Devotional - February 25, 2026

Scripture: Genesis 1:9-10  And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.  God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Why is it that we relate opposites with opposition.  Yes, they are spelled similarly, but that can be the extent of it.  In God's creative process, things can be separate, yet symbiotic.  They can be very different, yet work together.  Our earth relies on the interaction between the earth, the water, and the atmosphere.  All of life relies on how these three things interact.  God created it that way and gave us the ability to understand this reality.  What we do with it is up to us.  It is important to see the value of all three and how they relate.  Can you imagine if one started to envy or dislike the other?  If one thought they were more important and deserved more than the other?  Can you imagine if they all felt that way and acted upon it?  It would be catastrophic for everything else.  The harmony which supports life would cease to exist.  The same thing happens with people.  We are all different.  It doesn't matter if it is in the church, or on a plain, in a family, or for that matter across the globe.  How we deal with the differences makes all the difference.  It makes for success and survival or the opposite.  God calls us to show wisdom and love when dealing with others (Ephesians 4: 30 - 32).  Yes, we can disagree, but we do not need to be disagreeable (LB Johnson).  We can be concise and clearly definitive, but peaceful and just.  Take time during Lent and think about areas in your life, and in your relationships, where that which separates you from others proves destructive.  How did it get that way?  Is there work that can be done, even if it is just on your end?  Can the situation be more peaceful, because that which separates us does not need to lead to opposition.

Pray with me...,  Holy God we are thankful for the diversity and differences You have created.  Help us to appreciate the differences and allow it to make us, and our world, a better place for all.  Hear us as we pray for our loved ones.  We ask Your blessing upon them and our church.  Bless us Lord, so we can be a blessing to all in Jesus' name, Amen.

God's peace,

Pastor Brian