God’s Faithfulness

Seeing Over the Crowd

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

When in 2023 I submitted an article to The Upper Room titled “This I Call to Mind”, I had no idea of what lay in store for our family in the following year. At the time our daughter-in-law, Melinda had just finished seven rounds of chemotherapy. After regaining enough strength to travel, she and our son came for their vacation to visit us. We joked with each other that week, because here in supposedly sunny Florida, it rained the whole time they were here. Though the weather put Melinda’s longing to spend time at the beach on hold, it gave us all the opportunity to spend more time together. Sitting inside while afternoon thunderstorms and morning showers dampened our enthusiasm, we did not realize how precious those few days were, until the following summer, when the disease which Melinda had battled so bravely took her earthly life.

And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. Luke 19:3 ESV

In my seventy-three years here on earth I have discovered that it is far too easy to take days, weeks, months and even years for granted. In the words of one old song, “We thought they’d never end,” and yet no matter how much we wish that they wouldn’t, they always do. Sometimes I have wondered how a loving God, who sees the beginning from the end, allows suffering like Melinda and so many others have experienced. If you are asking that this morning, you are not alone. We like Zaccheus, are so short that even when we stand on tiptoe, all we can see is the back of other people’s shoulders. We need to climb up on something higher, to see over the crowd and into the eyes of Jesus. It is only when we come face to face with Him, that He shows us that every heartbeat, each breath, and even every cup of coffee we share together is priceless. For us as a family, we are learning to climb up a little higher and put our hope in Him. In different ways and at different times every one of us passes through sorrow. Though we wish there were some easier way, it is always in our weakness that God gives His strength and in our darkness that we cling to the light of His mercy and know more than ever how steadfast and faithful is His love!


But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentation 3:21-23 ESV
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Daniel Still Prayed

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Daniel 6:10 ESV

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last two years, you know that there is an important election tomorrow. Whatever the outcome, there will be a lot of unhappy people on Wednesday morning. As I thought over the various outcomes for both the presidency as well as both houses of Congress I was drawn to this verse from Daniel and have been encouraged by his example. When Daniel woke up the morning after the election, he found out that his party was the loser. His prayer life had been declared illegal, and there were deadly consequences for him if he continued to pray. But none of these facts seemed to bother Daniel. When he learned the news, he didn’t kick the cat, throw the coffee pot or run over to his neighbors to complain. Instead, the Bible tells us that Daniel woke up, had his morning coffee, opened his window, just as he always did and got down on his knees to pray! No that’s an example worth following!

When I get so drawn into the political and social storms that are raging all around, I need to remind myself that not every day will be sunny, and the roses cannot always be in bloom. Being faithful to Christ will rarely be applauded by the world we live in, and that only when we follow Jesus, can we discover that his grace and strength can carry us through whatever lies ahead. So, this morning I pray that each one of us can keep Daniel’s perspective. Pray for our nation, we certainly need it! Trust that whatever the outcome, God remains the ruler of the universe: His term will never expire, and He loved us enough to send His one and only Son, to suffer and die for our sins. Now that is good news worth living for, and it is also good news worth dying for!

God’s Home

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” 
Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV

When my father passed away, and I sadly began putting his financial affairs in order, I was surprised to discover that he had already put my name on the title to his home. Without my ever knowing it, dad left to me the most valuable thing that he owned. Now my ad was an amazing man, but what he did gives us just a little glimpse of what today’s verse means when it says, “The Lord is my portion.” Because when Jesus gave His life on the cross, God put our name on the title to His home.

When the prophet Jeremiah wrote today’s passage, many of God’s people had rejected Him and as a result were being led into exile as captives. But even at their lowest point, God was already planning for blessings and the return of their grandchildren. In the same way, when we have failed God, we can know that in spite of our sins, Jesus has a plan to lead us back to Him. When we repent and ask His forgiveness, God is faithful to forgive us and to restore to us a priceless inheritance beyond anything we could ever imagine. Then one day we will discover that because of His great and amazing faithfulness, God has become our eternal inheritance and our portion forever!