02/25/2026
Feb 25th, devotional Finding a balance
As Christians we believe God blesses us with spiritual gifts of time talent and treasure. We can use these gifts to serve God by serving others for the common good. We can use them to make an honest living or we can use them for both depending on the situation. These gifts may come and go over time as needed in our service to Christ. Sometimes these gifts come in abundance and sometimes they are scarce.
As I read the devotional below, I was reminded that sometimes these gifts are given explicitly for our own use. One of those gifts is time. Obviously, as Christians we are committed to giving our time to help in the many activities around the church and community. But sometimes maybe the gift of time is intended for us to take for ourselves to enjoy life, relax, rejuvenate and build up our energy level for the next task. Maybe we should use the gift of time to be thankful for all the things God has blessed us with, listen to what he has to say and build on our personal relationship with God. Sort of like that one day of rest we don’t take each week. As I approach retirement in the fall, as much as I have enjoyed my ministry, I am looking forward to taking some time for myself with family and friends on my time. Read on
Today's Devotional Left Turn by Rod Marshall
Isaiah 30:21 – And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (ESV)
I used to be not so good at listening — I was better at the doing. Now, as the doing gets harder, the listening becomes more vital. Earlier in life when I was working, I used to like to zoom up the motorways to visit customers. These days, driving is more of a bind. Out-of-town family visits take their toll, so I am grateful to have my modern car that is more comfortable than those of yesteryear. The new features like cruise control, sat-nav (satellite navigation), etc. mean that driving is not the same now as it was then. To ease the pain, I like to use the car's sat-nav to tell me the expected time of my arrival, etc. Sometimes in heavy traffic, I bluntly ignore the sat-nav, using my earlier knowledge of travelling on the minor roads, because they are reassuringly familiar and less stressful, but not always quicker.
Lately, I have felt that God was requesting me to take a step back for a while, to allow God to be God for a change, so I have taken a break from meetings of intercession for the moment. Surprisingly, the world has kept turning. I have used some of the time to fulfil the jobs that I needed to get done in the summer, such as mending the leaking roof in our office and replacing the rotten floor and walls.
Despite being on my self-imposed sabbatical, with my jobs done, God has shown me that He was not finished with my journeying. On the way to church in Rochdale at my mother-in-law's, I didn't use the sat-nav because it is a local journey. However, from previous visits, I could hear the car's voice in the back of my mind telling me where to go. As I made a "turn to the left" at a junction, I became aware of another voice burbling up from inside. The voice said something similar to today's verse: "Listen to My voice and I will direct your path," or to put it another way, "Follow Me. Pay attention to My voice. I will direct you." During the church service, I realized that this was not my imagination but a word prompted by God to pass on to someone in the service. In my being obedient, it was also a reminder to me of His words from an earlier time:
Isaiah 58:11 – And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. (ESV)
John 21:15 – When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." (ESV)
God's ways and timings may not be what we expect, but we are called to take heed and to be ready to speak or to do. Today, let us not be surprised when God calls out, "Follow Me, in whatever way that may be!"
Prayer: Lord, You are the Shepherd, and we recognize Your voice when You speak. Enable our ears to hear and our hearts not to be afraid to obey. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
