Devotion for April 3
“The only opportunity you will ever have to live by faith is in the circumstances you are provided this very day: this house you live in, this family you find yourself in, this job you have been given, the weather conditions that prevail at the ...moment.”
― Eugene Peterson
― Eugene Peterson
Scott Minaglia sent these pictures to the rest of the staff this week to show us the blossoms emerging on the tree at the entrance to our building. It reminded me of the verses from Habakkuk 3:17-19:
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
The trees are blooming -- emerging from winter with regenerated life and hope. By God's grace we will emerge from this pandemic season with regenerated life and beauty to the degree, I suspect, that we can rejoice and be joyful in the promise of God's salvation in these circumstances today. Today all the blossoming things around us in spring call us to live by faith in what we hope for, certain of what we can not see: that the Sovereign Lord our strength is working Christ's salvation in the world. Rejoice.
