LAST THOUGHT

My Oasis friend is in her EARLY eighties and is married to a good man named Jack.  Jack has a birthday next month and his odometer turns over to 89.  Yesterday they went to the mall to eat chicken because...after all, they didn't get to be in their eighties without acquiring some prudence.  You see, the mall is air-conditioned.

Bobbie reports about 80 people in line at the food court.  She expected a line; she took her place and her husband pushed his wheeler over to a table and got out a book.

Do you know how long my friend stood there in line?  Right at an hour.  She says she was determined to finish that course.  Why?

That's a good question.

Was she standing for God?  I'm sure.  She has loved Him passionately for 71 years.

Was she standing for marriage?  Well, she believes God meant what He said.  But of course, so did the president when he ran for office.

Was she standing for Chick-Fil-A?  Yes, she believes an American has the right to conduct his business as he sees fit.  (I heard someone else say...if you quit eating at a chicken shack because the owner thinks homosexuality is wrong, then you might want to consider not buying gas, since the owners of OPEC put homosexuals to death.)

Was she standing for you and I?  Now the discourse elevator has brought us to the ground level.  My friend lives in a country that allows her to share Christ, and sharing Christ is her purpose in life.  When we quench the First Amendment, we become like the rest of the godless world.  Our stewardship of the God-given treasure of life in a country that recognizes Him as founder and freely proclaims Him...is on the line.  My friend can remember days gone by.

I am able to remember those days, too.  I'm sad for my countrymen that they take lightly the generous responsibility laid in their laps to preserve freedom.  Perhaps this incident has unlocked some passion...not to be right, but to be free.

Meanwhile, back at the food court, Bobbie said her favorite part of the lunch was just being with those people and listening to their conversations.  Talk had a special tenor and there was a commonality of strangers.  Young moms had to juggle their kiddos because the children were hungry.  They did it gladly.  People said "Well, I guess I'm gonna be late for work", but there was no fussing.

Another family asked to join our friends at their table.  Bobbie and Jack bowed their heads as the couple prayed and Jack added "amen".  That's how it will be in the coming kingdom.

One day God proved conclusively that He loves every person that He made.

That Proof extends a free offer of a way to please Him and then spend forever with Him.  What an amazing invitation!  The One who spoke the world into being...desires our company in eternity and would have us flourish here.

Breaking down barriers in this world is a noble cause.  But this world is fallen and the only place that it TRULY happens is at the foot of the cross.  That's because Someone there is more important than anything here.

Bobbie has a saying "there's room at the foot of the cross for us all...and some of us are bowing".  If you haven't bowed, would you consider that option today?