Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

Today we enter into the most important weekend in the Christian calendar.   This afternoon and evening we remember the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, reflecting on the cross. Then on Sunday, we will celebrate his resurrection from the grave. Today is what we call, “Good Friday.”   That being the case, I would like to call Easter Sunday, Better Sunday! Now, a lot of people ask me, why the day we remember Jesus’ crucifixion is called, “Good Friday?”   After all, it was such a terrible day for Jesus and his disciples. There’s nothing “good” about looking at a bloody cross.   Actually, only in the English language is this day called, “Good Friday.”   In the romance languages such as Spanish and Italian it is called “Holy Friday.” In German it is called, “Sorrowful Friday.”   In Russian it is, “Passion Friday.”   So why do we call it, “Good Friday” in English?   I’ve learned that, it has to do with the fact that originally the word “good” had to do with that which was

Well, here in the Northeast we’ve had another nor’easter.   Or, as some have called this one, a “Four-Easter”—after all, this week was our fourth nor’easter in the month of March!   Here in Monmouth County, NJ we received about a foot of snow from this last storm.   What a way to welcome spring of 2018! One of the results of this last storm has been a lot of tree branches down on the ground.   Many of them couldn’t sustain the weight of the heavy snow, snapped, and came crashing down. Here at our church, a couple of pretty big branches from old sycamore trees snapped and fell. Thus, aside from the back-breaking work of shoveling the heavy snow, now homeowners and others need to get to work cutting and removing the fallen branches.   Branches down at our church! This morning it crossed my mind that, a storm like this just may be nature’s way of pruning the branches of trees that need to be pruned.  It may be nature’s way of doing for the trees what needs to be done—i.e. rem

This morning I’m sitting in the waiting area of the service center at my local car dealership having regularly schedule maintenance done on my Chevy Equinox.   As they change the oil on my car they will also be doing what they call their 21 Point Inspection.   That means, they will not only change the oil on my car but also check the other fluids, tire pressure, filters, belts, etc. And, they will hopefully address any concerns that they may find. They will use their 21 point checklist to make sure everything in my vehicle is at it ought to be.   It may seem time consuming and a bit inconvenient (after all, who likes sitting in a car dealership at 7:30 in the morning?), but it is of utmost importance if I’m to keep my vehicle running, as it ought to run.    Yes, regular checkups for our vehicles are important—as they are for our bodies (that’s another subject!).  But, what about inspecting and checking on other parts of our lives such as how our relationship with God is going or

Who would have thought that we would have experienced two nor’easters, complete with snow in the month of March—and, within five days of each other! Surely, March has come in like a lion!   The question is, will it go out like a lamb? I’m sure most of you are ready for spring. I know, I am.   I keep looking for the smallest signs of a change in seasons. But, today as I look outside my window I just see snow, and what looks like winter. On the surface, it seems like spring is a long way off.   Yet the truth is, signs of spring have been all around me: the daffodils that have already come up just outside my office; a few warmer days here and there; the grass looking a tad bit greener. I even did a run outside last week in shorts!   So, maybe spring is on its way.   Just maybe March will go out like a lamb and spring will make its way into our lives! A small sign that spring is on its way! All of this makes me think of how often in life we go through difficult and dark times