Devotions

*This devotion was published in the Upper Room in October 2012

We’re Special to God
Read: Zechariah 14: 20-21

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

            “Special” read the large sign taped to the side of a bus which sat in a used vehicle lot in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The students on the mission trip chose to name the bus “Special” after the mission team purchased it for the church in La Paz with whom they had worked many summers.

            Last summer, I had the privilege of participating in this annual student trip as a chaperone. Having now spent time in “Special” I can assure you – she is well named! She has a cracked windshield that cannot be replaced because a piece of glass with the correct dimensions is difficult, if not impossible to find in Honduras. Sometimes “Special” develops other problems which have to be attended to. Nevertheless, she faithfully goes up and down winding, dirt, and mountainous roads every week to bring people to church that would otherwise not be able worship.

            Zechariah 14:20-21 speaks of the holiness of even the cups and cooking pots in the Temple. Indeed, God’s purpose for all things is their holiness. I suppose if cups and cooking pots can be special to the Lord – then so can an old bus with a cracked windshield.

God’s people are a bit like that, too. God’s purpose for us is our holiness and we are all special in our own ways. God created us differently for His unique purposes and he loves our specialness.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for the uniqueness of your plan for each of our lives.  Help us to appreciate our own specialness and that of others.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thought for the day:  God makes everything beautiful in its time.