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Message summary: Let's keep our spiritual oil supply well attended to!
Listen to our
message on your
audio player."A time to laugh" (Ecclesiastes 3:4). "A cheerful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22).
Several weeks ago we told a story about an experience Stephen had during his annual physical using as our text, "A cheerful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22). Today we want to share some more good medicine! This experience happened many years ago but we still laugh out loud whenever we recall it.
One Sunday afternoon following our church service Brooksyne asked Ashley, a young lady and worship team member, to join us in attending a fellowship meal at a neighboring church. Brooksyne will share the account:
I
suggested to Ashley that she follow us in her car to the neighboring church but she
explained that she was low on fuel so she needed to head straight home.
I thought the dilemma over for a minute before Stephen approached the group of us who were gathered talking together.I told him in front of the entire group, "I asked Ashley to join us for the fellowship meal but she has a gas problem." As soon as those last two words rolled off my tongue I knew I'd described the situation rather poorly. All was quiet and I was hopeful that no one noticed. I was about to quickly move onto a better explanation to quickly cover up my faux pas when Ashley, with a perplexed look on her face, suddenly blurted, "I didn't know I was gaseous." At that response everyone in the circle broke into a roaring laughter and of course the jokes from every direction poured in at the speed of bullets.
Ashley rode over to the neighboring church with us which solved her "gas problem" temporarily at least. We were fellowshipping with some of our friends in that church when I introduced Ashley to Naomi. Naomi lives only five doors up from the church so when I added that detail I said, "Ashley, if you lived where Naomi lives your gas problem would be solved."
Once again the strange looks and laughter practically shook the table, me laughing the hardest wondering how I could have possibly messed up again. People looked toward our rowdy table and certainly did not miss my beet red face as I realized my error. Poor Ashley!! Of course I was trying to say that Ashley could have walked to the church and wouldn't need gas in her car if she lived only five doors away. You would think that was the end of our discussion about "gas" but not exactly.....*
Following our afternoon together, we took Ashley back to her car and saw to it that she filled it up with gas for future travel. Although we no longer attend the same church Ashley remains a lasting friend, now married, and mother to a 2 year old boy.
Scripture does not mention gasoline since the internal combustion engine hadn't been invented yet. But it does mention oil and the need to keep an adequate supply as told in a parable by Jesus in Matthew 25:1-13. "The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps" (Matthew 25:3,4).
Let's keep our spiritual oil supply well attended to! "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour" (Matthew 24:13).
Be encouraged today.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
thank you for friends that we laugh and cry with. Sometimes mistaken
words can get us into serious trouble and other times they can produce
a rumble of laughter. Help us to spread joy, laugh with others and also
laugh at ourselves, for a joyful heart is like good medicine. A daily
dose of it lightens our step and distracts us from the troublesome
world in which we live and the daily burdens that can otherwise weigh
us down. Amen.* Following the meal we went to visit our friends Jason and Amber. We toured their historic farm house and beautifully manicured flower gardens. There was a beautiful flower bush that Amber pointed at and said, "That's called a gas plant!" Ashley and I looked at each other and of course we got to giggling all over again and had to explain that we'd been having a "gas problem" all day!
I
wondered aloud why the beautiful plant is called the Gas Plant. Amber
explained that its leaves give off a strong aromatic vapor which can
easily be ignited, hence the name gas plant. It is also referred to as
a burning bush which brings to mind Moses' experience at the burning
bush in Exodus 3 which is the portion of Scripture today's text came
from. It's a real stretch but I read that some historians believe
the burning bush that Moses saw is the same bush that we saw at Amber's
house.
Today's
Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Give Me Oil In My Lamp" Video Children Anybody else remember singing this?
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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