SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

SEPTEMBER 2 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: ISAIAH 54:1-10

This may come as a surprise but I was a stubborn child...some say it's a family trait. The fact is we are stubborn in one way or another. For me my parents, at times, had to do extraordinary things to get my attention...let's just say we had many confrontations. These confrontations carried over to school. Pretty much every principal I ever had knew me on a first-name basis. This didn't change for me until my junior year in high school, when God had a confrontation with me of the highest order...sadly it involved one of His faithful followers.

I had been raised in church, but as I said, I was stubborn, especially to God. I was a foul mouthed, rude, ungodly teen. We had this young man in our youth group and high school

who was a genuine follower of Jesus...his name was Lowell Gregory. He always carried his Bible and would talk to anyone that would listen about Jesus. I saw him get picked on in the

hallway of our high school...guys would come up behind him, knock his books out of his hand and then kick him when he went to pick them up. I was any encouragement to Lowell, as all I would do was criticize him for being such a nerd, somehow deserving what was happening to him. One day Lowell was riding his scooter to school and somehow got caught up in the bumper of a pickup truck and was killed. And it was then that God had a confrontation with me...I heard Him say to my spirit, "when are you going to stop being rebellious and stubborn and trust Me?" It was this time in my life where God reached down into my filthy, hateful life and saved me.

What it took to reach me sometimes is overwhelming and still breaks my heart...but one day I will see Lowell again and thank him for his faithful walk. I still struggle with being a stubborn person, even when it comes to God. God still has confrontations with me, but now they are as my Father. God loves you too...He may be trying to get your attention...don't be stubborn, hear His voice and respond... Because what He has for us is the best we could ever experience.

Please share your thoughts.