Yesterday, I spoke much about the ills I’ve seen of late in the world, our nation, the church, and in myself.  Today, I realize it is only by God’s grace that any of these ills can be overcome.  And the first step in that process is to allow God’s grace to change my heart.  To accept, with thankfulness, this new day.A day bursting with limitless potential to bless and to be blessed!  To make my Daddy smile when He sees how I’ve learned to walk in those areas where just yesterday I may have stumbled — or even fallen and scuffed my armor a little.I can still envision a joyfilled tear on His cheek when I stopped to talk with Al, the homeless Vietnam Vet who used to sit at the north end of the old footbridge leading from the U of M campus.

Sure Al was dirty and his breath and body invariably carried the odor of stale, cheap beer or mouthwash, but he always had a smile just for me.  We never exchanged more than a few words whenever I passed that way, yet I always made a point of stopping just to hear what he had to say… I think he appreciated that as much as (if not more than) the money people handed him to help him out.  He’d often introduce me to his friends if they were present when I drove by…

“Hey! Michael, my buddy! Come ‘ere… I want you to meet my friend, Tim! Tim, this is Michael, my good friend… Michael and I go way back, don’t we Michael?” — Michael was a name I used to go by, but that’s a post in itself –

Like I said, we never really talked much, but he always made me feel like I was the best friend he ever had!

The Lord always gave me a kind or encouraging word for this man.  And when he’d offer me a drink, that was all the opportunity I needed to tell him of a drink that would ever quench his thirst.

It’s been years now since I’ve seen Al.  And I haven’t a clue as to what became of him.  But, God has promised that His Word will not return void, so I fully expect to sit down with Al one day and share a drink together: A cup of the New Wine!

I long to see my Father’s eyes mist with tears again.  So today I choose walk in His newness of life, and let God’s grace affect a change in me, and hence change the world!