Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

We have surely been enjoying a lot of really nice weather here in New Jersey this past month. That has meant warm sunny days with very little rain—great for going to the beach, graduations, and early summer barbeques.  However, the lack of rain is already having a negative affect and is obvious when one looks at our lawns. Whereas in June our lawns are usually a bright green and growing at a rapid pace, they are already looking more like August lawns with that touch of brown.  Everything already seems to be a bit dry. The reason I’m so aware of our lack of rain is that, last week I put grass seed down. I was hoping for a good solid rain to come quickly so I could avoid having to water the lawn.  But that did not happen. In fact, yesterday we were supposed to get some substantial rain but it seemed to stay south of us and all we got was a sprinkle.  So, I had to pull out the hose and sprinkler to water the lawn, hoping the seed will begin to grow.  I’m still...

This past week has surely been a sad week for our nation, and especially for the people of Orlando.   It began last weekend with the senseless shooting of Christina Grimmie, a young woman who loved God and had so much potential to do so much good with her life.   Christina’s death, however, was quickly overshadowed in the news by the horrific killing of 49 people at the Pulse Night Club early Sunday morning.   All of that was followed by the extremely sad news of the death of a two year-old boy as he was snatched and drowned by an alligator while at a Disney resort beach.   This city known for its amusements, entertainment, and happy faces became what might be described as “a valley of tears.”   I myself couldn’t help but feel a sense of great sadness as we were bombarded by one terrible news story after another.   And, I couldn’t help but reflect upon the fact that, in each of these cases, those affected by what took place, were in one moment enjoying...

Tomorrow morning I will be moving my ninety-two year old aunt, Catherine, out of the Bronx.   She will be moving to beautiful Ocean Grove, NJ where she will move into an assisted living facility.   In fact, her room has an ocean view!   It’s going to be quite a life change for her, hopefully for the better.   My Aunt Catherine, has lived in the Bronx just about all of her life and in her current apartment for the past forty-one years.   The area in which she has lived is a busy and loud area with an elevated train that runs over Jerome Ave just about a block away from her apartment.   The neighborhood is very lively with lots of shops along Jerome Avenue, most which are now either Spanish or Arabic owned. Montefiore Hospital is on the backside of the neighborhood and Mosholu Parkway is around the corner.   The streets can seem congested and dirty. Parking is hard to find. People seem to bumping into each other whichever way you turn.   Su...

This morning as I was driving to the church office, I noticed a store that had opened with the name, “Shop-Pray-Love.”   When I saw it I asked myself, what do those three things have to do with one another? Is one supposed to pray as they shop, praying that they will find a great bargain? Are they supposed to love what they purchase once they are done shopping?   Are they supposed to pray and love while they shop or shop and love while they pray or shop and pray while they love?   I think you get what I mean; something just doesn’t seem to fit.   And yet, maybe they do fit together.   After all, are we not called to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to love at all times (Proverbs 17:17)?   Ought not our relationship with God, our love for him, as well as for others pervade all that we do?   Thus, whether we are in church, at home, at work, or out shopping, everything we do is affected by the fact that we claim to be followers of Je...