NIV Devotions for Men - Week of February 6
TV Dinner or Pot Pie?
Verse: Psalms 96
Recommended Reading
2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 37:5; Jeremiah 2:12–13; Matthew 22:37–40
When was the last time you ate a frozen TV dinner? If you’re old enough, you may remember those early meals that were sold in an aluminum tray and marketed by the Swanson® company in the mid-1950s. If you’ve had one lately, you’re probably well aware that this idea has been adapted for the microwave. Separate compartments house different components of the entrée, and after a few minutes these “nuked” delicacies are ready to savor—from corn to chicken to a brownie for dessert. Delicious! Or so some folks say.
The frozen dinner is an appropriate image for guys—and not just because it keeps us from having to cook. Men often try to compartmentalize their lives—much like a frozen dinner. As most men are wired to think in a linear fashion, this kind of separation usually works nicely: The job goes in one compartment of the tray. Put the family in another. Friends and extended family in another. And sometimes God is relegated to the dessert compartment—the smallest one in the tray that gets attention only for an hour or so on Sunday.
But another idea surfaced around the same time as the TV dinner, one that we could look at as a new representation for our lives as men. The “pot pie” is a more realistic image for life. Inside the flaky crust is a (typically scalding) combination of food groups—it’s nearly impossible to separate the different parts of the pie from each other.
Consider the point to this culinary conversation: Life doesn’t fit into neat compartments. The psalmist illustrates this in his writing when he charges the sum of God’s creation to praise God. The earth, sea, land, stars, trees, forests, fields—everything! All of creation rejoices because of God’s deeds, his splendor and majesty, his strength and glory.
Now, let’s flip that around. Consider your life—every aspect of it. Does it all belong to God? Does it all praise God?
Chances are you’re going to say no. That’s okay, because today is a new day! Maybe you struggle to believe that God cares about your finances, the challenges you face at work or your struggles with sin. But he does! Life works best when you stop making God an add-on to your days—something to consider once a week before moving on. He longs to be brought into the discussion, to permeate every aspect of your life. Like sauce in a pot pie, once you allow him to cover every aspect of your life you’ll discover a richer and more satisfying daily experience.
To Take Away
• In what areas of life are you experiencing specific problems right now?
• Are you struggling with any areas that you’re hiding from God right now? Why?
• What would it look like for God to help you with these issues? Take the time to talk to God and ask him for his help.
This devotion is from the NIV New Men's Devotional Bible by Zondervan. Used with permission.
