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Richard Lawry author page - Devotionals from a Small Town, 3008 Highway 71 South, Mena, AR (2026)

02/04/2026

Today's devotional, "All the World's a Stage," tells the story of my granddaughter, a playwright. It was first published in the May 1, 2024, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances.” These words begin a monologue by the character Jaques in William Shakespeare's play, As You Like It. His speech compares the world to a stage and life as a theatrical performance.

William Shakespeare's profound understanding of life's many facets is evident in his works. He was not only knowledgeable about the intricacies of royalty, but also about the harsh realities of London's inns and taverns, and the lives of rural folk. His insights extended to the complexities of warfare and diplomacy, among other spheres of life. Yet, it was his unique perspective on life as a theatrical performance that truly captivated him.

As I sat in the audience watching the play Just One More, the words of Shakespeare echoed in my mind, resonating with the scenes unfolding before me. The auditorium at Ozark Adventist Academy was filled to the brim, and even more were watching the live stream from an adjoining room. Witnessing the first performance of the play, written and directed by my granddaughter, Autumn Grant, was a moment of pride and joy.

In the spring of 2023, Autumn embarked on a creative journey, envisioning a play that would bring to life the extraordinary story of Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss. She spent months meticulously crafting the dialogue and devising innovative ways to portray this complex war narrative on the stage of a small high school with limited resources.

The story of Desmond Doss is a testament to the power of conviction. Labeled a conscientious objector for his refusal to carry a gun, he believed in the justness of the war and was determined to contribute in his own way. For him, that meant saving lives, not taking them. He trained as a medic and described himself as a “conscientious cooperator.” His story, almost unbelievable in its courage and conviction, was the heart of the play.

Although Doss was a willing participant and felt himself to have as great a sense of duty as any man in his unit, boot camp was not easy for him. He was verbally harassed, with warnings such as, “Doss, when we get into combat, I’ll make sure you don’t come back alive.” Boots and other items flew his way as he prayed at night. He was ostracized by his unit and bullied by both enlisted men and his commanding officers, but Doss held on to his faith and was an exemplary soldier.

During boot camp, some men threatened to kill Doss, the Bible-carrying medic. However, these same men soon realized the value that Doss brought to the table. Doss demonstrated his bravery by treating wounded soldiers under fire during the fighting in Guam, which earned him a Bronze Star for valor. The 307th continued to fight at Leyte, where Doss again displayed his dedication to his comrades and bravery in combat. As a result, he was awarded a second Bronze Star.

But Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Okinawa on the Maeda Escarpment, known as Hacksaw Ridge. The Japanese had spent years entrenching their soldiers, creating a maze of tunnels in the hill. The Medal of Honor Citation told his story this way.

“He was a company aidman when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands.”

On October 12, 1945, President Harry S. Truman presented Doss with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony on the White House lawn. Truman shook Doss’s hand and told him, “I’m proud of you. You really deserve this. I consider this a greater honor than being president.”

As I sat watching Desmond’s life story unfold before my eyes, I was amazed at how my granddaughter had woven the elements of his story into an entertaining play. The play was a romance, a drama, and a war story. But even though it was gripping and thought-provoking, it had just the right amount of comic relief.

I wondered how the battle scenes where Desmond saved the lives of 75 soldiers by lowering them off the escarpment using ropes would be depicted. When the battle started, the special effects, including smoke machines, strobe lights, and audio, helped convey the American soldiers' desperate situation. As the smoke cleared, a spotlight shone on the escarpment, showing Desmond lowering a soldier down over the side to the waiting soldiers below.

The soldiers were lowered one by one, and the audience sat silently as the poignant scene played out. After each soldier was safely lowered, Desmond prayed, “Please, Lord, help me get just one more.” These words supplied the title of this incredible play.
When Desmond Doss saved the lives of 75 men on that fateful day in 1945, he had no idea that one day, my granddaughter would write a play based on his life. He didn’t expect to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. He simply wanted to save just one more.

But Desmond Doss and each of us are on a stage daily. People are watching what we say and do. All the world’s a stage. Paul expressed his feelings this way. “I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.” 1Corinthians 4:9 (NLT)

Gentle Reader, the phrase "all the world's a stage" reminds us that our lives are like a theatrical performance. Each of us has a role to play, and we have the power to decide how we want to portray it. We can choose to be the lead character or a supporting actor. Our emotions, too, are in our control. We can choose to be happy or sad, depending on our outlook on life. We have the authority to create our own life's meaning. We are not mere actors playing predestined roles. We are the authors of our own stories. We can choose how we want to live our lives and positively impact the world. “Brothers and sisters, God has called you to freedom! Hear the call, and do not spoil this gift by using your liberty to engage in what your flesh desires; instead, use it to serve each other as Jesus taught through love.” Galatians 5:13 (VOICE)

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02/03/2026

Today's devotional, "Ouachita National Park," tells the story of a national park proposal for Mena, Arkansas. It is Chapter 55 in my book, Love Letters.

Even though I have lived in Mena, Arkansas, for over forty years, I am still amazed by the area's natural beauty. I love to travel and see America's wonderfully varied landscapes, but when I come home to the Ouachitas, I realize that I live in one of the most beautiful places in the U.S.

I recently discovered a bit of history about this area that surprised me. I learned that in the 1920s, Congress introduced legislation that would have created a national park in this area. The proposed Ouachita National Park would have been 35 miles long and 12 miles wide, stretching through the central Ouachita Mountains of Polk and Montgomery counties.

The original proposal for a national park in the Ouachitas came in the early 1920s from business leaders in Mena, Arkansas. Their initial proposal for establishing Mena National Park focused on Rich Mountain, including the area now designated as Queen Wilhelmina State Park. But as the idea for a national park grew, they focused on a much larger area southeast of Mena.

Prominent politicians, businessmen from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, and local leaders from Mena worked hard to promote the idea. They organized The Ouachita National Park Foundation Society to promote the need for a national park in the South. The society published a promotional booklet that extolled the area's scenic beauty. It described the wide variety of vistas found in the proposed park. "There are steep, timber-covered peaks rising to 2,500 feet, long ridges of mountains, with peaks separated only by narrow green valleys with streams of pure, cold, spring water in abundance."

Society members wrote many articles praising the beauty of the Ouachitas and the proposed national park. In November 1926, K. E. Merren published an article titled "Ouachita National Park Will Be a Dixie Paradise." In the article, he wrote, "Few countries can surpass Arkansas in the beauties of its mountain landscape. The hills are wooded with evergreens and broadleafs, the pines appearing as bands of deeper green. Along some of the streams are mighty cliffs with tousled cedars and straggly pines clinging to their unfriendly sides. Everywhere are springs, the purity of whose waters are unsurpassed. In the valleys are streams, broken by rapids and falls."

But not everyone was in favor of a national park in the area. Roger W. Toll, the superintendent of the Rocky Mountain National Park, inspected the proposed park and asserted that the region did not meet the national park standards. He explained that the "Ouachita mountains are beautiful, attractive, luxuriant, verdant, friendly, and peaceful. They are not grand, spectacular, unique, nor superlative." He concluded by saying, "The Ouachita area does not contain features nor scenery on a scale equal to, or even approaching, the majority of the national parks that have been established by Congress. The area would not add any new feature of importance to the national park system that is not already represented, in a higher degree, in the existing parks. In my opinion, the National Park Service cannot consistently recommend consideration of this area for a proposed national park."

On December 5, 1927, Congressman Wingo introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to create the Ouachita National Park, with a similar bill being introduced in the Senate by Senator Robinson. Despite the reservation of the National Park Service administrators, the prospects for passage looked good. On February 17, 1929, the U.S. Senate passed the bill without a dissenting vote. A few days later, the House passed the bill by a vote of 164 to 71. It looked like there would be a new National Park, with Mena being the main town near the park.

The supporters of the Ouachita National Park were excited when their hard work was rewarded by Congress passing the bill, but then were devastated when President Calvin Coolidge, at the last moment of his presidency, pocket-vetoed the legislation by refusing to sign the bill. Senator Robinson declared, "The failure of the bill is a distinct disappointment. The measure will be reintroduced in the senate when Congress convenes again."

Congressman Wingo appealed to supporters of the Ouachita National Park, "Do not get discouraged, forget the disappointment caused by the pocket veto of the bill, and keep in the fight until victory is won." He finished his appeal by stating, "I have greater faith now that the Ouachita National Park will be established than I ever had before."

The economic turmoil of the Great Depression put plans for a national park in the Ouachitas on the back burner. The idea has never been resurrected, and what might have been is now buried on the dusty shelves of history. When I think of all the hard work, planning, promoting, and lobbying the Ouachita National Park Foundation Society did to make the national park a reality and how close they came to success, I remember what I read in Proverbs 16:9 (NIRV) "In their hearts human beings plan their lives. But the Lord decides where their steps will take them."

As much as I feel for those who worked so hard to make a national park in our area a reality, I'm glad they were unsuccessful. Maybe I am selfish, but I love driving through the area that would have been a national park and still finding secluded places to enjoy the peaceful beauty of the Ouachitas. I can't imagine what the area would be like if a national park had existed here for almost 100 years.

Gentle Reader, everyone experiences times of frustration over unfulfilled plans or dreams. When things don't go how we hope, feeling disappointed is normal. We all have times when we aren't where we want to be or where we think we should be. But in those times, remember that "God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan." Romans 8:28 (VOICE) "People may make plans in their minds, but only the Lord can make them come true." Proverbs 16:1 (NCV)

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02/01/2026

Today's devotional, From Ponca to Steel Creek, talks about my favorite place in Arkansas, the Buffalo River. It is Chapter 3 of my book Quiet Reflections.

The skies were clear, and sunshine bathed the landscape as we drove down to the low-water bridge at Ponca. I was filled with anticipation and excitement for my first-ever float on the Buffalo River, a feeling mirrored in the crisp and cool air. As we unloaded the paddleboards and kayaks out of the van, there was a flurry of activity, camaraderie, and shared purpose in our group. When everything was ready, we headed down the river, filled with a sense of adventure and wonder.

We started planning a Buffalo River float trip as soon as we knew the dates of my granddaughter's spring break. I reserved Leatherwood House, a beautiful secluded cabin near the Steel Creek Campground. All winter, I looked forward to our Easter weekend family float trip.

The day was finally here, and I was floating down the Buffalo. The scenery was breathtaking, with towering bluffs like Bee Bluff and Roark Bluff making you feel insignificant as you paddle past them. Waterfalls seemed to flow right out of the rock face and tumble down the bluff to the river, a sight that filled me with awe and wonder.

I struggled with pain in my legs as I paddled my kayak, and numerous times, my daughter, son-in-law, or granddaughter had to help me when I got stuck on the shoals. The water was frigid and made you cold to the core. There was even an embarrassing situation where I had to get out of the kayak to free it from the shoals, and the swift current lowered my pants. By the time we pulled out at Steel Creek, I was in a lot of pain, but seeing the stunning views along the float was a bucket list experience.

Spending the weekend in God's wonderful creation was the perfect way for me to spend Easter. We floated the Buffalo, hiked the Lost Vally Trail back to Eden Falls, and saw the Twin Falls at the Camp Orr Boy Scout Camp. Easter morning, I reflected on the final week of Jesus' life. One of the stories that I remember from that week is Jesus crying for the city of Jerusalem. If He cried over the city of Jerusalem, can you imagine how He is crying over the world today?

When I was growing up, my family attended a small church in Fort Lupton, Colorado. The small church shared a pastor with another church. Sometimes, when the pastor wasn't there for the mid-week prayer service, those in attendance would take turns reciting a favorite text. Being a smart aleck, I thought it was amusing to say that my favorite verse was John 11:35. "Jesus wept."

As I have grown older, it has become a favorite verse of mine. The simple words "Jesus wept" may reveal as much about Jesus as any other words ever said about Him. I'm sure that you remember the story of Lazarus. When he became ill, his sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, the one you love is very sick." Jesus chose to wait until Lazarus had died before He came. This story taught me the depth of Jesus' love and the importance of trust in His timing.

We read the story in John 11:33-35 (NLT). "When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled. 'Where have you put him?' He asked them. They told him, 'Lord, come and see.' Then Jesus wept."

Why did Jesus cry? Was it because of his love for Lazarus? He knew Lazarus would be alive in a few minutes. Jesus was crying because his friends were sad. Their sorrow moved him. Jesus is painfully aware of your suffering. Psalms 56:8 (NLT) tells us, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." This verse reminds me of God's love and understanding of our pain.

A few days before he died, "Jesus came near Jerusalem. He saw the city and began to cry for it." Luke 19:41 (ICB) Why was Jesus crying? Was He crying for a city? I think Luke 13:34 (NLT) gives us some insight into this story. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me." Jesus was crying for the people of Jerusalem. He had come to save them, but most were unwilling to be saved. Even though they had rejected him and his salvation, He had compassion for them.

If we follow Jesus' example, how should we, as Christians, relate to sinners? We should have compassion. Many Christians have lost their compassion. Looking around, I don't often see Christians dealing with others with understanding. I am more apt to see hate than compassion.

I don't want to meddle, but maybe I will. Consider a few hot-button topics and see your response toward the following groups. LGTBQ, Muslims, Adulterers, Abortionists, Thieves, Drug Dealers, Illegal Aliens, Prostitutes, Atheists. Do you have compassion for them, or is your response something different? Can you hate someone while you are praying for their salvation? Should we hate someone that Jesus died for because he loves them?

Following Jesus' example and having compassion for sinners is very liberating. It allows us to leave the judging up to God while practicing the self-sacrificing love He demonstrated on the cross. It will enable us to hold ourselves to a high moral standard without feeling that we must hate those who do not see things the way we do. This realization has been a transformative part of my faith journey, helping me to grow in compassion and understanding.

Daniel Darling writes, "We must not allow our protest against values with which we disagree to overshadow our responsibility to show Christ's love for the world. It may very well be the person who offends us the most whom God is in the process of saving. And our gracious response might be the bridge that the Spirit uses to usher him from death to life."

A trendy catchphrase in Christianity is, "What Would Jesus Do?" WWJD is found on jewelry, emblazoned on bumper stickers, and has entered popular culture. The only way to determine what Jesus would do is by learning what Jesus did. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) says, "God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Gentle Reader, Jesus cried for a city of sinners who rejected him. He asked his Father to forgive those who tortured and killed him. We should love the sinner as Christ loves us. After all, we are sinners too. Holding a sign that says "God Hates You" is not an effective way to witness to sinners. Let's follow the example of Jesus, love sinners, and hate sin in our own lives. John, the disciple that Jesus loved, tells us in 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) that "he who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

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01/30/2026

Today's devotional, The Great Storm, tells the story of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. It is Chapter 57 in my book, Gentle Reader.

On September 5, 1900, the Galveston Daily News ran a notice in its weather section: A tropical disturbance was moving over western Cuba and heading for the south Florida coast. The message was datelined “Washington, D.C.,” September 4.

At 6 a.m., September 6, Isaac Cline, the Weather Bureau’s chief Galveston, Texas observer, took the morning readings. Barometric pressure within the normal range with light winds. The sky over Galveston and out to the calm gulf was as clear and blue as it could be. At 8 a.m., the bureau confirmed the prediction it had telegraphed to Galveston the day before regarding Cuba’s disturbance. The storm is not a hurricane, and the course of this non-hurricane would not affect Galveston. The system, said the bureau, was “attended only by heavy rains and winds of moderate force” that could damage moored ships and shoreline property along the Florida coast.

Friday morning, September 7, everything stopped making sense. The Weather Bureau abruptly reversed its forecast and ordered Cline to raise the storm-warning flag. In Galveston Friday afternoon, a heavy swell formed southeast of the long Gulf beach. And it arrived with an ominous roar. A severe storm was on the way. While officials in Washington had recognized they were wrong about the storm’s track, on one point, they remained insistent: This could not be a hurricane.

4 a.m. Saturday, September 8, Isaac awoke with a start. He had a sudden feeling that water had flowed into the yard. From a south window, he peered down. The yard was underwater. The gulf was in town. Isaac sprang into action, urging beach residents and business owners to head for higher ground. At 3:30 Saturday afternoon, Isaac sent a cable to the Weather Bureau in Washington. “Gulf rising rapidly,” it read. “Half the city now underwater.”

Fifty people sought refuge in Isaac’s brick house, but the storm knocked it off its foundation Saturday night. All but 18, Cline wrote later, “were hurled into eternity,” among them his wife, Clara, pregnant with the couple’s fourth child. Across Galveston, the devastation was unimaginable. A Category 4 hurricane leveled the city and claimed at least 10,000 lives. The unnamed storm is still the deadliest natural disaster in American history.

Several years ago, a friend loaned me the book Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson, which told about the hurricane by telling Isaac Cline’s story. Isaac was the chief meteorologist at the Galveston, Texas office of the U.S. Weather Bureau from 1889-1901. I used stories from the book as the basis for a sermon. After hearing the stories, Dave and Fay Wiebe brought me a hand-typed account by a relative who survived the storm. The statement was dictated and signed by Carrie M. Hughes and copied by Irby B. Hughes on August 9, 1957, in Palestine, Texas.

Carrie Hughes tells what happened that awful day. “The tremendous wall of broken houses and debris had struck our house, like a battering ram and crushed the underpart, letting the upper part into the water. As it settled down, I felt the ceiling touching the back of my head with the water just under my chin. Instantly, the house’s roof seemed to blow over from the south, throwing little Mattie and me into a corner of it. The next thing I knew, I felt ourselves slipping out. I clutched at the ceiling or walls but could catch hold of nothing as we slipped into the water. My hand was grabbed by Eliza Williams, a colored woman whom I knew well. She drew me partly onto the raft upon which she and her daughter Hattie Banks were floating.”

Five members of this family made it through the ordeal, and two did not. As I read the story, waves of emotion swept over me. I have read many survivor stories before, but this one seemed different, as it was a remembrance recorded so that family members would know what happened that night. Because of my friendship with the Wiebe’s, it seemed like I knew the person telling the story.

On the hand-typed pages, Carrie finished telling her story. “How gladly would we have lost every dollar we possessed could we have kept dear Mattie and Stuart with us, but we do not morn them as one without hope, knowing we shall meet them again. It is such a comforting thought that they were Christians. We do not know where their beloved remains are resting. It may be in one of the numberless unknown graves that dot the whole face of beloved Galveston. It may be they are resting in the depths of the bay or gulf, or their ashes may have mixed with the earth from which they sprung. Whatever may have become of them, we know they are safe in the arms of Jesus.”

More than 10,000 men, women, and children lost their lives during the Great Storm. It was the deadliest natural disaster ever to strike the United States. I can’t imagine what the people of Galveston went through. Reading the story of her family as written by Carrie Hughes gave me an idea of the terror that people experienced.

Gentle Reader, although it has been nothing like the devastation and terror that the people of Galveston experienced, the past year has been a difficult one for many of us. Last week, I attended two funerals in five days, one for a friend that I have known for forty years and one for my cousin, the best man at my wedding. When I attend a funeral, the words of Paul found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV) always come to my mind. “I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

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01/29/2026

Today's devotional, Portable Soup, is a history lesson from the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It is Chapter 58 in my book Rusty Treasures.

The overcast January day slowly transformed into a rain-soaked afternoon. Despite our condo's proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the beach was shrouded in a veil of heavy rainfall and sea spray. The rain arrived in unrelenting waves, propelled by the relentless wind.

We were gathered for a long weekend at a family reunion in Long Beach, Washington. As the storm raged outside, we pondered our options for the day. What would we do on such a stormy day?
My brothers-in-law and I decided to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in the scenic Cape Disappointment State Park, just a few miles south of Long Beach. The captivating interpretive center is adorned with stunning mural-sized timeline panels that skillfully guide visitors through the epic westward journey of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Immersive sketches, compelling paintings, captivating photographs, and poignant words penned by the expedition members completely immerse visitors in the rich history and adventures of the expedition.

One mural panel stood out to me as I walked through the exhibits. On Saturday, September 14, 1805, Sergeant Patrick Gass wrote in his journal: "None of the hunters killed anything except 2 or 3 pheasants; on which, without a miracle, it was impossible to feed 30 hungry men and upwards, besides some Indians. So, Capt. Lewis gave out some portable soup, which he had along, to be used in cases of necessity. Some of the men did not relish this soup and agreed to kill a c**t, which they immediately did and set about roasting it; and which appeared to me to be good eating."

I wondered what portable soup was. Lewis and Clark didn't take much food. The expedition planned to hunt, fish, forage, and trade along the way. Under Provisions and Means of Subsistence, Lewis lists assorted spices, three bushels of salt, and 193 pounds of portable soup. If I wanted to know what portable soup was, I would have to do some research.

I found that portable soup was the 19th century's version of space food. It was intended for periods of dire dietary emergencies. Portable soup, also known as pocket soup or veal glue, had been around since the 1600s. A recipe from 1694 calls for a leg of veal boiled, then the broth reduced and cooled until it forms a slab of jelly about the size of a hand. Wrap this in paper to dry, and it will keep for many years.

It appears that portable soup was not a popular meal choice. In 1772, as Captain James Cook set sail for Australia aboard the Endeavour, he stocked 1,000 pounds of portable soup. Records indicate that some sailors were disciplined for refusing to eat it, suggesting the soup was unpalatable and had an unpleasant flavor. The intended use of the portable soup was to combine it with hot water, meat, vegetables, and spices to create a satisfactory meal. However, it's worth noting that Captain Cook and Lewis and Clark did not have access to these additional ingredients, only water.

Portable soup was well-known during this time. In Johann David Wyss's 1812 novel The Swiss Family Robinson, portable soup is mentioned several times. The youngest son, Franz, first mistakes it for glue and then later suggests using it as a substitute. William Wilberforce, the British politician who worked tirelessly to stop the slave trade, wrote, "Do not curtail too much. Portable soup must be diluted before it can be used."

There is a trend in modern Christianity that seems to equate the gospel with portable soup. It will keep you alive, but it must be diluted and made palatable before people will accept it. But the gospel isn't portable soup. It isn't a concentrate. Some people present the gospel as their personal concentrate. They focus on specific aspects of Christianity and neglect the rest, ending up with a bitter-tasting 'gospel.' Often, people distort the Bible for their own purposes, but if you genuinely reflect on the life of Jesus, you will realize that Christianity is not about hate but rather about love.

In Psalms 34:8 (NRSV), David tells us to "taste and see that the Lord is good." And He is speaking from experience. In Psalms 119:103 (NKJV), he wrote, "How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!" David loved God's word and wanted others to try it and see how good it was. Instead of presenting a bitter concentrated "portable soup" version of the gospel, we as Christians need to tell others how much we enjoy what the gospel has done for us.

"Try it; you'll like it." David is urging us to do just that. He is encouraging us to experience what he has already discovered: God's salvation. Like a momma who encourages her child to try at least one bite of a new food, God asks us to try it out, to do a quick taste test. Because when we do, He knows that we will see His goodness in ways we can't begin to imagine.

In 1 Peter 2:1-3 (NLV), Peter wrote, "Put out of your life hate and lying. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. Do not always want something someone else has. Do not say bad things about other people. As new babies want milk, you should want to drink the pure milk which is God's Word so you will grow up and be saved from the punishment of sin. If you have tasted of the Lord, you know how good He is."

Gentle Reader, have you tasted of the Lord? Do you know how good he is? If you have, tell others about your experience with God. Tell them what he has done for you. Before he left this earth, Jesus told his disciples, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV) Today he asks us to be His witnesses in Mena, and in all of Arkansas and the United States, and to the ends of the earth. Ask someone today to taste and see that the Lord is good.

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Richard Lawry author page - Devotionals from a Small Town

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