1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
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.
On any given day, most of us would say we are pretty loving people. Notice I didn’t say loveable… but I believe we all want to at least think we are fairly loving toward others. But if you read the list of qualities in this passage, you will find that we all fall short on quite a few of them. The very people we love are those with whom we are often impatient. We often want what others have, and more than a few of us insist on our own way. We love conditionally… we try to make ourselves look better than the next guy…we fly off the handle more times than we care to count!
These are not the actions of someone who loves genuinely… but they are very human actions. I don’t mean to excuse our behavior… and honestly, one of the great mysteries of Christian faith is how/why God continues to love us when we are so unlovely – particularly toward each other. As the Apostle Paul has aptly pointed out, we see things in a fog for now. Someday we will have all the answers, but for now, we must trust that God is handling things for us perfectly.
I’m pretty sure that we mortals would not be able to handle knowing what God knows. He has allowed us to sort of sugarcoat a lot of things about ourselves and others that allows us to love each other… and yet, God loves us warts and all! Now that’s pure love!
Having said all of this, I like to think that I am a loving person… that I treat others with kindness and respect… and that God is pleased with my efforts. In reading this passage again, I can clearly see that I fall short a lot of the time. Thankfully, my challenge – and yours – is to keep trying… to trust God, to hope that He will continue to grant us grace and mercy, and to work harder at loving more deeply and generously. Without love in action, our faith is hollow. How extravagant is your love these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 29, 2012
Joshua 1:9
I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you ever start to feel discouraged or have a pity party, go to your local hospital and sit in the outpatient waiting area for a while. There you will get a real slice of life… patients waiting for chemo treatments…elderly persons who have a myriad of ailments… loved ones waiting in the surgery area while doctors operate on family members and friends…people who are depending on walkers, canes, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and more. Listen to the chatter as these people talk – often candidly – about their treatments, countless visits to doctors and therapists, and the worries and concerns of their day.
Talk about some “Joshua 1:9 ambassadors!” You will hear stories of bravery and strength that will knock your socks off… and probably humble you to your core. I know this is always my reaction. I have waited in this area for doctor visits… and also as an advocate for loved ones. Each time, I come away thinking, “My problems seem so small and insignificant. More importantly, God is handling them for me. I have nothing to fear… no need to be discouraged.”
This very morning, I had allowed some things to pile up on me. I was starting to feel pretty low. Then I opened my outline file of scriptures about frustration and discouragement, and the one I had designated for today was Joshua 1:9. How is that for being brought up short by God?! He very quickly reminded me WHO is in charge here… and it ain’t me!
In this very simple, yet powerful way, God reminded me that I must be strong and brave… never afraid or discouraged. HE is in charge… HE is with me wherever I go… and HE will handle all of my concerns and meet every need. How awesome is that?!
I don’t know what is “on your plate” today. I have no clue what issues trouble or challenge you… what worries and concerns may be weighing you down and bringing you sorrow or alarm. But I do know that this makes the devil very happy to see you so low… and at the same time, it saddens God. He is standing right in front of us saying, “HERE I AM! You have nothing to fear! Pick yourself up and get going. Fill yourself with the comfort and joy of knowing that I have your back… and we’ve.got.this!”
I encourage you to be strong and brave this day… and in the days ahead. Know that God is with you wherever you go… and remember to smile! “This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad!” Psalm 128:24
©2012 Debbie Robus
I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you ever start to feel discouraged or have a pity party, go to your local hospital and sit in the outpatient waiting area for a while. There you will get a real slice of life… patients waiting for chemo treatments…elderly persons who have a myriad of ailments… loved ones waiting in the surgery area while doctors operate on family members and friends…people who are depending on walkers, canes, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and more. Listen to the chatter as these people talk – often candidly – about their treatments, countless visits to doctors and therapists, and the worries and concerns of their day.
Talk about some “Joshua 1:9 ambassadors!” You will hear stories of bravery and strength that will knock your socks off… and probably humble you to your core. I know this is always my reaction. I have waited in this area for doctor visits… and also as an advocate for loved ones. Each time, I come away thinking, “My problems seem so small and insignificant. More importantly, God is handling them for me. I have nothing to fear… no need to be discouraged.”
This very morning, I had allowed some things to pile up on me. I was starting to feel pretty low. Then I opened my outline file of scriptures about frustration and discouragement, and the one I had designated for today was Joshua 1:9. How is that for being brought up short by God?! He very quickly reminded me WHO is in charge here… and it ain’t me!
In this very simple, yet powerful way, God reminded me that I must be strong and brave… never afraid or discouraged. HE is in charge… HE is with me wherever I go… and HE will handle all of my concerns and meet every need. How awesome is that?!
I don’t know what is “on your plate” today. I have no clue what issues trouble or challenge you… what worries and concerns may be weighing you down and bringing you sorrow or alarm. But I do know that this makes the devil very happy to see you so low… and at the same time, it saddens God. He is standing right in front of us saying, “HERE I AM! You have nothing to fear! Pick yourself up and get going. Fill yourself with the comfort and joy of knowing that I have your back… and we’ve.got.this!”
I encourage you to be strong and brave this day… and in the days ahead. Know that God is with you wherever you go… and remember to smile! “This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad!” Psalm 128:24
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 28, 2012
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
How many times have you made plans that somehow were derailed? Just today, I made plans to clean out some boxes in my garage. I decided that this project was going so well that I would also gather some things from my craft room. After all, I am taking unwanted items to the thrift shop later this week… I just as well take as much as I can! Then my husband called to me to help him clean out some boxes in the attic. I got involved in his project, along with my own, and before I knew it, the day that was going to have room for lots of projects was over!
I can’t complain. We have accomplished a lot today. And I have learned to roll with the punches… very seldom do my days go completely as planned. Everyone has twists and turns in their plans, and I learned a long time ago that getting upset when “life happens” will not be very healthy in the long run! But if I stay on course and sort of “reboot” every now and again, what needs to get done is eventually accomplished.
The beautiful thing is that God has plans for each of us… perfect plans. And we can try all we want to derail them… we can insert our own desires and two-cents-worth into the mix…and we can fall apart when things don’t go as we hoped or anticipated. But at the end of the day, if we will pay close attention, God’s plans will be the ones that get us the farthest down the road.
We need to begin each morning by asking, “LORD, what are YOUR plans for me today? Show me how to accomplish what YOU have in store for me… to listen for Your voice and direction.” We need to stay the course as much as possible. But when bumps in the road occur, we need to ask God to help us handle them and get back on track as quickly as possible. If we try to fix things on our own… or we veer away from the designs that God has for us, we can expect problems, disappointments and heartaches.
I am amazed when I stop and recognize that God created a plan precisely for my life… and yours… and the next guy’s, and the next. I see His hand in so many aspects of my days, and I see Him at work for others, too. I have to laugh at how ridiculous we are to think we could do better… or that He doesn’t care about us. And I am truly, deeply humbled by such a generous gift.
I don’t know the plans God has for you… but I know they are amazing. Have you asked Him lately what He has in store for you… and which direction you should take? Isn’t it about time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
How many times have you made plans that somehow were derailed? Just today, I made plans to clean out some boxes in my garage. I decided that this project was going so well that I would also gather some things from my craft room. After all, I am taking unwanted items to the thrift shop later this week… I just as well take as much as I can! Then my husband called to me to help him clean out some boxes in the attic. I got involved in his project, along with my own, and before I knew it, the day that was going to have room for lots of projects was over!
I can’t complain. We have accomplished a lot today. And I have learned to roll with the punches… very seldom do my days go completely as planned. Everyone has twists and turns in their plans, and I learned a long time ago that getting upset when “life happens” will not be very healthy in the long run! But if I stay on course and sort of “reboot” every now and again, what needs to get done is eventually accomplished.
The beautiful thing is that God has plans for each of us… perfect plans. And we can try all we want to derail them… we can insert our own desires and two-cents-worth into the mix…and we can fall apart when things don’t go as we hoped or anticipated. But at the end of the day, if we will pay close attention, God’s plans will be the ones that get us the farthest down the road.
We need to begin each morning by asking, “LORD, what are YOUR plans for me today? Show me how to accomplish what YOU have in store for me… to listen for Your voice and direction.” We need to stay the course as much as possible. But when bumps in the road occur, we need to ask God to help us handle them and get back on track as quickly as possible. If we try to fix things on our own… or we veer away from the designs that God has for us, we can expect problems, disappointments and heartaches.
I am amazed when I stop and recognize that God created a plan precisely for my life… and yours… and the next guy’s, and the next. I see His hand in so many aspects of my days, and I see Him at work for others, too. I have to laugh at how ridiculous we are to think we could do better… or that He doesn’t care about us. And I am truly, deeply humbled by such a generous gift.
I don’t know the plans God has for you… but I know they are amazing. Have you asked Him lately what He has in store for you… and which direction you should take? Isn’t it about time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 27, 2012
Psalm 62:5-8
Only God gives inward peace,and I depend on him.
God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe,and he is the fortress
God saves me and honors me.
He is that mighty rock where I find safety.
Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each one of your concerns.
God is our place of safety.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today I visited my grandmother at her Assisted Living Facility. I have to admit, it’s getting harder and harder to visit with her. Most days, she can barely manage to speak a few words, and you have to guess at what she is trying to say. She sits and looks at her lap and fidgets. She is restless…and lately, she has been grumpy. She can’t tell us what is wrong, but I suspect she is just tired of this world.
Today there were more words than usual, though broken and scattered. But as I tried to think of things to tell her, I shared how Timothy was frustrated and did not want to go to bed. I said, “It’s tough to be three sometimes… just like it’s tough to be one hundred.” My grandmother began to cry. She reached out and grabbed my hand with one of hers, and with the other, she reached for my face and cupped my chin. Then she said, “I wish you would come more often.” If I stayed with my grandmother 24/7, she would still say this. And I had to laugh to myself at the thought that when I do visit, she spends our time together complaining… usually that I don’t come often or stay long enough.
But this day, she managed to add, “I am so lonesome.” She also was able to tell me she doesn’t begrudge (her word) that I have other obligations and must balance my time… and that “I’ve tried to explain that I’m working on it.” I asked her what she was working on, and she replied, “Being lonesome.” I attempted to assure my grandmother that we are all lonesome from time to time. And I reminded her that she is surrounded by people all day long. But I also understand that for a woman of her age who is limited by speech, hearing, vision, and limited mobility… and a forgetful mind… life can be quite isolating.
If I let myself, these thoughts could drive me batty… wouldn’t the devil love that?! Instead, I have chosen to share my concerns with God. Oh, He already knows them… but He loves it when we come before Him and pour out our hearts. I know that my grandmother must do this, too… in whatever way she can these days – and that she has given God her worries and frustrations for decades.
I do have an inner peace. I know that God has a reason for keeping my grandmother on this earth. I’ve told Him that I believe she deserves to get to go to heaven, where every tear will be wiped away and she will speak and dance again. And I’ve very clearly felt God telling me, “I hear you… and I’ve got this!” Believe me, I have not held back! I’ve shared concerns and frustrations and requests aplenty about all sorts of issues and challengescl and each time I have felt His strength and a sense of inner calm. If not, I’ve kept talking to Him until that feeling washed over me!
Your frustrations, worries and concerns are probably far different than mine. You most likely don’t have a 100-year-old grandmother. But you may have trials and situations that I cannot even fathom. And our God is big enough to handle all of them! He can blanket you in strength and inner peace. He can be your rock and place of safety, just as surely as He is mine and my grandmother’s.
God can fill the loneliest heart with joy and peace and still the mind of anyone Satan tries to trouble. All you have to do is trust Him - and tell Him each and every one of your concerns. When was the last time you really “came clean” with God and told Him everything? How much inner calm do you have? Isn’t it time to give your burdens and frustrations to God and start operating in His safety and peace? Won’t you share what’s on your heart with Him today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Only God gives inward peace,and I depend on him.
God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe,and he is the fortress
God saves me and honors me.
He is that mighty rock where I find safety.
Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each one of your concerns.
God is our place of safety.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today I visited my grandmother at her Assisted Living Facility. I have to admit, it’s getting harder and harder to visit with her. Most days, she can barely manage to speak a few words, and you have to guess at what she is trying to say. She sits and looks at her lap and fidgets. She is restless…and lately, she has been grumpy. She can’t tell us what is wrong, but I suspect she is just tired of this world.
Today there were more words than usual, though broken and scattered. But as I tried to think of things to tell her, I shared how Timothy was frustrated and did not want to go to bed. I said, “It’s tough to be three sometimes… just like it’s tough to be one hundred.” My grandmother began to cry. She reached out and grabbed my hand with one of hers, and with the other, she reached for my face and cupped my chin. Then she said, “I wish you would come more often.” If I stayed with my grandmother 24/7, she would still say this. And I had to laugh to myself at the thought that when I do visit, she spends our time together complaining… usually that I don’t come often or stay long enough.
But this day, she managed to add, “I am so lonesome.” She also was able to tell me she doesn’t begrudge (her word) that I have other obligations and must balance my time… and that “I’ve tried to explain that I’m working on it.” I asked her what she was working on, and she replied, “Being lonesome.” I attempted to assure my grandmother that we are all lonesome from time to time. And I reminded her that she is surrounded by people all day long. But I also understand that for a woman of her age who is limited by speech, hearing, vision, and limited mobility… and a forgetful mind… life can be quite isolating.
If I let myself, these thoughts could drive me batty… wouldn’t the devil love that?! Instead, I have chosen to share my concerns with God. Oh, He already knows them… but He loves it when we come before Him and pour out our hearts. I know that my grandmother must do this, too… in whatever way she can these days – and that she has given God her worries and frustrations for decades.
I do have an inner peace. I know that God has a reason for keeping my grandmother on this earth. I’ve told Him that I believe she deserves to get to go to heaven, where every tear will be wiped away and she will speak and dance again. And I’ve very clearly felt God telling me, “I hear you… and I’ve got this!” Believe me, I have not held back! I’ve shared concerns and frustrations and requests aplenty about all sorts of issues and challengescl and each time I have felt His strength and a sense of inner calm. If not, I’ve kept talking to Him until that feeling washed over me!
Your frustrations, worries and concerns are probably far different than mine. You most likely don’t have a 100-year-old grandmother. But you may have trials and situations that I cannot even fathom. And our God is big enough to handle all of them! He can blanket you in strength and inner peace. He can be your rock and place of safety, just as surely as He is mine and my grandmother’s.
God can fill the loneliest heart with joy and peace and still the mind of anyone Satan tries to trouble. All you have to do is trust Him - and tell Him each and every one of your concerns. When was the last time you really “came clean” with God and told Him everything? How much inner calm do you have? Isn’t it time to give your burdens and frustrations to God and start operating in His safety and peace? Won’t you share what’s on your heart with Him today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 26, 2012
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The other night, Timothy did not want to go to bed. I knew he was exhausted. It was late, and his day had been full. But he also had not visited our house in a few weeks, and he was having so much fun playing with toys that sleeping was the last thing on his mind. I assured him that we would play all day the following day – after we rested – but he would have none of that! We sat on the edge of the bed and he tearfully cried, “We can’t do this! There has to be a better way!”
My heart broke for this little guy, as I hugged him and wiped away his tears. I know… I know… he was being dramatic and working me. But at the same time, I know that he is only three years old, and these are confusing times for children his age. They want to exert their independence, yet they often lack the skills and abilities to express themselves properly. And let’s be honest, sometimes things in life just make us want to have a good cry.
Soon enough, three-year-old children discover real problems… pain, suffering and truly hard life lessons – even death. As we grow, we may have a friend, family member, or spouse who comes to our rescue and wipes away our tears and reassures us. But often, we may find ourselves wandering in a wasteland of sorts… carrying burdens and frustrations on our own without anyone to physically offer us comfort and encouragement.
The GOOD NEWS is that God is always with us… ready to shoulder our burdens and soothe us when we cry. We can take anything to God… He is always ready to hear our deepest hurts and to comfort us. And we have the hope and promise of a day when there will be NO MORE tears, sickness, hurt, confusion, frustration, suffering or pain. That is glorious news to me!
This is what keeps me going on days when I would really like to throw up my hands and say, “I’m done!” And don’t tell me you don’t have those days… because we all do! But God understands… and He is right there to lift us and help us put one foot in front of the other. All we have to do is say, “LORD, I can’t do this… there has to be a better way. Please help me.”
Don’t you want to call on God? Don’t you want to feel His gentle hand on your face, wiping away your tears…His strong arms wrapping around you and holding you close? Aren’t you encouraged by this promise of heaven and no more pain, sorrow and tears? Isn’t today the perfect time to start depending on God to handle whatever challenges you… and to trust His promises for your future?
©2012 Debbie Robus
He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The other night, Timothy did not want to go to bed. I knew he was exhausted. It was late, and his day had been full. But he also had not visited our house in a few weeks, and he was having so much fun playing with toys that sleeping was the last thing on his mind. I assured him that we would play all day the following day – after we rested – but he would have none of that! We sat on the edge of the bed and he tearfully cried, “We can’t do this! There has to be a better way!”
My heart broke for this little guy, as I hugged him and wiped away his tears. I know… I know… he was being dramatic and working me. But at the same time, I know that he is only three years old, and these are confusing times for children his age. They want to exert their independence, yet they often lack the skills and abilities to express themselves properly. And let’s be honest, sometimes things in life just make us want to have a good cry.
Soon enough, three-year-old children discover real problems… pain, suffering and truly hard life lessons – even death. As we grow, we may have a friend, family member, or spouse who comes to our rescue and wipes away our tears and reassures us. But often, we may find ourselves wandering in a wasteland of sorts… carrying burdens and frustrations on our own without anyone to physically offer us comfort and encouragement.
The GOOD NEWS is that God is always with us… ready to shoulder our burdens and soothe us when we cry. We can take anything to God… He is always ready to hear our deepest hurts and to comfort us. And we have the hope and promise of a day when there will be NO MORE tears, sickness, hurt, confusion, frustration, suffering or pain. That is glorious news to me!
This is what keeps me going on days when I would really like to throw up my hands and say, “I’m done!” And don’t tell me you don’t have those days… because we all do! But God understands… and He is right there to lift us and help us put one foot in front of the other. All we have to do is say, “LORD, I can’t do this… there has to be a better way. Please help me.”
Don’t you want to call on God? Don’t you want to feel His gentle hand on your face, wiping away your tears…His strong arms wrapping around you and holding you close? Aren’t you encouraged by this promise of heaven and no more pain, sorrow and tears? Isn’t today the perfect time to start depending on God to handle whatever challenges you… and to trust His promises for your future?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 25, 2012
Galatians 6:9
Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Somewhere around 1980, when I was teaching kindergarten, the principal asked me if a first-grade boy could spend most of his day in my classroom, because he was not able to function properly in his own. The child was evaluated and deemed to perform on the level of a child of about age 3. So I agreed to let Chuckie play in my classroom. And he did spend most of his day quietly playing with toys, puzzles and games. The other children even accepted that this was what Chuckie did all day - that is…when he wasn’t eating.
I could not feed this little boy enough. Clearly, the only time Chuckie really ate was when he was at school. The cafeteria manager gave him double helpings. I fed him “snacks” for breakfast and again before the last bell rang. I knew that he might not eat again until the next morning. He would tell me that he and his sister ate “pasketti” (spaghetti)… but all they got was what was left after his mother ate. Chuckie’s dad was determined to keep Mom happy, so she ate first.
The Department of Human Services was notified of this situation, and a caseworker was assigned. And the more she did for this family, the more the parents demanded. One day, the father was listing his “needs” to the caseworker, and he ended with… “Oh, and we need a car.” The caseworker replied, “What color would you like?” She said, “This was such a preposterous request that I figured it deserved a similar response!”
Ultimately, most everyone who tried to help this family came together in a court of law, where a judge was prepared to sign adoption papers for the children to be placed with a loving, stable couple. The parents were ready to sign, until the judge told them they would never get their children back. The parents reneged. And a local pediatrician bought the entire family bus tickets to Pennsylvania, where other relatives lived. Those in the courtroom had reached the end of their rope… they had given all the help they could… they were exhausted and exasperated.
I don’t know whatever happened to Chuckie and his family. I probably don’t want to know. I don’t fault those who made the decision to stop trying to help, because they had given all they had to give… and more. Their efforts were better served helping children whose families were more cooperative. But I do wonder about Chuckie…and others like him. And I think about people in our own circles who exhaust and exasperate us - so we throw up our hands and move away. What happens to them? Do they find other benefactors? More importantly, what if God threw up His hands and walked away from us?
Here’s what I have concluded. When you are tired and fed up… when you don’t have anything left to give to others…you can still love them and pray for them… and that is something. But don’t close the door completely. Don’t shut them out of your heart and stop caring. There is always hope. You don’t have to spend yourself into bankruptcy. You don’t have to give of your physical time and energy until you are literally sick and tired. But you must continue to care. And prayer is a powerful tool…often the only one we really need.
I am grateful to know that God never gives up on me… even when I exhaust and exasperate Him (which must be a dozen times a day or more!). And I must remind myself not to give up on others. I am not looking for a tangible “reward” – and neither should you. It should be payment enough to know that we are doing what God does for us… that we are serving Him as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth – and showing His love to others in the bargain. In my heart, I am believing that God sent another loving group of people to minister to Chuckie and his sister. And I am thankful for the opportunity I had to look after this child, if only for a few brief months. I was greatly blessed by this experience… and forever changed.
How and where is God using you in the life of someone who needs help? And how are you answering His call?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Somewhere around 1980, when I was teaching kindergarten, the principal asked me if a first-grade boy could spend most of his day in my classroom, because he was not able to function properly in his own. The child was evaluated and deemed to perform on the level of a child of about age 3. So I agreed to let Chuckie play in my classroom. And he did spend most of his day quietly playing with toys, puzzles and games. The other children even accepted that this was what Chuckie did all day - that is…when he wasn’t eating.
I could not feed this little boy enough. Clearly, the only time Chuckie really ate was when he was at school. The cafeteria manager gave him double helpings. I fed him “snacks” for breakfast and again before the last bell rang. I knew that he might not eat again until the next morning. He would tell me that he and his sister ate “pasketti” (spaghetti)… but all they got was what was left after his mother ate. Chuckie’s dad was determined to keep Mom happy, so she ate first.
The Department of Human Services was notified of this situation, and a caseworker was assigned. And the more she did for this family, the more the parents demanded. One day, the father was listing his “needs” to the caseworker, and he ended with… “Oh, and we need a car.” The caseworker replied, “What color would you like?” She said, “This was such a preposterous request that I figured it deserved a similar response!”
Ultimately, most everyone who tried to help this family came together in a court of law, where a judge was prepared to sign adoption papers for the children to be placed with a loving, stable couple. The parents were ready to sign, until the judge told them they would never get their children back. The parents reneged. And a local pediatrician bought the entire family bus tickets to Pennsylvania, where other relatives lived. Those in the courtroom had reached the end of their rope… they had given all the help they could… they were exhausted and exasperated.
I don’t know whatever happened to Chuckie and his family. I probably don’t want to know. I don’t fault those who made the decision to stop trying to help, because they had given all they had to give… and more. Their efforts were better served helping children whose families were more cooperative. But I do wonder about Chuckie…and others like him. And I think about people in our own circles who exhaust and exasperate us - so we throw up our hands and move away. What happens to them? Do they find other benefactors? More importantly, what if God threw up His hands and walked away from us?
Here’s what I have concluded. When you are tired and fed up… when you don’t have anything left to give to others…you can still love them and pray for them… and that is something. But don’t close the door completely. Don’t shut them out of your heart and stop caring. There is always hope. You don’t have to spend yourself into bankruptcy. You don’t have to give of your physical time and energy until you are literally sick and tired. But you must continue to care. And prayer is a powerful tool…often the only one we really need.
I am grateful to know that God never gives up on me… even when I exhaust and exasperate Him (which must be a dozen times a day or more!). And I must remind myself not to give up on others. I am not looking for a tangible “reward” – and neither should you. It should be payment enough to know that we are doing what God does for us… that we are serving Him as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth – and showing His love to others in the bargain. In my heart, I am believing that God sent another loving group of people to minister to Chuckie and his sister. And I am thankful for the opportunity I had to look after this child, if only for a few brief months. I was greatly blessed by this experience… and forever changed.
How and where is God using you in the life of someone who needs help? And how are you answering His call?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 24, 2012
Proverbs 3:5-12
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.
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.
I know I use our nephew Timothy as an analogy a lot, but God shows me so much through this little three-year-old. For most of his first three years, it was just us and Timothy. He stayed with us a lot… even after his mom and dad and little sister, Zola, moved to Texas. Then baby brother Nathan joined the family in August. Now the family has moved back to Arkansas, and we see all of them nearly every day. And for the first time, Timmy has to share his grandparents, great-grandparents… and his Uncle Greg and Aunt Debbie. Nearly every time we are together, he asks me, “Are you still my baby?”… and by this he means, is he still MY baby. I assure him that yes, he will ALWAYS be our baby.
Trust is a difficult thing when you are three. And figuring everything out is hard. So there is a lot of “water testing,” more than a few temper tantrums, and even some loving correction – which leads to lots and lots of tears. Timothy is still learning that the adults in his life mean business… and for the moment, know best…and that our gentle correction and “rules” are put in place out of a deep and abiding love.
We are all so much like the three-year-old child. We think we know what is best for our lives…we test the waters to see how much God will let us get by with… and then we pout when He reins us in. We need to recognize that God has our very best interests at heart… we need to trust Him from the bottom of our hearts.
I know! I know… sometimes we want to do it ourselves… our way! We get frustrated and impatient… or we don’t like the direction in which we feel God leading us, and we say, “I’ll take it from here!” What generally results is a huge hot mess! Read this passage again. Don’t you want your bones to vibrate with life? Don’t you want your body to glow with good health? Isn’t it time you ran to God rather than away from Him? Wouldn’t today be a perfect time to begin?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.
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.
I know I use our nephew Timothy as an analogy a lot, but God shows me so much through this little three-year-old. For most of his first three years, it was just us and Timothy. He stayed with us a lot… even after his mom and dad and little sister, Zola, moved to Texas. Then baby brother Nathan joined the family in August. Now the family has moved back to Arkansas, and we see all of them nearly every day. And for the first time, Timmy has to share his grandparents, great-grandparents… and his Uncle Greg and Aunt Debbie. Nearly every time we are together, he asks me, “Are you still my baby?”… and by this he means, is he still MY baby. I assure him that yes, he will ALWAYS be our baby.
Trust is a difficult thing when you are three. And figuring everything out is hard. So there is a lot of “water testing,” more than a few temper tantrums, and even some loving correction – which leads to lots and lots of tears. Timothy is still learning that the adults in his life mean business… and for the moment, know best…and that our gentle correction and “rules” are put in place out of a deep and abiding love.
We are all so much like the three-year-old child. We think we know what is best for our lives…we test the waters to see how much God will let us get by with… and then we pout when He reins us in. We need to recognize that God has our very best interests at heart… we need to trust Him from the bottom of our hearts.
I know! I know… sometimes we want to do it ourselves… our way! We get frustrated and impatient… or we don’t like the direction in which we feel God leading us, and we say, “I’ll take it from here!” What generally results is a huge hot mess! Read this passage again. Don’t you want your bones to vibrate with life? Don’t you want your body to glow with good health? Isn’t it time you ran to God rather than away from Him? Wouldn’t today be a perfect time to begin?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 23, 2012
Psalm 4:4-5
Complain if you must, but don’t lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.
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.
I’ve been listening to the conversations Timothy has with his toy dinosaurs and jungle animals… and also his bath tub “friends.” You can learn a lot from an imaginative three-year-old! One conversation he had recently involved a “Grandpa” dinosaur and a smaller animal who wanted to come along on an adventure. Grandpa would say, “You can’t come with us…it’s too dangerous. But how can we get across this bridge… got any ideas?”
Timothy worked out his problems in these conversations and arrived at answers. Granted, they were make-believe conversations… and a lot of it was quotes from his videos about “The Land That Time Forgot.” Still, there was a great lesson here. We need to spend some time sharing our frustrations and concerns with God and asking Him… “Got any ideas?” I can assure you, He has plenty of them… and He is more than ready to share His answers with you!
More and more, I find myself in situations where I really need someone to talk to… but the “right person” just doesn’t seem to exist. Either my concerns would be worrisome or hurtful to some… or seem downright ugly and mean to others… or the things that genuinely trouble me sound totally ridiculous and/or as if I am lacking in faith when I say them out loud. So I tell these things to God. NOTHING is too ridiculous, hurtful and mean, or doubtful to share with Him. I can be myself, pour out my heart, and “let it all hang out” before God, and He will not judge me. BUT…He will answer!
God’s verdict will always be right and sound… and if I will just sit still for a while and listen, He will show me exactly what I need to do. A lot of the time we cannot help our feelings… our thoughts and impressions are very real to us. But we don’t need to air them for the world to hear. Instead, all we have to do is pour out our hearts to God and ask, “Got any ideas?” I guarantee you that He does! Who are you talking to these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Complain if you must, but don’t lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.
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.
I’ve been listening to the conversations Timothy has with his toy dinosaurs and jungle animals… and also his bath tub “friends.” You can learn a lot from an imaginative three-year-old! One conversation he had recently involved a “Grandpa” dinosaur and a smaller animal who wanted to come along on an adventure. Grandpa would say, “You can’t come with us…it’s too dangerous. But how can we get across this bridge… got any ideas?”
Timothy worked out his problems in these conversations and arrived at answers. Granted, they were make-believe conversations… and a lot of it was quotes from his videos about “The Land That Time Forgot.” Still, there was a great lesson here. We need to spend some time sharing our frustrations and concerns with God and asking Him… “Got any ideas?” I can assure you, He has plenty of them… and He is more than ready to share His answers with you!
More and more, I find myself in situations where I really need someone to talk to… but the “right person” just doesn’t seem to exist. Either my concerns would be worrisome or hurtful to some… or seem downright ugly and mean to others… or the things that genuinely trouble me sound totally ridiculous and/or as if I am lacking in faith when I say them out loud. So I tell these things to God. NOTHING is too ridiculous, hurtful and mean, or doubtful to share with Him. I can be myself, pour out my heart, and “let it all hang out” before God, and He will not judge me. BUT…He will answer!
God’s verdict will always be right and sound… and if I will just sit still for a while and listen, He will show me exactly what I need to do. A lot of the time we cannot help our feelings… our thoughts and impressions are very real to us. But we don’t need to air them for the world to hear. Instead, all we have to do is pour out our hearts to God and ask, “Got any ideas?” I guarantee you that He does! Who are you talking to these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 22, 2012
1 Peter 5:7
God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a little girl, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas were a huge deal in my family. We gathered for gigantic potluck meals, rotating who served as host/hostess among the adult family members. In attendance were my parents and my siblings, both sets of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins… sometimes as many as 30 people. When I was small, my dad and some male cousins would go quail hunting right after lunch. In later years, we sat around and visited…and ate…looked at old pictures…and ate…watched football… and ate…played dominoes… and did I mention that we ate?! We would reheat what was left around dinner time and eat one last time, then say our good-byes and return to our individual homes.
As an adult, I have come to realize how much work this annual dinner was for the host/hostess… how long and hard others (who had regular day jobs) worked in the evenings and early morning of Thanksgiving Day to prepare the succulent dishes that always graced our tables and sideboards. But for me, it was a day when everyone got together to share food and fellowship without a care in the world. It was as if we cast all of our cares aside for that one day.
Now I realize that a lot of people come to the Thanksgiving Day table with a heavy heart… burdens that seem insurmountable…troubles of all kinds. There isn’t enough turkey, cranberries or pumpkin pie in the world to soothe what ails them. And I get it… I truly do. I will miss my grandparents today… the cousins who have long since gone to heaven and feast at the Heavenly table… my dad and my brother… my father-in-law who loved to see his family gathered around the table… and my little grandmother who is physically unable to leave her apartment and be with us. In the back of my mind I will be thinking about what I have to do next week, what’s going on in the world at large, those less fortunate, and the challenges that lie before me and my family.
But the GOOD NEWS is that I serve a God who is more than able to handle these worries and burdens. So today, I will make an extra effort to hand them to Him… to thank Him for such strong and sturdy shoulders that can carry the cares of the world. I will allow God to fill me with joy for the memories of times gone past… and the new traditions and memories we will begin to create this day with family members who are present… and our little great-niece and nephews, Zola, Timmy and Nathan. I will laugh and celebrate the joy and wonder of their presence… and the freedom to share a delicious meal with them in the cozy, festive home of their great-grandmother… my mom. I will cook the traditional green beans in my grandmother’s old iron Dutch oven. I’ll make other dishes that have come to be holiday favorites… as will others. And we will eat… and eat… and eat some more… because we can, praise God!
Wherever you are today… whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving Day officially, or you are merely counting your blessings because you can – and should… give God praise for carrying our worries and cares. Thank Him for being so powerful, loving, generous, gracious and merciful. Thank God for those who have filled your life in the past… and those who surround you today and in days to come. Recognize that your worst day WITH God is better than your best day without Him… and be incredibly thankful for that! Let go and let God… be thankful and blessed… and please pass the gravy… and the TUMS®!
©2012 Debbie Robus
God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a little girl, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas were a huge deal in my family. We gathered for gigantic potluck meals, rotating who served as host/hostess among the adult family members. In attendance were my parents and my siblings, both sets of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins… sometimes as many as 30 people. When I was small, my dad and some male cousins would go quail hunting right after lunch. In later years, we sat around and visited…and ate…looked at old pictures…and ate…watched football… and ate…played dominoes… and did I mention that we ate?! We would reheat what was left around dinner time and eat one last time, then say our good-byes and return to our individual homes.
As an adult, I have come to realize how much work this annual dinner was for the host/hostess… how long and hard others (who had regular day jobs) worked in the evenings and early morning of Thanksgiving Day to prepare the succulent dishes that always graced our tables and sideboards. But for me, it was a day when everyone got together to share food and fellowship without a care in the world. It was as if we cast all of our cares aside for that one day.
Now I realize that a lot of people come to the Thanksgiving Day table with a heavy heart… burdens that seem insurmountable…troubles of all kinds. There isn’t enough turkey, cranberries or pumpkin pie in the world to soothe what ails them. And I get it… I truly do. I will miss my grandparents today… the cousins who have long since gone to heaven and feast at the Heavenly table… my dad and my brother… my father-in-law who loved to see his family gathered around the table… and my little grandmother who is physically unable to leave her apartment and be with us. In the back of my mind I will be thinking about what I have to do next week, what’s going on in the world at large, those less fortunate, and the challenges that lie before me and my family.
But the GOOD NEWS is that I serve a God who is more than able to handle these worries and burdens. So today, I will make an extra effort to hand them to Him… to thank Him for such strong and sturdy shoulders that can carry the cares of the world. I will allow God to fill me with joy for the memories of times gone past… and the new traditions and memories we will begin to create this day with family members who are present… and our little great-niece and nephews, Zola, Timmy and Nathan. I will laugh and celebrate the joy and wonder of their presence… and the freedom to share a delicious meal with them in the cozy, festive home of their great-grandmother… my mom. I will cook the traditional green beans in my grandmother’s old iron Dutch oven. I’ll make other dishes that have come to be holiday favorites… as will others. And we will eat… and eat… and eat some more… because we can, praise God!
Wherever you are today… whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving Day officially, or you are merely counting your blessings because you can – and should… give God praise for carrying our worries and cares. Thank Him for being so powerful, loving, generous, gracious and merciful. Thank God for those who have filled your life in the past… and those who surround you today and in days to come. Recognize that your worst day WITH God is better than your best day without Him… and be incredibly thankful for that! Let go and let God… be thankful and blessed… and please pass the gravy… and the TUMS®!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 21, 2012
Matthew 11:28-29
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timmy and I watched “Daisy Bothers Minnie,” a Disney video. Minnie Mouse and her cat, Figero, are all set to relax for the evening, when Daisy calls to say she has a problem at her house and cannot take her “therapeutic bath.” Even though Minnie has plans for the evening, Daisy inserts herself into Minnie’s night and comes right on over. Then she imposes over and over, causing all sorts of problems, and totally interrupting Minnie’s “quiet night at home.” To say that Minnie Mouse was frustrated would be a major understatement. Minnie was more than tired from carrying heavy burdens!
From the demands of family members and friends to school and work - to concerns about the world at large, our burdens can get pretty heavy. Some have worries that seem like they would crush Superman, much less us ordinary humans. Around the world, illness, debt, relationship difficulties, homelessness, war, separation, hunger, fear and oppression, and more weigh heavily on the shoulders of millions of people every minute of the day. But even if your own “burdens” pale in comparison to those of someone in a war-torn country or a person who is facing a serious illness or the prospect of homelessness, they are YOUR burdens and have real significance in your life and the lives of those with whom you interact.
The amazingly wonderful thing is that God can handle ALL burdens. The woman in the Sudan who cannot feed herself or her children can cry out to God just like the student in a college classroom who needs help getting through freshman English! The soldier who is stationed halfway around the world in Afghanistan and won’t be home for Thanksgiving can experience rest in the LORD just as much as the elderly shut-in who will spend the holiday in his/her living room, all alone, watching parades and ballgames on TV.
The hostage in a war-torn country who is beaten and imprisoned can feel the same comfort and care from God as the foster child who is separated from his/her biological family and doesn’t know what will happen next. Every single one of us has “burdens” that seem like more than we can handle at one time or another, and God stands ready to take this load from each of us… if only we will ask Him to do so.
These verses in The Message say in part… “Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to lay my burdens down at the feet of Jesus and learn the unforced rhythms of His grace.
So often, we’re like Minnie Mouse… we reach our limits with friends, family members, work, school, and the worries of our day. We are ready to “have a quiet night” and relax… and something – or someone like Daisy Duck – comes along to ruin our plans. We can become overwhelmed in a hurry. God understands this, and He is saying, “I’ve got this. Let me handle things while you rest.” Aren’t you ready to do this? Isn’t it time we stopped throwing up our hands and screaming in frustration? Won’t you simply pick up the easy, gentle, graceful yoke of God and wear it for a change… and let Him handle the heavy stuff?
©2012 Debbie Robus
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timmy and I watched “Daisy Bothers Minnie,” a Disney video. Minnie Mouse and her cat, Figero, are all set to relax for the evening, when Daisy calls to say she has a problem at her house and cannot take her “therapeutic bath.” Even though Minnie has plans for the evening, Daisy inserts herself into Minnie’s night and comes right on over. Then she imposes over and over, causing all sorts of problems, and totally interrupting Minnie’s “quiet night at home.” To say that Minnie Mouse was frustrated would be a major understatement. Minnie was more than tired from carrying heavy burdens!
From the demands of family members and friends to school and work - to concerns about the world at large, our burdens can get pretty heavy. Some have worries that seem like they would crush Superman, much less us ordinary humans. Around the world, illness, debt, relationship difficulties, homelessness, war, separation, hunger, fear and oppression, and more weigh heavily on the shoulders of millions of people every minute of the day. But even if your own “burdens” pale in comparison to those of someone in a war-torn country or a person who is facing a serious illness or the prospect of homelessness, they are YOUR burdens and have real significance in your life and the lives of those with whom you interact.
The amazingly wonderful thing is that God can handle ALL burdens. The woman in the Sudan who cannot feed herself or her children can cry out to God just like the student in a college classroom who needs help getting through freshman English! The soldier who is stationed halfway around the world in Afghanistan and won’t be home for Thanksgiving can experience rest in the LORD just as much as the elderly shut-in who will spend the holiday in his/her living room, all alone, watching parades and ballgames on TV.
The hostage in a war-torn country who is beaten and imprisoned can feel the same comfort and care from God as the foster child who is separated from his/her biological family and doesn’t know what will happen next. Every single one of us has “burdens” that seem like more than we can handle at one time or another, and God stands ready to take this load from each of us… if only we will ask Him to do so.
These verses in The Message say in part… “Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to lay my burdens down at the feet of Jesus and learn the unforced rhythms of His grace.
So often, we’re like Minnie Mouse… we reach our limits with friends, family members, work, school, and the worries of our day. We are ready to “have a quiet night” and relax… and something – or someone like Daisy Duck – comes along to ruin our plans. We can become overwhelmed in a hurry. God understands this, and He is saying, “I’ve got this. Let me handle things while you rest.” Aren’t you ready to do this? Isn’t it time we stopped throwing up our hands and screaming in frustration? Won’t you simply pick up the easy, gentle, graceful yoke of God and wear it for a change… and let Him handle the heavy stuff?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 20, 2012
Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
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.
When I was 29 years old, I was diagnosed with endometriosis… a disease in which pieces of the uterine lining “go rogue” and migrate to other parts of the body, attach and grow. This is very painful… and in my case, some of this tissue attached to my colon. The solution was a hysterectomy – removal of my reproductive organs. Doctors don’t like to perform this procedure on otherwise healthy women of child-bearing age. But in my case, there was no other option. In fact, I went into surgery knowing that part of my colon might have to be removed, as well… and thankfully that was not necessary.
This was a scary time for me and my family. It was also a time of calm and peace. Yes, I was nervous about major surgery. But I was so anxious to feel better… to be rid of the thing that caused me daily discomfort and distress. I still remember lying in the pre-op room while a nurse administered the first medications before anesthesia. My surgery had been delayed several hours because of some emergencies, and as the medication hit my system, my blood pressure bottomed out, and I was “gone!” When I came to, the nurse was frantically working to get me to speak. I think she thought she had killed me!
After determining that I was okay, the medical team continued their work, and I remember thinking, “I will either wake up in the recovery room… or in heaven… and either one is okay.” I was not the most mature Christian at 29, but I trusted God… and He carried me safely through that – and many scary days since!
You may have Philippians 4:6-7 before… it’s the “peace that passes all understanding” passage. But what does that mean? In this translation, we see this phrase explained as “a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good to settle you down.” In my case, God washed over me with a sense that everything was coming together as He wished… and I truly was settled down. More times than I can count, I have poured out my frustrations, fears, anxieties and distresses to God, and He has settled me. And the more I practice this… the easier it becomes.
I have told you that I have momentary times of panic…days when I am shrouded in worry, and the devil really does a number on me. But they are becoming more infrequent as I learn to walk more in the wholeness of God. I have to remind myself often that God is in control… because the devil is always right there shouting, “Yeah, but what about such-and-such? Shouldn’t you be upset about that?” If you ever pass me and I’m mumbling, “Go away, devil!”… you’ll know I am not talking to YOU!
I think it’s time we all had a “devil-ectomy!” Let’s remove the offending thing that causes us worry, pain and distress! Let’s shroud ourselves in the wholeness and operate in the inexplicable “peace that passes all understanding.” Haven’t you had enough? Aren’t you ready to settle down in the LORD? Isn’t today a great day to begin?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
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.
When I was 29 years old, I was diagnosed with endometriosis… a disease in which pieces of the uterine lining “go rogue” and migrate to other parts of the body, attach and grow. This is very painful… and in my case, some of this tissue attached to my colon. The solution was a hysterectomy – removal of my reproductive organs. Doctors don’t like to perform this procedure on otherwise healthy women of child-bearing age. But in my case, there was no other option. In fact, I went into surgery knowing that part of my colon might have to be removed, as well… and thankfully that was not necessary.
This was a scary time for me and my family. It was also a time of calm and peace. Yes, I was nervous about major surgery. But I was so anxious to feel better… to be rid of the thing that caused me daily discomfort and distress. I still remember lying in the pre-op room while a nurse administered the first medications before anesthesia. My surgery had been delayed several hours because of some emergencies, and as the medication hit my system, my blood pressure bottomed out, and I was “gone!” When I came to, the nurse was frantically working to get me to speak. I think she thought she had killed me!
After determining that I was okay, the medical team continued their work, and I remember thinking, “I will either wake up in the recovery room… or in heaven… and either one is okay.” I was not the most mature Christian at 29, but I trusted God… and He carried me safely through that – and many scary days since!
You may have Philippians 4:6-7 before… it’s the “peace that passes all understanding” passage. But what does that mean? In this translation, we see this phrase explained as “a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good to settle you down.” In my case, God washed over me with a sense that everything was coming together as He wished… and I truly was settled down. More times than I can count, I have poured out my frustrations, fears, anxieties and distresses to God, and He has settled me. And the more I practice this… the easier it becomes.
I have told you that I have momentary times of panic…days when I am shrouded in worry, and the devil really does a number on me. But they are becoming more infrequent as I learn to walk more in the wholeness of God. I have to remind myself often that God is in control… because the devil is always right there shouting, “Yeah, but what about such-and-such? Shouldn’t you be upset about that?” If you ever pass me and I’m mumbling, “Go away, devil!”… you’ll know I am not talking to YOU!
I think it’s time we all had a “devil-ectomy!” Let’s remove the offending thing that causes us worry, pain and distress! Let’s shroud ourselves in the wholeness and operate in the inexplicable “peace that passes all understanding.” Haven’t you had enough? Aren’t you ready to settle down in the LORD? Isn’t today a great day to begin?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 19, 2012
John 16:33
I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.
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.
If you want to give the devil fits, just get comfortable with God! The closer you draw to Him, the more minor irritations and frustrations Satan will throw your way. It’s like he’s saying, “Oh yeah? Well what about THIS one?”! I have to laugh as I picture him, hands on his hips, growling and perturbed because his latest rant or scheme did not put me out of commission. But this has not always been the case… and I will be the first to admit that I still let the devil get to me and rattle my cage far too often!
This is “Thanksgiving Week” in the USA… a time when we are supposed to stop and make an extra effort to count our blessings. I know I have more than my share… and I am so grateful to God for all He does for me every minute of the day. I am incredibly thankful that He has conquered the world and I can live deeply at peace… unshaken and assured, even when momentary difficulties arise. I cannot imagine surviving all the things that come our way in even an “ordinary day” without the power of Jesus behind me.
I am surrounded by people who inspire me with their examples of tremendous faith in the midst of great challenge… a mother whose son is undergoing treatments for cancer wrote that if she could make a chain of daily blessings in their lives, it would stretch around the house, and then some… a young newlywed whose husband is battling a sinister and most-certainly terminal brain cancer, journals of the wonderful hiking trip they had to a local mountainous area and the joy of daily routines like soccer practice for their little boys… the mother of two four-year-olds who spent their first year of life in Arkansas Children’s hospital, lost their third sibling along the way, and wakes up with a new physical “issue” almost every day – yet reports that her son fell and knocked out three front teeth, and she was glad that it was just a “normal little-boy accident/injury” and not something more major! Now that’s faith in action!
I could go on and on… but I think you get the picture. One of my former Sunday school students posted on Facebook that ““For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” You could easily insert the words frustrated, irritated, distressed, or hopeless and have the same result. And the whole point is that, while these are normal human reactions, they serve no purpose in the life of a Christian.
In the words of an old song called “Pick Yourself Up” by Jerome Kern…”pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!” Recognize that God has already sent the devil packing, so we have no business letting him back into our neighborhood, so to speak. Kick him to the curb for good. When you start to feel frustrated, irritated, angry, or hopeless, shake Satan from your shoulder and say, “No way! I serve the Most High God, who has conquered the world! I am unshaken and assured that He has my back, and I am at peace!” Then do.it!
Be confident and faithful… a living example for others. Difficulties will come, but they do not define us. Cast ALL of your cares on God, for He truly does care for you in every way.
©2012 Debbie Robus
I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.
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.
If you want to give the devil fits, just get comfortable with God! The closer you draw to Him, the more minor irritations and frustrations Satan will throw your way. It’s like he’s saying, “Oh yeah? Well what about THIS one?”! I have to laugh as I picture him, hands on his hips, growling and perturbed because his latest rant or scheme did not put me out of commission. But this has not always been the case… and I will be the first to admit that I still let the devil get to me and rattle my cage far too often!
This is “Thanksgiving Week” in the USA… a time when we are supposed to stop and make an extra effort to count our blessings. I know I have more than my share… and I am so grateful to God for all He does for me every minute of the day. I am incredibly thankful that He has conquered the world and I can live deeply at peace… unshaken and assured, even when momentary difficulties arise. I cannot imagine surviving all the things that come our way in even an “ordinary day” without the power of Jesus behind me.
I am surrounded by people who inspire me with their examples of tremendous faith in the midst of great challenge… a mother whose son is undergoing treatments for cancer wrote that if she could make a chain of daily blessings in their lives, it would stretch around the house, and then some… a young newlywed whose husband is battling a sinister and most-certainly terminal brain cancer, journals of the wonderful hiking trip they had to a local mountainous area and the joy of daily routines like soccer practice for their little boys… the mother of two four-year-olds who spent their first year of life in Arkansas Children’s hospital, lost their third sibling along the way, and wakes up with a new physical “issue” almost every day – yet reports that her son fell and knocked out three front teeth, and she was glad that it was just a “normal little-boy accident/injury” and not something more major! Now that’s faith in action!
I could go on and on… but I think you get the picture. One of my former Sunday school students posted on Facebook that ““For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” You could easily insert the words frustrated, irritated, distressed, or hopeless and have the same result. And the whole point is that, while these are normal human reactions, they serve no purpose in the life of a Christian.
In the words of an old song called “Pick Yourself Up” by Jerome Kern…”pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!” Recognize that God has already sent the devil packing, so we have no business letting him back into our neighborhood, so to speak. Kick him to the curb for good. When you start to feel frustrated, irritated, angry, or hopeless, shake Satan from your shoulder and say, “No way! I serve the Most High God, who has conquered the world! I am unshaken and assured that He has my back, and I am at peace!” Then do.it!
Be confident and faithful… a living example for others. Difficulties will come, but they do not define us. Cast ALL of your cares on God, for He truly does care for you in every way.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 18, 2012
Psalm 34:18
If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
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.
I haven’t “had the breath knocked out of me” in years…can’t even remember when it happened last. But I do remember the feeling… that momentary shock and fright – and wonder if “this was IT!” Then the breath returned, and other than maybe being sore from falling so hard, everything returned to normal. Usually, this happens in a group – like playing kickball as a kid – and others rush to your side to make sure you are okay.
When my grandmother fell last Christmas Eve on our driveway and hit her head, I am fairly certain she was momentarily dazed – if not unconscious. We hurried to her, and I held her head off the pavement until the ambulance arrived with EMTs to assist her. The night my dad suffered a massive stroke, I remember my husband going to the car to retrieve his C-pap machine (a device that aides in breathing if you have sleep apnea). When my husband returned from the parking lot, the doors to the waiting room swung open, and there on either side of him were two of my dearest cousins who had come to support us. I know beyond any doubt that they were real-life angels sent by God. And did we ever need them, because my dad did not survive… and our hearts were broken.
Let’s face it… life kicks all of us in the gut at least once or twice. And for a moment, it’s like having the breath knocked out of you. We wonder what to do, maybe even panic a little – and fear the worst. The GOOD NEWS is that God is right there with us, and He will give us everything we need to catch our breath. He will mend our broken hearts… maybe not right away…but in His time. He will show us a way out of whatever dilemma we face. God will never leave us.
If we will just hold on to this thought…if we will simply trust that with God, all things are possible, then the “kicks in the gut” that are bound to happen in life won’t seem fatal. We really have no clue what we can endure with God’s help. I’m not asking to find out… but I am certainly aware that I can deal with whatever comes my way. If God can give Jesus’ mother, Mary, the courage and strength to watch her Son be tortured and crucified on a cross… don’t you think He can help you manage your “gut-checks?” Don’t give up hope. Cry out to God, and call on Him to draw near. You’ll find He was already there all along.
©2012 Debbie Robus
If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
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.
I haven’t “had the breath knocked out of me” in years…can’t even remember when it happened last. But I do remember the feeling… that momentary shock and fright – and wonder if “this was IT!” Then the breath returned, and other than maybe being sore from falling so hard, everything returned to normal. Usually, this happens in a group – like playing kickball as a kid – and others rush to your side to make sure you are okay.
When my grandmother fell last Christmas Eve on our driveway and hit her head, I am fairly certain she was momentarily dazed – if not unconscious. We hurried to her, and I held her head off the pavement until the ambulance arrived with EMTs to assist her. The night my dad suffered a massive stroke, I remember my husband going to the car to retrieve his C-pap machine (a device that aides in breathing if you have sleep apnea). When my husband returned from the parking lot, the doors to the waiting room swung open, and there on either side of him were two of my dearest cousins who had come to support us. I know beyond any doubt that they were real-life angels sent by God. And did we ever need them, because my dad did not survive… and our hearts were broken.
Let’s face it… life kicks all of us in the gut at least once or twice. And for a moment, it’s like having the breath knocked out of you. We wonder what to do, maybe even panic a little – and fear the worst. The GOOD NEWS is that God is right there with us, and He will give us everything we need to catch our breath. He will mend our broken hearts… maybe not right away…but in His time. He will show us a way out of whatever dilemma we face. God will never leave us.
If we will just hold on to this thought…if we will simply trust that with God, all things are possible, then the “kicks in the gut” that are bound to happen in life won’t seem fatal. We really have no clue what we can endure with God’s help. I’m not asking to find out… but I am certainly aware that I can deal with whatever comes my way. If God can give Jesus’ mother, Mary, the courage and strength to watch her Son be tortured and crucified on a cross… don’t you think He can help you manage your “gut-checks?” Don’t give up hope. Cry out to God, and call on Him to draw near. You’ll find He was already there all along.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 17, 2012
Isaiah 41:9-10
I pulled you in from all over the world,
called you in from every dark corner of the earth,
Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side.
I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’
Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
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.
Timothy has been learning how to deal with frustration. Sometimes he will stack up his blocks in a “tower” that is not structurally sound. He puts little blocks near the bottom and bigger, heavier ones near the top. When this configuration collapses and falls to the floor, Timmy also falls apart. So we have been trying to teach him to remain calm, to recognize that all is not lost… we are here to help him, and we will show him how to build a better, more sound configuration.
I have to tell you, I am often not far behind my three-year-old nephew in the “Frustration Department!” We all have challenges and “towers” in life that are not structurally sound. And when they crash and burn… so do we, much of the time. I really need this passage to remind me that there is no need for panic or fear. God is with me, holding me steady and keeping a firm grip on me. If I will calm down and trust Him, God will give me strength and show me how to build a firmer foundation and find better solutions to whatever challenges I face. And He will do the same for you!
We all have frustrations. But we also have a “cure for what ails us” – a Heavenly Father who is right beside us. God picked us… He has not dropped us and will never fail to meet our needs or answer our calls. All we have to do is take the first step… to move closer and ask Him to help.
When a wobbly structure falls, we’ve tried to teach Timmy to say, “Oops!” and start over… to realize that all is not lost. It’s much the same with God and the “wobbly structures” in our own lives. We need to learn to say, “Uh-oh, God… I’m in trouble here… can you help?”... then trust Him to do exactly that. Where can you apply this to your own life? What “towers” have crashed and need fixing? Are you ready to call out to God and feel His grip tighten? Isn’t it time to say “Oops?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
I pulled you in from all over the world,
called you in from every dark corner of the earth,
Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side.
I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’
Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
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.
Timothy has been learning how to deal with frustration. Sometimes he will stack up his blocks in a “tower” that is not structurally sound. He puts little blocks near the bottom and bigger, heavier ones near the top. When this configuration collapses and falls to the floor, Timmy also falls apart. So we have been trying to teach him to remain calm, to recognize that all is not lost… we are here to help him, and we will show him how to build a better, more sound configuration.
I have to tell you, I am often not far behind my three-year-old nephew in the “Frustration Department!” We all have challenges and “towers” in life that are not structurally sound. And when they crash and burn… so do we, much of the time. I really need this passage to remind me that there is no need for panic or fear. God is with me, holding me steady and keeping a firm grip on me. If I will calm down and trust Him, God will give me strength and show me how to build a firmer foundation and find better solutions to whatever challenges I face. And He will do the same for you!
We all have frustrations. But we also have a “cure for what ails us” – a Heavenly Father who is right beside us. God picked us… He has not dropped us and will never fail to meet our needs or answer our calls. All we have to do is take the first step… to move closer and ask Him to help.
When a wobbly structure falls, we’ve tried to teach Timmy to say, “Oops!” and start over… to realize that all is not lost. It’s much the same with God and the “wobbly structures” in our own lives. We need to learn to say, “Uh-oh, God… I’m in trouble here… can you help?”... then trust Him to do exactly that. Where can you apply this to your own life? What “towers” have crashed and need fixing? Are you ready to call out to God and feel His grip tighten? Isn’t it time to say “Oops?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 16, 2012
Matthew 12:46-50
While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers showed up. They were outside trying to get a message to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are out here, wanting to speak with you.”
Jesus didn’t respond directly, but said, “Who do you think my mother and brothers are?” He then stretched out his hand toward his disciples. “Look closely. These are my mother and brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
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.
We all knew it would be this way… or we should have known. Oh, we hoped things would be different, but I think we all pretty well understood that after the election on November 6th, the bickering and fighting wouldn’t end. I continue to be amazed and disheartened by the number of people who claim the name of Jesus and treat their “brothers and sisters in Christ” so hatefully. When I was teaching junior/high Sunday school students, I had to continually remind them that anyone who truly repents and believes in Jesus is just as much a child of the Most High God as any of us… and entitled to His grace, mercy, forgiveness, love and blessings.
“But Ms. Debbie,” some would protest… “surely you are not including Saddam Hussein or Adolph Hitler in that group?” “If they were to repent and ask Jesus to forgive their sins… then, YES, I am!” I would reply. Now, I am not saying that either of these men became born-again Christians before their deaths. I have no idea what was in their hearts. But my point to the students – and to you if you have asked Jesus to be LORD of your life – is that anyone who is a born-again disciple of Christ… obedient to His will… is your equal in God’s eyes.
So when we consider others in this light, we have to stop and ask ourselves about how we treat others. As I watched my niece admonish Timothy not to hit his sister, Zola, I was reminded that we are often like the three-year-old who doesn’t want to share with his younger sibling. In both cases, we know that this is wrong behavior… but if we think we can get by with it, we forge ahead. So we are critical and cruel. We lie, cheat and steal… and hope that God doesn’t notice. Instead of standing up for our brothers and sisters in Christ… and lifting them with love, optimism and encouragement… we berate them, make life difficult for them, and treat them like they are less important – or downright outcasts!
The time has come for us to grow up! We aren’t three any longer… and even a toddler of this age knows that mistreating your siblings is unacceptable. You don’t have to like all of your brothers and sisters in Christ. You don’t have to agree with them on every issue… and you won’t! You don’t even have to go out of your way to spend time with them. But you do have to love them and treat them with respect and dignity. You do have to show them the love of Christ and get along with them as a part of your heavenly family.
Look closely… recognize that those in your midst may very well be your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus… equal and entitled to the same blessings and mercy as you. The last thing you want God to say to you is “Don’t hit your sister!” How well are you getting along with your family these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers showed up. They were outside trying to get a message to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are out here, wanting to speak with you.”
Jesus didn’t respond directly, but said, “Who do you think my mother and brothers are?” He then stretched out his hand toward his disciples. “Look closely. These are my mother and brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
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.
We all knew it would be this way… or we should have known. Oh, we hoped things would be different, but I think we all pretty well understood that after the election on November 6th, the bickering and fighting wouldn’t end. I continue to be amazed and disheartened by the number of people who claim the name of Jesus and treat their “brothers and sisters in Christ” so hatefully. When I was teaching junior/high Sunday school students, I had to continually remind them that anyone who truly repents and believes in Jesus is just as much a child of the Most High God as any of us… and entitled to His grace, mercy, forgiveness, love and blessings.
“But Ms. Debbie,” some would protest… “surely you are not including Saddam Hussein or Adolph Hitler in that group?” “If they were to repent and ask Jesus to forgive their sins… then, YES, I am!” I would reply. Now, I am not saying that either of these men became born-again Christians before their deaths. I have no idea what was in their hearts. But my point to the students – and to you if you have asked Jesus to be LORD of your life – is that anyone who is a born-again disciple of Christ… obedient to His will… is your equal in God’s eyes.
So when we consider others in this light, we have to stop and ask ourselves about how we treat others. As I watched my niece admonish Timothy not to hit his sister, Zola, I was reminded that we are often like the three-year-old who doesn’t want to share with his younger sibling. In both cases, we know that this is wrong behavior… but if we think we can get by with it, we forge ahead. So we are critical and cruel. We lie, cheat and steal… and hope that God doesn’t notice. Instead of standing up for our brothers and sisters in Christ… and lifting them with love, optimism and encouragement… we berate them, make life difficult for them, and treat them like they are less important – or downright outcasts!
The time has come for us to grow up! We aren’t three any longer… and even a toddler of this age knows that mistreating your siblings is unacceptable. You don’t have to like all of your brothers and sisters in Christ. You don’t have to agree with them on every issue… and you won’t! You don’t even have to go out of your way to spend time with them. But you do have to love them and treat them with respect and dignity. You do have to show them the love of Christ and get along with them as a part of your heavenly family.
Look closely… recognize that those in your midst may very well be your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus… equal and entitled to the same blessings and mercy as you. The last thing you want God to say to you is “Don’t hit your sister!” How well are you getting along with your family these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 15, 2012
Matthew 3:33-37
“If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.
“You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
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.
Several years ago, the father of a friend of mine passed away suddenly. My friend was understandably devastated. He was in his twenties at the time, and his dad had died at a very young age. At the funeral, a fellow church member approached my grieving friend and said, “It’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.” I am fairly certain this person meant well… but those words rang in my friend’s ear… and some ten years later, I still remember the look on his face as he told me all of this. There are times when words truly can be our damnation. In other words, sometimes we should keep our thoughts to ourselves!
Whether this person meant to be helpful or not, his words were reckless. And we so often do this. Teachers ask children why they cannot make good grades or conduct themselves like their older brother or sister, not realizing the stress and pressure that this puts on a kid to live up to someone else’s expectations… real or imaginary. A single comment made to someone about an aspect of his/her appearance can scar them for life. Forever and a day that person will worry about his/her big nose, crooked teeth, crazy cow-lick, or toothpick legs. Unkind nicknames can haunt a person for years… or a lifetime.
Continual talk of sickness can actually make you sick. There are even those who believe that if you talk about getting a disease – like cancer – often and long enough, you can manifest this into your life. The late Rev. John Osteen, father to Joel Osteen, wrote a booklet entitled, “There is a Miracle In Your Mouth.” You can order a copy from http://amazon.com. Rev. Osteen outlines through scripture how we speak both negativity and positive outcomes into our lives… and how our words have a profound effect on the direction we take each day.
Today, Joel Osteen is a champion of speaking good things into your life and the lives of others. He suggests that we get up every day, look in the mirror, and say, “I am valuable. I am loved. God has a great plan for my life.” Instead, most of us get up, look at our image in the mirror and groan at the new wrinkle, or the pimple that showed up overnight, our receding hairline, the extra strands of gray, or something that disappoints us. And let’s be honest, this sets in motion what is at least a subconscious negative attitude… if not an outright bad mood for the day.
My challenge for each of us is to consider our words. Do we speak as if we are valued by God and he has great plans for our life? Do we offer encouragement and hope to others? Or are we continually negative, careless, and hurtful with our words? Are our words those of salvation or damnation?
Joel Osteen says, “If you can change your words, you can change your world.” Are you willing to change today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
“If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.
“You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
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.
Several years ago, the father of a friend of mine passed away suddenly. My friend was understandably devastated. He was in his twenties at the time, and his dad had died at a very young age. At the funeral, a fellow church member approached my grieving friend and said, “It’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.” I am fairly certain this person meant well… but those words rang in my friend’s ear… and some ten years later, I still remember the look on his face as he told me all of this. There are times when words truly can be our damnation. In other words, sometimes we should keep our thoughts to ourselves!
Whether this person meant to be helpful or not, his words were reckless. And we so often do this. Teachers ask children why they cannot make good grades or conduct themselves like their older brother or sister, not realizing the stress and pressure that this puts on a kid to live up to someone else’s expectations… real or imaginary. A single comment made to someone about an aspect of his/her appearance can scar them for life. Forever and a day that person will worry about his/her big nose, crooked teeth, crazy cow-lick, or toothpick legs. Unkind nicknames can haunt a person for years… or a lifetime.
Continual talk of sickness can actually make you sick. There are even those who believe that if you talk about getting a disease – like cancer – often and long enough, you can manifest this into your life. The late Rev. John Osteen, father to Joel Osteen, wrote a booklet entitled, “There is a Miracle In Your Mouth.” You can order a copy from http://amazon.com. Rev. Osteen outlines through scripture how we speak both negativity and positive outcomes into our lives… and how our words have a profound effect on the direction we take each day.
Today, Joel Osteen is a champion of speaking good things into your life and the lives of others. He suggests that we get up every day, look in the mirror, and say, “I am valuable. I am loved. God has a great plan for my life.” Instead, most of us get up, look at our image in the mirror and groan at the new wrinkle, or the pimple that showed up overnight, our receding hairline, the extra strands of gray, or something that disappoints us. And let’s be honest, this sets in motion what is at least a subconscious negative attitude… if not an outright bad mood for the day.
My challenge for each of us is to consider our words. Do we speak as if we are valued by God and he has great plans for our life? Do we offer encouragement and hope to others? Or are we continually negative, careless, and hurtful with our words? Are our words those of salvation or damnation?
Joel Osteen says, “If you can change your words, you can change your world.” Are you willing to change today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 14, 2012
Matthew 12:31-32
“There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God’s Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you’re sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.
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.
Last night, my husband and I watched a movie called The Miracle. This is the true story of three whales that were trapped in 1988, in the ice near Barrow, Alaska. I don’t want to give away the story, in case you have not seen the movie and/or do not know/remember what happened. But in order to breathe and stay alive, the whales were rising from the water in a small hole in the ice, and a massive rescue operation was organized.
Temperatures dipped to well past 50 degrees below zero, and the ice began to freeze faster than the Eskimos of Barrow could chip it away. The hole was closing… the whales were in serious danger of losing their airway. So the Eskimos began to create a pathway of holes that led toward open sea, hoping to guide the whales toward safety. And it worked for a while… until the whales were spooked and reversed course. These whales didn’t understand what was happening, so you couldn’t fault them… but at the same time, they were headed toward disaster as the holes froze over behind them.
Okay… this is a rather vague analogy, maybe… but we are often like the whales. We see the path to Jesus… we follow Him and head in the direction of his mercy and goodness. But then, many of us turn back. Some are like the whales… they really do not understand. Perhaps you find things not going so well in your life and you lose hope. Maybe you suffer a major disappointment… or people mistreat you… and you decide that being an obedient Christian isn’t all it’s cracked up to be… that you are getting nowhere fast. Or maybe “life” gets in the way and you get busy. Before you know it, a few days/weeks have passed without a single conversation between you and God. You haven’t opened your Bible… much less attended a worship service or shared fellowship with other believers. People get stuck in a rut… headed in the wrong direction… and often, they have no clue that the way OUT of that rut is to turn back to Jesus!
Others take a more drastic course. For whatever reason, they allow the devil to get a firm grip on them, and they not only move away from God… they disown Him completely. They listen to that inner voice telling them that God is not on their side… that He is not even real. They hear the devil whisper, “He doesn’t care about you, or He would never allow this/that to happen! You don’t need Him. You can do better on your own – and have a whole lot more fun in the bargain!” This deliberate denouncement can have fatal consequences. If the course is not altered, the doors of Heaven could be closed forever… and an eternity in the pits of hell could be the end result.
Here’s the deal… it is not too late to turn to God. Forgiveness and acceptance is totally within your reach today. Hope is alive… a life in Christ is available to everyone who accepts Him. I cannot imagine anyone rejecting the promise of heaven. But I know that there are those who do not believe it exists. OUR JOB is to live in a way that shows them that heaven DOES exist – that heaven is real… and the way to get there is through Jesus Christ. We must live in such a way that this promise is so appealing and encouraging – even in the midst of disappointments and heartaches – that others are clamoring to follow Jesus, as well.
Additionally, we must offer compassion to others… whether they are like the whales who became momentarily confused and disoriented, or they have rejected Jesus outright. We must show them His grace, mercy, and the opportunity for real forgiveness. And… we must never give up. As long as we draw breath, there is the possibility of salvation and pardon. And we must never give up… for ourselves – or on others.
As you sit out on the “branch of life” today, are you trusting Jesus to support and sustain you? Or do you have saw in hand, ready to sever the ties, crash and burn? Will you allow Jesus to guide you safely past the “ice holes” that freeze over… will you continue to believe in Him for your very breath? Will you show others the way and lead by example? Are you fully operating in the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
“There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God’s Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you’re sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.
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.
Last night, my husband and I watched a movie called The Miracle. This is the true story of three whales that were trapped in 1988, in the ice near Barrow, Alaska. I don’t want to give away the story, in case you have not seen the movie and/or do not know/remember what happened. But in order to breathe and stay alive, the whales were rising from the water in a small hole in the ice, and a massive rescue operation was organized.
Temperatures dipped to well past 50 degrees below zero, and the ice began to freeze faster than the Eskimos of Barrow could chip it away. The hole was closing… the whales were in serious danger of losing their airway. So the Eskimos began to create a pathway of holes that led toward open sea, hoping to guide the whales toward safety. And it worked for a while… until the whales were spooked and reversed course. These whales didn’t understand what was happening, so you couldn’t fault them… but at the same time, they were headed toward disaster as the holes froze over behind them.
Okay… this is a rather vague analogy, maybe… but we are often like the whales. We see the path to Jesus… we follow Him and head in the direction of his mercy and goodness. But then, many of us turn back. Some are like the whales… they really do not understand. Perhaps you find things not going so well in your life and you lose hope. Maybe you suffer a major disappointment… or people mistreat you… and you decide that being an obedient Christian isn’t all it’s cracked up to be… that you are getting nowhere fast. Or maybe “life” gets in the way and you get busy. Before you know it, a few days/weeks have passed without a single conversation between you and God. You haven’t opened your Bible… much less attended a worship service or shared fellowship with other believers. People get stuck in a rut… headed in the wrong direction… and often, they have no clue that the way OUT of that rut is to turn back to Jesus!
Others take a more drastic course. For whatever reason, they allow the devil to get a firm grip on them, and they not only move away from God… they disown Him completely. They listen to that inner voice telling them that God is not on their side… that He is not even real. They hear the devil whisper, “He doesn’t care about you, or He would never allow this/that to happen! You don’t need Him. You can do better on your own – and have a whole lot more fun in the bargain!” This deliberate denouncement can have fatal consequences. If the course is not altered, the doors of Heaven could be closed forever… and an eternity in the pits of hell could be the end result.
Here’s the deal… it is not too late to turn to God. Forgiveness and acceptance is totally within your reach today. Hope is alive… a life in Christ is available to everyone who accepts Him. I cannot imagine anyone rejecting the promise of heaven. But I know that there are those who do not believe it exists. OUR JOB is to live in a way that shows them that heaven DOES exist – that heaven is real… and the way to get there is through Jesus Christ. We must live in such a way that this promise is so appealing and encouraging – even in the midst of disappointments and heartaches – that others are clamoring to follow Jesus, as well.
Additionally, we must offer compassion to others… whether they are like the whales who became momentarily confused and disoriented, or they have rejected Jesus outright. We must show them His grace, mercy, and the opportunity for real forgiveness. And… we must never give up. As long as we draw breath, there is the possibility of salvation and pardon. And we must never give up… for ourselves – or on others.
As you sit out on the “branch of life” today, are you trusting Jesus to support and sustain you? Or do you have saw in hand, ready to sever the ties, crash and burn? Will you allow Jesus to guide you safely past the “ice holes” that freeze over… will you continue to believe in Him for your very breath? Will you show others the way and lead by example? Are you fully operating in the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 13, 2012
Matthew 12:11-13
Jesus answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you lift it out? People are worth much more than sheep, and so it is right to do good on the Sabbath.” Then Jesus told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man did, and it became as healthy as the other one.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, I visited with my grandmother. I can never stay long enough with her… she always asks in one way or another, “What’s your hurry?” Last week, I explained (in terms I felt such a hard worker as she would understand) that… “I have to go home and get our laundry done and clean our house. I’m way behind on such things.” Even though a stroke has left her unable to say more than a word or two, she managed to convey… “still there.” In other words, the chores would keep! And she was right. This is the same woman who frequently commented that she didn’t feel well as she hurried out the door to do something – often for someone else – and added, “I won’t feel a bit worse there than I would sitting at home.”
What’s my point? To me, this passage is about much more than keeping the Sabbath. In actuality, Jesus is “schooling” us on priorities. We have choices to make every day. Yes, our rooms and homes have to get cleaned. Yes, we have jobs, school work, laundry, meals to prepare, yards to mow and vehicles to wash – and our own families to see after and care about. Yes, we have to take care of certain things first… we must prioritize. But we also have to look at the “fringe” activities and choose whether to minister to others in Jesus’ name or satisfy our own selfish interests.
Do you really have to watch that program on television? Could you record it for later viewing… or skip it altogether? Is it more important that you spend the next few weeks in a frenzy over Christmas shopping and attending parties… or finding ways to help those less fortunate for whom Christmas is anything but a joyful occasion? Is there someone who needs to hear from you today? Should you spend a little time sending a note or e-mail – or making a phone call – or is it more important that you have that second cup of coffee while reading the morning newspaper? Will the world come to an end if you let a few things go in the next month or two while you help a senior citizen downsize and prepare for a move to a smaller residence… or tutor a child or young person who is studying for major exams or trying to improve test scores?
What if you gave up the next several Saturdays to help a young person earn a scouting badge… or forfeited an afternoon of decorating your own home for Christmas in order to decorate your church facilities… or put a few wreaths and baubles up at the home of an elderly shut-in… or visit someone in a nursing home or hospital for whom Christmas will pretty well come and go without fanfare?
Exactly where do your priorities lie? Just as Jesus demonstrated that doing the LORD’s work on the Sabbath was more important than observing the date on the calendar… He is calling on each of us to set aside our own agendas when He presents us with an opportunity to serve. I managed to get my house clean and the laundry done… but I’m still working on the ironing. And I’ll get there. I have discovered that laying aside my own agenda to serve in the LORD’s army often gives me renewed energy for completing the tasks on my own list. Somehow, He shows us where/how to get everything done that is necessary. Are you willing to discover this for yourself?
I don’t know what your “sheep in the ditch” moments will be… but I know God will present them to you. The question is… how will you respond?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Jesus answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you lift it out? People are worth much more than sheep, and so it is right to do good on the Sabbath.” Then Jesus told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man did, and it became as healthy as the other one.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, I visited with my grandmother. I can never stay long enough with her… she always asks in one way or another, “What’s your hurry?” Last week, I explained (in terms I felt such a hard worker as she would understand) that… “I have to go home and get our laundry done and clean our house. I’m way behind on such things.” Even though a stroke has left her unable to say more than a word or two, she managed to convey… “still there.” In other words, the chores would keep! And she was right. This is the same woman who frequently commented that she didn’t feel well as she hurried out the door to do something – often for someone else – and added, “I won’t feel a bit worse there than I would sitting at home.”
What’s my point? To me, this passage is about much more than keeping the Sabbath. In actuality, Jesus is “schooling” us on priorities. We have choices to make every day. Yes, our rooms and homes have to get cleaned. Yes, we have jobs, school work, laundry, meals to prepare, yards to mow and vehicles to wash – and our own families to see after and care about. Yes, we have to take care of certain things first… we must prioritize. But we also have to look at the “fringe” activities and choose whether to minister to others in Jesus’ name or satisfy our own selfish interests.
Do you really have to watch that program on television? Could you record it for later viewing… or skip it altogether? Is it more important that you spend the next few weeks in a frenzy over Christmas shopping and attending parties… or finding ways to help those less fortunate for whom Christmas is anything but a joyful occasion? Is there someone who needs to hear from you today? Should you spend a little time sending a note or e-mail – or making a phone call – or is it more important that you have that second cup of coffee while reading the morning newspaper? Will the world come to an end if you let a few things go in the next month or two while you help a senior citizen downsize and prepare for a move to a smaller residence… or tutor a child or young person who is studying for major exams or trying to improve test scores?
What if you gave up the next several Saturdays to help a young person earn a scouting badge… or forfeited an afternoon of decorating your own home for Christmas in order to decorate your church facilities… or put a few wreaths and baubles up at the home of an elderly shut-in… or visit someone in a nursing home or hospital for whom Christmas will pretty well come and go without fanfare?
Exactly where do your priorities lie? Just as Jesus demonstrated that doing the LORD’s work on the Sabbath was more important than observing the date on the calendar… He is calling on each of us to set aside our own agendas when He presents us with an opportunity to serve. I managed to get my house clean and the laundry done… but I’m still working on the ironing. And I’ll get there. I have discovered that laying aside my own agenda to serve in the LORD’s army often gives me renewed energy for completing the tasks on my own list. Somehow, He shows us where/how to get everything done that is necessary. Are you willing to discover this for yourself?
I don’t know what your “sheep in the ditch” moments will be… but I know God will present them to you. The question is… how will you respond?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 12, 2012
Matthew 12:1-8
One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!”
Jesus said, “Really? Didn’t you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn’t you ever read in God’s Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it’s not held against them?
“There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”
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.
I read a very interesting article at http://honors.uca.edu/wiki/index.php/Sunday_Blue_Law which tells the history of “Blue Laws” in Arkansas and the efforts by churches and religious leaders to encourage congregations to “avoid amusements, recreation, work, and unnecessary travel on Sundays.” The article further says that Sunday baseball had been illegal in our state since 1885.
In another section, the ridiculousness of this law is detailed… “In the 1960s the city of Little Rock banned sales of fresh Vienna sausage, pantyhose, and toilet paper, but put no similar restriction on bacon and bologna, baby clothes, or newspapers. Citizens of the city could buy lettuce but not cabbage. Cooked meats and fish could be purchased on Sunday, but not if sold in jars, bottles, or cans. In the 1970s, police arrested a shopkeeper for selling cups and sewing needles on Sunday. Another ran afoul of the law for selling nails, and a third for selling towels and a key chain. The point of prohibiting certain items but not others generally followed the rule of thumb that prohibiting certain or enough items would have the effect of keeping shops targeted by special interests closed entirely on the Lord's Day.”
Bear in mind that we could go to a restaurant and have a Sunday meal. It was apparently okay for cooks, dishwashers, wait staff and cashiers to work in an establishment where others were fed… but you could not buy certain foods at a grocery store to feed your family at home. My 21st-Century oven has a “Sabbath drawer” for warming food… a holdover from a time when it was considered sinful to cook on Sunday, so women prepared the meal on Saturday and warmed it in the oven on Sunday.
While this all seems absurd to us now… this law was not repealed in Arkansas until 1982…only 30 years ago! And some probably still wish that stores were not open on Sunday and people considered it more a day of rest than a time to catch up on shopping or do other things. But the point of this whole passage is made in one line… “I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual.” In other words…our Christian faith is not completely wrapped up in what we do on Sunday… or any other day, for that matter. If we are more concerned with ritual and appearances than the actual business of serving Jesus Christ – on ANY given day – we have totally missed the mark!
I’m not saying you should skip church on Sunday and go shopping or do something else. But you’re not necessarily a bad person if you do. If you have a job that requires you to work weekends – including Sundays – and you have a family to feed and bills to pay… there are other times and ways you can worship. And this is not just about what you do on Sundays… it’s much bigger. There are countless rituals, rules and requirements in every corner of the world and every denomination… from how to dress and wear your hair to whether or not you can eat meat – and what kinds of meat!... to whether you can have electricity and a telephone in your house. And when you drill it all down… none of these rituals and rules have a single thing to do with truly serving Jesus Christ and walking in faith with Him every day! I am not knocking traditions and religious tenets. If you attend a denomination that has specific requirements about your conduct - and you are comfortable with this - good for you! But do not let man-made laws dictate how you worship Jesus.
Study the scripture. Spend some time in prayer and meditation. Ask God what HE desires of you…and whether He finds fault with your conduct. If you are confident that you are obedient… faithful… and an honorable servant, then what others think really doesn’t matter. When we move our focus from pleasing man to pleasing God, everything changes. How flexible is your heart?
©2012 Debbie Robus
One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!”
Jesus said, “Really? Didn’t you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn’t you ever read in God’s Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it’s not held against them?
“There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”
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.
I read a very interesting article at http://honors.uca.edu/wiki/index.php/Sunday_Blue_Law which tells the history of “Blue Laws” in Arkansas and the efforts by churches and religious leaders to encourage congregations to “avoid amusements, recreation, work, and unnecessary travel on Sundays.” The article further says that Sunday baseball had been illegal in our state since 1885.
In another section, the ridiculousness of this law is detailed… “In the 1960s the city of Little Rock banned sales of fresh Vienna sausage, pantyhose, and toilet paper, but put no similar restriction on bacon and bologna, baby clothes, or newspapers. Citizens of the city could buy lettuce but not cabbage. Cooked meats and fish could be purchased on Sunday, but not if sold in jars, bottles, or cans. In the 1970s, police arrested a shopkeeper for selling cups and sewing needles on Sunday. Another ran afoul of the law for selling nails, and a third for selling towels and a key chain. The point of prohibiting certain items but not others generally followed the rule of thumb that prohibiting certain or enough items would have the effect of keeping shops targeted by special interests closed entirely on the Lord's Day.”
Bear in mind that we could go to a restaurant and have a Sunday meal. It was apparently okay for cooks, dishwashers, wait staff and cashiers to work in an establishment where others were fed… but you could not buy certain foods at a grocery store to feed your family at home. My 21st-Century oven has a “Sabbath drawer” for warming food… a holdover from a time when it was considered sinful to cook on Sunday, so women prepared the meal on Saturday and warmed it in the oven on Sunday.
While this all seems absurd to us now… this law was not repealed in Arkansas until 1982…only 30 years ago! And some probably still wish that stores were not open on Sunday and people considered it more a day of rest than a time to catch up on shopping or do other things. But the point of this whole passage is made in one line… “I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual.” In other words…our Christian faith is not completely wrapped up in what we do on Sunday… or any other day, for that matter. If we are more concerned with ritual and appearances than the actual business of serving Jesus Christ – on ANY given day – we have totally missed the mark!
I’m not saying you should skip church on Sunday and go shopping or do something else. But you’re not necessarily a bad person if you do. If you have a job that requires you to work weekends – including Sundays – and you have a family to feed and bills to pay… there are other times and ways you can worship. And this is not just about what you do on Sundays… it’s much bigger. There are countless rituals, rules and requirements in every corner of the world and every denomination… from how to dress and wear your hair to whether or not you can eat meat – and what kinds of meat!... to whether you can have electricity and a telephone in your house. And when you drill it all down… none of these rituals and rules have a single thing to do with truly serving Jesus Christ and walking in faith with Him every day! I am not knocking traditions and religious tenets. If you attend a denomination that has specific requirements about your conduct - and you are comfortable with this - good for you! But do not let man-made laws dictate how you worship Jesus.
Study the scripture. Spend some time in prayer and meditation. Ask God what HE desires of you…and whether He finds fault with your conduct. If you are confident that you are obedient… faithful… and an honorable servant, then what others think really doesn’t matter. When we move our focus from pleasing man to pleasing God, everything changes. How flexible is your heart?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 11, 2012
Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
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.
Last week, my husband and I took Timothy and his little sister, Zola, to the park to play and have a “picnic.” If you want to learn to live freely and lightly, spend a couple of hours sliding down a slide with toddlers. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace by swinging while holding a little child on your lap. Get away from the worries and cares of your day and see even the tiniest stick or pine cone through their eyes. And rest? They know about that, too. After about the 90th trip down the slide, Timmy looked up and said, “Let’s rest a minute!”
At the end of the day, we were all tired… but also renewed. Yes, we all slept well that night… worn out from our physical exertion. But we set any burdens and worries aside and just enjoyed the sunshine and the simplicity of sharing love and joy with two little ones we love beyond description.
Have you ever stopped and considered that in terms of our Christian faith, we are the toddlers, and Jesus is the parent? But unlike the little children, who hopefully have no burdens or worries at such a young age, our lives are riddled with heaviness. We really are tired and worn out… exhausted from work and relationships and trying to juggle all the balls that make up our life. We are even weary of religion and the demands of the church… to conform to a certain set of guidelines and beliefs… to serve here or pay there or deal with all kinds of people who have their own agendas.
At the end of the day, don’t you just want to “rest a minute?” The GOOD NEWS is that you can… anytime, anywhere! You can call out to Jesus, and He will open His arms, scoop you up, and snuggle you to His chest. You can rest and relax…content and free in the safety He offers. And the more you take refuge with Jesus… the more you keep company with Him… the lighter your burdens and worries will become. You will feel more like a kid again… trusting your Heavenly Father to handle the big stuff for you.
Don’t you want this? Don’t you long to feel free and unencumbered… to know that Someone bigger than you is in control… perfectly managing your life so that you are able to focus on whatever God has designed you for? It’s time to leave our cares at the feet of Jesus. Aren’t you ready? Won’t you “slide down the slide” one last time… and rest?
©2012 Debbie Robus
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
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.
Last week, my husband and I took Timothy and his little sister, Zola, to the park to play and have a “picnic.” If you want to learn to live freely and lightly, spend a couple of hours sliding down a slide with toddlers. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace by swinging while holding a little child on your lap. Get away from the worries and cares of your day and see even the tiniest stick or pine cone through their eyes. And rest? They know about that, too. After about the 90th trip down the slide, Timmy looked up and said, “Let’s rest a minute!”
At the end of the day, we were all tired… but also renewed. Yes, we all slept well that night… worn out from our physical exertion. But we set any burdens and worries aside and just enjoyed the sunshine and the simplicity of sharing love and joy with two little ones we love beyond description.
Have you ever stopped and considered that in terms of our Christian faith, we are the toddlers, and Jesus is the parent? But unlike the little children, who hopefully have no burdens or worries at such a young age, our lives are riddled with heaviness. We really are tired and worn out… exhausted from work and relationships and trying to juggle all the balls that make up our life. We are even weary of religion and the demands of the church… to conform to a certain set of guidelines and beliefs… to serve here or pay there or deal with all kinds of people who have their own agendas.
At the end of the day, don’t you just want to “rest a minute?” The GOOD NEWS is that you can… anytime, anywhere! You can call out to Jesus, and He will open His arms, scoop you up, and snuggle you to His chest. You can rest and relax…content and free in the safety He offers. And the more you take refuge with Jesus… the more you keep company with Him… the lighter your burdens and worries will become. You will feel more like a kid again… trusting your Heavenly Father to handle the big stuff for you.
Don’t you want this? Don’t you long to feel free and unencumbered… to know that Someone bigger than you is in control… perfectly managing your life so that you are able to focus on whatever God has designed you for? It’s time to leave our cares at the feet of Jesus. Aren’t you ready? Won’t you “slide down the slide” one last time… and rest?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 10, 2012
Matthew 10:40-42
“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”
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.
My husband and I went shopping for a used car this week. You can learn a lot about life – and even Christian witness – from used car salespeople! There are those who seem to appear from nowhere as soon as your car hits their lot. They pounce on you like vultures… “What can I show you? What do you think about this one? How much were you planning to spend? What don’t you like?”
Then there are those who amble over as you peer into the window of a vehicle, stick out their hand and say, “Welcome! I’m here if you need me or have any questions, but otherwise, I’ll just let you look around.” They step back and let you look…kick the tires… and maybe unlock a door or two for you to take a peek inside. In other words, they start small. They don’t throw everything on the table all at once… they let you look and think and absorb the situation in manageable doses.
Now, who do you think you would rather buy a car from… the pushy salesperson who tries to cram his/her product down your throat… or the laidback, patient one who shows you hospitality and almost acts like you are doing them a favor by visiting their establishment?
It’s the same with our Christian witness. If we approach people with an all-out, “you’ve-got-to-believe-in-Jesus-like-I-do-or-you’ll-go-to-hell” attitude or demeanor, we will not be welcome… nor will our message. Nobody wants to be coerced or made to feel inferior. Think about people you know who are “preachy” and pious… those who are always ready to tell you that your real problem is that you don’t know Jesus… or at least you don’t know Him like they do! These are the ones who are always talking about “Christian” behavior while acting anything BUT “Christian” themselves. How open are you to their message? Are these people truly welcome in your life… or are they merely tolerated, at best?
I think of all of the people I know who go about their lives with a quiet, peaceful confidence… making occasional references to their faith and how God has blessed them… but more importantly, busy loving others and caring about them in ways great and small. I am so inspired and motivated by how they conduct themselves… how they handle crises… their inner strength and their outer goodness. THIS is the hospitality of Jesus in action! These are the people I welcome with open arms and with whom I desire fellowship! Theirs is the example I wish to follow and emulate. In other words, I want some of what they have!
Which camp are you in? What sort of “salesperson” for Jesus are you… a pushy, know-it-all… or one who exudes hospitality and offers a hearty welcome? Remember…our job as Christ’s Disciples is to share His Good News and to serve as His hands and feet on this earth… and then to be on our way. Nowhere in the Bible does it say, “Stay and push until people bend and break.” God doesn’t want coercion… He wants willing servants who come to Him with an open heart and a deep hunger for what He offers. And He needs harvest hands that will show Christian hospitality and welcome to those they encounter.
Are you a welcoming witness for Jesus? Do you demonstrate hospitality and a faith in Christ that is appealing to others? Ask God to show you how and where to make needed changes. Learn to operate in warmth and cordiality… to show others a quiet faith and service that is genuine, humble, and inviting. Start small and watch the impact of your Christian welcome grow. See how God can multiply your efforts, as others accept and serve Him because you do. Be a blessing to be blessed… and don’t miss out on a single thing God has for you!
©2012 Debbie Robus
“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”
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.
My husband and I went shopping for a used car this week. You can learn a lot about life – and even Christian witness – from used car salespeople! There are those who seem to appear from nowhere as soon as your car hits their lot. They pounce on you like vultures… “What can I show you? What do you think about this one? How much were you planning to spend? What don’t you like?”
Then there are those who amble over as you peer into the window of a vehicle, stick out their hand and say, “Welcome! I’m here if you need me or have any questions, but otherwise, I’ll just let you look around.” They step back and let you look…kick the tires… and maybe unlock a door or two for you to take a peek inside. In other words, they start small. They don’t throw everything on the table all at once… they let you look and think and absorb the situation in manageable doses.
Now, who do you think you would rather buy a car from… the pushy salesperson who tries to cram his/her product down your throat… or the laidback, patient one who shows you hospitality and almost acts like you are doing them a favor by visiting their establishment?
It’s the same with our Christian witness. If we approach people with an all-out, “you’ve-got-to-believe-in-Jesus-like-I-do-or-you’ll-go-to-hell” attitude or demeanor, we will not be welcome… nor will our message. Nobody wants to be coerced or made to feel inferior. Think about people you know who are “preachy” and pious… those who are always ready to tell you that your real problem is that you don’t know Jesus… or at least you don’t know Him like they do! These are the ones who are always talking about “Christian” behavior while acting anything BUT “Christian” themselves. How open are you to their message? Are these people truly welcome in your life… or are they merely tolerated, at best?
I think of all of the people I know who go about their lives with a quiet, peaceful confidence… making occasional references to their faith and how God has blessed them… but more importantly, busy loving others and caring about them in ways great and small. I am so inspired and motivated by how they conduct themselves… how they handle crises… their inner strength and their outer goodness. THIS is the hospitality of Jesus in action! These are the people I welcome with open arms and with whom I desire fellowship! Theirs is the example I wish to follow and emulate. In other words, I want some of what they have!
Which camp are you in? What sort of “salesperson” for Jesus are you… a pushy, know-it-all… or one who exudes hospitality and offers a hearty welcome? Remember…our job as Christ’s Disciples is to share His Good News and to serve as His hands and feet on this earth… and then to be on our way. Nowhere in the Bible does it say, “Stay and push until people bend and break.” God doesn’t want coercion… He wants willing servants who come to Him with an open heart and a deep hunger for what He offers. And He needs harvest hands that will show Christian hospitality and welcome to those they encounter.
Are you a welcoming witness for Jesus? Do you demonstrate hospitality and a faith in Christ that is appealing to others? Ask God to show you how and where to make needed changes. Learn to operate in warmth and cordiality… to show others a quiet faith and service that is genuine, humble, and inviting. Start small and watch the impact of your Christian welcome grow. See how God can multiply your efforts, as others accept and serve Him because you do. Be a blessing to be blessed… and don’t miss out on a single thing God has for you!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 9, 2012
Matthew 10:32-39
“Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
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.
Someone was telling me recently about visiting the home of a friend, and there was a pillow in one room that said, “It’s all about ME!” Sadly, this is not a joke for some of us! Many people function in this world under the assumption that it truly is all about them. Their focus is on their own agenda… the next purchase…who is paying attention to them… what is happening in their own little circle… and how they appear to others – on every level.
Forget asking these people to change their plans or forego a “treat” for themselves to help someone else. Remember, it’s all about them! Never mind asking them to put the needs of another person ahead of their own… or to say, I had planned to give such-and-such to my parents or my child… but this person is in dire straits and needs it worse, so I will proceed in a different direction.
When it comes to our Christian Discipleship, even more of us have a problem in this area. Ask yourself… “Would I be willing to forego a daily/semi-weekly cup of specialty coffee or a large soft drink in order to sponsor a child in Compassion, International or help another worthwhile charity? Could I give up an hour or so a week of doing something I really enjoy in order to help someone who had a physical need I could meet… running errands, help with lawn maintenance, delivering Meals on Wheels, giving a shut-in a ride somewhere, etc.? What if I turned off my television each day for one hour and spent that time in quiet prayer and meditation for others?”
I don’t know what God is calling you to do. I don’t know where your path to Discipleship leads you. But I do know that a lot of us are far less obedient and selfless in these areas than we ought to be. When it comes to our Christian witness and Discipleship, more than a handful of us could sport a pillow that says “It’s all about ME.”
I’m asking you to examine your heart… and your lifestyle… and see where you are acting selfishly and with a self-centered heart. Then ask God to help you turn things around. Start operating from a place of incredible generosity… the old “give until it hurts – and then some” mentality. I’m not talking about money, per se… unless that is what God asks you to give. I’m talking time, talents, energy - whatever He requests. Be willing to give…and then give some more. Stand up for God, and He will stand up for you! Life may not always be cozy,but you will be blessed. You will know that you can someday stand before God with honor and the confidence that you went all the way with Him. You gave everything you had to give… and then some.
If it’s all about GOD, He will see that your needs are met in the bargain. And when God meets your needs, nothing is lacking…and He is truly enough. Aren’t you ready for this? Won’t you ask God to help you change your focus?
©2012 Debbie Robus
“Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
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.
Someone was telling me recently about visiting the home of a friend, and there was a pillow in one room that said, “It’s all about ME!” Sadly, this is not a joke for some of us! Many people function in this world under the assumption that it truly is all about them. Their focus is on their own agenda… the next purchase…who is paying attention to them… what is happening in their own little circle… and how they appear to others – on every level.
Forget asking these people to change their plans or forego a “treat” for themselves to help someone else. Remember, it’s all about them! Never mind asking them to put the needs of another person ahead of their own… or to say, I had planned to give such-and-such to my parents or my child… but this person is in dire straits and needs it worse, so I will proceed in a different direction.
When it comes to our Christian Discipleship, even more of us have a problem in this area. Ask yourself… “Would I be willing to forego a daily/semi-weekly cup of specialty coffee or a large soft drink in order to sponsor a child in Compassion, International or help another worthwhile charity? Could I give up an hour or so a week of doing something I really enjoy in order to help someone who had a physical need I could meet… running errands, help with lawn maintenance, delivering Meals on Wheels, giving a shut-in a ride somewhere, etc.? What if I turned off my television each day for one hour and spent that time in quiet prayer and meditation for others?”
I don’t know what God is calling you to do. I don’t know where your path to Discipleship leads you. But I do know that a lot of us are far less obedient and selfless in these areas than we ought to be. When it comes to our Christian witness and Discipleship, more than a handful of us could sport a pillow that says “It’s all about ME.”
I’m asking you to examine your heart… and your lifestyle… and see where you are acting selfishly and with a self-centered heart. Then ask God to help you turn things around. Start operating from a place of incredible generosity… the old “give until it hurts – and then some” mentality. I’m not talking about money, per se… unless that is what God asks you to give. I’m talking time, talents, energy - whatever He requests. Be willing to give…and then give some more. Stand up for God, and He will stand up for you! Life may not always be cozy,but you will be blessed. You will know that you can someday stand before God with honor and the confidence that you went all the way with Him. You gave everything you had to give… and then some.
If it’s all about GOD, He will see that your needs are met in the bargain. And when God meets your needs, nothing is lacking…and He is truly enough. Aren’t you ready for this? Won’t you ask God to help you change your focus?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)