Looking for Rest in Rin Tin Tin!

Looking for Rest in Rin Tin TinDr. Vince Hefner, PastorFirst Baptist ChurchCherryville, North CarolinaMy wife and I have made it our habit to watch a television show that would relax us before we went to bed. We have watched all the episodes of “Little House on the Prairie,” and “The Walton’s.” These were great series, but they did not help me sleep at night because of all the action that took place. I thought my life was packed with excitement and activity, but I have nothing on Charles Ingles or John Boy Walton. It seemed that in every show somebody was getting attacked by bear, somebody was losing their sight or the use of a body part from a fall or another type of accident, their home or business burned up in a fire, or a close personal friend passed away or moved away because they had suffered the same bad luck. In other words, life was always a struggle, and that is something that you don’t want to be reminded of before you go to bed each night!After finishing both series, I decided to buy another series that brings more joy than discouragement. Finally I made my decision. I was shopping in a local store and found 48 episodes of “The Legend of Rin Tin Tin.” When I was a child, I read a book about Rinty and fell in love with this dog that apparently had human intelligence. Each episode was only 30 minutes in length, plenty enough time for a challenge to be met and a happy ending to be reached. Was I wrong! Each disc held 12 stories all related to each other, with the happy ending only coming at the end of the serial. This means each 30 minute segment ends in suspense to make sure you don’t miss the next episode. Watching the shows have been educational for me. They were filmed back in the 1930’s, and let me tell you, those people were t-u-f-f! They were always fighting, but amazingly none of them ever got their hats knocked off their heads during the brawls. Rinty bit or growled at every “bad guy,” but nobody got hurt, unless he got shot! Between fights and being kidnapped, they always found time to ride horses and play polo. Yes sir, those people sure knew how to live!However, this is no way to go to sleep. As interesting as stories like, “Fangs of Flame,” or “The Siren of Death,” are for the thrill seeking person, I just want a nice thought before I go to sleep. One person in the Bible who did not have a problem sleeping at night was King David. Psalms 4:8 says, “I will lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” King David did not write these words while he was experiencing personal joy or success. The very opposite was true. King David was in the middle of a family crisis. His son, Absalom, was wanting to “rub him out,” and had run him out of Jerusalem. Absalom was not just interested in the throne of his father David, he wanted to kill him and have him totally out of the way. It would be bad enough if someone wanted your job, but wanted to murder you, and to top it all off, that person is your own child. This would make anybody sleepless wondering what they had done wrong in raising their children. But David did not stay up all night wondering what he had done wrong or what would happen next. He went to sleep! King David had something that I want, a personal peace that God is in control of all things. I have that peace through Jesus Christ, but many times I forget it because so many things get churning in my head. I have to be reminded that Jesus will never leave nor forsake any of His followers, regardless of what is taking place in their lives. How about you? I pray that all people will come to the place in their lives where they will enjoy a perfect peace that allows them to show the world that the things in the world will never get the better end of them! Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!