Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

Last weekend was my grandson Jack’s fourth birthday. His birthday wish? To go to a monster truck show. So that is what we did—Jack’s dad, two sets of grandparents, and older brother Jesse. And Jack had the time of his life!    If you know me at all, you know that attending a monster truck show would not be high on my list. In fact, it would most probably never enter my mind. Yes, it was fun…to a degree. The trucks made a lot of noise, did amazing wheelies and donuts and jumps, and kicked up a lot of dust.  But what was most fun was seeing how excited Jack and his brother Jesse were. After all, I was there not for myself and what I liked or didn’t like. I was there for them. And knowing that they were having a great time was worth it all!  Unfortunately, too often we make our lives strictly about ourselves, making ourselves the center of our worlds.  Thus, if something doesn’t suit us or bring us some direct benefit, we turn our backs on it—even if it will be a b...

Tonight Kim and I will be traveling to Maryland to celebrate our second grandson Jack’s fourth birthday. We can’t wait to see him and his brothers. And we can’t believe tomorrow he will be four! For sure, time flies. And a great reminder of how fast it goes is the coming and going of our children and grandchildren’s birthdays.  Of course, from Jack’s perspective it has been a very long time between his third and fourth birthdays. Whereas for an adult (especially at my age), one year seems to go by so quickly, for Jack that one year has probably felt like an eternity. And I am sure, as the excitement towards his birthday has been building, these past few weeks have felt very, very long. That’s just one of the differences between what it means to be a child and an adult. As we mature, our sense of time significantly changes. And as much as we love what it means to be a child, and even celebrate childish ways among our children, we all know that no one is meant to stay a child or cont...

Since my spinal surgery nine weeks ago, and in the months leading up to it, I have not been able to run. I have, however, been able to walk. So, in fact, I’ve been doing a lot of walking—through the neighborhood, at local parks, and on a treadmill. Since my surgery, my step count has been steadily rising. At this stage of my recovery it’s been walking, walking, and walking some more!  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy going for a walk. And walking is great for the body, especially if one walks long enough and at a strong enough pace. I do, however, miss going for a run (which I know many of you cannot understand!). But since I haven’t been able to run, I’ve done what I consider the next best thing (which, in some regards, may actually be the better thing) and that is walk and walk and walk some more.  The Bible often likens the way we live our lives to going for a walk. The picture given to us is of life as a road or path which we are on and which we walk. Actually, it is a picture ...

Yesterday was Good Friday during which we remembered the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday through which we celebrate his resurrection from the dead. Today, Saturday, is the day in-between. There are no special services. There’s very little in terms of any kind of observance. For some it’s a day of silence and contemplation. In fact, in the Catholic tradition, the altar is left bare, candles are extinguished, and Mass is not celebrated.  For some, this day in-between is a day to prepare our churches and homes for our Easter celebrations. The final shopping is done, breads are baked, meal prep is begun, the house is cleaned. If there are small children in the home, Easter baskets are being put together and the eggs colored. All in all, on this Holy Saturday we are looking towards Easter Sunday morning with the hope of a day of joy and wonderful celebrations.  But think if you will, what it was like for those first disciples on this day in-betw...

Each night before Kim and I go to bed, like many of you, we check to make sure we have locked the doors to our home. After all, we don’t want to allow an intruder to enter in the middle of the night. We don’t want to give access to someone who ought not be entering our home and who may even want to cause us harm. On the other hand, if we are expecting someone that we want to enter—e.g., a friend, our kids—we may leave the door unlocked. After all, locked doors are meant to keep out the “bad guys” not the “good guys!”  As I read the biblical accounts of the first Palm Sunday, I can’t help but notice that there were those there that day who had, we might say, left the doors to their hearts and lives unlocked for Jesus, while others had closed and locked them. Some were glad for his arrival; others not so much.  As Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, his disciples are waving palm branches and crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”  The...

I’m feeling quite disappointed this morning. Since my recovery from my back surgery was going so well, Kim and I had planned to visit our grandsons this weekend—along with their parents! Earlier this week, however, my back muscles went into spasms (which the doctor’s office says can happen as the muscles heal) and I’ve been in pain since. Such being the case, I knew I couldn’t make the four hour drive or function all that well away from home. Thus, we had to cancel our trip.    Thankfully, I’m beginning to feel better. But it has felt like a major step backwards in my healing process. After all, I felt like I was making really good progress. I was able to get in and out of bed normally, go for walks without any pain, and in general feel like my overall mobility was coming back. This week, however, has set me back. Thus, I knew I couldn’t make the trip. Again, I’m feeling quite disappointed; I was so looking forward to seeing “the boys.”  This is not the first time in my l...