Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

This past Monday, as I was traveling with our team from Promise International Fellowship to Nicaragua, I almost got bumped from our flight that was going from LaGuardia (in NYC) to Miami where we would get our connecting flight.  You see, through the kindness of someone in our church, I now normally fly American as an employee. That means a much better rate; but it also means flying on standby.  When I got to our gate, I was told that, because of cancelled flights the night before, all of the flights from NYC to Miami were overbooked and that only one or two spots may open up for standbys.  Well, after everyone had been boarded, including our team, those of us who were on standby were told that the airplane was filled and that we needed to go to Gate 10 (we were at Gate 1) to see if we could get on the next flight that would leave an hour later. So, I did as told.  When I got to Gate 10 no one was yet there, so I went for a cup of coffee. After about ten...

As I write this, Kim and I are sitting in LaGuardia Airport waiting to fly out to Detroit, Michigan for a wedding I will be officiating tomorrow morning.   (Congratulations Tina and Larry!) Within the hour, we will be getting on our airplane and flying off to our destination.   We have come here because we are going somewhere.   Of course, that is the case for just about everyone who is here—that is, everyone except for the workers.   All these people who are standing on line, making their way through security, schlepping their luggage down long hallways and up escalators, and sitting in the restaurants and lounges are all headed somewhere.   No one comes to an airport, nor is allowed to enter an airport without having a definite destination. Each person knows exactly where he or she is headed.   No one is wandering around trying to figure out which flight to get on or what city to fly to.   Once they have entered the airport, and usu...

Celebrating Independence Day for my family meant once again going to our town’s fireworks display. With blankets and chairs in hand, our family joined hundreds of others from across our town on the high school field to watch the night sky fill with bursts of color and light. For about thirty minutes we oohed and aahed over the rings and showers of light that seemed to almost rain down upon us.   In fact, this year’s display was really quite awesome.   Throughout this past week, towns and cities all around the country had their own fireworks displays. In some places, thousands gathered to see a display that lasted thirty to forty minutes. Here in the New York City Metro area, people lined both sides of the Hudson River, some waiting for hours for the fireworks to begin.   Why? Aside from the fact that fireworks are an incredible spectacle, they are meant to help us celebrate the fact that we live in a country wherein we are free to live and worship as we ...