Devotional on Isaiah

2003 – Colorado

Who it is that America should be worshiping
Isaiah 2: Quit scraping and fawning over mere humans…can’t you see there’s nothing to them?
“American Idol” is a TV show that gets a lot of attention. I havenā€™t been a fan of the show. In fact, I don’t think Iā€™ve ever seen an entire episode. Honestly, now that I know more what it is about my attitude toward it has softened a bit. It’s basically a modern version of Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour (you can look it up if itā€™s a strange name to you!). Do you want to know why I never started watching “American Idol”? Itā€™s the name of the show! As soon as I saw it the Commandment, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” sprang to mind. Really! As anyone would, I guessed the premise of the show, but the name left a sour taste in my mouth so I never bothered checking it out. Of course, Isaiah isn’t thinking about entertainers when he warns his fellow countrymen to stop “idolizing” people but if he had had access to 140 channels of TV I think he would have been pretty specific in warning us about our attitude concerning everyone from sports stars to singers to actors to politicians. I’m not against people being impressed by a golfer who can drop the ball within two feet of the hole from 150 yards out, but really, he or she is nothing to get excited about. The same people who will rise before daylight to get a prime spot for watching some golf star tee off don’t even bother to attend a worship service in hopes that the King of Kings will make an appearance. Now that’s having mixed up priorities.
Take Away: The warnings about idols should cause us to do a priority check.

Devotional on Proverbs

2004 – Big Island, Hawaii

Looking at life ā€œbackwardsā€
Proverbs 4: Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.
When the proverb writer advises us to ignore all the distractions of life heā€™s just stating common sense but, obviously, itā€™s something easier said than done. For instance, before I can focus on the goal I have to know what that goal is. Right off the voices of the snake oil huskers begin selling me their bill of goods. They tell me that whatever theyā€™re selling is just the thing I should give my life to. Some of the offers contain just enough truth to sound right. Iā€™m reminded of all the sports leagues that demand so much of a families’ time. Thereā€™s a great deal of good happening in such activities, but, honestly, they aren’t worth committing one’s life to and they sure don’t deserve the status theyā€™re given in many families. So what is it thatā€™s worthy of my focus? I think the answer can be found by looking at life “backwards.” When Iā€™m at the end of my life, when theyā€™re closing the lid on my coffin, what will matter? I say itā€™s my relationship with God. Of course, other things will matter: family, friends, and how Iā€™ve impacted the world in my brief life. However, eternity is, well, forever. The goal of life has to be to prepare for forever. With that in mind, I can read this proverb and better identify not only what truly matters, but what needs to be kept in its proper place as well.
Take Away: How are you doing in preparing for forever?

Devotional on Proverbs

2009 – Surfside Beach, TX

My most precious gift
Proverbs 8: Don’t squander your precious life.
Proverbs eight and nine contain an imaginary conversation with “Lady Wisdom.” She offers us all kinds of advice as well as shares her lofty credentials. My favorite statement from her is “don’t squander your precious life.” Some things I think are valuable are like counterfeit money; not worth the paper itā€™s printed on. The day will come when someone will sift through all of my “valuables” deciding what’s worth passing on and what needs to go out to the curb to await a trip to the land fill. I’m pretty sure most of it will come up short. Sadly, weā€™re all prone to spend our lives chasing after things that prove to be worthless when all is said and done. Today, as I read these words I remember that life is precious indeed; an amazing and undeserved gift from God. Every breath is to be prized and great care should be taken to not waste it. I don’t want to live my life in pursuit of worthless things, spending my most valuable resource foolishly. On the other hand, I can use up my life in a quest of excellence. The question I must ask myself is, “How can I best live my life and spend this, my most precious gift?”
Take Away: How can I best live my life?

Devotional on Ezekiel

2010 – Garden of the Gods – Colorado Springs. CO

No more business as usual
Ezekiel 7: They throw their money into the gutters.
The prophet tells us some of the things he does under God’s command to get the attention of people. Ezekiel isn’t an easy going guy; he’s a rugged, no-holds-barred kind of preacher who makes us think of Elijah or maybe John the Baptist. This prophet does weird stuff and then preaches hard, crushing sermons. In one sermon he describes the end of business as usual for those who’ve turned their backs on God. He says that the day’s coming when people will toss their money aside because it will be meaningless and useless. I’m reminded of the last power outage we had in our neighborhood. Somewhere a breaker had thrown and every household in our area was without electricity. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself when, for a fleeting moment, I thought, “Well, I can’t do my work; I guess I’ll watch some TV till the power comes back on!” It took me a nanosecond to realize how silly that thought was. Without electricity that nice TV was nothing but a big paperweight! Today, as I consider Ezekiel’s warning that the money they think is so important is going to be simply thrown away as so much rubbish I’m reminded that a day’s coming when all the “stuff” I tend to think matters will be just another piece of trash. I’ve got to keep that in mind and discipline myself to major on the majors while minoring on the minors of life!
Take Away: All the ā€œstuffā€ we have will, ultimately, be worthless ā€“ so, invest in that which matters in the long run.

Devotional on Nahum

2013 – Smoky Mountains and vicinity – Lake Toxaway area

Not thinking too highly of ourselves
Nahum 1: A report on the problem of Nineveh.
Nahum gets the job Jonah wanted. Around 100 years earlier God sent Jonah to preach condemnation to Nineveh, but in hopes that they would repent and be spared. Jonah would have been happy to preach the message of Godā€™s judgment if that was all there was to it. Now, two generations later Nahum is given that message. ā€œThe problem of Ninevehā€ is that the Assyrian empire is the superpower of the region. The tiny nation of Judah is in fearful awe of that empire and behind every move they make is the question, ā€œWill this be okay with the powers that be in the Assyrian capitol of Nineveh?ā€ Nahumā€™s call from God is to reorient the priorities of Judah. Heā€™s to tell his people that God is still God and that Nineveh will be held to the same standards as the other nations of the world. The prophet goes to work proclaiming his message. In the first part of his sermon he reminds them that, as mighty as Assyria might be, the Lord is the ā€œAll-mighty.ā€ Godā€™s a patient God, but, in the end, heā€™s also Judge of the world. To him, Assyria is just another nation and theyā€™re about to be called to account for their abuse of power. My nation is on the Assyrian side of things. Weā€™re the superpower and, to borrow an old saying, ā€œwhen America sneezes the whole world gets a bad cold.ā€ As I read from the little Book of Nahum Iā€™m reminded that in Godā€™s eyes weā€™re not as big a deal as we think we are.
Take Away: Itā€™s important for us as individuals and as a nation to remember that the Lord is the ā€œAll-Mighty.ā€

Devotional on Haggai

2013 – David Crockett State Park, Lawrenceburg, TN

Changing priorities
Haggai 1: The people procrastinate.
The land of Judah reels from a drought: no rain means no crops means no food. Itā€™s a serious situation. Governor Zerubbabel feels a shred of hope as he sees prophet Haggai coming to meet him. Maybe the prophet has prevailed upon the Lord to send some rain. However, Haggai disappoints the governor. He’s heard from the Lord God and what he’s heard isnā€™t about rain. Godā€™s man says that God’s displeased with them because theyā€™ve settled in to their homeland but havenā€™t yet rebuilt the Temple. The Lordā€™s complaint is that theyā€™ve found time to make their homes comfortable but they havenā€™t found time to repair the Temple which lies in ruins. Now, this charge of God doesnā€™t come the first day they arrive in Jerusalem. Itā€™s likely that Haggai arrived with that first group of 50,000 people who returned from exile around 16 years earlier. At that time there was considerable emphasis on rebuilding the Temple. However, other needs were pressing so the Temple project was suspended as the city of Jerusalem was secured, permanent homes were constructed, and agricultural concerns were addressed. Along the way people got used to seeing the Temple as it was. Now, a serious drought threatens their welfare. Haggai says the lack of rain is Godā€™s doing. The Lord’s getting their attention. There was a time for them to deal with the necessities of life but when the time came for them to take care of the Temple they put it off. This little book of our Old Testament is all about priorities. Apparently, the Lord didnā€™t mind their focusing on dealing with housing and food needed for survival. However, their place of worship was also a necessity and the Lord expected that matter to become a priority to them when the time was right. Today, Iā€™m reminded that the priorities of my life are in constant flux. What I need to do at 8:00 in the morning gives way to what needs to be done at 11:00. Like a river, life flows along. Because of that, I have to keep up with the current priorities of my life.
Take Away: We have to keep up with the current priorities of our lives.

Devotional on Haggai

2013 – Along Natchez Trace – David Crockett State Park

The secret to satisfaction
Haggai 1: Take a good, hard look at your life.
The work of the Temple was put on hold years earlier because people felt they needed to concentrate on the necessities of life. They built homes and cleared land for planting crops. They built walls to protect them in what had become a dangerous land. Meanwhile, the Temple was left in ruins. Now, as they face a devastating drought, Godā€™s man tells them itā€™s time to take a hard look at their lives. All their building and planting is meaningless without God. Even with plates full of food and warm clothing to wear theyā€™ve faced an inner dissatisfaction with life. Their neglect of the Temple is a symptom of something even more important. Beyond the building, theyā€™ve left the God of the building out on the periphery of their lives. Without him life is empty and meaningless. Their mistake is both colossal and common. The worship of God is not a luxury to be put on hold till ā€œimportantā€ things are cared for. In fact, worship is a core necessity and without God, nothing ever satisfies. We canā€™t be too hard on the people of Haggaiā€™s day because we too tend to view worship as something that can be pushed aside as we pursue things we deem to be more important. The issue isnā€™t that God’s unhappy with us and will find a way to get back at us for ignoring him. Instead, itā€™s that when we leave God out, weā€™re ignoring the central need of our lives. In the case before us, that’s evidenced by their failure to rebuild the Temple. In our case, it might be that we donā€™t show a proper interest in the worship of God. When we fail here, we find that all other successes in life taste like failures. When we succeed here, we find that everything else in life finds its proper place.
Take Away: Without the Lord life is empty and meaningless.

Devotional on Malachi

2014 – Along the road to Moab, UT

The challenge of living in the level ground days
Malachi 1: Worship of God is no longer a priority.
Anyone whoā€™s gone through significant weight loss will tell you that the hard part of a diet isn’t the ā€œcut-back-on-the-caloriesā€ weight loss phase. Instead, itā€™s the maintenance phase. At that time, the individual moves from trying to lose weight to living a healthy lifestyle that doesnā€™t result in regaining the weight that was lost. The problem is that there are constant temptations to give in a little here and a little there. Once one starts down that road the end result is a return to the former state of things. The people Malachi speaks to are at a cross roads. Theyā€™re secure and comfortable. The work of rebuilding the Temple was finished by their parents and grandparents. Now, it falls on them to live a spiritually healthy lifestyle as an every day people of God. Frankly, they arenā€™t doing a very good job of it. When they bring an animal to offer to the Lord, they’ve fallen into the habit of bringing one that they donā€™t want anyway. Worship, in general, is drifting to a lower and lower priority in their lives. They arenā€™t back at the stage of their idol-worshiping, baby-sacrificing ancestors, but, without even recognizing it, theyā€™re gradually drifting away from God. It doesnā€™t take a big effort to connect the dots from this to my own life. I donā€™t hope a crisis will come to my life to remind me of my priorities, but, here on the level ground of life, I want to live a healthy, day-to-day spiritual lifestyle.
Take Away: Living for the Lord on the common days of life has challenges of its own.

Devotional on Matthew

2014 – Arches National Park, Utah

Priorities

Matthew 15: I hurt for these people.

I donā€™t think the stories of the response of Jesus to the Pharisees and his response to the hungry people out in the wilderness are necessarily intentionally placed as they are, but they do provide an interesting study in contrasts. For three days Jesus has ministered to people in a ā€œdeserted place.ā€ Near the conclusion, the physical hunger of the people is obvious to Jesus, who has had his own intense hunger experience at the beginning of his ministry. Jesus remarks to the disciples that he hurts for them and then performs the miracle of the feeding of the four thousand. Earlier, though, Jesus has an encounter with the Pharisees and religion scholars who travel all the way from Jerusalem to check out his ministry. They immediately complain that the disciples donā€™t properly follow the rules concerning religious practice that theyā€™ve set up. Jesus, in just a few words, puts them in their place and the disciples are somewhat concerned that Jesus has upset these powerful people. In this case, Jesus just shrugs his shoulders and says in so many words that what these people say or think doesnā€™t matter. Hereā€™s our Lord dealing with different sets of people. Some, he says arenā€™t worth our time. Their words and opinions will be ā€œpulled up by their rootsā€ so we might as well just ā€œforget them.ā€ Others though are people who are hurting. They may not be important in the eyes of society, but they matter to God and should matter to us. In Jesusā€™ day, his priorities are upside down as far as the world is concerned. They still are. Iā€™m a follower of Jesus and I want my priorities to reflect that. God help me to brush off that which isnā€™t worth a hill of beans and to figure out what really matters.

Take Away: Some things that others worry about arenā€™t worth our time and effort. Some things no one else worries about are.

Devotional on Luke

2014 – Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve – near Birch Bay, WA

Gentle rebukes

Luke 10: Martha, dear Martha, youā€™re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.

When their friend Jesus arrives everyone at Marthaā€™s house is excited. They love Jesus and they canā€™t think of anything better than spending some quality time with him. Mary is quite literal about that. She stays in the room where Jesus is, hanging on his every word. Martha, though, feels a sense of responsibility to make her guest comfortable. In fact, sheā€™s frustrated with her sister for not pitching in and helping with the meal Marthaā€™s preparing in honor of Jesus and his disciples. Itā€™s as she busies herself with these practical matters that frustration grows to the point that having Jesus there becomes secondary to her feeling of aggravation. I can just imagine it: many people, including Mary, are in the living room listening to Jesus when the door bursts open and there stands Martha. Without meaning to, she interrupts Jesus, demanding that he order Mary to help her. Our Lord responds to her with an ever so gentle rebuke. Iā€™m so glad that his rebuke is a gentle one because I identify with Martha. Donā€™t get me wrong, Iā€™m no cook and Iā€™m certainly not known for having the gift of hospitality. However, I do sometimes get so focused on the nuts and bolts of things that I miss the big picture. Maybe youā€™re like that too. Maybe you canā€™t give yourself fully to the worship service because the guy running the video keeps getting the words out of sync. Maybe you spot cobwebs under a pew or notice that one light bulb in the chandler is still burned out. If you tend to focus on stuff like that you have to join me in appreciating the fact that the rebuke Jesus gives to Martha is, at least, a mild one.

Take Away: Sometimes it takes a bit of self-discipline to focus on Jesus rather than some of the minor distractions of life.

Devotional on 1 Corinthians

2014 – Cape Meares, OR – in the fog

The heart of the matter

1Corinthians 15: Itā€™s resurrection, resurrection, always resurrection.

Even a casual journey through this book of the Bible convinces us that the church at Corinth is a troubled church. Paul has received word of all thatā€™s happening there and in this letter he takes on the most outrageous problems and promises to deal with other issues in person. Apparently, heā€™s saved his biggest concern for last. Some in the church are beginning to doubt the Resurrection. He warns his readers stay away from such talk and launches into a reasoned defense of this core doctrine of Christianity. At the heart of it is simply this: if thereā€™s no resurrection, Jesus isnā€™t resurrected and if Jesus isnā€™t resurrected weā€™re still in our sins. Resurrection is, for believers, vitally important. Our hope of salvation is in it and our hope for eternity rests on it. All the other problems at Corinth are minor in comparison to their wavering on this key point of faith. The Apostle says he wouldnā€™t be out on the front lines taking the hits if he didnā€™t believe in the resurrection. The resurrection defeats sin in our lives today and, in the end, it defeats our final enemy, Death. Iā€™m thankful for this reminder today. Life tends to wrap us up in an ever tightening grip. Even ā€œbeing a Christianā€ gets loaded down with non-central stuff like committee meetings and various activities that are fine but not central. A reminder like this refocuses our priorities, taking us back to that which really matters.

Take Away: Christianity without the Resurrection is something other than Christianity.

Devotional on Colossians

2014 – Pacific City, OR Thousand Trails

The heart of it all

Colossians 1: We preach Christ.

The Apostle sits in a jail as he writes this letter to the Christians in the city of Colossi, located in what is now the nation of Turkey. He wants his readers to stand firm for Jesus over the long haul, not in some grim, miserable, ā€œunto deathā€ sort of a way, but with joy and confidence and strength. In fact, Paul wants them to be absolutely focused on Jesus and not allow themselves to journey down ā€œdead-end alleys.ā€ Theyā€™re to be so in love with Jesus, so impressed with him, that they canā€™t imagine anything but living in him and for him. Actually, all Paul wants for them is what he has for himself. Heā€™s bought into Jesus, ā€œhook, line, and sinker.ā€ In his mind Jesus towers above all else; always has ā€“ always will. He tells them, and us, that the world exists only by Jesus. Heā€™s ā€œsupreme,ā€ ā€œGodā€™s original purpose,ā€ and gives everything in creation ā€œits proper place.ā€ When Paul preaches, he has only one subject: Jesus. When his ministry is finished, the result, he hopes, will be many mature, settled followers of Jesus. How important this message is today. Weā€™re pulled this way and that. Decisions are demanded of us. The circumstances of life threaten to erode our souls. At the end of the day ā€“ at the end of life ā€“ whatā€™s going to matter? In Paulā€™s words I find the answer: ā€œChrist! No more, no less.ā€

Take Away: I want the compass of my life to always point to Jesus.

Devotional on 1 Timothy

2014 – Sweet Creek Hike – Mapleton, OR

Pastoral priority

1Timothy 2: The first thing I want you to do is pray.

So, Paul, that seasoned Apostle, missionary, and pastor has some advice for his young pastor friend Timothy. Everyone, pastor-types and regular church folks, leans forward to listen to what he has to say. What’s of first importance? What is Timothy to believe in first of all? Paul zeros in on prayer. For this young pastor the lynchpin of his ministry isnā€™t preaching well-constructed, well-delivered sermons. Itā€™s not church administration or solid doctrine or even visitation. Heā€™s to be a man of prayer — an expert at it. Paul wants him to pray for people he knows and for people he doesnā€™t know. Heā€™s to pray for their salvation and, if they have authority, to pray that theyā€™ll rule successfully, maintaining peace in the land. Paul sets for Timothy an example and now Timothy is to set an example for his congregation at Ephesus. As a result, the men and the women in his congregation will focus on prayer. Letā€™s take these instructions to heart. Letā€™s ā€œpray every way we know how.ā€ Letā€™s remember that prayer ā€œis at the bottomā€ of everything we do. Who knows what might happen as Godā€™s called ministers and their congregations give themselves to fervent, persistent, faith-filled prayer!

Take Away: Prayer is to be our number one agenda item.

Devotional on 2 Timothy

2014 – Redwoods National Park, CA

Ultimately only one thing matters

2Timothy 4: But you ā€“ keep your eye on what youā€™re doing.

The Apostle has been around and he knows the score. Heā€™s had people he counted on let him down. Some couldnā€™t help it. Sickness and other circumstances beyond their control have thrown a monkey wrench into their commitment to him. Others could help it but failed anyway, getting caught up in some religious fad or simply finding the going too hard. Timothy needs to be aware of all this. At times, people who should know better will want him to ease up on proclaiming the ā€œtake up your cross dailyā€ aspect of the gospel message. Something else will catch their eye and theyā€™ll want him to focus on that instead. Paul, who knows what heā€™s talking about urges this young pastor to ā€œkeep your eye on what youā€™re doing.ā€ More than being a pastor who wants to get along with people, heā€™s ā€œGodā€™s servant.ā€ Ultimately, what the congregation thinks is secondary to what God thinks. Even as Paul looks forward to receiving the Lordā€™s approval he wants Timothy, and all of us, to keep this ultimate truth in mind. From my point of view, I want to please those who call me ā€œpastor.ā€ I donā€™t want to disappoint them or to bore them with sermons that are somewhat less than timely. However, in the end, thereā€™s only one word of approval that matters. I know you know that this is true for pastors and for everyone else too.

Take Away: We have only one Master and pleasing him is, ultimately, the only thing that really matters.

Devotional on Genesis

2013 – Smoky Mountains and vicinity – Blue Ridge Parkway

The high price of stew these days
Genesis 25: My stew for your rights as the firstborn.
The unalike twins, Jacob and Esau, have never gotten along, sharing no common interests aside from their both being keenly interested in their own interests! Jacob hangs around the house, preferring the comforts of home to the adventures of the outdoors. Esau lives for the hunt and might be called a ā€œmanā€™s man.ā€ On this occasion Esauā€™s hunting expedition has been unfruitful and he returns home empty handed and with an empty stomach. Meanwhile, Jacob has cooked some red stew which happens to be Esauā€™s favorite. When his brother demands a meal, Jacob plays ā€œletā€™s make a dealā€ with him. Esau can have his stew if heā€™ll give his birthright to him. This is a big deal. Their father is wealthy and being the first born gives Esau the rights to the vast majority of that wealth. Esau, though, is interested in one thing: his empty stomach. Without hesitation he makes what is a very good deal for Jacob and a very bad deal for himself. I think weā€™re living in the age of Esau. Our entire society is focused on living for today. People trade away their sexual purity for a passing feel-good fling. Government spends money it doesnā€™t have, strapping our descendants with huge debt, to avoid a downturn in the economy and some disgruntled voters. Comfort and pleasure rule the day and like Esau we trade our birthright for a bowl of soup. Anytime I fail to recognize the larger values of life and focus on my current wants Iā€™m in danger of joining Esau in his folly.
Take away: A life without proper priorities is bound to be a wasted life.

Devotional on Deuteronomy

2014 – Sweet Creek Hike – Mapleton, OR

Itā€™s a big deal
Deuteronomy 32: This is no small matter; it’s your life.
After the sermon comes a special in song. No, really. Moses finishes preaching and then teaches them a song that sums up all he’s said. Itā€™s a song of God’s grace and faithfulness to them even in the face of disastrous failure on their part. After the song Moses tells them to take the words of both his preaching and the song he has taught them to heart. These arenā€™t the ramblings of a very old man. Rather, these concepts are life and death for them. Iā€™m reminded today that most things in life are just “small matters.” In spite of the fact that I try to make them into big deals the fact is that they don’t amount to a hill of beans in the long run. However, there are big deals in life; things that last forever. Such things matter even across the scope of history. I must identify both the small and the big matters and deal with them accordingly.
Take Away: Treat big deals as big deals and little deals as little deals and donā€™t mix up the two.

Devotional on Judges

2014 – Grand Canyon, AZ

The Golden Ephod
Judges 8: Gideon made the gold into a sacred ephod and put it on display in his hometown.
Gideon and his army have won a great series of victories and now he returns home to a heroā€™s welcome. When the people want to honor him he asks for some of the gold earrings that were taken from the slain enemy. One has to read between the lines a bit but it seems Gideonā€™s intentions are good. He takes that gold and uses it in making a priestly garment called an ā€œephod.ā€ In the history of the Israelites the ephod was worn by the high priest. It appears that this ephod isnā€™t intended to be worn; after all, it weighs around 100 pounds. Instead, itā€™s put on display as a reminder of all the Lord has done for them through Gideon. If this understanding is accurate this fancy ā€œreminderā€ isnā€™t all that bad. However, it isnā€™t long before this object of remembrance becomes an object of worship. In fact, Gideon, himself, leads the way in bowing down before the Golden Ephod. How easy it is for us to elevate things to supreme importance while overlooking that which really matters. We church people debate music styles or building plans and worry about who will clean up after the potluck dinner (none of which are bad in themselves) while forgetting why we came to church in the first place. All the while, God is calling out to us, ā€œHere I am, over here.ā€ We miss his call for attention because weā€™re busy buffing our Golden Ephod.
Take Away: Ultimately, itā€™s all about the Lord and our relationship with him.

Devotional on 1 Kings

2015 – Along Lake Michigan at Manistique, MI

Keeping first things first
1Kings 5: What’s important is that you live the way I’ve set out for you and do what I tell you.
Solomon has an aggressive agenda. Heā€™s already built palaces, cataloged information about plants and animals, and amassed an impressive and well-equipped army. His reputation has spread across the face of the earth and heā€™s forged alliances with other nations. Now, he turns his attention to the building of the Temple. You might say that everything else heā€™s done has been practice for this, his most memorable accomplishment. As construction gets underway Solomon hears a word from the Lord. Heā€™s reminded that living in daily obedience to God is even more important than constructing buildings to the glory of God. For Solomon, and for all those who call on the Name of the Lord, this is a vital concept. Itā€™s so easy to confuse the things we do for the Lord with being in a right relationship with the Lord. More than sacrifices, more than building projects, more than well-organized church programs God desires that I concentrate on having a genuine connection to himself. All the rest is to flow out of that relationship. Itā€™s a vital matter of priorities and, as itā€™s important in this passage for Solomon itā€™s important for me.
Take Away: We must be careful we donā€™t confuse the things we do in the Name of the Lord with our living in a genuine relationship with the Lord.

Devotional on 1 Kings

2015 – Mackinaw Bridge, MI

Centered on God
1Kings 8: May he keep us centered and devoted to him.
Solomon concludes his beautiful prayer of dedication of the new Temple. He then stands to bless the great congregation that has gathered. His words, “may he keep us centered and devoted to him” are important and powerful words in any setting. How we need God’s help in this! There are so many voices calling to us, so many distractions, so many opportunities to turn our hearts from God. If Iā€™m not careful the Lord is pushed from the center of my life to some secondary role. Many things lay claim to “first” in my life. Some of those things are worthy in and of themselves: family, health, relationships. Others are merely pretenders: comfort, entertainment, security. The thing is that when my life is centered on God everything else tends to land in its proper place. That includes both those things that are pretty important and those that only seem to be important. My prayer for myself today is Solomon’s prayer for his people, “May he keep me centered and devoted to him.”
Take Away: When the Lord is at the center of our lives, the throne of our hearts, everything else tends to fall into their proper places.