TUESDAY August 27th
Well, I am back with the devotions, after our two-week break.
Today is Elaine and my 41st wedding anniversary, and it only seems like yesterday when we were celebrating our 40th anniversary at the Church, and afterwards getting stuck at Newcastle Airport from 2pm on the Sunday as firstly a hurricane in Majorca postponed our flight, and then a computer glitch shut down all flights causing havoc till, we eventually departed on the Monday evening at 6:30pm! Our four-day break becoming a less than three-day break.
What on earth has that got to do with a devotion? Well, we will remember that even more recently a computer glitch caused havoc to the worlds trading, and again brought travel disruption all around the globe. Have you noticed that even though we may not (or some may not) use technology on a large scale, how dependent we have become upon it. The sad thing is that major stores and banking institutions are using it to their advantage to close banks and expect us instead to use apps on our phones, or in the case of supermarkets, to close tills where you have a till assistant to do all the totting up and force you to go self-service. (Although I have read recently, that some supermarkets are making the choice to revert) But what if the computers go down, what if the app crashes, we are stuck! Now of course this is all a part of the push to globalism, where eventually we will all be controlled, and eventually after the Church has been taken up will lead to the introduction of the mark of the beast, which we read of in the book of Revelation, whereby without the mark whatever form it may take, men and women will not be able to buy and sell. So, let’s make sure we are ready for when the call comes to take us up into his eternal presence.
But I want this to lead us to remember that a computer glitch, although it may cause disruption in our everyday lives, cannot cause disruption with our relationship with God, our spiritual lives. We don’t need our computers, mobile phones, landlines or broadband to get in touch with God, we just need to call out to him! So, a couple of verses to encourage us towards our daily contact and fellowship with our heavenly Father.
Jeremiah 33:3
‘Call to me and I will answer you.’
Psalm 91:15
‘When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honour him.’
Luke 11:9–10
‘And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.’
Hebrews 4:14–16
‘Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’