Make God Smile

I have been praying about what to write for this blog post. Something further about today’s devotional? Talking about all the folks whose comments I look forward to each day on The Upper Room website? (Yes, even though I do not comment very frequently, I have folks who I look forward to reading about and praying for each day.) The latest retirement travel adventure for me and my wife? Then inspiration hit—I will write about Mike.

Mike was a friend who passed away several years ago. We met Mike and his wife through our small group. He had been a successful businessman prior to retirement. First and foremost, he was a strong Christian man who loved his family and Notre Dame football. We grew to be friends and had a lot in common.

One of Mike’s daily prayers was: “Lord, I hope I do something today that will make you smile.” What a simple and powerful sentiment! Let’s do something today that will give the Lord, who gave us so much, something to smile about. I think that may be different for each of us. It may be giving money to the person on the corner with the sign that says “help me.” Possibly, it means taking a meal to someone who is sick, writing a devotional, or just having a long talk with God about how our day is going.

I have heard it said that we die twice. The first time when our heart stops beating, and the second is the last time someone says our name. Well, today, lots of folks will be saying Mike’s name. And maybe in the future, if you add his prayer to your daily routine, you might just say his name again. I pray that each person who reads this experiences God’s love and blessings. I pray that those who need healing receive healing, that those who seek wisdom are blessed with wisdom, that those who desire peace feel peace, and that those who long to know God more fully feel God’s presence in their lives.