Life Goes On

I'm writing this morning from my daughter and son in law's house in Richmond, VA.  They will be moving this week to Charleston, S.C.  Yesterday was a long day.  I preached in the morning, and then Rae and I took off for the Orlando airport.  We had to drop the car off at a parking garage and take a shuttle to the airport.  Even with all the covid19 considerations we got through security and to our gate with plenty of time to spare.  The flight was on time and we then had a brief layover in Atlanta before the final leg of the trip to Richmond.  We arrived at Richmond on time at 9:50 p.m.  By the time we got to our daughter's house and visited awhile before bed, it was almost midnight. I'm usually up and having my devotions no later than 6:30a.m.  I awoke at 4:30 and decided that was too early.  I awoke again at 6 a.m., but was still very groggy.  As I prepared to get up I sensed God saying to me, "I'll see you at 8:30."  I gratefully went back to sleep and

As we continue to live  with the pandemic hanging over our heads it becomes more and more difficult to live in the NOW.  We find ourselves thinking of how things were yesterday or last month or imagining how things might be tomorrow.  As we do that we forget to live in the NOW.  This morning as I had my devotional time with God, I made a conscious effort to stay in the NOW.  I focused on every word of scripture.  I listened to every word a speaker spoke or a singer sang.  As I did so, I was able to shut out yesterday and tomorrow and focus on right NOW.  I must say, it was not easy.  We are so programmed to multi-tasking and to allowing circumstances to determine what we do that we've forgotten how to be in the NOW. As a college student, I began in a co-op program.  I would go to school for a quarter and then work for a quarter.  I worked for a chemical company.  We had one man in our section who would be so focused on what he was doing that if you came into his lab, he would not e

To say that the election this coming November is critical to the direction of our country is an understatement.  For those who are Christ followers it is crucial that we pray for God's guidance and we cast our votes.  With this in mind, we should learn from the Israelites, God's Chosen People.  In 1 Samuel 8, as the old prophet neared the end of his earthly life, it became apparent that his sons would not be good leaders for the country.  In v 6, "So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.  They said to him, 'Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways.  Therefore appoint a king to judge us the same as all they other nations have.'"  Samuel was a bit offended by their request and he told God so.  The Lord replied to him in v 7 "But the LORD told him, 'Listen to the people and everything they say to you.  They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.'" As we pray to God for guida