Daily Devotion - Monday, September 26

Perspectives

“Wait for God;
be strong, let your heart take courage;
wait for God.”
--Words from a old song, Psalm 27:14

The last time September 26 occurred on a Monday was in 2005. When I was preparing devotions for that day I received three e-mails in a 10 minute period of time. Here are brief excerpts from each of them.

E-mail #1: From Missionaries in Honduras
“We constantly think about keeping safe, whether from parasites in the water or from violence in the streets… We struggle with the reality of extreme poverty… We feel frustration each time we go through the hospital system and its long lines… We feel overwhelmed by the problems in the villages.”

E-mail #2: Update on the Health Care Infrastructure of New Orleans after Katrina
“Essentially the health care infrastructure of New Orleans is gone – it no longer exists,” said Joe Cappiello from JCAHO.

E-mail #3: From an associate who forwarded an e-mail titled, “I am thankful”
The e-mail lists a dozen reasons (with brief explanations) why the author is thankful. For example: “I am thankful for my huge heating bill… because it means I am warm.”

2011 has been a devastating year: poverty is growing nationally and globally, natural disasters have occurred at an unprecedented rate and yet there is the ability for most reading this devotion that bills can and will be paid. As we begin this new week we are keenly aware that millions around the world are surviving in ways we find difficult to even imagine. Sometimes in our sheltered and safe existence we are tempted to complain. Think of the grieving souls, the starving souls, the homeless souls! Pray for them! Approach your day with thankfulness and gratitude for life and join with all our brothers and sisters as we wait for the Lord.

--Ben Keckler
09.26.11