“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.” In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
–Luke 15:8-10 (NLT)

This morning I put my guide dog Ansel’s food out and called several times, but he didn’t come to me. I thought this was very strange, since he always perks right up when there is food around. I searched for Ansel throughout the house, thinking he might be stuck in a bedroom, but all the rooms were empty.

Since my guide dog is my eyes and I depend on him to get from place to place, I became more and more anxious. At some point, I remembered to calm down and pray that God would protect Ansel and bring him home. Moments later, I got a telephone call from the guide dog school. My dog had shown up at a man’s house a few blocks away. The man soon returned Ansel to our house, and my wife and I were filled with joy.

The emotional events of the morning reminded me of how God works in our lives. Without Him, we are just as lost as Ansel was earlier. Just as I received a call telling me he was all right, God is always calling to us.

Because of man’s free will, we have chosen to go our own way instead of God’s way. Therefore, God says that all mankind has missed the mark (sinned), and fallen short of His glorious standards. The penalty for this sin is being separated from Him, which causes spiritual death. However, since God wants to have fellowship with us, He is constantly calling out through His word, the Bible. This book says that God loved you so much that He gave His one and only son, that if you would believe in Him you would not perish, but have everlasting life.

I encourage you to believe in Him today, and Tell Him that you are a lost sinner. If you tell Him that you need a savior in Jesus, God will bring you close to Him just as Ansel was safely returned to us.
By the way, my guide dog ran straight for his food bowl when he arrived home, so he got to have his breakfast after all. In the same way, God wants you to take of the abundant life that Jesus has to give. Accept Him today, and you will have richer tomorrows.

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870.

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 641-715-3900, ext. 874157.