| This week's devotions are written by my son, Bryant Forshee, Junior High Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
- Pastor Danny
|
|
|
|
"For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
(Hebrews 4:12, CSB)
Kyndall and I got married on May 31, 2019! Kyndall has been a teacher since we got married. Being married to a teacher has taught me a tremendous amount about teachers: for one thing, they work hard (really hard). Recently, due to an unexpected exposure to COVID-19, Kyndall and I had to be quarantined for fourteen days. Does that mean that Kyndall got a break from working really hard? Absolutely not! I watched my amazing wife go from Google Meet to Google Meet (basically the same as a Zoom call or a Skype call), teaching Fourth Grade ELAR (English Language Arts and Reading) to class after class! It was incredible to behold.
As I was thinking about how Kyndall has learned this new way of teaching, it reminded me of how well she has handled this entire strange time of COVID-19. I thought about how I have watched her diligently perform the same tasks, day in and day out. I thought to myself, "Wow! My wife is amazing!" I also thought, "What new set of skills have ALL teachers had to forcibly develop and craft in this crazy, uncertain time?" Now, coming back to the fourteen-day quarantine period, I thought the same two things again! My wife is amazing, but this new full-quarantine teaching looked different than the previous general quarantine teaching. As I was reflecting on these thoughts, I began thinking about our relationship with Jesus and how Him teaching us works in similar ways.
There are many "seasons" in the Christian walk. Some seem to be normal, everyday life just going on as time passes by. Other seasons are joyful and incredible, and you don't want them to end. Other seasons can be grueling and filled with prayers begging God to end the season. But as I look back through different seasons of my life, I realize how God doesn't always teach in the same way! In each unique season, God teaches in the PERFECT way that we, His followers, get the MOST out of Him. Whether it's prayer journaling, praying out loud, memorizing scripture, hearing the Bible, worshiping Him with songs, or other spiritual disciplines for the Lord, God teaches us in many unique ways. Now, all of these "teaching ways" are predicated on the Word of God. Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we should be grateful to God and praise Him for all the ways He has given us to hear His Word and grow in our relationship with Him.
I myself do not usually find differing seasons enjoyable! I like routines. I like patterns. I like predictability... but that's just not life. Life is sporadic and constantly changing, and life should be this way, because God, in His perfect sovereignty and goodness, allows life to be like this. God uses all the changes and different seasons in our lives to teach us more about Himself; though we and everything around us change constantly, He is perfect and consistent and never changes. We must find out stability and certainty in Him!
So, how is God teaching you right now? How has God taught you in the past? What spiritual discipline would you like to try that can teach you in a new way? Start out this week trying something new or taking a moment to reflect and think about how God is teaching you more about Himself. God is always teaching us something; are we going to be aware or not?
|
|
Deepen Your Love for Jesus and His Church
Request your copy of Jesus and the Church when you give below and grow in your love for Christ and His people.
|
|
|
|
Pastor Steve Gaines on Evangelism & the Future of the SBC
Pastor Danny welcomes to the show Pastor Steve Gaines, lead pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN. Pastor Steve shares a bit of his story, his vision for ministry, his thoughts on the future of the SBC, and why it is essential for Christians to be actively engaged in both evangelism and directly serving their communities in practical ways.
|
|
|
|
|
