Verses:
Matthew 18:20 says “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
James 4:8 says “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
Devo:
One of the first things that comes to mind when I think of police life is the crappy shift work-which, of course, means the missed holidays. It’s a hard adjustment for families that are used to working Monday-Friday and having Christmas and Thanksgiving and all of those “traditional holidays” off.
But the thing is, holidays aren’t just the days marked on the calendar. Special days are the days that we make special.
I will be the first to admit that our first few “adjusted” holidays were tough. It felt weird to wake up on Christmas morning alone or to have Thanksgiving dinner a week early. But the thing is, all of the important elements were still there on the days we celebrated: the family, the laughter, the music, the food, the prayer. Those things don’t change depending on which day the holiday falls on the calendar and they certainly don’t change depending on the day your family chooses to celebrate.
In Matthew 18 we are told that when a few of us gather in the Lord’s name, He is there. It doesn’t say “if you gather on December 25” or “but only if you gather on Easter Sunday”. No. It says ANY time.
Police families are amazing at being flexible-because we have to be! I’ve realized what a hidden blessing it has been to celebrate holidays on days that work for our family because it forces us to focus on the things that really matter.
Prayer:
Lord, we are so grateful that You are with us no matter our circumstances. Regardless of the day we are celebrating a special holiday, You are present with us. Help remind us what the true meaning of holidays are and that the things that make holidays special aren’t dependent on the date they are celebrated.
