Mike’s Musings …
THE MESSAGE FROM A FORTUNE COOKIE
When the day began, I had only anticipated the benefits of five preachers gathering for a couple of hours of vibrant bible study. We’ve come to call these studies “iron sharpening iron” (Proverbs 27:17). The fellowship within these times bolsters each of us with increased zeal, confidence, and, of course, appreciation for the work we engage in and the word of God we preach. After two hours of indulging in a feast for the soul, we usually find a place to feed the body. This time, it was Chinese, which is one of my favorites.
The blessings of the day increased tenfold when we met at the restaurant. Friends I’ve known most of my life joined us with another couple I’ve come to love and respect. It permitted a time to “catch up” on the well-being of our families and enjoy the reminiscing of times past. When I left their wonderful company, I felt full both spiritually and physically, blessed to have devoted a total of several hours with those of like precious faith, intertwined with the love that exudes from the hearts of loving brethren!
As I left the restaurant, one of the friends I had not expected to see when I left home that day, handed me a fortune cookie. I don’t place a lot of conviction in those treats. Usually, the note inside is little more than a general statement of kindness, sprinkled with a bit of humor. But that day, the note meant something more to me. I read, “Your loving kindness will be returned tenfold.” It already had been! What could more await within the day?
When I got home that afternoon, the mail included a card from a friend in Ohio. That greeting was an unexpected blessing! And then, a telephone call from a brother here in Orleans brought forth pleasant news, which was a blessing. No, it wasn’t the fulfillment of a statement from a fortune cookie, but the evidence of God’s care and keeping of our lives (Hebrews 13: 5 – 6)
No faithful Christian lives their life in agreement with a cookie. But when we serve God as we should, muse on the tenfold benefits that God so lovingly bestows upon us!