessing our desperate condition apart from Him, and begging Him to fill us with Himself.

Ask ye of the Lord.You will not be disappointed. His comfort is not in vain. (From, “A Good Thing”)

It does not matter how men praise and commend us–if God sees that we are living wrong. The Pharisees were righteous before men; but if you would see how they stood in God’s eye, read the twenty-third chapter of Matthew.

We are in reality–just what we are before God–nothing less, nothing more. The question we should always ask ourselves is, “What does God think of me?” If we would meet His approval, we must first have our hearts right, and then we must be blameless and true in every part of our life.

We should live just as purely and beautifully in secret–as in the glare of the world’s gaze.

There really is no such thing as secrecy in this world. We imagine that no eye is looking–when we are not in the presence of men. But really, we always have a spectator; we are living all our life in the presence God Himself! We should train ourselves, therefore, to work for the Divine eye in all that we do, that our work may stand the Divine inspection, and that we may have the approval and commendation of God Himself.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.–John 15:9-13

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco. “Mom and Dad, I’m coming home, but I’ve got a favor to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring with me.” “Sure,” they replied, “We’d love to meet him.” “There’s something you should know,” the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.” “I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.” “No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.” “Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He’ll find a way to live on his own.”

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. Weeks turned into months and months turned into years. Years later they received a call from the San Francisco police saying their son had passed away and they needed to come identify the body. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn’t know. Their son had only one arm and one leg.

Sometimes our love can be so self-centered. We love those who love us, those who benefit us. You know, if God operated by our definition of love, He’d only love those who were always kind to Him, always benevolent toward Him, always supportive of His work, always in agreement with His ideas, and people who were perfect. And by that standard, He’d love none of us.

But thankfully, our God loves every single person, no matter how scarred they are-inside and out. Jesus loves people not because of what they can do for Him, but despite what they do against Him.

When showing us what true love is, Jesus tells us to look at the love God has for Him, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.” Then He commands us, “Continue ye in my love.” Despite what our world thinks, love isn’t a series of emotional highs and lows. Love isn’t a result of feelings, but is a choice.

Just as God loves Jesus, and Jesus loves us, so should we pass on that Christ-like love to others around us. Should we love the less fortunate and poor? Jesus loves us even though our wealth pales in comparison to His. Should we love the sinful and unsaved? Jesus loved us when we were lost, and continues loving us despite our sin. Should we love the outcast or misshapen? Jesus loves us even though we are far from His perfection.

You don’t love someone because they meet a certain set of requirements. You should love them because Jesus has loved you. In fact, Jesus loved you so much He gave His life for you. What love! Jesus gave us the pattern for love, now we must continue in His love.–By Dr. Paul Chappell

Oh, for grace to walk this day without a single stumble! It is not enough that we do not actually fall; our cry should be that we may not make the smallest slip with out feet but may at the last adore Him “who is able to keep us from stumbling.”