A. Little Devotional

“Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.”  Isaiah 26:20

We are living in such a different time right now. Never in my life have I seen a pandemic that’s so great that our normal flow of life has been completely interrupted. With the passing of each day, we spend more time sheltered in place, more time away from work, restaurants, movie theaters, sports and concert venues, shopping malls, schools and anywhere else we would normally congregate publicly. It is a very unusual time, and quite frankly, a scary time. I’ve had numerous conversations recently with others like me who have experienced periods of fear and trepidation. And we all have concluded the same thing: there’s hope in God.

I love the verse above. It seems to describe our current situation so perfectly. However, in this passage Isaiah is referring to the shelter that God will provide to believers during the coming time of tribulation, as he pours his wrath onto the earth. It’s a beautiful picture of the love the Father has for His children and how He is always thinking of us. Even when it seems like the world is falling apart, God will ALWAYS have our back. So I know you’re tired of being at home and you’re ready for things to return to normal. But continue to hide yourself. Spend time with God and your family. Enjoy the protection God is giving you right now. I don’t know when it’ll end, but I do know that God was there, is there and will be there for you.

“One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?'” John 6:8-9

When I first became an instructional leader, I received a lot of advice about how to run a school successfully. The  most valuable piece was to get to know the main office secretary, the lunchroom manager and the head custodian. These people are generally the unsung heroes of the school. They keep the most important processes moving in the right direction. They rarely receive the credit they deserve for the hard work that they do. Nevertheless, they work tirelessly behind the scenes, giving their best to the students and faculty every single day, without seeking out any accolades or praise.

Similarly, when we discuss the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, we often focus on the main points of the story (e.g. five loaves and two fish being multiplied to feed thousands with baskets of leftovers remaining). But the unsung hero of the story is the little boy who gave his lunch to the disciples so that it could be used for the miracle. He gave up his food willingly, not for fame or praise, but simply because the disciples asked him for it. We never even learn his name. This is a beautiful example of how we all should be. God gifted us each with “fish and bread,” talents and gifts that He wants us to use for His purposes. And He desires that we willingly give them back to Him through serving one another. No matter how small or insignificant you think your contribution is, God can use it to make a difference in the lives of those around you. So take time to assess what’s in your lunch pail and how you can use it for the kingdom. Then act on it. And don’t do it for commendations or recognition. Do it for God.

“‘But now bring me a musician.’ Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.”  II Kings 3:15 NKJV

As I continue to mature, I become more aware of what I can do, and what I can’t do. For instance, I’ve always had a love for music and worked in that area in the church. But I have never been the most handy person in the world. That was evident this past weekend when my family and I served with our church’s construction team. Together we helped build a wheelchair ramp for a local family. I didn’t contribute much, but the project was a really fun, fulfilling experience. The family we were serving was very excited, as someone in the home had just been required to use a wheelchair and they had no way to get into the house. This was my first time working with this team, and I didn’t realize we had such talented carpenters in our church family.  I love how the team is using their God-given talents to minister to others, including me. Not only did they show me how to construct a sturdy ramp, but they always showed me how to use my talents as God designed it.

In this passage in II Kings, Elisha has been asked by the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom to help them defeat the Moabites. Initially, Elisha was not willing to help the kings because of his dislike for Jehoram (king of Israel). However he agreed to help because of his regard for Jehoshaphat (king of Judah). Elisha calls his musician to play for him so that he can refocus and hear from the Lord. Note that the name of the musician is never given. I believe that’s purposeful, as God wants us to focus on the fact that this musician was using his talents to serve the Lord. And when he played, the Lord spoke to Elisha. Such powerful outcomes can happen when we tap into our talents and dedicate them in service to the Lord. Remember, you got gifts (I Corinthians 12). Use them for God, and watch Him move.

“Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.” Psalms 28:2 NKJV

In one of the most powerful scenes in the movie “Lean on Me,” Joe Clark has all of his teachers lined up in the gym. He asks them to lift their hands as high as they can. He then proceeds to berate them about not adequately preparing the students they teach for success on the state tests and for success in life. He tells them that the posture they’re currently holding represents the students’ throwing their hands up in exasperation and defeat. He also tells them that this is the position in which most of the students will find themselves, except the students will be staring at the barrel of gun. It was a very moving illustration.

Often times in life, we find ourselves with our hands thrown up in exasperation and defeat. Life can bring so much pain, confusion and turmoil. Our problems can seem insurmountable, especially when we try to solve them on our own. As the situations get worse and worse, as our world crumbles around us, we eventually cry out to God in desperation and hopelessness. But just as Joe Clark had two different perspectives for raised hands, we do too. For when we throw our hands up in defeat, this places us in the perfect position for worship. It’s no wonder that the Bible tells us in several places to continually praise and worship, no matter the circumstances and at all times. So don’t be discouraged when hard times cause you to lift those hands. Just cry out to God, and worship Him. He hears you. He sees you. He knows. And He’s there.

“After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.” Luke 2:17 NLT

One of my favorite sketch comedy shows of all time is “In Living Color.” Created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, this show ran in the early 1990s and featured some of the most hilarious and memorable characters on television. Favorites include Fire Marshall Bill, Vera de Milo, the hosts of the Homeboy Shopping Network, Homey D. Clown and Wanda. But one of my personal favorites was Ms. Benita. Kim Wayans played this character who was a neighborhood gossip. She would greet her neighbors in a friendly tone, then lower her voice and tell viewers the latest gossip about them. Her catchphrase was, “I ain’t one to gossip, so you didn’t hear that from me.” It was funny, and somewhat inspirational.

Now, I’m not encouraging you to spread gossip or talk about people behind their backs. But there’s some news that’s worth sharing and worth spreading. The book of Luke gives the most lengthy account of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. In chapter 2, Jesus is born in a manger in Bethlehem. Shepherds nearby were tending their flocks when an angel of the Lord appeared and told them news of the birth of the Savior. The shepherds hurried to see the child, and they were so amazed at Him that they couldn’t wait to tell everybody what had happened. And still today, once we have received Christ in our lives and accepted His amazing gift of salvation, we must go out and tell everyone we can about our Savior. So, this holiday season, let us all be like the shepherds. Go and tell people about Jesus and how he came to save us from our sins. You may even wanna start with “I ain’t one to gossip, but you did hear this from me!”

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…” Philippians 3:20 NKJV

I am grateful to have a job that affords me the opportunity to travel to many different places. I have been able to spend time in cities and states that I have never visited, and may never have visited. This summer, I was able to travel abroad for the first time to train science teachers on American military bases in Germany. This was a wonderful experience, as I had never been on a base. It was fascinating to see how closely the base living resembles American living. I was told that the military tries to make the soldiers and their families feel as connected to America as possible, even in a foreign country. On the base they have shopping centers, movie theaters, American schools, car dealerships, cable tv, etc. As I spoke to the teachers, they all had a sense of appreciation for these efforts; nevertheless, they all still missed being home.

In Philippians, Paul is reminding the church that earth isn’t our home. I think we all need reminding of this from time to time. The comforts of our earthly experience can make us feel like this is where we belong and may cause us to get complacent. We falter in our assignments from the Father as we begin focusing on earthly pursuits. Or we get discouraged because the trials of this life weigh us down and that takes our eyes off the promise. But thank God for His word, that admonishes and encourages us, by letting us know that life is “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Much like the soldiers in Germany, who know their citizenship is in America, we should know that our citizenship is in Heaven. That should bring us both motivation to work for the Lord while there’s still time, and consolation because the trials of this life will soon be over. Don’t get comfortable; for one day, we’re headed home.

“Delight yourself also in the Lord , And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4 NKJV

I reflect fondly on the day I finally got my contact lenses. I had noticed that my sight was getting worse, but I was being very stubborn about going to the eye doctor. I felt like I was admitting that my young eyes were getting old. Nonetheless, I made the mature decision to go in and get my new contacts. Putting them on for the first time was an incredible experience. I realized that I had missed so much because my immaturity had prevented me from taking this necessary step. I could truly see more clearly than I had ever seen.

As I grow spiritually, I thank God that He opens my eyes to things that I may have missed in my younger spiritual days. For instance, the verse above is a well-quoted verse. It’s always been one of my favorites. Initially I took to this verse because it “clearly” told me that God would give me whatever I asked for, whatever I wanted, as long as I delighted in Him. But as I look with renewed eyes I realize it doesn’t really say that. It tells me that God will give me my heart’s desires. This means He will place in my heart the things that I should desire. For God knows that left to my own devices, my flesh will crave the things of this world, because those things make my flesh happy. But if I delight in Him, then He will make me yearn for the things not of this world. I will yearn for Him and what He has for me. And as the rest of this passage in Psalms tells us, He promises to bring these things to pass. I’m so grateful that I now see that ever so clearly.

“And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.”

‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭16:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

There are a few ways to know that you’re getting older. The easiest is by your birthdate. As the years pass and you move farther away from the day of your birth, your body naturally ages. Another way to know is by how you understand things. You gain a more mature perspective in many areas of your life. For example, I’ve noticed that I have a greater appreciation for old hymns now compared to when I was a child. And this verse reminds me of that.

Asa was a great king of Judah. He succeeded other men, including his father Abijam, who did much evil in the sight of God. Asa was faithful and God allowed him to serve as king for 41 years. It’s interesting that this same faithful man who removed idols and other pagan paraphernalia from the kingdom lacked faith near the end. He leaned on men instead of going to God. While God indeed blesses physicians with the knowledge of medicine, He more importantly blesses us with full access to Him. He is our complete source, and should always be our first choice. If we treat Him as such we can then experience fullness of joy and the peace that surpasses all our understanding.

Or, as one of my favorite hymns, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” perfectly states:

“Oh, what peace we often forfeit.

Oh, what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry

EVERYTHING to God in prayer.”

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”  Romans 8:16-17 NKJV

There are two kinds of people in this world – those who believe that Michael Jordan is the basketball G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time),  and those who believe LeBron James is. I am in the former camp. I admit that LeBron is a once-in-a-generation talent, and I enjoy watching him play. And honestly a big part of the reason I am not a fan is not even because of him, but it’s because of his fans and supporters. It’s long been known that when LeBron’s team wins, it’s because he’s the “greatest player on the planet.” But when his team loses, then he’s surrounded by scrubs and needs help. I never understand why he’s treated this way, when in actuality basketball is a team sport. So the team both wins and loses together.

This passage reminds us that we’re all a “team” of sorts. We’re all children of God, and we’re all heirs of God. And our teammates aren’t scrubs. In fact, we’re teammates, or joint heirs, with the Son of God Himself. Because we have this relationship, that means that we will be glorified together for eternity. That’s something to rejoice and be glad about indeed. However, many of us either fail to read the passage in its entirety or choose not to see everything it says. For, as we will share in Christ’s glory, we also share in His suffering. God never promised us a perfect life here on earth. In fact Jesus confirms that we WILL have troubles (John 16:33). But we can rest assured that we’re not playing golf out here. We’re never alone. And just as God is with us when we’re #winning, He’s also there when we feel like we’re losing. So where you stand on the MJ/LBJ debate is moot. It’s God who’s the true G.O.A.T. And He promised us the ultimate win – eternal life – if we keep pressing our way through it all.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.”  Proverbs 13:20 NKJV

One of my favorite guilty pleasure movies to watch is Mean Girls. It’s a silly movie, but if you remember anything from high school, you know this movie holds much truth in it. The main group of girls is referred to as “The Plastics” by their classmates. They consider themselves the upper crust of the school and basically look down on everyone else. Cady, who’s new to the school, befriends a couple of unfortunate targets of The Plastics and works with them to infiltrate the mean group and destroy the group from within. The problem comes when Cady overthrows the leader and then assumes her role in the group, becoming very mean herself. Cady didn’t realize how her own character had been eroded over time due to her hanging out with the wrong crowd.

The Bible offers much wisdom on choosing our friends wisely. As the scripture above illustrates, we are very much shaped by the company we keep. If we surround ourselves with God-fearing, loving people, then we ourselves will exhibit those same characteristics. If we surround ourselves with “mean” people, then over time we will eventually become more and more like them. As the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together.” We should always be mindful of who we hang around, and we should also be mindful of our own character as others hang around us. And just in case we’re unsure about what type of friend we should have or be, the Bible also tells us that “there’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Hang around Him for awhile, and avoid being “plastic.”