by Don Emmitte |
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Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink--even if you have
no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk, it's all free! Why spend
your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that
does you no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is
good for the soul! Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the
life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant
with you. I will give you all the mercies and unfailing love that I
promised to David. He displayed my power by being my witness and a leader
among the nations. You also will command the nations, and they will come
running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel,
have made you glorious." Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call
on him now while he is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deeds.
Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them
turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for
he will abundantly pardon.
(Isaiah 55:1-7 NLV). “If it’s
worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”
That’s one of the proverbs my dad taught me as I was growing up. Though I’m sure it was not original to him, it was a
watchword that described his life and I hope describes mine. The February
1998 issue of Success magazine
contains an excerpt from a story that the magazine printed 100 years ago.
The article, "A single-minded Tom Edison," contains an interview
with Thomas A. Edison, the great inventor. Here is part of the
conversation Theodore Dreiser had with Edison: "Dreiser: 'What's
the first requisite for success?'" "Edison: 'The ability to
apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly . .
.'" "You do something all day long, don't you? If you get up at
7 and go to bed at 11, you have put in 16 good hours, and it is certain
with most men that they have been doing something all the time. The only
trouble is that they do it about a great many things, and I do it about
one. If they applied it in one direction . . .they would succeed.'” In that
short interview, Edison reveals the same principle my dad tried to teach
me all those many years ago. The one requirement for achieving success is
focus. Each person, regardless of race, sex or nationality, has needs deep
down inside. Unfortunately, many of us fail to maintain a correct focus
for meeting them. In our reading this morning, the prophet is asking the
people why they settle for less than the best. You can buy many material
things, but they are not what you really need. You can work hard for
success and prestige, but they will not bring satisfaction. Real, eternal
satisfaction is only obtained from God, as we listen to Him and digest His
truths. |
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