Daily devotion

Bearing Fruit

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7‭-‬8 ESV

A tree in a commercial orchard is as pampered as any king or queen on planet earth. It is planted in the best soil, fertilized and kept free from weeds. In the growing season it is sprayed and treated every 10 days to guard it from pests and disease and irrigated in drought. Yet with all the advantages the farmer gives it, there are years when the harvest fails because of a late frost, an unexpected new disease or a late snowfall. Ultimately the farmer may do his best but only God is really in charge of the results.

The same is true in our lives. As today’s verse tells us, our fruitfulness is dependent on only one thing. We must decide to trust the Lord. Unexpected events and even calamity strike without notice. But God is never taken by surprise. Are you trusting in His care? Is He the stream your soul drinks from? Is He the keeper of your heart?

Goodnight Prayers and Kisses

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. Isaiah 46:4 ESV

After three weeks of visiting with family and friends we are saying goodbye. I think most of all I will miss morning walks with our grandchildren. Their loud happy excitement and curiosity have more than kept both I and my wife on our toes and worn us out. But how I will miss those goodnight kisses and prayers tomorrow. How good to know as I shed a tear or two that someone greater than I still listens to my own goodnight prayers and kisses me on the cheek each night as these graying hairs lie down on my pillow!

My morning walking friend
My afternoon walking buddies

In God We Trust

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

Lord you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. Psalm 10:17

Here in the United States our national motto is “In God We Trust” and it is interesting that it appears, not on our flag, nor directly in our constitution but on our money. But it was not at the height of our prosperity that we adopted this phrase, but during the dark days of the Civil War. Despite the ultimate victory of the Northern States, the reality was that both sides suffered devastation, death and tragedy on a scale never seen before or since in our history. When our hopes were at their lowest it was introduced on the 2 cent piece in 1864. Maybe that is instructive for our day of social upheaval, violence and division. We must remember that our trust in God is not a bold boast but a cry to Him for help. Today’s verse reminds us that hope is not in victory or success, but in the promise that God will hear our cry. He is our hope this morning and forever. So what is your disappointment? What is your despair? Where are you feeling the weakest? Remember that He has promised to hear, to come and to comfort. If we put our trust in God, we are saying not that things are great but that whatever comes we will fully and only belong to Him!