September 21 ~ Daniel 9:3-4
Then, to show my sorrow, I went without eating and dressed in sackcloth and sat in ashes. I confessed my sins and earnestly prayed to the LORD my God: Our Lord, you are a great and fearsome God, and you faithfully keep your agreement with those who love and obey you.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
I must confess, I have become a fan of the television show The Biggest Loser. I am inspired by these contestants, although you probably can’t tell by looking at me! On the new season, which began last week, there is a contestant named Abby, who is a 35-year-old high school teacher from Mabank, Texas.
Every contestant has a “story,” but Abby’s really is compelling. In October 2006, Abby’s family was involved in a fatal car crash. In a flash, she lost her husband, her 5½-year-old daughter, and her 2½-week-old son. Abby was not in the car with her family. She stated in the first episode that it would have been easier for her to fold up and die than to face this tragedy and move forward. And food – her life-long “friend” - became one of her comforts. However, she has realized that she was spared for a reason. She says she chooses to get out of bed each day and live for the honor of her family. She knows that a first step toward the “next thing” is to lose the weight and get healthy.
As with the lady I mentioned a few days ago, I strongly suspect that Abby has a deep, abiding relationship with God – and a strong prayer life. She has done her own version of “sackcloth and ashes,” and now she is in agreement with God to get up and get going – to motivate her students, to lose weight and get healthy, and to see what God has planned next for her life.
Every time I think of what it must be like for Abby – or anyone else (because there ARE others) – to lose an entire family in an instant, I am overwhelmed with emotion. I cannot imagine the agony of losing a husband, small child, and brand-new baby all at once. Could I be that strong, I wonder? And then I go back and read about Daniel and examine God’s power, and I realize that – difficult as it might be – yes, I could handle this. See, I wouldn’t handle it alone… God would be with me, in total agreement to stand by my side and answer my prayers. And He does this for each of us.
Whatever you are enduring today, know that God is with you. Humble yourself before Him and confess your sins – and your need for His help – and believe that He will answer. He will show you what is next… and I promise He will walk you through it. Abby may be on The Biggest Loser, but with God’s help, she is a winner. God wants to make us winners, too… are you ready to win with Him?
©2009 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------------
September 20 ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Always be joyful and never stop praying. Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Recently, a landmark building in downtown Morrilton, Arkansas, burned to the ground. It housed a flea market owned by Wanda Alvey. Ms. Alvey had saved all of her best antiques - $500,000 worth - in hopes of holding a big sale, putting the historic building on the market, and retiring. Now there is nothing left. But Ms. Alvey said, “I am the richest woman in the country today. I have friends worth millions of dollars.” In the midst of what had to be a devastating tragedy, this woman still found joy. She noted that “…all the material things are gone, but my faith is stronger, and I’m still a millionaire.”
I have to think that Wanda Alvey spends a good deal of time talking to God. I say this because anyone in her shoes who doesn’t focus on God probably doesn’t have her level of faith and peace… especially when trouble strikes. I feel certain that Ms. Alvey will be okay. I’m betting that God will rally her family and friends together to see that her needs are met well into the future.
God wants us to be joyful and filled with peace, no matter what our circumstances. He wants us to be so in tune with Him that we rely on His answers to our prayers… His promises… to give us confidence to handle whatever comes our way. Never stop praying – always be joyful. Stay so close to God that you know that you know that you know you can handle whatever comes your way with peace and faith. And say an extra prayer for Wanda Alvey and the residents of Morrilton today. They could surely use extra right now.
©2009 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------------------------
September 19 ~ Colossians 4:2
Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
How is it that we can be so faithful to television shows like Big Brother or America’s Got Talent or American Idol … and never miss a single episode, yet we struggle to find time to pray each day? How is it that we know so much about Kris Allen and Adam, or the contestants on one of these reality programs… or all of the stats for our favorite sports idol… yet we don’t know scripture? How is it that we often have a more intimate relationship with the sports announcer on our local TV channel than we do our Heavenly Father?
Recently I heard someone say, “We’ve given up night-time television.” She went on to explain that her family will sit and watch a sports program together, or if there is a program someone really wants to watch, they do. But just plopping down in front of the television for a night of mindless viewing of programs that are neither interesting or entertaining is out the window at their house. This frees up a lot more time for things like reading, interacting with each other, and finding more meaningful activities to fill those hours.
And maybe this is a lesson for all of us. I’m not talking about merely giving up night-time (or daytime) television. I’m talking about trimming the “fat” from our lives – getting rid of the mindless drivel we often let consume hours of our day. Maybe it’s time we trade some of that worthless activity for some time spent in meaningful, alert, thankful, heartfelt prayer and study of God’s word. We would all be well served to give Him more time to speak to us. It’s time for GOD to become our American Idol – the One we know intimately. He needs to be the One we can’t wait to learn more about each day and evening. The challenge is ours… how will we choose to spend our time? Who will get our attention?
©2009 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------------
September 18 ~ Ephesians 6:13-18
Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.
I am going to talk about something very personal… my purse! See, even when I am just going to Wal-Mart or church, I carry an amazing bag of “stuff.” If you need it, I am likely to have it in my purse. In addition to my wallet, I have my cell phone, my sunglasses, car keys, lipstick and powder, a couple of checkbooks, coupons, lists and notes, ink pens, emery boards, a handkerchief and/or tissue, pain relievers, antihistamines, gum, Epi-pens, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, eyeglass cleaner, and even a Swiss army knife! Hey, you never know when you might need some of these items! And quite frankly, I feel almost naked when I go somewhere without my purse.
Usually I carry a big enough bag that I could also include a camera, my husband’s sunglasses, and even on occasion, his wallet. Granted, many days I only use a few things from my purse. But there are times when someone needs an aspirin, gum, an ink pen, or even a pocketknife, and I reach into my purse and say, “Here you go…I’ve got you covered!”
Several years ago when my brother and my dad were ill and making numerous trips to the hospital, I bought a backpack, and I put in extra medication, makeup, soap and shampoo, contact lens cleaner, and small toiletries – even a small hair dryer. When we would get a call to “come quickly,” I would grab the backpack and know that I could easily stay a couple of nights if needed. I never knew what the next day (or hour) would bring, and that backpack gave me a sense of security and confidence to face the situation.
It’s the same with the tools in our “Spiritual bag.” God has given us everything we need, but if we leave these things on the shelf at home, they won’t do us much good. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God’s word, and prayer … all of these are things that God has equipped us with in the battle against the devil and sin. It’s not a matter of knowing when we will need them – we need them all the time! To face the day without these tools is unthinkable – or should be!
We need to make sure we pack our “Spiritual bag” well and check it often to be sure we have included all that we need. We also need to pray for our friends and family – and encourage them to “pack well” for their Spiritual journey. And when someone opens their “bag” and finds themselves a little short on such tools as faith, peace, God’s word, or prayer, we need to open our bag and say, “Here you go… I’ve got you covered – take some of mine.” Do you have all you need in your bag today?
©2009 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------------
September 17 ~ Romans 12:12
Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Troubles come to all of us… but how many of us wear our troubles like a piece of clothing? How many of us pray and ask God to help us with our troubles, and then we mope around all sad and frustrated – or worse yet, angry – and live without any hope or faith? I hope you know that I am talking to myself here, too, but we Christians should really never have a bad day. See, our worst day with God trumps our best day without Him every time.
So cast all of your cares upon the Lord, to paraphrase 1 Peter 5:7. Then be glad in your hope that He will hear your prayers and answer them. Live with joy that God has heard your requests and is on the job. Never stop asking Him for all that you need… and reminding Him of His promise to answer. And this is a biggie… try to be patient. I know it’s hard… but God IS at work, and His timing is always perfect. Be glad, be patient, have hope, and keep praying!
©2009 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------
September 16 ~ Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a story about how they should keep on praying and never give up:
In a town there was once a judge who didn't fear God or care about people. In that same town there was a widow who kept going to the judge and saying, "Make sure that I get fair treatment in court." For a while the judge refused to do anything. Finally, he said to himself, "Even though I don't fear God or care about people, I will help this widow because she keeps on bothering me. If I don't help her, she will wear me out." The Lord said: Think about what that crooked judge said. Won't God protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won't he be concerned for them? He will surely hurry and help them. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find on this earth anyone with faith?
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
This passage is for all of us who have prayed over a situation until we thought we would run out of breath, yet we still feel we have no answer. Maybe it is a particular situation that just doesn’t seem to resolve. Maybe it is trouble with poor health, a relationship, or finances. Whatever we are taking to God in prayer, we must realize that He does hear us… and as the old adage says, “persistence pays.”
I can’t promise that we will get an answer in our lifetime… and certainly I can’t guarantee it will be the answer we want! But God DOES hear us… He does care… and He DOES notice when we pray day and night. Unlike the judge in the scripture, God does not mind that we wear Him out with our prayers… He delights in it. Do you have this kind of faith… to keep praying night and day… to keep bothering God with your problems? It’s one thing to give your problems to God… we should all do this and trust that He will help us… but it doesn’t hurt to keep reminding Him that you are counting on His help! There is a fine line between hounding out of lack of faith and hounding because you know that God holds your answers. Pester God… hound Him… remind Him day and night that you are depending on His help… and trust Him to answer.
©2009 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------
September 15 ~ Exodus 33:18-23
Then Moses said, " I pray that you will let me see you in all of your glory."
The LORD answered: All right. I am the LORD, and I show mercy and kindness to anyone I choose. I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name, but I won't let you see my face, because anyone who sees my face will die. There is a rock not far from me. Stand beside it, and before I pass by in all of my shining glory, I will put you in a large crack in the rock. I will cover your eyes with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back. You will not see my face.
(Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.)
Can you imagine what it would be like to actually see God? I know, I know… the important focus for us today is to live in faith… to see God’s hand in the lives of others – to find Him in scripture, worship, miracles, mercy, blessings – and more. But still… to SEE Him – how amazing would that be? How incredible will that be? Because you see, we will see God some day - when we get to Heaven.
Meanwhile, God has covered our eyes to protect us from fully seeing and understanding everything about Him and His ways. Why? Because we can’t handle it right now. God shows us mercy, kindness, and more on this earth, but His full glory is so astounding that we would truly fall dead if we glimpsed it.
What does this mean for us? It means that God gives us everything we need for now… and we must stay focused on “seeing” Him as He allows. Because the ultimate goal is all about truly seeing Him someday in Heaven. Keep your eye on the “Prize,” and live now for the day when you do see God face to face. Meanwhile, “bask in the glow” of God’s greatness from behind. This gives all new meaning to the phrase, “I’ve got your back,” doesn’t it? God has our back – do we have His?
©2009 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment