Daily Devotional for August 17, 2022

I am pumped because our Wednesday evening programs start on August 31.  This year, in addition to all the other programs happening on Wednesday nights, I decided to teach a Bible study on the gospel of Matthew.
 
Right after I made the decision, Bill walked into my office.  I said, “Bill, on Wednesday nights I am teaching on the gospel of Matthew.  You need to come because I know that class will finally make you a Christian.”  
 
Bill said, “You want to put some money on that?”
 
Yep, that’s the kind of church I serve, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
 
Here’s another example.
 
Yesterday I was trying to call John to ask if he would serve as one of our trustees.  The phone number I had didn’t work so I called Jeanne to have her give me her husband’s number.
 
Jeanne answered the phone.  I could tell there was a lot of noise in the background, but she never said, “Hello.”  Finally, I said, “Hi Jeanne, this is Tom Robbins.”  She hung up.
 
Realizing I wasn’t getting John’s number that way, Melissa called Alec.  He and John had worked in the same law office for years.  When Melissa told Alec I wanted John’s number, Alec said, “Depends, is John in trouble?”  Melissa said, “You could say that.”
 
In the meantime, I had gone to the church parlor where the Tuesday Women’s Bible Study was meeting.  I usually stay away from that group because they are pretty rough, but they had asked me to come to the parlor to bless the quilts they had made for the Stiches of Love ministry.
 
When I walked into the parlor, the first person I saw was Jeanne.  I said, “Jeanne, you just hung up on your pastor.”  She said, “That was you?”  I said, “That’s right.  You are now tomorrow’s devotional.
 
Knowing I was walking on thin ice with that huge room filled with women, I asked for John’s number.  Jeanne gave it to me and then it was time to bless the quilts that would be taken to those who were hurting and needed some extra support.  It was the highlight of my day.
 
Once I got back to the office, I called John, and he accepted the position as one of our trustees.  He is a true blessing to our church.
 
Then, walking down the hall, Kay asked if I would step into her office because she and Nicole were trying to come up with a new name for the Women at the Well Ministry.  
 
Kay said, “I think all the women in our church can relate to the woman at the well.”  I said, “You mean the woman that had been married five times?”  Nicole said, “Once is enough for me.”  Kay agreed.
 
So, after encountering Bill, who I intend to make a Christian, Jeanne, who callously hung up on me because she was in a Bible study, Alec, a member of our church who wanted to protect John from his pastor, and Kay and Nicole thinking that all the women in our church could relate to someone who had been around the block more than once, I had a very entertaining morning.
 
The point to this meandering retelling of my morning is to say I am truly blessed to be able to serve such a large group of people with such a wonderful sense of humor.  But if you think about it, God calling me to the ministry, shows he has a great sense of humor.
 
When Sarah discovers how God has blessed her with her hearts’ desire, she says, “God has brought me laughter.  All who hear about this will laugh with me.”  (Genesis 21:6)
 
While every life has some struggles, those who follow Jesus Christ can see even in the midst of hardship, God is good.  That’s all that matters.
 
Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, thank you for the blessings in my life.  Please use me to be a blessing in someone’s life.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.
 
Smile, you are blessed.
 
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins