Morning Devotional

February 20, 2004

"Ramblings of a Retired Mind" 

by Don Emmitte

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"Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as `Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, `Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, `I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.' Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash." After Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real authority--quite unlike the teachers of religious law. (Matthew 7:21-29 NLT).
 

Just recently I received the following “ramblings of a retired mind” from a friend of mine. They are pretty funny, however they also lead us to an important truth. Before we get to that, read them:

Ø      I was thinking about how a status symbol of today is those cell phones that everyone has clipped on. I can't afford one so I'm wearing my garage door opener.

Ø      You know, I spent a fortune on deodorant before I realized that people didn't like me anyway. 

Ø      It might help if women put pictures of missing husbands on beer cans!

Ø      I was thinking about old age and decided that it is when you still have something on the ball but you are just too tired to bounce it.

Ø      I thought about making a fitness movie for folks my age and call it "Pumping Rust."

Ø      I have gotten that dreaded furniture disease. That’s when your chest is falling into your drawers!

Ø      You know when people see a cat's litter box, they always say, "Oh, do you have a cat?" Just once I wanted to say, "No, it's for company!"

Ø      Employment application blanks always ask who is to be notified in case of an emergency. I think you should write, "A Good Doctor!"

Ø      Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do . . . write to these men? Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen could look for them while they delivered the mail?

Ø      I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older then it dawned on me. . They were cramming for their finals. As for me, I'm just hoping God grades on the curve.

Maybe there is some need to “cram” for the final, although the real key is not in the final “test.” After it is all said and done, there will only be one criterion that will be evaluated. If you have built your life on the solid foundation of faith in Christ you will have eternal life. You will have passed the “final exam.” What kind of foundation are you building on?