Recently, I was mentally walking down memory lane and was thinking about some of the cars I had when I was younger. My dad had this 1955 Chevy but it was a two door hard top. When I was old enough to drive, we saw it on the lot and wanted to buy it back. As we took a closer look, we saw it had been wreaked, repaired, but the red paint did not matching. So we gave it up. When I was younger, I was very fussy about my cars and cleaned and polished them quite often. One other thing I did was read the car manual cover to cover. I wanted to know how everything worked, what options I had and what I could expect from the car. But when I got older sometimes I would browse thru the manual (a quick look). Then it got to the point that I would only look at it when I was in trouble and needed some answers. It has lost its excitement.
A Thought From Your Pastor!
As I was traveling down that old memory lane about these things, it made me stop and think. Many times when people become a Christian, they can’t get enough of learning and studying about Jesus. The Bible is like a book you can’t put down. When you read the Word, you get excited about the new things you learn. Just like those car manuals, there are times you find better things to do than read the Bible and it gets left on the shelf (lack of prayer goes hand in hand with that). The only time you seem to have time for it is when you’re in trouble. So, you try to find a scripture that will help you (if it doesn’t take too long). We have a 2014 Chevy and we got the book out the other day and found out we have an option we didn’t know about.
This brings a question to my mind: How much are we missing out in our Christian walk by not taking the time to know our Bibles, cover to cover? Do we really know our Jesus, our Lord and Savior, our friend that sticks closer than a brother? Is there excitement about our life in Christ?
I have come to the conclusion this is what I want:
If we know and trust Jesus and what the Bible tells us, we are not defeated! We are not worriers; we are rejoicing in our day to day lives.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
When those concerns and worries come, remember what the Word says:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
An old Sunday school song says: “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
Remember we are going to go through problems and uncomfortable times but Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us—trust Him and His Word and get to know Him better and better.
This will be my last devotional for awhile since we are back worshiping together. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have had preparing them. If they have encouraged you and hopefully made you laugh a little, To God be the glory for the great things He has done and I truly mean that.
Of course as always: Keep praying but also keep rejoicing in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. See you at church.
God’s Blessing, Pastor Gerry and Carolyn
St. Petrie Lutheran Church AFLC 