This is an amplified version of a devotional thought I wrote for yesterday’s church bulletin: My wife and I just spent an enjoyable overnight vacation with a few members of our family. For many years, and even now, we have had many family vacations, sometimes with more than twenty of us in the group. I suppose it is the same with all who take group vacations, but it seems that there is always something unusual or noteworthy happening in these vacations which makes for good conversation many years later. You know the bit. It goes something like “Do you remember this and that when we went to…..?"
Well, despite being a one-day vacation, this most recent one also featured a couple of memory making events. First, I left one of my shoes on the beach and did not notice it until we were well on our way back home. Maybe I’ll write a song and title it “I left my shoe in Corpus Christi.” I bet, some of you are thinking “How in the world does someone lose a shoe on vacation?” All I know is that, for me, it wasn’t all that hard. What did prove to be impossible, however, was to convince Sears to sell me only one shoe the following day.
On a more serious matter, we almost got hit by a wrong way driver on Interstate 37 as we were coming home Friday night. Since, like many of you, I don’t believe in coincidences, I’m convinced these things happened for a reason. To me, it was a reminder and a picture of our lives here on earth, where just about anything can happen at any time. In fact some of you may be going through an experience today that seems to have just popped out of nowhere which is highly unusual and difficult to understand. These things will happen in everyone’s life sooner or later, but for God’s children there is always hope and always an answer. For these unexpected events, the Bible says: "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13) Keep this reminder in mind: There is a purpose and a reason you are in the situation you’re in. Because you are human, you may not understand it now, but one thing is for sure: God is in it, and everything will turn out well.
God’s promise for today: (1 Corinthians 10 13, MSG Version) “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He will never let you be pushed past your limit; He will always be there to help you come through it.”
