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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
You Will Never Be Thirsty
July 10, 2006
I know a place where there really is a bottomless cup of coffee. The same
is true for soft drinks and pink lemonade. The refills are on the house.
Believe it or not, you can leave and come back two hours later and the
drinks will still be free. Need a coffee to start the day? When you get up
tomorrow morning the java line will be flowing and it will cost you nada.
Now this is my kind of place. Are you wondering where this oasis is
located?
It is in Orlando, Florida. This week I am at the Dance America National
Finals with the family. My daughters are dancing at the Coronado Springs
Resort in Disney World. For four days we have been locked in a ballroom
watching nearly 900 dance acts featuring hundreds of young dancers from
over forty five schools from across North America. Every where you turn
you can spot a sea of fancy costumes, bright eyed ballerinas and dancing
divas. It is quite an event.
Amidst the backdrop of stage make up and fancy hairdos you cannot help
but notice the blue topped insulated travel mugs. They are more numerous
than the stars on stage here in the Florida sun. It seems everyone has a
mug because these precious vessels are the key to the free libations. The
good news is that anyone can have one of these mugs if they are willing to
pay the very reasonable price of $11.99.
You might be thinking “So they aren’t free! It is going to cost an arm and
a leg to lay claim to one of these precious goblets.” That is simply not the
case. The truth is that it is more costly to pay as you go for your drinks.
For some reason that I cannot begin to fathom, the people here at the
Disney Resort have decided to give us a gift when it comes to quenching
our thirsts. In four days I have enjoyed at least 12 cups of coffee and 25
cups of diet coke. And if you know me, you will understand that I have
gone out of my way to get my money’s worth. Every day now I simply
head for the fountain to fill up my mug and I am ready to go. It really is a
great feeling to know that I will never have to spend another dime on a
drink while I am here and my thirst will always be quenched.
If only life was that easy. We would all gladly pay the price if we could
simply pay a small fee and have all our worries wiped away. The truth is
life can be very difficult. Too often we find ourselves hungry or thirsty for
something that will satisfy us and make us happy. Well here is the good
news. Disney may have its own brand of magic but God has something
even better. He has already paid the price and now God has invited each
and every one of us to leave our burdens behind and enter His kingdom.
The prophet Isaiah says. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the
waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat.” He goes on to
tell us that God wants to put a song in our hearts and a dance step in our
feet. What can be better than that?
And it is all free. You can keep going back time and again. Every time you
are feeling parched and thirsty, the source of living water will fill you up
and you will be renewed and ready to go. What a joy. No wonder I feel
like dancing this week. God keeps filling my cup every time it gets low.
May you know his joy as He does the same to yours.
God Bless. See you in Church. Cal
July 10, 2006
I know a place where there really is a bottomless cup of coffee. The same
is true for soft drinks and pink lemonade. The refills are on the house.
Believe it or not, you can leave and come back two hours later and the
drinks will still be free. Need a coffee to start the day? When you get up
tomorrow morning the java line will be flowing and it will cost you nada.
Now this is my kind of place. Are you wondering where this oasis is
located?
It is in Orlando, Florida. This week I am at the Dance America National
Finals with the family. My daughters are dancing at the Coronado Springs
Resort in Disney World. For four days we have been locked in a ballroom
watching nearly 900 dance acts featuring hundreds of young dancers from
over forty five schools from across North America. Every where you turn
you can spot a sea of fancy costumes, bright eyed ballerinas and dancing
divas. It is quite an event.
Amidst the backdrop of stage make up and fancy hairdos you cannot help
but notice the blue topped insulated travel mugs. They are more numerous
than the stars on stage here in the Florida sun. It seems everyone has a
mug because these precious vessels are the key to the free libations. The
good news is that anyone can have one of these mugs if they are willing to
pay the very reasonable price of $11.99.
You might be thinking “So they aren’t free! It is going to cost an arm and
a leg to lay claim to one of these precious goblets.” That is simply not the
case. The truth is that it is more costly to pay as you go for your drinks.
For some reason that I cannot begin to fathom, the people here at the
Disney Resort have decided to give us a gift when it comes to quenching
our thirsts. In four days I have enjoyed at least 12 cups of coffee and 25
cups of diet coke. And if you know me, you will understand that I have
gone out of my way to get my money’s worth. Every day now I simply
head for the fountain to fill up my mug and I am ready to go. It really is a
great feeling to know that I will never have to spend another dime on a
drink while I am here and my thirst will always be quenched.
If only life was that easy. We would all gladly pay the price if we could
simply pay a small fee and have all our worries wiped away. The truth is
life can be very difficult. Too often we find ourselves hungry or thirsty for
something that will satisfy us and make us happy. Well here is the good
news. Disney may have its own brand of magic but God has something
even better. He has already paid the price and now God has invited each
and every one of us to leave our burdens behind and enter His kingdom.
The prophet Isaiah says. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the
waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat.” He goes on to
tell us that God wants to put a song in our hearts and a dance step in our
feet. What can be better than that?
And it is all free. You can keep going back time and again. Every time you
are feeling parched and thirsty, the source of living water will fill you up
and you will be renewed and ready to go. What a joy. No wonder I feel
like dancing this week. God keeps filling my cup every time it gets low.
May you know his joy as He does the same to yours.
God Bless. See you in Church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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