| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “Fresh wind, fresh fire” Our Bible verse for today: “Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” 2 Peter 3:8 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Look at the big picture, not just the snapshot.” In yesterday’s devotional I made the point that as we’re trying to form opinions, make decisions, and take actions regarding the difficult issues we all face in these perilous times, it’s essential that we stay focused on the truth of God’s word rather than on all the conflicting, contradictory, misleading, and false information we’re being overwhelmed with. God’s Word is the only dependable source of truth, and therefore Biblical principles have to guide our thinking and decision-making. Today I want to pursue that thought further. In the letter we know as 2 Peter, the Apostle Peter was writing words of guidance and encouragement to Christians dispersed throughout the Roman Empire and living in dangerous and challenging circumstances. In 2 Peter 3:8 he reminded them that God’s agenda in this world is much bigger and overarching than just the circumstances they were faced with. In verse 8 he was actually quoting from Psalm 90 which reads: “Lord, you have been our refuge in every generation. Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God … For in your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a few hours of the night.” Psalm 90:1-4 God has been our refuge in every generation. He has watched over every event of human history from the dawn of creation until today and He remains sovereign over all of it. A thousand years of human history is like a day to Him, and a day is like a thousand years. In a single glance He sees the entire picture, from beginning to end, and He isn’t overwhelmed by any of it. We tend to live our lives in snapshots of time. We focus on and become consumed by the immediate events of our day and we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture. We get tunnel vision, focusing on the proverbial trees in front of us and losing sight of the forest itself. But the current events of our day, whether we’re talking about this week, this month, this year, this decade, or even this century, are just a fragment of time which is here for the moment and then gone. This is why it’s so important for us to take a step back and keep the events of the day framed within a Biblical worldview and within the context of Biblical history. Doing so will help us to focus on the big picture rather than just on this snapshot of time. It will also help to keep us calm and rational, rather than being emotionally triggered by the events in the world that disturb us. Seeing the big picture rather than just the snapshot can relieve some tension and renew our hope. I encourage you stay focused on the big picture, not just on a snapshot in time. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
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