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"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."
(Proverbs 25:11)
Last week, my son-in-law, Jeffrey, and I shot pistols with our friend Dave Williams on his property. Dave and his wife, Lola, are members of Great Hills Baptist church, and Dave runs Crowe's Nest Farm. If you are in the Austin area, I invite you to go and check it out. Kids especially love seeing all the animals, and Dave does a fantastic job explaining these wonderful creatures God has made. For more information, visit crowesnestfarm.org. It is therapeutic just being outside, and to be able to shoot guns is a blast (no pun intended). Shooting any firearm takes concentration and attentiveness to gun safety. Before last week, it had been a couple of years since I went shooting, and I will be going again soon; it was so much fun!
One of the keys to hitting your target with a pistol is easing into pulling the trigger with your index finger. When I got too quick, I would miss my target, but when I relaxed and slowly pulled the trigger, I was much more accurate. Think about your index finger for a moment. Again, the way it is designed and precisely placed on both hands is a testament to God's wonderful creative abilities.
Driving back to work after shooting pistols, I shared with Jeffrey how, years ago, I dislocated one of my all-important index fingers. I was sitting in the stands of a church softball game when the left fielder tried to throw out the runner heading home. He misfired and threw the ball over the catcher's head, over the fence behind the umpire, and right into the stands, where I and other fans were seated. There were children right behind me at the concession stand so I stood up and put my left hand in the air to deflect the ball. It worked, as the ball did not hit anyone... well, except me. I knew immediately something was wrong. I looked down and was stunned. My left index finger was pointing in a direction it should not be pointing! It was severely dislocated. I called a friend of mine who is an ER doctor, and he met me at the hospital. He injected two shots into my finger and then popped it back in place. He told me I needed to go to a hand specialist to see if I needed surgery. I scheduled an appointment with a hand surgeon the next week.
On Sunday I preached, and during the guest reception after church, a lady came up to me, looked me in the eyes, and said, "God is going to take care of that hand; it is going to be okay." Wow, what a word! I went to the surgeon, and after examining my finger, he told me I came incredibly close to needing surgery, but it would not be necessary. I was thrilled and also remembered what the lady at church had told me. I believe God impressed that word upon her, and she obediently spoke it to me. I did go to therapy for many weeks, and 18 months later I could make a fist again! But no surgery!
Do you ever feel like God is impressing you to speak words of life and encouragement to someone? You never know how it will lift their spirits. After breakfast at a local restaurant last week, I asked one of the employees how she was doing, and tears welled up in her eyes. I told her I would pray for her, and you could tell it meant the world to her.
Join me this week in being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and speaking a good word to someone, even today. Also, the next time you go shooting guns, thank God for that index finger He blessed you with!
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Reboot, refresh, and refocus this year!
Last year was challenging, so we want to help you have a fresh start in 2021 with Pastor Danny’s sermon series Restart. Get your copy when you give today!
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Hope for a Hurting Nation
Pastor Danny offers another message of hope to help lift you up in these trying times. Hear Pastor Danny's thoughts on recent events, and then be encouraged by some uplifting stories and inspiring words.
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