Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

If it seems like I’ve been absent from this blog for a couple of weeks that’s because I have. Thankfully, Kim and I were able to take our annual trip to the cabin her parents have owned on Lake Pleasant in the Adirondack Mountains in New York, along with our daughter Joanna and her fiancée, Dan, and Nathaniel and his girlfriend, Sarah. The only downside of the trip was missing our son Jonathan and his wife, Danielle, who were not able to join us since they are expecting their first baby (and our first grandchild) within the next couple of weeks. (I guess, we’ll forgive them for not coming!) Oh, it was our dog Sadie’s first time up there. Love it on top of the mountain! As you can imagine, being on vacation by a lake in the mountains is quite a change of scenery and pace from what we normally experience throughout the year. The first view we catch in the morning is that of the lake, often with a low fog hanging over it; it is truly is a peaceful sight. Then there are the vistas to which...

In these days of COVID-19, we’re all much more aware of our need to maintain good hygienic practices, especially the proper washing of our hands. And, not only are we washing our hands more often and for longer periods of time, but we now have hand sanitizer wherever we look. Just a little pump here and there and we’re trusting that our hands will be free from the virus that might infect us or someone within our circle of contacts and relationships. Over these past few months, we’ve been reminded of the importance of having clean hands. In 1778, John Wesley stated in one of his sermons, “cleanliness is next to godliness.”  It became a phrase that was so often quoted in Christian circles that many people began to believe that it was a verse from the Bible (which it is not!). That phrase became a reminder of the importance of good hygiene, especially in a time when disease was much more easily spread than it is today because of a lack of scientific understanding and a lack of ...

Today, in the midst of this pandemic, there’s a lot of talk about the fact that any one of us might unknowingly spread this virus. After all, we continue to see the spread of the virus and the effects it is having upon our lives, often by people who don’t yet know they have it. Not only is there concern over the spread of the virus, but there’s concern over the spread of misinformation, the spread of conspiracy theories, and the spread of anger, frustration, and even hatred.  There are so many negative things that can be spread by means of a social media post or a misspoken word. As I hear some people talk or as I read their posts, I wonder what their intention really is. I understand that people might be tired of having to deal with this virus and even hate the thought of wearing a mask over their face. But why get so angry and political over it all? Why spread half-truths and conspiracies that are based on conjecture and presuppositions? Why not think the best and do what ...