Doug Van Pelt

Biscuit in the Office

The dog is liking it here. I had to go get a toner cartridge for our laser printer, as my proofs for layouts were looking like weak excuses -- the kind a teacher or professor would hold up and comment in front of the class: "Look what Mr. Van Pelt turned in! It's a piece of art! See how it fades from nothingness to some slightly ledgible words back to nothing again. Brilliant! It's incomplete, though." So I took Biscuit with me for another car trip to Office Depot, which is located right next to a Pet's Mart. It was his first trip into the "Pets are welcome here" shopping experience. His trip through Office Depot got some attention, when he barked at a clerk. People fawned over him at Pet's Mart, though. And we got him some new puppy biscuits and a squeaky snake toy that he likes. And my print outs are looking crisp and clean again. No more professor insults for me.

Isaiah 55 is an interesting chapter. It starts off with an invitation:

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live."

This is like a "refrigerator magnet" passage. It's a comforting invite from the Lord to receive of Him and His Word. His Words are everlasting and His covenants are good.

"Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call on Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord,
and He will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for He will freely pardon."

This is an invitation that I want to accept. He is good and His pardons are final.

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord.
'As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts."

This is good to remember at all times: when we're "high" after accomplishing something cool; and when we're "low," knowing that we've failed or disappointed in how circumstances turned out. Sometimes God works "behind the scenes" and we don't see the results we're after...

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is My Word that goes out from My mouth:
It will not return to Me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

This is an amazing declaration that is proved right over and over again. It also helps me not to carry the weight of responsibility of how things turn out. For instance, it's good to have a burden for someone's soul. When we see someone's life going bad because of wrong decisions or we see their bitterness and pain, or we just look ahead to eternity and have sorrow for their souls if they don't turn to the Lord... Those are good motivations and thoughts; but we cannot bear the weight of that person's choices or the judgment of their souls. And so when we share some of God's Word with that person, we do not have to expect or focus on an immediate "fast food" / immediate response. God's Word was shared for a purpose, and we just may not know what that purpose is just yet. But we can trust that it has a purpose and that God's Spirit uses His Word. At some point all we can do is watch Him go to work.

"You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands."

I remember meeting a friend of mine at the local HEB grocery store in Austin. I like to clap at birds resting in trees, etc, and watch them scatter as if they are running from shotgun blasts. It's just an odd habit. My friend asked me, "What are you doing?" I quickly retorted back to him, "I'm just helping the trees practice. One day all the trees of the fields will be clapping their hands..." My friend laughed. (I guess you had to be there)
:?)

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at July 27, 2005 11:00 AM