Devotionals

No Substitutions

by Anne Adams
06/28/26
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Rev. Ed was retired, but always felt privileged to substitute for other pastor friends if they were on vacation or had to be away. One particular time he agreed to help out a good friend who gave him the details for that particular Sunday.

“You just have to preach,” The regular pastor told him. “The assistants will handle the rest of the service and introduce you. But please do me a favor and announce that I’ll just be gone that one week.”

That Sunday went smoothly and Ed began his sermon with an explanation. “As you probably know, your usual pastor is off today but I did want to reassure you that he’ll be back next week. I’m pinch hitting this morning – sort of a substitute.  In fact you might say it’s like when you have a broken window and you put in a piece of cardboard to cover the hole. I’m like that piece of cardboard.”

There was a titter from the congregation as Ed then began his sermon. Then after he finished and as he was shaking hands at the front door he met a stooped, graying woman learning on her cane.

“That was a wonderful sermon, Reverend.” The woman told him. “And don’t worry about being a substitute.” She smiled encouragingly. “You’re not a piece of cardboard for a broken window – you’re a real pane.”

That’s a bit silly of course but it definitely brings up a frequent subject we might encounter on our spiritual journey – substitutions. And particularly when we try to find a substitute for God in our lives.

Indeed, the “find a God-fill-in” game may take different forms. Perhaps instead of trusting the Lord to help us solve our problems and to trust him we try to do it on our own. Or maybe we plunge ahead into areas of service without seeking his guidance first. Or maybe we don’t even try to find a replacement since we think we’re self sufficient.  

Yet of course there’s never a substitute for God and his presence in our lives. And when we do put him in first place  the results can be fantastic. For our benefit and his glory.