The Burning Question:
What would your pet name you?
Morning Devotional:
A woman hired as a church secretary was working her first day on the job, receiving her orientation from the church president. He explained her daily and weekly duties, reviewing all of the necessary business of how to run the small office of the church. The pastor happened to be out at the time and as the two talked, the new secretary asked the church president how the pastor preferred to handle any messages for him that may come her way.
The church president answered by saying, “Oh, our pastor doesn’t take messages. We don’t have an answering machine and he doesn’t use voicemail. He sees every phone call as someone looking for God in some way, and he always takes the call. He does not want a single phone call to go unanswered.”
That’s quite a statement, and for a person who appreciates schedules and structure, that would be a hard commitment to make.
How do you handle interruptions? When something happens in your day that you weren’t expecting, do you freak out? Does the surprise houseguest, the rush work job or the unexpected detour send you into a tailspin? Or do you stop and take a moment to consider that your unwanted interruption just might be an opportunity for someone else to have an encounter with the Most High God?
Nobody wanted to bother with a sick woman in Luke chapter eight. She wasn’t worth their time, and because of the nature of her illness – a blood issue – anyone who touched her would be considered unclean for seven days. That’s a long time! No wonder people steered clear of her. But she heard Jesus was in her town and she believed He could heal her. She didn’t want to interrupt His plans, but she believed if she could just touch His garment, it would be enough to do the trick.
We know what happened next. Jesus not only caught on to her plan, but He welcomed her interruption, praised her for her faith and healed her.
That phone call you’re reluctant to take at the end of your day today may be a phone call from someone who needs a word of encouragement and hope. The unexpected detour may just put you in the right place at the right time to be the person God uses in a crisis situation. You never know how God will use you when you’re willing to be interrupted.
– Beth
Bible Quiz:
Question: What prophetess, active during the reign of Josiah, consoled the king while chastising the people of Judah?
Answer: Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20)
Storytime: Don’t Punch the Ice!