"Familiar Sound"

May 28, 2006

" His voice was like the roar of rushing waters"

- Ezekiel 43:2(b) (NIV)

" ...and his voice like the sound of a multitude."

- Daniel 10:6(e) (NIV)

" ...and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."

- Daniel 10:6(e) (NIV)

Last week we talked about all the different types of lights we deal with on a daily basis. So, I thought it would be good if we thought about the sounds...

In the emergency service, we are all too familiar with the sounds of an emergency... I can think of alert tones, office phones, cell phones (how many different 'ring tones' are there, anyway?), pagers, car horns, air horns, electronic sirens (let's see: wail, yelp, hi-lo, phaser, hyper-yelp...), Q2s,  traffic noise, heartbeats (lub-dub) and... voices.

When you have worked somewhere long enough, you can tell who is dispatching that shift just by the sound of their voice. When you answer the phone, you can recognize a good friend or a loved one, just by the sound of their voice.

But, do you recognize the sound of THE voice... the sound of the voice of our REAL CHIEF? Biblical descriptions of HIS voice are throughout the BIBLE (a believer's "Standard Operating Procedures" for Life!). We have listed a couple of those descriptions above. Can you hear HIM?

Our third verse for the week, says that HIS 'sheep' follow HIM because they know HIS voice. JESUS is called our "shepherd" many times. A lot of that comes from the fact that people of those days could understand about shepherds and the sheep they watch over. (Interestingly, the words "watch over" come from the Greek work "probata" - it's where we get our word "probation." )

What does HIS voice sound like to you? It is a voice within that tells you, "Hey, you need to belong to that ministry" or "Did you see that video at church about the orphanage?" It is the mighty voice that proclaims, "I love you, I care for you, I died for you."

Thank you, LORD, for allowing me to hear YOUR mighty roar. Thank you, GOD, for allowing me to be one of YOUR sheep. Thank you, JESUS, for watching over me. Thank you for being my REAL CHIEF as I strive to serve...

"Lights Piercing the Darkness"

May 22, 2006

"My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me."

- Acts 22:9 and 11 (NIV)

Stop for a minute and think about all the lights we use on any given shift. Here is a few I can think of; lights in the station, headlights, penlights, flashlights, spotlights, street lights, porch lights, turn signal lights, traffic lights, barricade lights, scene lights, command lights, red, blue, green and amber lights, LED lights, strobe lights, dash lights, panel lights, floodlights, headlights, taillights and warning lights.

Last week, we talked a little about emergency lights. We also mentioned how many people don't take notice to our lights. Or, if they actually see the lights, they don't know what to do.

There is, though, a light brighter than all lights - our REAL CHIEF. HE is the "Light of the world."

Our verses for this week are from the book of Acts. The Apostle Paul is relating the story of his conversion... from being an officer of the Jewish ruling council who went and imprisoned Christians and stood and watched them stoned to death... to him meeting the RISEN SAVIOR. In telling his story, Paul relates that he and his companions were on their way to Damascus to arrest Christians and take them back to Jerusalem. Then, suddenly, our REAL CHIEF appeared and spoke to Paul. Paul heard and was blinded by the LIGHT of CHRIST... (verse 11). But, read what happened to his companions - they saw the light, but neither heard the voice of GOD nor were blinded like Paul was (verse 9). Later, in Damascus, another believer is called by GOD to come heal Paul of his blindness. That is where some of the words of "Amazing Grace" came from... Paul said, "I was blind, but now I see." Paul was speaking of his physical and, most importantly, his spiritual blindness. His spiritual "blindness" was persecuting followers of CHRIST, therefore he could not see CHRIST. Then, our REAL CHIEF revealed Himself to Paul in all HIS brilliant glory.

Think about that, how many people have you been a light to? How many people have you revealed the brilliance and beauty of CHRIST?

Be a light to others as you serve...

"You Lookin' At Me?"

May 14, 2006

"Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law."

- Psalm 119:153 (NIV)

For the first few years that I served in the emergency services, I had this bizarre notion that people were "checking us out." I mean, here we were, screaming down the highway in our ambulance or engine company... Q2 wound up, electronic sirens on yelp, beacons flashing (yes, before LEDs and Strobes there were flashers and beacons). I had this really distorted opinion that everyone within eyesight was looking at us. We would hang an arm out the window... that was cool, ya' know.

But, you know what? I have learned through the years that no one is looking at us. Most could care less that you are enroute to "save the day." In fact, you want to know something else? You are a nuisance to a lot of folks. You have become an inconvenience in their commute. All the sirens and LEDs in the world wouldn't make a difference to the folks around you.

The other thing I have learned is that what I really want is for my REAL CHIEF to be looking at me... as a child who has misbehaved and is asking for forgiveness for the prideful thinking that people were looking at me and saying, "Wow, isn't he cool?"

I also pray that HE watches over us as we ride our Harley down the road (yes, we are keeping it - GOD gave it to us). I want to be reminded that HE gave us that beautiful bike to serve HIM and to provide Cindy and I with some stress relief - not so people could look at us and say, "Aren't they cool?"

The next time you are running hot to a call, take a hard look around you... the folks in the other cars barely notice your passing. So, instead of seeking attention from other people, seek our REAL CHIEF. Ask for HIS watchful eye. Ask for HIS guidance to achieve  humbleness as you serve...

"Looking For Love"

May 7, 2006

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."

- 1John 4:8-9 (NIV)

A few years ago, a songwriter named Johnny Lee wrote a song by the same name of the title of this week's Stress Relief. In part, he wrote:

I was looking for love in all the wrong places.
Looking for love in too many faces.
Searching their eyes, looking for traces
of what I'm dreaming of.

I think everyone out there is seeks to love and to be loved. And, like Johnny wrote, far too many are looking in all the wrong places. But, just what is love?

You can see love all around, if you pay attention. One great example, though, is the love that a dog has for its' family. I can't remember who said this, but it bears repeating: "I wish I could be the person my dog thinks I am." And, that is SO true. We have two dogs. We can walk outside to turn the sprinkler on and come back in the house and you would think, by the dog's reactions, that we had been gone for a week! They jump excitedly, they bark at us, they wag their tails so hard you would think they would dislocate a hip... they love us.

But, there is a love that surpasses all love. That is the love our REAL CHIEF has for you and for me. This is called "Agape" love. The SOG (Standard Operating Guidelines) for life, the Holy BIBLE, goes on to say that GOD IS LOVE.

There have been times when I am talking with someone who says, "I don't believe in GOD." So, I ask them this - "Do you love your mother?"

"Well, sure." they might answer.

And I ask them, "How do you know? You can't see love. You can't touch love."

Their answer is pretty much something like, "Well, you just know."

Exactly! You see, the BIBLE says that GOD IS love. And, your Heavenly FATHER loves you. Your ability to love others is, I believe, instilled in you by GOD. The love you feel for your mother, or your wife, or your kids may be strong. But, in will never surpass the love that GOD has for us. Because HE is love.

Now, my prayer for you this week will be the prayer that the Apostle Paul had for the believers at Ephesus. :

" I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV))