Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

Recently, I attended a luncheon for pastors at a hotel in Manhattan.  The room was very crowded, making it difficult for the servers to maneuver around the tables and through the chairs with their trays of food. As usual, I was keeping my eye on the situation around me, a bit fearful of what could happen by means of one wrong move on my part.  I really did not want a server tripping over me thereby sending his tray flying.  But then it happened.  In fact, it wasn’t even my fault.  Really!  I was sitting still talking to the person next to me. A server was maneuvering behind me with a platter from which he had just served chicken marsala. The only thing that was left on the platter was the sauce (or gravy—whatever you call it). Somehow he lost his balance, tipping the platter, and sending the chicken marsala sauce down the back of my jacket.  Of course, the napkins came flying out and he, along with others at the table, did their ...

This week’s buzz was all about the new iPhones that Apple is releasing. Everyone was waiting for September 10 to hear the news and find out exactly what these new phones would be like.  I heard of one guy who waited five days outside of an Apple store just to get in and hear the announcement firsthand. Now people are waiting for the phones to hit the market so that they can get their hands on one and have the latest phone for themselves.  And, that includes me! I’ve never actually waited in anticipation for a new phone, but the story goes like this: I still have a Blackberry Curve, which is now over two years old.  At the time I thought it was great. I haven’t been feeling that way, of late.  I’ve known for a while, it’s time to turn in my Blackberry, but I didn’t quite want to spend the money for the upgrade. Then, for my birthday, a group of my ministry leaders, knowing my phone situation and having great compassion on me as their pastor, gave me a ...

Twenty-two years ago today my son, Jonathan, was born.  And just like this week, his birthday was in the middle of the US Open. In fact, I distinctly remember sitting in the hospital room with Jonathan in my arms, pointing his little head up towards the television as guys like Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg, and Ivan Lendle battled it out on the tennis court.  And, I would say things like, “Did you see that shot?” “Isn’t that cool?” and “Some day you and I will go out and play tennis together.” I was introducing my newborn son to my world. As time went on, I would take Jonathan, as well as my other children, to the tennis court, the beach, the mountains, the ice skating rink, the ski slope. We would go to the zoo, for hikes in the woods, and to the museums.  Of course, every Sunday I would take him/them to church (well, I was the pastor!).  Each night we would read a Bible story and pray.  Through it all, I was introducing my children to my w...