Two Alabama State
Troopers were chasing a Camaro east on I-20 toward Georgia. When the suspect crossed the Georgia line, the first Trooper pulled over quickly.
The rookie Trooper pulled
in behind him and said, "Hey Sarge, why did you stop?"
The Sergeant replied,
"Stupid rookie, he's in Georgia now. They're an hour ahead of us, so
we'll never catch him."
I know the feeling.
Not of being in a car chase, but of feeling that there's no way I can ever
catch up. I experience it weekly, if not daily. There never seem to be
enough hours in a day. I always feel one step behind where I ought to be.
Do you know the feeling as well? Allow me to remind you of a Bible verse:
"Be still, and know
that I am God." (Psa. 46:10)
But I can't take time to
be still! I have places to go, things to do, phone calls to make,
deadlines to meet!
"Be still, and know
that I am God."
But if I do that, I'll
never get caught up!
"Be still, and know
that I am God."
Father, forgive me of the
times that I am in such a hurry that I have no time for you. Please quiet
my spirit and remind me of who you are and how much I need you. In Jesus'
name, amen.
Have a great day!
- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought
For Today," and minister for the Fayetteville Church of Christ in
Fayetteville, NC, may be contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com
A man was going up to bed, when his wife told him he'd left
the light on in the garden shed - she could see it from the bedroom
window. But he said that he hadn't been in the shed that day. He
looked, and there were men in the shed, stealing things. He rang the
police, but they told him that no one was in his area, so no one was available
to catch the thieves.
He said OK, hung up, counted to 30 and rang the police
again. "Hello. I just rang you a few seconds ago because there were people
in my shed? Well, you don't have to worry about them now, I've just shot
them all."
Within five minutes there were half a dozen police cars in
the area, an Armed Response unit, the works. Of course, they caught the
burglars red-handed. One of the policeman said to this man: "I thought you
said you'd shot them!"
He replied, "I thought you said there was no one
available!"
The same thing happens frequently in my life. Someone
asks me to do something and I respond, "I don't have the time."
Often, what I mean by that is, "I don't regard this as important
enough." The truth is, we find (or make) the time to do whatever we
regard to be important.
Someone has said you can tell a person's priorities by
looking at his checkbook. There is a great deal of validity to
that. We are willing to spend money on the things we think are
important. But perhaps a greater indicator of our priorities would be our
planning books -- a record of how our time is spent.
For all of us, choices must be made. We don't have
time to do everything, so we must choose those things which are of greatest
importance to us. Just be careful that your choices are those things
which are also most important to God. The greatest men and women in the
Bible were not those with the greatest resources or talents, but they were men
and women who made themselves available to be used by God whenever He
called. May God never hear us say, "Sorry, but I'm not
available!"
"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise
but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are
evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will
is." (Ephesians 5:15-17, NIV)
Have a great day!
- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For Today," and minister
for the Fayetteville Church of Christ in Fayetteville, NC, may be contacted at
alansmith.servant@gmail.com
