Daily Devotional October 24, 2022

Last week, Jeff and I were talking about marriage.  He said now that he’s older and not nearly as good looking as he used to be, he had been worried Suzanne would wake up, look at him and think, “What have I done?”

So, in order to save his marriage, Jeff learned to cook and because he’s now a gourmet chef, his marriage is on solid ground.

This got me thinking.

While I dispute the fact that Jeff was ever good looking, I won’t bust his bubble and tell him the truth.  But what I did learn from Jeff was being attentive to a relationship makes it better, stronger, and secure.  The same goes for God.

When I was a little boy, I heard my father say in a sermon, “We treat God like a redheaded stepchild.”  At the time I didn’t understand what he meant.  Now I do.

For many people, God is an afterthought.  God only comes to the forefront of our minds when the bottom drops out and we have nowhere else to go.  But like Jeff doing what he can to nourish his marriage, we need to be doing the same with God.

No matter how busy Jesus was, he always made time to pray.  Many times, Jesus’ prayers were said after a hard day of work, which included healing, preaching, and teaching. (Matthew 14:13-23)

If you want to truly nourish your relationship with God, ground your day in prayer.  It doesn’t have to be long or articulate.  It has to be real, heartfelt, and sincere.

The psalmist said, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”  (Psalm 145:18)

If you want to be close to God, say a prayer.  Doing this will make you more aware of God’s presence, goodness, activity in your life, and mercy.  It’s a sure thing.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, as I begin this new day, I pray you guide my thoughts, words, and actions.  Help me stay on your narrow path.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Begin today with prayer.  You will be glad you did.

Also, just for the record, if you need a recipe for butternut squash soup, Jeff has one.  It saved his marriage.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.

Tom Robbins