For God so loved the world. . . . John 3:16a

Most of the small post offices in our country have been automated or closed.

Still, I can remember decades ago when a lady expressed disappointment at the government deciding to put a vending machine for postage stamps in her post office.

Now, if you've never been to such a small town, I need to tell you the post office is one of the central places for visiting and socializing.

Only when the lady had finished sharing her displeasure, did she start asking questions. The workman doing the installation told her she was looking at the state of the art in postage vending machines.

After spending ten minutes praising the machine, the worker gave the lady his ultimate argument in favor of the machine. He said she would never again have to wait in line to buy postage. Anything a postal worker could do this machine could do, and it could do it faster and with greater accuracy.

The argument left the lady completely unimpressed. In a huff she pulled herself up to her full 4'10" and snorted, "This machine may be a wonder, but I won't use it. I won't ever use it -- not until you teach it to ask about my arthritis."

Machines have come a long way since that stamp story took place. Now we really do have machines that can ask, "How's your arthritis."

But nobody has ever yet invented a machine that will really care about you or your problems.
On the other hand, we never had to invent a God who really cares. He cares about arthritis, and He cares about how that arthritis is affecting us. Yes, God cares, but He does more than care.

He loves us enough to care about where we will spend eternity. He loves us enough to send His Son into this world to offer His life as our ransom. He loves us enough.

Now, by Jesus' suffering, death, and wonderful resurrection all who believe are forgiven; all who acknowledge their Savior know they will be spending forever in paradise with Him.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You really do care about me. I thank You for the gift of Your Son. Because of Your love and compassion, I am saved. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Chronicles 16    Psalms 42,44    1 Corinthians 10:1-18

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