The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust” (Psalm 16:1).

Nearly thirty-eight years ago Karen and I took our family to King’s Island Amusement Park that featured a particular attraction called the Eiffel Tower. The tower stands 315 feet tall with the observation floor 264 feet high. On a clear day, visitors can see 18 miles out into the region from the observation floor. Each elevator takes a maximum of thirty-five visitors at a time for a quick ride to the deck. This ride takes only about 30 seconds. Here’s the situation. I do not like heights. Of course my two-year-old son Jeremy wanted to go up the tower. So Daddy and Jeremy and thirty-three strangers flew upward! Jeremy of course wanted to be picked up so he could see, and of course he wanted to be carried to the edge so he could look down at his tiny-looking mommy. I held him tightly in my arms to ensure his safety. Guess what? That’s the exact word David used for “preserved.” I supported, held closely, protected, and guarded my little boy. I am so glad that the Lord preserves His people. Even in the most difficult of times, we are held safely, preserved, in His arms.

For today: Whatever you are facing today, if you know Christ, you are preserved.

“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who has set thy glory about the heavens” (Psalm 8:1).

I want to make a confession to you. I often write about the glory of God. I absolutely believe in the awesome glory of our great God. But I must confess that I really know very little about the glory of God. I know that the word is howd and that it has to do with the majesty, splendor, and beauty of the Lord. I know that His glory shines and is blinding in its beauty. I know that His glory shook Mt. Sinai. I know that when Peter, James, and John were exposed to a tiny, tiny glimpse of God’s glory, they fell breathlessly upon their faces. I know that someday all believers will see the Lord Jesus in His full glory (John 17:24). In fact, the actual word in John’s reference teaches us that we will gaze upon the glory of the Lord. Wow! What an awesome God to Whom we belong. His glory is higher than the heavens!!

For today: I want to live a life that is worthy of His great Name. He alone is awesome.

“With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Ephesians 6:7).

“He has an earned doctorate with several Master’s degrees, but you would never know it,” Allyson said to Leslie and Amanda who were placing their two-year-old twins in the church nursery. The toddlers absolutely loved “Mr. Bill” as he played with them, read stories to them, and told them about the Lord Jesus. “Mr. Bill, I want you to meet Leslie and Amanda. They will be leaving John and Joel with us today,” Allyson said. With that, “Mr. Bill” got up off the floor and came over to meet the parents. He assured them that everyone in the nursery was there to serve the Lord and to lovingly care for their children so that you can enjoy the worship service. A few minutes later as they walked from the nursery Amanda said to her husband, “Imagine that. A doctor is going to play with our boys so that we can be in the service!” What a super reminder for us. What is good for “Mr. Bill” is good for us as well. We are so privileged to serve the Lord.

For today: Serve the Lord cheerfully today! You’ll be glad that you did.

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength” (Isaiah 40:29).

Some of the greatest blessings come from singing hymns that are rich in doctrine and brimming with practical truth and encouragement. “Jesus Loves Me” is one such hymn. Though often sung by children, it is a great hymn for adults as well. One of the phrases of this grand hymn is “We are weak, but He is strong.” He surely is strong indeed. I think back to the days when as a young teen I worked in the field picking up baled hay. At the beginning of the day the work with my friends was fun. As the day wore on, the bales seemed to get heavier. By the time we were hitting the fields after supper, those bales were really getting heavy. When the wagons were nearly filled, two of us would lift the bale of hay up to the one who was assembling them on the wagon top. This is such an illustration of the Lord. He comes along side of His child and lifts the burdens of those who feel faint. He has plenty of strength and is willing to help.

For today: Be watching for ways the Lord makes known His strength to you today. You’ll be glad that you did.

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:57).

It wasn’t too long ago that we faithful Cleveland fans suffered the loss of the championship games of the NBA. It’s a strange thing. The Cleveland Cavs won many crucial games. They beat teams to become the Eastern Conference Champs. But because they didn’t win the Finals, their loss is spoken of in sad, melancholy terms. It was pleasant to see the local ABC affiliate congratulating the Cavs for a great season. They did their best. But no championship rings for Cleveland this year. How different is our great God! He is always victorious. All that He says will occur; you can be sure it will indeed happen. Every one of His enemies will someday indeed fail and fall before Him. I am so glad to belong to the awesome, victorious, risen Lord Jesus. How will His victorious power affect you today? The Lord never finishes in second place!

For today: I am thankful to be on the winning team. Check out the last few chapters of the Bible if you have any doubts.