Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

"I thank my God every time I remember you."¹

I have read that "Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

"One day after Plumb gave a presentation, a fellow came up to him and said, 'You don't know me, but I am the person who packed your parachute the day you were shot down.'

"Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, 'I guess it worked!'

"Plumb assured him, 'It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today.'"

If it weren't for somebody elseâ€"perhaps many "somebody elses"â€"most of us wouldn't be where we are today either. And if it weren't for somebody else telling us about Jesus and his gift of forgiveness and eternal life, most of us wouldn't know him and wouldn't be bound for Heaven. May we ever be mindful and thankful to all who have "folded our parachute" and may we do the same for others.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for all who have helped me be where I am today and especially for those who shared your love and the gospel with me. Help me to have a thankful heart and help others to find you as others have helped me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

Philippians 1:3(NIV).

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