Daily Devotional for April 30, 2013

Revelation 22:18-19
I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book; if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book.
 
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 have written several times about how I take adult clothing in good shape and refashion it into something for children.  My cousin Owen LOVES the color orange, so I bought an orange knit polo shirt at the thrift store and used the fabric to create a pair of shorts.  There were pockets on the chest, and these I put on the side of the legs like cargo pockets.  When I was done, you would never know that these little boy shorts had once been a man’s polo shirt!
 
I am constantly taking something old and repurposing it into something fresh and new… something that my little ones or I will enjoy.  And there is nothing wrong with this.  In fact… it’s a good thing!  Waste not, want not, you know!  I try to utilize virtually every scrap of the fabric in one way or another to create something that will have “life” and meaning for someone else.
 
Here’s the deal… too many of us are doing this with the word of God… and this is not okay!  Our “excuse” is often that… “This is not really what God meant! When Jesus commanded us to love one another, He meant love them in your heart.  He surely didn’t mean that we should reach out to the dirty, homeless drug addict and offer to feed him/her.  He wasn’t saying to share a pew at church with someone who is openly gay or from another race, much less welcome those who practice other religions into our homes and our communities!  And I know that He most definitely was not telling us to be kind and loving toward those who have treated us unkindly and/or gossiped about us and tried to damage our reputation!  God certainly doesn’t mean for us to spend our hard-earned money on orphans, the elderly, or that person who we assume must be too lazy to work!  This is not how God meant for us to love others!”
 
We create a “new garment,” so to speak… one that is fresh, enjoyable and comfortable.  But it doesn’t look one bit like God’s original “garment”.  We twist and turn our interpretations of God’s word so much that it bears little to no resemblance to what God intended and/or actually said. We pick and choose… take parts of the Old Testament so literally that we essentially ignore the New Testament.  In her book, Just Give Me Jesus, Anne Graham Lotz says talks about how in Old Testament times, people were required to bring their very best lamb to the priest as compensation for their sins.  The “sinner” would stand before the priest and confess his sins while holding this beautiful, pure, soft lamb.  Then the priest would hand him a knife and call for the lamb’s neck to be sliced.  This was how the “sinner” was held responsible for his own sins…he had to actually sacrifice the lamb and feel the blood wash over his hands.
 
When Jesus quite literally became the Lamb of God on the cross, all of this changed.  He sacrificed His blood for us, once and for all.  Does scripture still tell about the sacrifice of lambs?  Absolutely!  Is this how we atone for our sins today?  Absolutely NOT!  If you pick and choose, twist and turn, or take one scripture passage out of context in relation to the big picture, you will have something that even God often doesn’t recognize… and He will not be pleased.
 
We have to be very careful that our own desires and agendas do not color our interpretation of God’s word.  It’s very easy to find a verse or two that may seem to justify our thoughts and actions… if we take them out of context or do not consider the bigger picture of what is written in the Bible as a whole. Every word has meaning and importance…and we must carefully consider how these words weave together to present the message that God is sending us.  God may use the same scripture passage to speak to us in different ways on any given day… but at the heart of His message, His intent and commands never change.  His plan for our lives is constant… His outline for how we as Christians are supposed to speak and act is clear – and it never goes out of style.
 
My challenge for each of us is to look at our own lives and see where we may have twisted things – even a little – to suit our own needs and desires.  Where might we have misinterpreted God’s word… even if unintentionally?  Let’s ask God to reveal Himself to us through fresh new eyes… let’s open our hearts and minds and really get what He is telling us through His word.  And let’s leave the repurposing and refashioning for thrift-store finds and crafty seamstresses.  Are you in?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 29, 2013

Psalm 1:1-6
God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won’t follow sinners or join in sneering at God.  Instead, the Law of the Lord makes them happy, and they think about it day and night.
 
They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.
 
That isn’t true of those who are evil, because they are like straw blown by the wind. Sinners won’t have an excuse on the day of judgment, and they won’t have a place with the people of God. The Lord protects everyone who follows him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
I recently saw a post on Twitter from a woman who was thanking a certain Independent Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, for helping her explain to her children how Muslims feel about Al Qaeda. You see, many leaders and members of this church, which I refuse to name, have made it their mission to protest at funerals and other events to raise awareness for their hatred of homosexuals, in particular.  They have also protested against Jews… and some members have actually stomped on the American flag at some of these events.  They threatened to go to Boston and protest there after the bombings last month.  In their minds, every disaster and tragedy that befalls someone is a direct result of the “sins” of the groups they choose to hate.  Still, they call themselves “Christians” and encourage everyone to believe as they do.  In my book, they are sneering at God.
 
What does this have to do with Muslims and Al Qaeda?  I read a response to this question on the Internet from one Muslim that I believe sums this up fairly well.  This person said “the integrity of my religion is tarnished by this group.”  You see, people do all sorts of things in the name of religion… even Christianity.  Yet, as our pastor pointed out so bravely yesterday, there is no room for such thinking in the church… and there are no good excuses.  Racism must go… intolerance cannot be allowed… we must search our hearts, study the word of God and realize that we are called to love.one.another  - and everyone who trusts in God is welcome at His table.  Scripture doesn’t say to pick and choose… to judge others… to protest against certain groups in the name of God and ostracize those who do not believe as we do.
 
God has not called us to cram our way of thinking down the throats of others. Our mission is quite clear…
  • Love the LORD with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
  • Love others as you love yourself.
  • Go and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
To my way of thinking, this includes not only telling others about Jesus, but also demonstrating His teachings in our talk, actions, and attitudes.
 
Our pastor used the Sunday school movement, which began in 1790 in England, as an example.  This movement was initially unpopular, because the children were taught to read the Bible on Sunday, which was considered a “day of rest.”  This was the only day of the week that most children in England were not working in the factories.  If they were to learn to read – and study the Bible as their textbook – it would have to be on Sundays.  Clearly, many felt it was more important to “observe the Sabbath” than to learn to read God’s word on that day!  But as we all know, enough people “refused evil advice” and persevered…and Sunday school eventually became a virtually universal aspect of childhood for most.
 
My point in sharing these things with you is not to spark a debate over social issues or various religious beliefs.  God uses the same scripture passage to speak to me in different ways on any given day.  Today, I feel that this passage is showing us that we must be very careful about who we listen to and what we internalize as “Christian” attitudes and behaviors.  We must ask ourselves why we form certain opinions… what caused us to treat certain people in one way or another…and how this all lines up with the word of God.  Do our protests and public disdain for certain activities or groups truly draw others to Jesus?  Do those who observe us (and remember… people are always watching!) surmise that if we are saying that this person or group is evil… and we are Christians… it must be so?  Or do they look at us and declare that they want nothing to do with Jesus, if this is how His followers treat each other?  Either way, we may be misleading others… in the name of Jesus!
 
Are we using our Christian faith – and God’s word – as an excuse to misbehave… rather than our manual for how to live and grow like strong trees that “develop fruit in season and always have leaves?”  What does our behavior, talk, body language and general attitude say to others about our relationship with God… and what does it say to God Himself?  We all have areas that need work.  We all have people who rub us the wrong way for one reason or another… and attitudes that need an adjustment.  There is no time like the present to stop and ask God to help us with this.  Tell Him how much you want to live like the strong tree that is firmly rooted, instead of the straw that blows in the wind.  Ask God to show you where you need to be more tolerant and progressive in your thinking… and how to more closely follow Jesus’ commandments.
 
It is time to drop the excuses and stop hiding behind them… to step up and out and be the people God has called us to be.  I’m ready to get in line… are you?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 28, 2013

Matthew 8:21
Another disciple said to Jesus, “Lord, let me wait till I bury my father.”
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
Several years ago, a good friend kept encouraging me to attend a Walk to Emmaus.  I kept making excuses.  I couldn’t make the dates work with my schedule… it just wasn’t the right time in my life… I would go someday, when everything fell into place.  The truth is…I thought I had a few things I needed to fix before I went.  I needed to work on a few things… my attitudes… my prayer life and how I communicated with God, and more.  THEN, I would go.  Finally, my excuses just seemed to grow weak.  My friend didn’t badger me… but he kept gently asking… “Are you ready?  There’s room on this next Walk!  There’s a Walk in a couple of months.  I’ll sponsor you.  You deserve this!”  DESERVE?  Really?!  I couldn’t imagine that I deserved this 72-hour “retreat,” but I agreed to go.  My friend and his wife drove me to the campus where the Walk was taking place.  And there, I learned just how ridiculous all of my excuses had been.
 
On my Walk to Emmaus, I learned that we don’t need to “fix” anything on our own – we just need to follow God.  And we don’t need to keep him waiting.  If you are a young person reading this, I understand… I get you!  I know you have things you want to do… and you think you have plenty of time to develop an intimate relationship with God later.  For now, it’s enough to know that you are a Christian… that God has your back, and that you can call on Him whenever you need Him.  If you are an older person, maybe you have let “life” get in the way.  You are working too hard… you have family pressures...you are not happy with certain aspects of your life… you feel inadequate and unworthy.  You may be complacent or comfortable with your current relationship with God… such as it is.  And what I want to tell all of you is that Jesus is calling… don’t put off answering!
 
This is not a campaign to get you to go on a Walk to Emmaus… although there are plenty of people who would gladly sponsor you, if you chose to do so.  And the Walk to Emmaus itself was not a “magic bullet” that changed me… although I do think I am a different kind of Christian as a result of what God revealed to me there.  What is important is for each of us to recognize that we have no time to waste!  Excuses are simply that… excuses.  God doesn’t want us to try to fix ourselves before we come to Him… He’s waiting to do this for us!  He doesn’t want us to put off serving until we have the right amount of time, get our hair fixed and buy new clothes, rear our kids, or “sow a few wild oats” and get established in our career, home and relationships.  God wants us to come to Him now…to be His disciples… and to go “all in” from the beginning.
 
We must understand that God doesn’t want perfect people who have all the time in the world.  He wants people who are willing to drop everything and say, “Here I am, LORD… where do You want me to serve?”  He wants servants who fully trust Him to fix the broken places… those who will serve so faithfully that they would even forego burying their own father to get in line behind Him and follow wherever He leads.  Chances are good that you will never be asked to make such a sacrifice… but God needs to know you would be willing to serve Him at a moment’s notice.
 
I hope that you will take some time and examine your heart.  Talk to God and tell Him all of your excuses.  Say them out loud, and listen to how silly they probably will sound.  Above all, understand that God wants you to follow Him completely, unconditionally… TODAY!  He wants you to be willing to sacrifice relationships with your family and friends, your career, your material possessions, your physical safety and well-being… everything.  In truth, anyone who humbly and faithfully follows God will never really give up anything.  God will restore anything that is taken… He will bless and benefit all who become genuine Disciples.  And none of us deserve this… but God will do it anyway.
 
So what about you… what do you have to do that is keeping you from the business of serving God?  What are your excuses?  Jesus is calling you to follow Him.  Isn’t it time you dropped everything and got in line?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 27, 2013

April 27 ~ Matthew 7:21-23
“Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’
 
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 my grandmother died, the members of her church prepared lunch for my family on the day of her visitation and funeral service.  Someone organized a meal and contacted church members to prepare the varied dishes that were served.  Several couples and individuals set up tables in the social hall, prepared iced tea and coffee, and set out a buffet table with all of the food that had been provided.  We literally didn’t have to do a thing except fill our plates.  These loving servants brought beverages to our tables, picked up our dirty dishes, and stayed to clean up and take care of the leftovers after we had eaten.
 
Afterward, I was given a list of the people who participated.  I have to tell you…it was humbling to see the names of many busy people who took time to prepare a dish, even though they work fulltime… the retirees who made a salad or baked a casserole, cake or pie, when I know they are in poor health… those who contributed in some way, even though they are caring for a loved one at home who is unwell and could probably use a covered dish themselves!
 
I was greatly moved by the loving gestures of people who dropped everything to stop by my grandmother’s room as she lay dying and offer us a hug.  Some of them left loved ones of theirs who were not well, and others who took time out of a busy workday… just to pray with us, say a “Goodbye” to my grandmother - and to let us know how deeply they cared.  Even fellow believers need nurture and encouragement… and ministry!
 
Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, says that some of the most important ministries are the most obscure.  And truly, what could share the love of Jesus better than a visit to a shut-in or someone who is sick… an anonymous donation of clothing or food to a needy family… or the subtle palming of a twenty dollar bill to someone who is down to their last dime?  Which makes the bigger impact… a check written to a memorial fund that gets your name on a plaque or pulling out your wallet and paying for the groceries of the person ahead of you in the check-out line who has obviously overspent?  Who is the bigger servant… the 80-year-old man who sets out tables and chairs for a luncheon to feed a grieving family – or the person who lends his/her name to committees and projects and participates in church and community events in hopes that everyone will see him/her and be impressed?
 
This scripture passage reminds me of people we meet along the way who ask, “How are you doing?” but never stick around for the answer.  And at the end of the day, God really doesn’t care how big of a splash you made, what committees you chaired, or how much money you gave.  He cares about your heart.  And no amount of excuses will be good enough to justify giving Him “lip service” or serving with ulterior motives or selfish ambition.
 
Three things come to mind about this passage…
  1. God is not impressed with a show… and He does know when we are giving Him one.
  2. You truly can’t judge a book by its cover.  Just because someone doesn’t appear to be doing anything for the LORD doesn’t mean this is the case.  He/she may have actually mastered serving with humility and working in the background – and accomplishing more than most for the Kingdom of heaven!
  3. You can’t toss around God’s name and expect to receive a free pass.  Just because you are a born-again Christian doesn’t mean you are more special than the next guy… or exempt from serving obediently wherever – and whenever God calls on you.
This is a good time to stop and examine your motives and actions.  Where are you serving for show… and where are you ministering in the name of Jesus with little to no fanfare?  When you stand before God and review your service on this earth, will you offer a litany of excuses and selfish “accomplishments?”  Or will you hear Him say, “I know what you did. I saw how you served from the heart – even when nobody else noticed – and I am greatly pleased.”  You may very well be a child of God… His for all eternity… but claiming His name is not enough.  With God, how obediently you serve is just as important as Who you know!
 
Where do you find yourself these days?  Are you willing to do the “grunt work” for God… or do you crave the limelight?  When God assesses your ministries, will He be pleased… or will you be grappling for excuses?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 26, 2013

April 26 ~ Mark 4:21-25
Jesus went on: “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a washtub or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel? We’re not keeping secrets, we’re telling them; we’re not hiding things, we’re bringing them out into the open.
 
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?
 
“Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”
 
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 just cleaned my closets and drawers in preparation for a garage sale.  I really tried to be ruthless and go by the theory that “if you haven’t worn it in a year, it needs to go.”  I did pretty well, for a packrat!  But I hear there are people who have clothes in their closets with the tags still on them… things that have never been worn and often get tossed or sold as “new with tags.”  I cannot imagine doing such a thing… but I know it is fairly common – and you may even be one of these people. 
 
My husband and I watch the TV show American Pickers, and we have seen the two hosts visit more than one “collector” who has amazing things in his/her basement, barn, attic, sheds and garages… artifacts that belong in a museum or in the collection of someone who could restore and/or properly display them.  Instead, they are rotting and disintegrating… and the owner says, “Oh… I could never part with that!” – even when he/she is offered a fair price for them.  It’s such a shame to think that no one is getting to enjoy these items.  But before you start to cluck too loudly, think about your own closets and storage areas!

When it comes to our Christian faith… where do you keep yours – and how do you utilize it?  Are you one of those who received the gift of salvation, then went about “business as usual”?  Did you essentially put your Christianity in the closet with the tags still on and pretty much forget you even had it?  Or do you exercise your faith on a daily basis?  Are you ready to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone you encounter?  I don’t necessarily mean that you must preach to each person you meet – or even give your personal testimony.  But do you offer others a smile and a kind word?  Are you ready to pitch in and help whenever and wherever needed?  Do you treat others as you wish to be treated – or better?

 
Do others consider you to be a generous person?  Do they see you as someone with optimism, quiet strength and resolve – even in the midst of significant challenges?  Are you a person to whom others are drawn because of your joy and peace?  Do people want some of what you have – and not in a jealous way, but more in the spirit of “I’ll have some of what he/she’s got!”?  When others think of you, what words come to mind?  Do they picture Jesus?  Or are you like the forgotten item of clothing in the closet… hidden behind pieces that may have even seen better days… and still carrying the tags?  When someone asks you about your faith, are you like the collector who could never part with his/her treasure and allows it to deteriorate in a closet?
 
What are you doing with your Christian faith?  How are you serving in Jesus’ name?  God has given you such a tremendous gift… what are you giving in return?  Are you a giver… or merely a taker?  Does your light for Christ shine… or is it so far under the barrel that it’s less than a twinkle?  Are you striving to get ahead by constantly taking and never giving?  Isn’t it time to step up and out as a Christian disciple… to drop the excuses… and to shine generously for Jesus?  Wouldn’t this be a great time to begin?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 25, 2013

Luke 16:19-31
There was once a rich man who wore expensive clothes and every day ate the best food.  But a poor beggar named Lazarus was brought to the gate of the rich man’s house.  He was happy just to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. His body was covered with sores, and dogs kept coming up to lick them. The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honor next to Abraham.
 
The rich man also died and was buried. He went to hell and was suffering terribly. When he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, he said to Abraham, “Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I’m suffering terribly in this fire.”
 
Abraham answered, “My friend, remember that while you lived, you had everything good, and Lazarus had everything bad. Now he is happy, and you are in pain.  And besides, there is a deep ditch between us, and no one from either side can cross over.”

But the rich man said, “Abraham, then please send Lazarus to my father’s home.  Let him warn my five brothers, so they won’t come to this horrible place.”
 
Abraham answered, “Your brothers can read what Moses and the prophets wrote. They should pay attention to that.”

Then the rich man said, “No, that’s not enough! If only someone from the dead would go to them, they would listen and turn to God.”
 
So Abraham said, “If they won’t pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even to someone who comes back from the dead.”
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
For someone my age, the point of reference that comes to mind for this scripture passage is the decision we made with my grandmother to move her to an assisted living facility.  My grandmother knew she needed to make the move… but actually committing to doing so was another story.  Over and over I hear friends say, “I’ve tried to talk to Mom/Dad about giving up their home and moving into a retirement center, but they won’t even talk about it.” This is one of those things that pretty well has to be the idea of that particular individual.  The relatives may say, “You talk to him/her.”  Maybe if YOU say something, it will make a difference.  But the truth is… this person knows all of the “pros and cons”… he/she has just not made the decision to move – or he/she may no longer be mentally capable of such a rational decision.
 
For younger people, the decision may be something like choosing to quit smoking.  You know it’s bad for your health, expensive, and more and more unacceptable socially… but it’s a tough habit to kick.  No matter how many people talk to you about this, you are not swayed.  My grandfather fell over dead from a stroke one morning.  He rolled his own “Prince Albert’s” and smoked like a haystack. After he died, I looked around my grandmother’s living room, and there sat no less than half a dozen relatives – including my dad, my sister and brother, and a great aunt… all smoking one cigarette after the other.  All the talk in the world was not going to make them quit smoking… they had to want to do so for themselves.
 
What resonated with me about this scripture today is that there are many circumstances and situations in which I have done all I can humanly do to affect the outcome.  The people involved know the right choice to make… now it is up to them to make it.  I can continue to pray for them… love and encourage them…and serve as a Godly example in my own daily living.  But the time for talk, begging and pleading is over.  If they have not responded to my appeals already, it’s pretty clear that any further petitions would be a waste of good breath.
 
I am not suggesting you desert people… or give up on them.  I am merely pointing out that sometimes the time for talking comes to an end.  Often, the best thing we can do is sit back and let God work.  In my grandmother’s case, she came to the decision on her own that she was no longer able to make it work by herself… she needed constant care and the security of an apartment in an Assisted Living Facility.  For many others in her shoes, the decision becomes all too evident in short order… or an injury or illness facilitates a more sudden conclusion.
 
As for smoking and other addictive behaviors… all the talk in the world is not going to change those who are afflicted.  We cannot make another person give up a bad habit… we can’t force a student to study hard and make good grades… we can’t coerce a young adult to grow up and behave responsibly… and we cannot impose our faith in God on another person.  If you are like me, these are hard realizations.  I am a person of action… a “fixer.”  I want to do something to make things better.  And God is telling me to step aside and let Him drive the car.  I think it’s time I did exactly that.  What about you?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 24, 2013

Luke 14:18-20
But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’
 
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.
 
Every single day, we make countless excuses.  You may not even realize that you are doing this, but stop and think about your day.  One of the first I recall making today was to my mom.  We were talking on the phone, and I saw the mail lady bring a package to my door, so I said, “I need to hang up now… someone is at my door.”  I told my nephews and niece that I could not stay and visit with them this afternoon, because I had to go to Wal-Mart and shop.  I even told one of my cats that I couldn’t feed her… because it wasn’t time for her dinner yet!  All of these excuses were legitimate. But we make so many that are not.  Rather than be honest – for whatever reason – we make up what we hope is a plausible explanation and hope that the other guy will say, “That’s okay,” or “I understand.”
 
The problem is that we can easily get into a bad habit of making excuses, and pretty soon, we have an answer for everything!  We especially do this with God.  We can’t always excuse our way out of work, school, obligations to family and friends… but we are pretty sure we can get God to let us off the hook.  He’ll always love us… right?  We’re too busy to serve Him.  Our “free time” is too precious to spend in worship or doing mission work.  We are not talented, smart enough, or physically able to do the things that are asked of us.  God will sympathize… won’t He?
 
The short answer is, “No!  He will not!”  Understand this… God will always love us – but He will not accept our excuses.  If you expand your examination of Luke 14, you will see that Jesus clearly tells us that there is a cost for being a Christian… and for some, this price can seem quite high.  In order to fully follow Jesus Christ, some people will have to give up relationships with family members and friends.  Some will have to change jobs, kick old habits, and modify a lot of attitudes.  There will be Christians who risk their very lives in order to proclaim their discipleship.
 
Christians were never promised an easy or comfortable life.  And this is where so many of us get it wrong.  We expect life in Christ to be a cake walk… freely He gives us salvation, and “freely” we plan to take!  So when things get awkward, difficult, embarrassing, or unpleasant… when we are called to step out of the box and put our needs on the shelf, the excuses start to flow like a bubbling stream.  This doesn’t make us bad people… but it does speak to our level of commitment.  Too many of us want to be “a little bit Christian” – the part that gets us into heaven without having to make any sacrifices or step outside our comfort zone.
 
The time has come for us to stop playing around and making excuses.  It is time for us to get serious about our commitment to Christ… to literally take a “leap of faith” and go full in for Jesus.  Where will this leave you?  Will you have a new spouse, a crop to inspect, or pets and livestock to tend?  Or will you be ready to drop what you are doing and go wherever – and whenever – God calls you?  The choice is totally ours…how will you decide?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 23, 2013

Judges 6:12-17
The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, “The Lord is helping you, and you are a strong warrior.”

Gideon answered, “Please don’t take this wrong, but if the Lord is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened? We’ve heard how the Lord performed miracles and rescued our ancestors from Egypt. But those things happened long ago. Now the Lord has abandoned us to the Midianites.”

 
Then the Lord himself said, “Gideon, you will be strong, because I am giving you the power to rescue Israel from the Midianites.”  Gideon replied, “But how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest one in Manasseh, and everyone else in my family is more important than I am.”
 
“Gideon,” the Lord answered, “you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you! Defeating the Midianites will be as easy as beating up one man.”
 
Gideon said, “It’s hard to believe that I’m actually talking to the Lord. Please do something so I’ll know that you really are the Lord.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
Yesterday, I was informed that Kristina Loveless Davis, one of my former kindergarten students, was killed in a car wreck Sunday evening.  Kristina was a 39-year-old mother of two girls (ages 4 and 7).  Her sister was injured in the accident, as were her daughters – one of whom has undergone surgery and faces a long recovery.  Kristina’s mother reports that little Paige does not understand why her mommy is not visiting her at the hospital.  I thought of our little Timothy – now almost four – and wondered how we would explain to him that a terrible thing happened, and Mommy was not ever coming back.
 
With a backdrop of recent events like Hurricane Sandy, the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, the bombing in Boston, Massachusetts, and the explosion in West, Texas, it’s no wonder many of us are asking, “…if the Lord is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened?”  We know the answer… most of us know that the LORD really IS the LORD – and that He truly is helping us.  But I would be willing to bet that each of us - in our own way and because of our own circumstances – has cried out to God at one time or another and said, “I am not strong enough for this!”  And the truth of the matter is that none of us really are strong enough for many of the challenges we face… under our own power.  The beauty of our faith is that we don’t have to be!
 
Remember the angel’s words to Gideon… “The Lord is helping you… and you are a strong warrior.”  I believe that God often understands our excuses and weaknesses in these situations.  But we have to realize that God expects us to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, to trust His power over our circumstances, and to move forward.  God may allow us a momentary pity party… He may listen to our justifications for why we cannot do what He asks or accept His will for our lives.  But we dare not linger here!  God expects us to operate in faith… to acknowledge His sovereignty… and to proceed under His power and care!
 
I am as heartbroken as anyone over the inexplicable tragedies that have surrounded us in recent months.  I still see Kristina’s bright, smiling, 5-year-old face, and I cannot fathom that her own little daughters will not have her to nurture them as they grow.  But I know that God has big plans for each of us… that He is already bringing about blessings and knitting together circumstances that we could never even imagine on our own – much less implement.  God is providing each of us with opportunities to serve and to share His message with others… even in the midst of our own trials and uncertainties.  Of this, I am 100% certain!
 
So I will mourn the loss of a little-girl-turned-mother who has left us too soon… as well as the losses of those who have suffered and died in other recent tragedies.  But I will not allow these experiences to defeat me – or to diminish my faith in God to give me power and strength far beyond what I have as a mortal being.  I will believe that I am actually talking to the LORD… that He is always with me… and that with His help, I am a strong warrior.  What about you?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 22, 2013

Jude 1:3-4
Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
 
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.
 
Over the weekend, Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, for disorderly conduct.  Witherspoon’s husband, Jim Toth, was stopped for driving erratically, given a field sobriety test, and subsequently booked on DUI charges.  Witherspoon would not stay in the car, as instructed by the police officer.  She reportedly asked him, “Do you know my name?  You are about to find out who I am!”  Witherspoon has now apologized for her actions, saying in part… “I do want to say, I clearly had one drink too many, and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said. It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. I have nothing but respect for the police, and I'm very sorry for my behavior.”
 
We may not have been arrested for disorderly conduct or DUI, but we are all guilty of claiming entitlement at one time or another.  Because of our accomplishments, our position, or our pedigree, we decide that our words and actions are above reproach.  The other guy simply “has no idea who he/she is dealing with!”  We shouldn’t have to wait in line, abide by certain rules or laws that were clearly created for “the other guy.”  The concert tickets may have said “no cameras,” but this didn’t mean we couldn’t snap one picture with our phone!  The city-wide alert may have said, “Everyone stay in your homes and lock your doors,” but one little peak outside won’t hurt!  Curfews are for someone else... speed limits aren’t for “good drivers” like us… and it is understood that the sign on the door that said, “Don’t enter if you have flu-like symptoms” implies that “if you’re sick, but your family member is housed here, this doesn’t apply to you!”
 
Moreover, because you gave your heart to Jesus when you were twelve, you are “covered” forever.  You are now free to do as you please without concern for repercussions.  If anyone checks you on this, you can ask them, “Do you know my name?  I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ!”  Of course, you realize I am being facetious!  Just as claiming to be an Academy-Award-winning actress does not allow you to be disorderly and disrespectful to a police officer, being a born-again Christian does not entitle you to live as you please for the rest of your time on earth!
 
Jesus made an incredible sacrifice for us on the cross… one that entitles all who accept the gift of salvation to spend Eternity with Him in heaven.  But too many of us forget what came after the cross!  In essence, Jesus said, “I did this for you… now here’s what you need to do for Me in return.”  He doesn’t ask much… just that we love Him with all our hearts, love others as we love ourselves, and spread His Good News with the world.  Nowhere in Scripture does Jesus say, “I bought and paid for you on the cross… now go do as you please!”
 
I know you may be thinking that the Bible also doesn’t specifically say “Don’t drink and drive or exceed the speed limit… you are not entitled to special treatment… and the rules always apply to everyone.”  But actually, it does.  Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  He tells us to treat others as we would like to be treated.  Jesus commands us to love Him with all our heart, mind, body and soul.  If you “drill it down,” you would have to agree that being a born-again disciple of Christ entitles you to the Kingdom of heaven… but this does not put you above the rules and order of this earth!
 
I firmly believe that we who claim salvation through Jesus Christ are entitled… just not in the way you think!  I believe that we have been freely given a Gift we cannot even comprehend, much less ever deserve.  But with this endowment comes incredible responsibility.  We must check our words and actions at all times and make sure they are 100% respectful to God.  We must live in such a way that we truly can ask, “Do you know my name?  I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ!” – not to excuse our behavior… but rather, because we are glorifying His name.
 
How are you doing these days?  Are you claiming the name of Jesus as your “excuse” – or as your heritage?  Do others know who – and Whose – you are… for all the right reasons?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 20, 2013

April 20 ~ John 6:61-65
Many among his disciples heard this and said, “This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.”
 
Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, “Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this.” (Jesus knew from the start that some weren’t going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, “This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father.”
 
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 mother’s husband, Lee, agreed to watch Timothy during my grandmother’s funeral service last month – and to take him to another room to play if he grew restless. As everyone was seated for the service and the opening music began to play, Timothy and Pap-paw Lee entered the sanctuary, and we all heard Timothy say, “But I’m not tired… well, I’m a little tired.”  And he actually did nap on Lee’s lap for a while during the funeral service.
 
Some of us have tried to be “a little Christian” for a long time now.  We are willing to serve God when it is convenient.  We will follow the teachings of Jesus – if they don’t contradict our own agenda… or if nothing better comes along.  I have a book in my collection called The Hard Sayings of Jesus by F.F. Bruce.  On the back cover of the book, the description says in part, “Like his original hearers, many people today find Jesus’ sayings hard.  Some sayings are hard because they are difficult to understand… others because the demands they make on us are only too clear.”
 
Today’s scripture passage and surrounding verses from John 6 are examined in this book.  In part, Bruce says that Jesus was not telling His disciples to practice cannibalism. Jesus did not literally mean that we are to eat His flesh and drink His blood.  But Bruce cites a Twelfth Century French abbot, whom Pope Pius VII titled “Doctor of the Church” – Bernard of Clairvaux – who explains that… “If you suffer with me, you will also reign with me.”  We all want to reign with Christ for all eternity, but many of us are unwilling to truly “suffer” with Him in this lifetime.  So we have a hard time accepting that ALL who call on Jesus to forgive their sins will be granted salvation and Eternal Life.  We can’t comprehend that we truly are to love our enemies and forgive them.  Some of us don’t want to accept that Jesus loves believers of all races, creeds, colors, lifestyles and socio-economic levels – that they are equal partakers in His Kingdom with us.
 
When Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” more than a few of us are pretty sure He didn’t mean for us to do this.  When He said to “take up your cross and follow Me,” we're fairly certain that He didn’t mean that we had to sacrifice anything or give up any friendships or relationships of any kind – or to change our lifestyle in any way.  When Jesus told us that those who have shown love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and kindness to “the least of my brethren” have done this to Him…we’re pretty sure He didn’t mean EVERYONE.  Surely we are not to make these generous gestures toward the drunk driver who killed our loved one, a child molester, or even a 19-year-old terrorist in Boston.  We Christians find a lot of the things Jesus calls us to do incredibly difficult to actually put into practice!  But these very acts of faithful obedience are what define our discipleship and devotion to Christ.
 
So where does this leave us?  Where are you “a little tired” – or acting like you are “a little Christian” …because there really is no such thing as the latter description.  Jesus didn’t say, “Follow me whenever and however you feel like it.”  He was very clear.  He also knew that we could not do this under our own power… because we humans are weak.  So God gave us the strength and inner resolve to do this… but we have to faithfully trust Him to help us accomplish this.  We have to step up and out and say, “I’m willing to ‘suffer’ with Christ in order to reign with Him.  Wherever He calls me to go… whatever I am commanded to do… I’m with Him all the way.” We must obediently and faithfully believe in even “the hard sayings of Jesus” and trust God to grant us wisdom and discernment for difficult situations and choices.
 
There will be plenty of days when we are all “a little tired” – and even a few when we are bone weary.  But we must never tire of serving Jesus... nor fail to give Him less than our very best each and every day.  Where have you grown “a little tired” in your faith?  Jesus says that all who labor and are burdened can find rest in Him… but we are called to follow Him completely in return.  What is your excuse these days?  Are you ready to give Him all you’ve got?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 19, 2013

John 5:1-9
Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.  One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”
 
“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”
 
Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
 
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!
 
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.
 
I did my weekly shopping today, and as I put away the groceries, toiletries, and household cleaners, I collected the plastic bags and set them aside for recycling.  I had purchased some fabric and a spool of thread, and when I got everything put away, the thread was nowhere to be found.  I knew that I had gotten home with it.  I was pretty sure I had seen it in one of the grocery sacks, and a check of the receipt said that I had purchased and paid for a spool of thread.  So I went to the closet to look through some items still in the bags… perhaps it fell to the bottom of one of these sacks.  I checked all four bags… three times!  I looked at least that many times in my laundry/sewing room.  (I’ll admit… it would be easy to lose something there!)
 
I considered checking the emptied shopping bags, but I was pretty sure that the thread wasn’t there.  Quite frankly, I didn’t want to spend the time to go back through each of those plastic bags.  But I finally realized that I needed to do this… and sure enough – the thread was in one of them.  There is an old adage that says that “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  I thought of this as I went through the bags in the closet for the third time!  And I thought of this adage as I read today’s scripture verses.
 
Until a few years ago, I had studied this passage and thought, “How wonderful that Jesus healed this poor man who could not get to the pool to be healed.”  Then I heard someone point out that the man had lain virtually right beside the pool for THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS!  Surely to goodness in that length of time, he could have persuaded someone to push him over into the healing waters!  Since I wasn’t there to see exactly how close he lay, I will not judge this man any further.  But it appears that Jesus offered him amazing grace and mercy in healing him… that his excuse was fairly weak…that perhaps he was content to wallow in self-pity rather than make the effort to become well.
 
Don’t we all do this much of the time?  Don’t we often find it more comfortable to stay where we are and dredge up excuses or blame someone or something else for our troubles?  Call it laziness, self-pity, ignorance, or just plain lack of ambition or desire to do better – or even a lack of faith… we all “lie by the pool” from time to time rather than make the effort to roll on over, fall in, and make a change!  That Jesus pulls many of us up by the bootstraps and takes care of us anyway is astounding and incredible to me!  For the life of me, the only way I can explain it is that He loves us far more than we can comprehend… and much more than we will ever deserve.
 
So where are you “going in circles” these days?  Where are you repeating the same things… and hoping for different results?  Where have you made excuses, rather than get up and get going?  Let’s face it… if you haven’t “fallen in the pool” under your own power by now – and nobody’s pushed you in – it’s a pretty sure bet that it’s not happening anytime soon. Where do you need to implement this challenge in your own life?  Where do you need to call on Jesus to heal you and set you on a new course?  Isn’t it time you trusted Him, picked up your mat and began walking?  Or are you content to lie at the water’s edge and make excuses?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 18, 2013

Jeremiah 1:4-10
This is what God said:
 
“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that’s what I had in mind for you.”
 
But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”
 
God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’ I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there. I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid of a soul. I’ll be right there, looking after you.” God’s Decree.
 
God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, “Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered! See what I’ve done? I’ve given you a job to do among nations and governments—a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish,
 
And then start over, building and planting.”
 
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.
 
One of the earliest lessons we teach our children is how to speak and do things for themselves.  Timothy will say to me, “I want Uncle Greg to come downstairs and see what I built with blocks.”  For a long time, he was not permitted to go upstairs alone, because we were afraid he would fall on the steps.  Now he is big enough to go up and down independently.  Still, when I tell him to go and ask his Uncle Greg to come and have a look, he sometimes says, “But I can’t!”  When I either ignore this or remind him that he can indeed do it himself, he usually decides to go alone to summon his uncle.  Sometimes he will ask, “Come with me?” And I will usually oblige.  My point is not to make him do things by himself as much as to teach him that he is developing capabilities for accomplishing new things.
 
We will start to walk somewhere together, and Timothy will say, “Carry me!”  I often remind him that he is a big boy – almost too big now for me to carry – that he is perfectly capable of walking.  Sometimes, he will come back with… “But I’m too little… I’m just a little boy!”  And I have to laugh at this ploy for my sympathies and concession.  This is exactly what Jeremiah said to God.  But God had equipped Jeremiah for these tasks and knew his capabilities – and He was not buying this excuse for one minute!
 
If we are truly serving God, there will be plenty of times when we feel inadequate to accomplish what He has called us to do – in our own strength and wisdom. We will want to throw up our hands and say, “But I am too young/old/poor/sick… I’m not smart enough… I don’t have time… I don’t have any talent for this.  But with God, all things are possible. He has equipped us to do far beyond what we ever dreamed possible.  And it is time for us to realize just how ridiculous our excuses must sound to Him.
 
God has called me to do several things in even the last few months that I would never have dreamed were possible.  There is no way I could have accomplished many of them under my own power… or even with the help of my husband, family members, friends and acquaintances.  There have been too many instances where I had to stop and say, “Only God can get this done.”  And I will admit… there were a few times when I wanted to throw up my hands and say, “But wait!  I’m only human…I’m not strong enough… this is too hard… there is NO WAY this can ever work… I am ‘just a boy!’”  And yet, God has proven to me over and again that HIS power and purpose far exceed mine.  With God behind me (and beside me), I can do far more than I ever expected!
 
So what is God calling you to do today that seems daunting and/or impossible?  Where is He sending you and equipping you to serve, even though you feel anything but adequate for the task?  What is your excuse for turning Him down… and have you considered how preposterous you seem to Him for doing so?   Will this be the day you step up and out - and ask, “Where, when and how, LORD?” instead of merely “Why me?”  Or will you leave Him shaking His head in disappointment as you offer yet another argument as you try to justify your hesitance or refusal?
 
Do you really believe in the power of God to do all things?  Are you confident that He formed you for His purposes… that He will equip you to handle anything and everything to which He calls you?  Isn’t it time to tear down the walls of insecurity, uncertainty, and excuses… to allow God to work in and through you?  Are you ready to build and plant wherever God sends you?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 17, 2013

April 17 ~ James 3:7-12
This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and
blessings out of the same mouth!

 
My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are 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.
 
This morning, Timothy said he was hungry.  I ran through a litany of items we had available, and none suited him.  Finally, he said he would like a scrambled egg.  When I sat it before him, he said, “That’s not the kind I wanted… it’s not white.”  I asked if he wanted a fried egg… he said yes.  So I fried him an egg.  That wasn’t right either.  I really think he wanted a hard-boiled egg.  But I had already eaten a scrambled egg and a fried egg… and he had returned to his blocks and toys… so we didn’t boil any eggs!
 
Eggs can take on several different forms, depending on how you cook them.  So you may be like Timothy and say, “No thanks!” when served a fried or scrambled egg.  Your excuse would be that you simply do not care for fried or scrambled eggs.  And while we all prefer our eggs prepared in different ways, nobody wants a raw or rotten egg.
 
When it comes to many of our words and actions, the “egg principle” directly applies.  Everyone has their own personality.  Some people are dry-witted or use a lot of sarcasm.  Others are loud and brash, talk a lot and always say what is on their mind.  Still others may be shy and hesitant… quiet and reserved.  All have a voice… they just exercise it differently.  But when those voices spew foul language, unkind words, disrespectful comments about someone else – or dishonorable talk against God – it’s the same as gushing raw or rotten eggs…distasteful and potentially harmful.  And God is not pleased.
 
There are a lot of acceptable choices in life.  There are plenty of instances where we are perfectly justified to say, “I prefer XYZ,” or “I do not care for fried or scrambled eggs.”  But there are even more instances in which our words and actions matter greatly… and no excuses are acceptable.  It is up to us to seek God’s will and wisdom and to check our behavior and our talk… to make sure we are pleasing Him at all times.  Have you done this lately?  Is it time for you to give yourself a “talk and action” tune-up?  What sort of “eggs” are you serving these days?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 16, 2013

Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
 
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.
 
Today, a lot of people around the world are wondering what the future holds.  They find it impossible to see how things can ever be alright again.  Particularly those who were in Boston… the injured and maimed… the participants and spectators… and those who lost loved ones must be asking, “What possible meaning can be given to this experience?”  Federal agents, detectives, and experts in terrorism and explosives search for evidence… proof of what type of bomb was detonated, possible DNA from the bomber, and more.  Unless and until they have more to go on, they cannot fully explain this situation - much less identify those responsible.
 
So we are left to wait and wonder.  There is the possibility we might never fully know what happened – or how.  The identity of the bomber(s) might never be discovered.  If this is the case, we will be left feeling unsettled and uncertain.  We are a “show me” people… we want proof.  We want God to give us a “sign” of the validity of His miracles and promises. We want people to prove their loyalty, respect, and honesty.  We want our significant others, family members and friends to demonstrate their love and care for us with undeniable words and gestures.  We do not operate well in the abstract.
 
As a result, many of us find it hard to trust God – and lack of proof becomes our excuse.  A whole lot of people will say, “Well, God allowed this horrific tragedy to occur in Boston.  How can we serve a God who would do such a thing?!”  Many will fail to recognize His hand in this situation… how emergency personnel were already in place to rush to the scene and begin offering first aid and assistance… how a runner had just shifted from one side of the street to the other to greet her family as they watched her finish – and in doing so, she ran right out of the path of the blast… how a runner from Arkansas who had finished the race “happened” to have a friend in nearby New Hampshire who said, “Get a cab, leave the city, and come here!”  He and a fellow runner friend collected family members and did exactly that.  These are only a few of what will be hundreds of examples of how God worked in and through this situation to bring about positive outcomes.
 
In all kinds of situations, we could readily excuse our skepticism… we could easily say, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”  But Christians are called to trust God for the unseen… to operate with full confidence that God takes care of His children.  He knows our needs even before we do… and He has always been on the scene… orchestrating things perfectly.  We can trust God to make some sense of even a tragedy like the bombing in Boston… to create opportunities for us to glorify Him… to show us how He is always at work…and to give us hope that we can move forward with anticipation for a brighter tomorrow.
 
The odds are pretty good that you woke up healthy, safe, and comfortable this morning.  On any given day, this could change.  The Bible tells us that we are not promised tomorrow.  But we are promised God’s love and care, if only we will trust Him. We must stop using the “show me” excuse and fully accept that God keeps His promises… makes perfect plans… and never stops caring for us.  What unseen outcomes will you believe for today?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 15, 2013

Haggai 1:2-10
You say this isn’t the right time to build a temple for me. But is it right for you to live in expensive houses, while my temple is a pile of ruins? Just look at what’s happening.  You harvest less than you plant, you never have enough to eat or drink, your clothes don’t keep you warm, and your wages are stored in bags full of holes.
 
Think about what I have said! But first, go to the hills and get wood for my temple, so I can take pride in it and be worshiped there. You expected much, but received only a little. And when you brought it home, I made that little disappear. Why have I done this? It’s because you hurry off to build your own houses, while my temple is still in ruins. That’s also why the dew doesn’t fall and your harvest fails. And so, at my command everything will become barren—your farmland and pastures, your vineyards and olive trees, your animals and you yourselves. All your hard work will be for nothing.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
There is a story in our state newspaper today about a husband and wife whose 31-year-old daughter suffered from PTSD and drug addiction after serving our country for a year in Iraq, where she was wounded.  Substance abuse had plagued Jennie Burrow in high school, but she seemed to get her life on track when she enlisted in the US Army in 2007.  While deployed to Iraq, Jennie was shot during a rocket attack and firefight that occurred while she was on guard duty.  She returned stateside for treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where she was given opiates for the pain.  This led to a heroin addiction… an “other than honorable” discharge from the Army, and no Veteran’s benefits.
 
Jennie returned to Arkansas, where her parents did their best to help her… no doubt dropping everything on many occasions to rescue her from a bad situation.  Such was the case on April 6th, when Jennie phoned her parents and asked them to come and get her in North Little Rock, where she found herself in an unsavory – and unsafe – neighborhood.  The parents collected Jennie, helped her sober up, and then a friend came and got her.  When she called the next day and asked for help, her dad told her that he was busy – headed to the hardware store – and that he would call her later.  Jennie walked underneath a bridge on Cantrell Road in Little Rock, doused herself in gasoline, and set herself on fire.  She suffered burns over 95% of her body and was airlifted to Springfield, Missouri, where she died a few hours later.
 
Jennie’s parents must now live forever with the thought that they did not stop what they were doing to see about her that day.  The “what ifs” will haunt them for the rest of their lives.  And in their defense, they had apparently gone to her rescue time after time… and Jennie had “cried wolf” more than once.  Most likely, this is a sad case where drug addiction was more powerful than any and all efforts of two loving parents to help their daughter… and they truly did all they could do – and still it wasn’t enough.
 
On the other hand, many of us have “gone to the hardware store,” because that was simply what we had on our agenda.  The needs of others could wait.  Most certainly, God’s needs could go on the back burner.  It’s like the “to-do list” that many of us make each day/week/month.  We prioritize what absolutely has to be done… and if there is a moment to spare – and we feel like it – we might do something for someone else.  So the notes to those who are sick, grieving and lonely never get written.  The kind word spoken to a neighbor never happens because we hurriedly dash to and from our car with barely a wave of acknowledgment.  The shut-ins don’t get visited, because let’s face it… that can be a real downer!  You can’t attend an event to support your friend or family member - much less see after their pet while they take an important overnight trip.  And heaven forbid if they ask you to watch their small children for a few hours!  If no other excuse seems plausible … it’s simply not your problem.  Let someone else do it!
 
This works pretty well… until something happens to shake us to our core… or we find that no one is coming to our rescue!  Unlike Jennie Burrow’s parents, many of us cannot truly say that we did all we could do … that we had simply exhausted our avenues for help – and were exhausted in the process.  We are in many ways a “good enough” people… as this scripture demonstrates… we “harvest” just enough (in every sense of the word).  We put our discipleship on the back burner in favor of the things we want to accomplish.  We work hard for our money… then squander a good portion of it on things that truly are unimportant.  Many of us barely get buy in many areas of life.  But since we don’t have to expend a lot of time and energy in the process, we figure we are doing okay.  All the while, we short-change God and the purpose to which He has called us… and He is not pleased.
 
I am deeply saddened for the parents of this young mother who could not rid herself of the demons that plagued her.  Hopefully she is at peace now.  But I can use this sadness to energize my own efforts to get up and get going… to look around for those who need an encouraging word…a smiling face… a phone call… a helping hand or a little assistance of some sort.  I can make an effort to reach out to people of all ages and all walks of life, because the love and Good News of Jesus Christ is for everyone.  I can stop making excuses and thinking more about my own needs than those of others… and get busy building God’s temple.  What about you… whose temple do you have time to build today?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus