Daily devotion

Waiting on God’s Table

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. PSALM 130:5 ESV

Waiting on God is not like getting a number at the deli and waiting your turn in a long line of people. It is more like a waiter serving a table. We ask in prayer, “”How can I help you? or what can I get you today?” Then we wait to hear what God has to say. We watch to see what his needs are like a waitress who refills our coffee cup without being asked. The more we learn to wait by being tuned in to God’s needs, the more of His grace will be poured into and through us to others.

I was given my first lesson on table waiting when my wife and I signed up as volunteers at a community fundraising banquet. She was a pro as she had worked a couple of jobs in the restaurant business. I, on the other hand had no idea what I was doing. No, I did not drop plates of food or spill drinks, but it took me a while to learn to be quiet. It took a few icy stares to get the idea that folks just wanted their food and then to be left alone (unless they needed refills!). Now, of course waiting on God involves an intimate fellowship, but it also requires silence and allowing God’s conversation and interests to take center stage. So let’s ask ourselves, “What is God wanting at the altar today? What is His favorite thing on the menu? And whose cup can I refill for Jesus today?”!

Songs in the Night

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night. Job 35:10

When we are in a battle with the enemy like Job was, usually we have no idea what is going on. The invisible forces of the air, like a relentless defensive line in football are always looking to tackle us for a loss. But, when we can’t think straight and sleep is difficult, my dad used to advise me, “Don’t just lie there Pete! Get up and change the channel!” Just as Job did, we need to discover that the worship of Heaven is not limited to the four walls of the church, and we don’t have to hold on for dear life till next week’s service. We can get up in the middle of the darkest night and tune in to the Jesus Channel. Like the verse in Zephaniah tells us:

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 

God never leaves us alone. He is not only the God who sees us, but also the God who will sing with us on the darkest of nights. I hope you will enjoy our song session from Life Care Center of one of my favorite hymns - God Leads His Dear Children Along-

Some through the waters, and some through the flood
Some through the fire, but all through the blood
Some through great sorrows, but God gives a song
In the night season
And all the day long!

God Leads His Dear Children Along by George Young 1903

Standing Out In the Storm

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments 
 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 
Psalm 18:3 KJV

Here in Florida, we have more than our fair share of hurricanes, at least passing by if not hitting us. This leads to many of us staying glued to latest the weather reports, wondering whether this is the time we will need to evacuate. Being now a veteran of worrying and watching these storms, my wife and I have often asked ourselves, “Why in the world are they sticking that poor weatherman (or weather lady), out in the middle of the mess?” As we were watching the luckless weather-beaten reporter on day, a sizeable branch blew down the street, sideswiping them and sending them scurrying for cover. Thankfully they were okay, but it got us to thinking and we decided that they were showing us those people out in the storm, so we would take their forecast seriously enough to prepare for it.

In today’s verse, King David is standing out in the storm. He is surrounded by enemies who have less than happy plans for the end of his life. The men who are out there are five times as many as he has on his side. Adding to the imbalance of numbers, the army looking to kill him is better armed, better trained and better fed. It would appear they are all about to be slaughtered, but in his quiet times while watching his father’s sheep, David has prepared for this storm. He knows what to do: Call out to the Lord! I share this morning’s meditation with you because these last several weeks I have been going through a few health-related storms of my own. Besides a bad bout of strep, I also have some long-term issues with my vocal cords that has me seeing a specialist. But this morning I remembered this verse and the song we used to sing with these words, when I was a twenty-something. In those days, nothing hurt for long, my energy seemed limitless, and I could blithely sing that verse, because I was not standing out in the storm. But I am glad that while things were easy-peasey in my life, I learned this promise, because today I was able to pull it out of my storm preparedness kit and use it to good advantage. God knows the forecast for each of our lives. He is not taken by surprise, nor swept off His feet by the branches blowing down the streets of Heaven. Whatever kind of storm you might be standing out in today, be sure to call with all your heart to the Lord. He is listening for our cry and is as ready to deliver us right now, no matter where the hurricane makes landfall!

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