Daily Devotional for November 30, 2013

Hebrews 10:22-25
So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  All rights reserved.
 
Every year of our 39+-year marriage – except maybe two of them – we’ve decorated our house for Christmas.  One year I had surgery right before Thanksgiving, and I don’t think we even put up a tree.  Another year, we were moving, and everything was in boxes.  But aside from that, I think we have put up at least a small tree and gotten out some lights and decorations every single year… even in years when we truly weren’t in the mood.
 
I can tell you… decorating for Christmas is a lot of work… especially at our house! (HUGE nod to Greg for carrying most of the heavy boxes and our big tree down the stairs!)  But it is also an act of love… for each other and for others who will visit our home this holiday season.  Call it a way of making ourselves “presentable inside and out”…because there is a whole lot more going on with Christmas decorating and festivities than putting up a tree and getting out some decorations.
 
My friend John Birdsong noted last night how he and his family had spent the day decorating… and reminiscing.  Each decoration held some memory or personal meaning for them.  His wife Belinda - a school teacher far longer than I was - hung ornaments she had been given by former students.  They put out nativities that they had purchased when the kids were little.  And they laughed and smiled and remembered the hows/wheres/whens of these precious mementos that warm their home and encourage love and goodwill.  And we’ve been doing the same thing.
 
There are sweet memories attached to many of our pieces.  And even some of the newer ones are taking on a special meaning.  As I sat out an inexpensive wooden snowman yesterday, I remembered how Timothy has loved to play with it these last few Christmases.  It was one of several decorations that I knew he couldn’t break and would enjoy, so I set them on a low shelf for him to reach.  I hung plastic and non-breakable ornaments on a little fiber-optic tree that twinkles and blinks.  I picked it up at an estate sale for a dollar… so it’s nothing special.  But when I remember how it makes the children’s eyes dance with delight, that tree is worth 100 times what I paid - or more.
 
There are ornaments on our tree that my Mam-ma Polly made – her felt birds, quilted “pillows” made from Santa faces I cross-stitched the Christmas my grandparents’ house burned, and a crocheted “doily” ornament that holds a picture of my grandparents and my dad when he was about four or five.  There are nativities I have collected over the years... several given to me by loved ones, and others purchased at estate sales of friends I knew and loved.  There is the trunk that belonged to Greg’s grandfather… laden with Christmas needlework I have done, vintage Santas, and a little ceramic Christmas tree that twinkles in the corner.  And before Christmas Eve, Greg will put out twinkling “reindeer” in the front yard… a gift to me one Christmas - now a promise to the children that the reindeer who “went back to the North Pole” would return again at Christmas time.  He’ll also set out a large plywood Santa that his dad cut out for us more than two decades ago.  We painted the features to create a replica of the Santa that stood in the Robus family’s yard when Greg was a child.
 
I could continue my description of holiday traditions that we will continue.  We could also just say, “Forget it!” and not do them!  But Christmas is the season of hope… and in that spirit, we decorate and celebrate all over again each year. As we enter into the days of Advent, hear this message…Christmas is not the end, but the beginning… the reminder many of us need to keep putting one foot ahead of the other and moving forward.  We were given a tremendous gift when Jesus Christ was born.  While the true meaning of His life on earth is revealed in the story of Easter and His resurrection…it starts with His birth.  God’s gift of Jesus on that starry night represents the promise of eternal salvation.  That’s enough to keep me going… wouldn’t you agree?
 
Moreover, we have an incredible opportunity in the coming days to practice demonstrating Christ’s love to others… being the “real deal” for Jesus inside and out…worshipping together… and being inventive as we encourage others and help them.  Then we can spend the other eleven months of the year putting our “practice” to good use.  Maybe… just maybe… we can keep a spirit of hope in Jesus Christ alive past our earthly “Big Day”!  Because you see… this is not where the story ends… it’s where it begins.  The ultimate BIG DAY still lies ahead… when we meet Jesus face-to-face and spend the rest of eternity with Him.
 
So let’s decorate… let’s celebrate… let’s encourage and assist and demonstrate Christ’s love with gusto!  Let’s operate in hope on the inside and outside… and make it as natural to our lives as breathing.  Pour a cup of hot cocoa or spiced tea…put on your Christmas music…and get busy spreading hope in Jesus Christ as you “decorate” your life for the BIG DAY!  He is coming… will you be ready?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 29, 2013

Ephesians 4:4-6
You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
 
For those of us known as Arkansas Razorback fans, this has been a difficult season.  We didn’t win a single Southeastern Conference game this year.  In fact, our overall record was 3 wins and 9 losses.  In the heartbreaking loss to LSU today, I think we fans experienced every emotion possible.  There were moments of frustration, trepidation, hope, sheer joy and delight, and an ultimate sense of outward and inward defeat.  But all good Razorback fans know that we win together… we lose together… and we STICK together!  The Razorbacks will take the field again next season!  And fans will fill the stadium and turn on their televisions and radios to cheer them on in their efforts.  We’ll hope and dream of victories…and we’ll celebrate together when we get them!
 
I wish we were all as hopeful about our Christian faith as we are about football teams.  We Christians all serve the same God… we believe in one baptism…one way to Salvation… and an eternity in Heaven with Jesus.  We encourage each other in both joys and sorrows… we pray for one another and say that we trust God’s promises to meet our every need.  But we often operate in a state of hopelessness.  At the first “fumble” or “interception”, we panic… and in any defeat that we are handed, we completely crumble.
 
Is our faith really so fragile that we fall apart with the first challenge?  Are we so insecure in our relationship with God that we cannot grasp how connected we are… to Him and to fellow believers?  We are never alone!  God is always available to us, and Christ’s disciples are all around us… ready, willing and able to lend us a hand.  All we have to do is trust God and call on Him for help…and He will supply whoever and whatever we need!
 
Today, the starting quarterback for LSU was injured late in the game.  Arkansas was ahead as a back-up freshman quarterback for LSU took the field.  Arkansas forced LSU to their one-yard line, with mere minutes remaining in the game.  And the quarterback steadily drove the ball down the field before throwing a 49-yard pass that was caught for the winning touchdown.  Clearly, this team never lost hope.  They kept working together for a common goal…and the end result was a victory.
 
Don’t you think that God will allow this same principle to apply in your spiritual life?  Do you see that there is always hope - and victory - with God?  Even in the waning minutes of a dire situation – or even your very life… when you are at the end of your rope and it seems you are out of time and options… God is still there – ready, willing, and able to help you turn things around.
 
So take a look at the situations you are facing – and your life in general.  Where have you given up and accepted defeat?  Where have you said, “There is no way out of this” or “This is just the way things are” and thrown in the towel?  Are you like a “fair weather fan” who only supports the team when they are winning?  Or do you trust God to handle whatever comes your way?  Are you operating in faith and hope… believing that you can do all things in the strength of Christ Jesus?  Is everything you think and do permeated with Oneness?  Isn’t it time it was?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 28, 2013

Ephesians 1:18
My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people.
 
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.
 
Many people face some pretty big decisions today.  For some, it may be whether they should eat that second piece of pie…while for others, the choice may be far more significant – even life changing!  For far too many people, today is more a day of uncertainty than a day of thanksgiving.  For them, the only thing they know for sure is how to get through this day… and then they will begin to worry about tomorrow.  I have several friends who are experiencing grief and loss this holiday season… and for these precious souls, it’s all about putting one foot in front of the other at the moment.  Others have just welcomed new babies into their families, and the future seems full of hope and aspirations for these little ones and those who love them. In any given year, you and I could be standing in either pair of shoes… filled with extreme sadness… or overflowing with great joy.
 
The common thread that we all have today is how much God loves us… that He chose us to belong to Him and made tremendous sacrifices so that in return, we could choose to live with Him forever.  Whatever we are experiencing… wherever we happen to be today in this journey called “life”… we can have hope because of God’s gift of Jesus.  He stands ready and able to give us “glorious blessings”.  He has the strength, wisdom and power to make a way where we see none at all.  He can heal broken hearts in grownups and kids alike…and orchestrate amazing futures for “babies” of all ages.
 
Whatever you need… wherever you are…there is hope today in Jesus Christ.  Let His light flood your heart…embrace this prospect.  Run and leap with joy if you can… and at the very least, put one foot in front of the other.  Celebrate God’s goodness with those around you… or find someone with whom to share His Good News.  And never lose faith in God’s promises… they give us more than enough reasons to be thankful today.  Wouldn’t you agree?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 27, 2013

Ephesians 1:11-12
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
 
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 we were in high school, there was a big pep rally and bonfire the night before one of the football games.  I was a freshman… and a majorette in the marching band.   Greg was a senior…and a student assistant for the football team.  He says he spotted me in the firelight… and that after that night, he had his eye on me.  That was forty-two years ago!  I knew Greg’s name and who he was… I’d seen him at school and riding his motorcycle around town.  But I didn’t really know anything about him.  A few weeks later, we had our first date…and after that, we were pretty much inseparable.
 
I find it amazingly wonderful that long before we were even aware of each other, God was orchestrating our life together…that He had designs for “glorious living” for us as a couple.  Even more incredible is the realization that long before I was born, God had “designs for glorious living” for me… and an overall purpose that He was working out in everything and everyone around me.  And the coolest part of all is that He was doing the same things for you and countless others as well!  As this scripture tells us, long before we ever even were born - certainly well before we first heard about Jesus - He was thinking of us… planning for our future… orchestrating everything perfectly.
 
When you think about your relationship to Jesus in this manner, doesn’t it make sense to live with hope?  When you realize that long before you were even born God had His eye on you -  was planning for your glorious living - does it give you a reason to face whatever challenges and struggles you may be given… with confidence that He will work out everything for His overall perfect purpose?  Don’t you feel energized and encouraged to know that you are loved and cared for so deeply?  Doesn’t this give you hope for the future?
 
The God who can orchestrate the firelight so that the face of a 14-year-old girl catches the eye of a 17-year-old boy can surely shine a light on your future and the steps you need to take to accomplish His purpose.  The God who can plan so carefully for every aspect of your life… Who can even set your future mate in your path…can certainly line up the events of your days and show you the right choices to make.  The God who loved you enough to send Jesus Christ to earth to live and die for your sins close to 2000 years before you were born can surely handle whatever “life” tosses your way today… and in the days ahead.
 
This is GOOD NEWS… HOPEFUL news!  Do you know who you are and what you are living for in Jesus Christ?  Isn’t it time you figured it out?  Are you ready to face the future with hope and confidence that He has your back?  Will this be the day you begin?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 26, 2013

Acts 24:14-15
“But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets.
 
I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous.
 
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.
 
If you go to Acts 14 and start reading forward, you will see that the Apostle Paul had been brought to Caesarea to stand trial before Governor Felix. He was accused of being a leader in the "Nazarene cult".  And while Paul pled his case with Felix – and actually gained some ground – Felix ultimately deferred to others and chose to leave Paul in prison.  Imagine how Paul must have felt.  He knew where he stood… he was confident in his beliefs – hopeful and faithful that God would sustain him.  And he also knew that deep down in their souls, Felix and others knew the truth, too.  Still, they chose to allow Paul to be persecuted and imprisoned.
 
Haven’t you felt that way at one time or another?  Do you know what it’s like to plead your case with others and get nowhere… to know that you both know the truth…but everything continues to go painfully wrong?  My church’s bishop, Gary Mueller, posted this timely note today on Facebook.  Hear his words and let them soak deeply into your soul… 
“There’s probably something going on in your life right now so broken and painful you’re just not sure how things are going to work out. In fact, you’re not even sure if they are going to work out. All you know is that you would do almost anything to make things better. But you’ve already done everything you know how to do. And nothing’s worked – nothing at all.
 
Don’t lose hope…because you can claim hope even in your moment of deepest despair. This isn’t pie-in-the-sky, God’s-going-to-miraculously-fix-it-and-everything’s-exactly-the-way-God-wants-it hope. It’s God’s real hope…in real life…for real people. It’s based on the reality that nothing will ever separate you from God’s love. That God is at work right now bringing something new out of what’s going on…and that all will be well.
 
So claim God’s hope right now. Hang onto it. And never let go.” ©2013 ~ Bishop Gary Mueller ~ http://www.arumc.org
I cannot say it any better.  We have the Biblical example of Paul’s faith, hope and perseverance.  We have these words of encouragement… and we know deep in our hearts that they are true.  God is at work right now… all will be well… we can count on Him to bring something new out of what is going on.  And we know that the outcome will be perfect!  Are you operating in God’s real hope today?  Isn’t it time you did?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 25, 2013

1 Thessalonians 5:1-8
I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

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 still remember the afternoon that our doorbell rang, and there stood my grandmother and two of my dad’s cousins from Texas.  They had come to visit… and their timing could not have been worse.  That didn’t faze my grandmother – or the cousins.  They marched right into the house and proceeded to stay for more than an hour.  I laughingly told them that I was not “dressed to receive guests”… I was getting ready to work out, had on grubby clothes and no makeup.  Greg was equally busy and not “cleaned up” for company, either. I had nothing prepared to offer them…a pitcher of iced tea or a soft drink.  This didn’t seem to bother our guests… but it bothered us.  We had been “taken off guard”!

I am sure you can name countless times that someone dropped in unexpectedly.  And if you are like me, you’ve probably caught others unprepared to “receive guests” as well.  Let’s be honest, if the worst that ever happens is that someone drops by to visit and catches you looking a little grubby or disheveled, this is certainly not the end of the world. But in the spiritual realm, the last thing we ever want is for Jesus to find us unprepared.

Look at it this way… if you are told that “the cable guy” is coming to your house “somewhere between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.”…you will sit at home and wait on him – right?  You’ll get up early and dress and prepare for his arrival… and you will wait – sometimes all day long – in anticipation of his visit.  Why would you prepare any less for Jesus’ return?  The “cable guy” may fix your television reception… but Jesus is offering us Eternal Life!  How could we ever fail to prepare for the day we meet Him face-to-face?

The bottom line is that those of us who truly believe in Jesus Christ…who have given our hearts to Him and promised to serve as His disciples…have no excuse for operating in anything less than “preparedness mode.”  We have the hope of salvation and an eternity in Heaven on our side. Isn’t this worth guarding?

How ready are you to meet Jesus in person?  Are you on guard…”dressed up”… awake… alert?  Do you have faith, hope and confidence that you will meet Him someday? We cannot possibly know what hour or day that will happen.  So the question is…”Are you ready to receive Him?”

©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 24, 2013

1 Peter 1:13-16
So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”
 
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.
 
The Arkansas Razorbacks football team is not having a good year.  In fact, they have suffered a school-record eight straight losses.  This is the result of a number of things…including the residual fallout from an almost-two-year-old scandal that stood the athletic department on its ear for a while.  If you follow college football in general, you know that many fans are somewhat “rabid”… they love their team and want to win at all costs.  So it will come as no surprise that some would choose to go back to the “winning” program of a few years ago, headed by a dishonest and deceptive coach, rather than persevere to build something that has integrity and excellence over the long haul.
 
Let’s be honest… aren’t there times when we all want to throw up our hands and ask, “What’s the point?  Why am I even trying?”  Every one of us has times in our life when the old ways of doing just what we feel like doing sounds pretty good in comparison to the struggles and challenges of developing a life shaped by God’s life.  Nobody ever said being holy would be easy!
 
Hear the word of God from 1 Peter 2:18-26:
You who are servants, be good servants to your masters—not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. What counts is that you put up with it for God’s sake when you’re treated badly for no good reason. There’s no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.
 
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
 
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.

 
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
This should give us great hope. Because of Jesus, who has done so much for us, we can remain faithful…and filled with hope.  Surely we can persevere.  We.Can.Do.This!  We can keep working through all challenges and disappointments… and help build the Kingdom of Heaven.  We can strive to become more holy every single day… and in doing so, we can anticipate a life “energized and blazed with holiness” and blessings. 
 
Remember… in the end, God wins!  If we want to win with Him, we have to remain hopeful and holy.  The choice is ours… what will you do?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 23, 2013

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
 
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 NBC’s The Biggest Loser, there is a lot of discussion about what is taking place with contestants… both “on the outside” and internally.  The coaches will readily point out that a mental shift is as important to permanent weight loss as the physical work.  So when a contestant exercises vigorously all week and eats a careful diet… and then shows a very small reduction on the scale – or sometimes no weight loss at all – the coach is quick to note that we cannot always “see” the success that is taking place.  Progress may still have been made… particularly in the form of an attitude adjustment.  The primary focus is not on how many pounds are lost in any given week… but on what will be the final – and hopefully lasting – result.  And the hope of making great strides in the long term is what keeps everyone from giving up.
 
In my lifetime, there have been many situations where I felt like things were falling apart on the outside… but I could not see the “new life” God was creating on the inside.  When I taught a junior high Sunday school class, I came home discouraged most Sundays.  I felt as if the kids didn’t understand what I was sharing with them… or care.  People told me over and again, “You may never know the seeds you have planted.”  There were similar feelings with some of my kindergarten and first grade students.  Did I really teach them anything?  Did God really use me to make a difference in their lives?  Over time, I am realizing that the answer is a resounding… “YES!”
 
Some of the “results” are still questionable… while others are readily visible.  I’ve reconnected with many of my students in recent years, particularly via Facebook.  To see all that they have accomplished…to witness how they have developed into productive, upstanding, faith-filled adults... to hear them say, “I remember when you taught us this or that – or when we did such-and-such”… to hear a student say, “I was incredibly blessed to have a Sunday school teacher who cared so much for me and my classmates”…this tells me that something went right.  God’s grace unfolds before me as I see how He has worked in these young lives.
 
In other situations, I am still waiting on answers and results… and I bet you are, too.  Not everything in life will turn out like we anticipate or in the timetable we desire… and there will be plenty of times when we want to throw up our hands and say, “I simply cannot take this anymore.”  But we must never give up!  We must keep on listening for God’s wisdom and guidance… and doing what He wants us to do.  We must trust Him to make the difference… to turn these “small potatoes hard times” into lavish good times through His amazing grace.  We must have hope… and we must have it abundantly!
 
If we never physically “see” results from our efforts, we must have confidence that they still exist.  If the scale never shows that we have lost an ounce, yet we are more fit and healthy than ever - and working hard to stay that way - we must trust that God’s not done with us yet.  We must hope and wait on Him… and trust that what we can’t see is most certainly in the works – and built to last forever.  Do you have this kind of hope in God’s power and promises?  I'm not giving up... are you?
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 22, 2013

1 Peter 1:3-5
What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!
 
God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.
 
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.
 
The concept of a “future” is a funny thing.  Many picture their “future” as… “when I graduate from high school – or college”… “when I get married”… “when I get my first car/house/job”…”when I get older”…”when the kids are grown and gone from home” …”when I retire”…”when I can no longer live alone and/or I have to have help with things”.  You probably have a few ideas of your own about what constitutes the “future”.
 
But here’s the thing.  Your “future” starts NOW.  In fact, it started the day you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior… and this passage reminds us of this clearly.  Everything about your life is part of your future, because every single day matters. The future is not some nebulous, far-away place or event.  Your future with Christ includes whatever you are doing even in the next few minutes!
 
This should come as good news to us.  Because of Jesus, we don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy His blessings.  Because of Jesus, we can look forward to what lies ahead for us – here and now.  Yes, things will be better and brighter there.  Yes, we will have no worries about calories, illnesses, blemishes, and disabilities.  But what we have today… here… now… can be as awesome and spectacular as we choose to make it – all because of Jesus and what He promises us in our “future” in Heaven.

So what are you waiting for?  Are you living for a future far, far away in a distant galaxy?  Or are you living the hopeful life of someone who knows that Jesus was raised from the dead and has given you everything to live for… including a future in Heaven that has already begun?
 
If Jesus is the author and creator of your future…isn’t it time you acted like it?  If you have not yet secured your future in Heaven with Jesus, isn’t this the perfect time to fall to your knees, confess your sins, and invite Him to dwell in your heart forever?  The future is NOW… or it can be…and the choice is totally up to you.  Are you in?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 21, 2013

1 Corinthians 15:16-20
So if the dead won’t be raised to life, Christ wasn’t raised to life.  Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins.  And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost.  If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.

But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

It seems like every year, the Christmas decorations come out a little earlier.  I think I heard the first Christmas commercial (gee thanks, K-Mart!) somewhere around the end of September.  I am certain that there were Christmas decorations on the shelves alongside the Halloween costumes at Wal-Mart.  And several people I know put up their Christmas tree and decorations a few days ago!  It’s like we don’t believe Christmas will ever come again, so we have to grab all of it we can this year and make it last!  And how many people do you know who will walk around in something of a funk for the first half of January… bemoaning the fact that the holidays are over?

Yes…I decorate for Christmas right after Thanksgiving Day.  Yes…I keep our tree and decorations up through New Year’s!  And I enjoy all of the holiday festivities… baking…gathering gifts and making treats for the little ones…sending Christmas cards…watching holiday specials on television…and inviting people into our home to enjoy a warm fire and some hot tea and a cookie or two!  But I am so looking forward to the Ultimate Christmas… one that lasts all year long…an unending feast that doesn’t pack on an ounce around the hips and music and laughter like we have never heard before.  I’m looking forward to celebrating every day with Jesus and fellow believers…a Christmas Day that never ends!  And I know that it is coming!

For this reason, I can pack away the decorations in January and continue to enjoy my earthly life.  I know that Christmas Day will come again… one way or another.  I honestly do not understand how people function without this hope.  I cannot imagine what it would feel like to believe that this earthly life is all there is… that when you die, you die, and it’s all over.  I refuse to believe that Jesus isn’t waiting for me… that my friends and loved ones who knew Jesus and loved Him on this earth and have “passed over” already are not there waiting, as well.  I will not believe that this is the end… that there isn’t one continual celebration waiting for me “on the other side.”  And I hope you cannot believe this, either!

There is an old hymn that says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”  It ends with… “life is worth the living, just because He lives.”  Is this true for you?  Do you believe that Jesus lives… that He is waiting for you and will raise you to life in heaven for all eternity?  Are you able to face tomorrow because He lives?  Don’t you want to be?  This is the day to ensure your spot at the Ultimate Christmas celebration.  Now is the time to fall to your knees and say, “Jesus, I know that You rose again. I believe that You are alive and waiting for me… and I want to be with You forever.”  We basically have two options…choose to live in the confidence that Christ rose again and waits for us… or live without any hope at all and be worse off than anyone else.  Will your life be “worth the living” because of the hope and faith that Jesus lives?  Or will you face the emptiness of living with the idea that your “Christmases” - and your life itself - are finite?  The choice is totally yours…what will you decide?

©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 20, 2013

1 Peter 2:17
Treat everyone you meet with dignity.  Love your spiritual family.  Revere God.  Respect the government.
 
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 scripture passage contains four simple sentences… four basic concepts that seem so logical and easy to accomplish.  If only we would take these four commands to heart and genuinely - and diligently - put them into action…any number of things could be accomplished.  Life would surely be more peaceful and pleasant!
 
So why are we so disrespectful? Why can’t we get along?  What keeps us from being obedient, reverent, and loving our neighbor?  I don’t have all of the answers, but I suspect that one of our biggest problems is lack of focus.  We have failed to remain diligent in pursuing a relationship with God… and when we do interact with Him, we tend to do all of the talking!  It seems to me that more than a few of us don’t listen to God in the first place…and if we do hear Him, we choose to ignore what He tells us.
 
“Oh, surely God didn’t mean for me to treat So-and-So with dignity!  Not after what he/she said or did to me!” you may say.  Or maybe you have decided that people of a certain socio-economic status, lifestyle, race or political leaning are “beneath you.”  Surely God didn’t mean for you to treat THEM with dignity?
 
Perhaps you have decided that certain “Christians” can’t possibly be sincere, because they don’t agree with you on social, political, or moral issues.  “Surely they are not reading the Bible!” you’ve declared – if only to yourself.  As for reverence to God, we all know that none of us does our best in this department!
 
And rather than respect our government and its leaders, many have decided that these folks are not Godly and do not deserve to be regarded with anything less than disdain.  We don’t pray, “LORD, please help the best candidates get elected… and give them wisdom to decide what is best for us as a people.”  We tell Him, “Please let MY candidate win!”  And then we gripe and complain about everything from taxes to legislation to the leaders themselves.
 
Four simple rules could make everything run more smoothly – in our individual lives and in the world at large.  Won’t you join me today in reviewing these guidelines?  Won’t you pray over them and ask God to show you how and where you have failed to give your very best?  Will this be the week that things begin to change in your relationships… in your perspective… and in your discipleship?  Shouldn’t it?
 
My prayer for today is this… “Father, we have failed to show respect… for You and for each other.  We have acted selfishly and judged unfairly.  We have been critical and undignified, and we know that our actions and attitudes grieve You.  Forgive us, LORD… help us to be more attentive to Your word and Your will.  Show us how to treat others as You would… to offer love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and respect.  Help us to figure out how to get along… heal our hearts and set us on the right path.  We ask this in the precious name of Jesus.  Amen.”
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 19, 2013

1 Samuel 19:1-8
One day, Saul told his son Jonathan and his officers to kill David. But Jonathan liked David a lot, and he warned David, “My father is trying to have you killed, so be very careful. Hide in a field tomorrow morning, and I’ll bring him there. Then I’ll talk to him about you, and if I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”
 
The next morning, Jonathan reminded Saul about the many good things David had done for him. Then he said, “Why do you want to kill David? He hasn’t done anything to you. He has served in your army and has always done what’s best for you. He even risked his life to kill Goliath. The Lord helped Israel win a great victory that day, and it made you happy.”
 
Saul agreed and promised, “I swear by the living Lord that I won’t have David killed!”
 
Jonathan called to David and told him what Saul had said. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in Saul’s army just as he had done before.
 
The next time there was a war with the Philistines, David fought hard and forced them to retreat.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
In 2001, Kent Heitholt, a reporter for the Columbia Daily Tribune in Columbia, Missouri, was viciously bludgeoned to death as he approached his car in the newspaper’s parking lot after a work shift.  The case remained unsolved… until 2004, when a young man who had a history of problems with drugs and alcohol came forward.  Chuck Erickson claimed that he was having dreams that he had been present at a murder… and he thought these might be flashbacks.  With him in the dream was a “friend” named Ryan Ferguson.  I’ll skip all the details here and get to the nuts and bolts… Erickson implicated Ferguson, and while nothing matched… DNA, hair samples, footprints – NOTHING – Ferguson was arrested… and convicted… and sentenced to prison, where he stayed for 9 years, 8 months, and 2 days.
 
On November 12, 2013, Ryan Ferguson was released from prison and is now a free man. Try to imagine being 19 years old and hearing a judge sentence you to 40 years in prison for a crime you did not commit… something of which you had absolutely no knowledge.  Imagine how Ferguson’s parents felt as they saw their son led away as the result of a judicial system whose ruling was based on false testimony that piled up from two “key witnesses”.  Think about the incredible fear, betrayal, disrespect, and sheer panic this young man must have experienced.  Try to envision how he felt for nearly 10 years as he sat behind bars for something that he didn’t do, trying to clear his name. We would all agree that Ryan Ferguson has every right to be angry… upset… heartbroken… that he should be ready to tear the world apart for this indignity and affront.
 
There has also been a lot of information in the news lately about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy…fifty years ago this week.  I watched an interview with the Secret Service agent who is shown in film footage reaching across the trunk of the President’s limo toward Mrs. Kennedy. as she climbed toward the rear of the car.  The agent says she was retrieving the portion of Kennedy’s head that had just been blown away.  The interviewer asked, “What did she say to you?”  The agent replied, “She told me, ‘I’ve got the President’s brains in my hand.’”  Imagine her shock and horror.  Imagine the indignation of having your husband’s head blown away as you sat beside him.  Can you even fathom the dishonor and disrespect – the downright evil – of pulling the trigger and taking another person’s life?  Jackie Kennedy is reported to have refused to change from the pink Chanel suit that bore her husband’s blood stains, saying, “I want them to see what they have done.”
 
Don’t we all feel this way sometimes?  When someone disrespects, insults, or hurts us in some way, don’t we often want to lash out… and rightly so?  I have no doubt that you have been mistreated somewhere along the line – maybe even today!  And maybe much like Jonathan’s question to King Saul, you are saying, “Why is this happening to me?  I have done nothing wrong.”
 
I certainly do not have all the answers – about anything!  But here’s what keeps coming to me about this dilemma… remember Jesus.  Remember that He did nothing wrong, yet he was falsely accused, beaten, persecuted… and sentenced to death.  As if that were not enough, his murder was brutal and indignant.  He was mocked, stripped, pierced, horrifically tortured… and spit upon.  And still He cried, “Father, forgive them.”  Tall order?  You betcha!  There have been times when I have argued… “But how am I to forgive?  Haven’t I had enough?”  The answer is a resounding… “Seventy times seven.”  (Matthew 18:21-22…” Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?” Jesus answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”)  The temptation for revenge can be great… even to the extent of “I want them to see what they have done.”  The answer to my prayer is found in John 13:34…” But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you.”
 
If you continue to read the book of 1 Samuel through at least Chapter 23, you will see that Saul did not keep his word.  He became consumed by the devil and tried several times to kill David.  And you may feel like you keep getting kicked and disrespected and knocked down over and again.  You may be tempted to quit… to give up and walk away from the people or situation that is causing you so much pain.  I encourage you to spend a lot of time in prayer and ask God to show you how to proceed.  Feel His hands on your shoulders, holding you and absorbing your tears and frustration.  Allow Him room to work… and listen as He shows you where to back away – and how far to go.  Let God give you the strength and wisdom to handle indignation and disrespect with grace, confidence and peace.  Continue to fight hard… in Jesus’ name…and because He did it for you.
 
I don’t know how a 28-year-old man adjusts to re-entering society after almost a decade of injustice.  But I do know that with God, all things are possible.  Won’t you allow Him to work in your life today?  Will you ask God to give you empathy and sensitivity for those who have been unfairly treated… and a strong confidence that God understands the heartbreak of disrespect and offense, because He experiences it firsthand as we mistreat Him?  Can you look beyond your own burdens and operate in God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness?
 
When was the last time you apologized to God for how you have disrespected and disappointed Him?  Isn’t this a good place to begin your healing journey?  As you begin to repair your relationship with God, you will find the strength, courage and wisdom to operate in His grace and mercy toward others.  Just as Ryan Ferguson cannot retrieve the near-decade he lost to prison… and we cannot bring back those who have been murdered and taken from us…we cannot change our past.  But God can equip us to handle the future… and to enjoy our life as Christian disciples.  Are you with me?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 18, 2013

1 Samuel 2:27-30
One day a prophet came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord:
 
When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I came and showed them who I am. Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. I wanted them to offer sacrifices and burn incense to me and to find out from me what I want my people to do. I commanded everyone to bring their sacrifices here where I live, and I allowed you and your family to keep those that were not offered to me on the altar.
 
But you honor your sons instead of me! You don’t respect the sacrifices and offerings that are brought to me, and you’ve all gotten fat from eating the best parts.
 
I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
In 1978, country music singer Kenny Rogers recorded a song called “The Gambler”.  The chorus said in part:
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
Those words could apply to a lot of real-life situations, it seems.  At one time or another, many of us will find ourselves figuring out whether we should stick it out, walk away… or run like the wind!  Maybe it’s a personal relationship… or a job that you no longer find tolerable…or maybe you have discovered that chemistry is more than you can manage, so a major in pre-pharmacy is probably not for you!  You may be wondering whether God really wants you to share space with your roommate for another semester…or you may be trying to decide whether you are keeping your pet alive for your own selfish reasons rather than because his/her quality of life is still high.  You might even be trying to decide whether to retire, hang up the car keys, and/or downsize into a more manageable home or apartment.  And in each of these decisions, God can help you to figure out the right answer… if only you will ask – and listen.
 
If you have done all you can in a situation and it doesn’t show any signs of improving, you may be justified in walking away.  If you have served on a committee or volunteered for an organization with generosity and a willing spirit, and others are taking advantage of you, it may well be right for you to pull back in your efforts.  When you continually give of your time, talents and energy – and maybe even your heart – and you realize you are being disrespected or dishonored, there is no shame in redirecting your attention.  Again, God will show you how to proceed.  And believe it or not, sticking with something that is not God’s will actually disrespects and dishonors Him!
 
Again I am reminded of the family that several people and I tried to help when I was teaching kindergarten.  After we had given far above and beyond what most would consider reasonable, the father demanded of his caseworker one day… “I need a car.”  It broke my heart to learn that a local pediatrician had bought the family bus tickets and sent them packing back to live with family members in Pennsylvania.  I wonder to this day what happened to my little Charlie and his younger sister.  But I know that we had no choice… the disrespect and dishonor simply could not continue.  Not only was it time to “fold ‘em”… it was time to run.
 
For some of us, the problem these days is not that we are being disrespected… or that our efforts are dishonored.  The trouble lies directly with us and how we are treating our Heavenly Father – and others.  And that is the heart of this scripture passage.  God is blessing us at every turn… and many are taking full advantage of all that He offers and practically thumbing their noses at Him in the process.  Rather than thank God for everything He has done for us… and do everything humanly possible to serve and honor Him in return, some of us have essentially said, “Oh… and I’ll take a car, too!”  We fall apart at the least little thing and fling our hands to the sky, wailing, “Why me, LORD?”  We skate along through life taking risks and dancing as closely to the edge as we dare - while expecting God to always be there to protect us and fix every mess we make.
 
The truth is that God is not amused… nor does He appreciate disrespect and dishonor.  He is loving, compassionate, gracious and merciful - and ready to forgive… to a point.  But we cannot continue to reject or scorn His will and His word… and we most certainly cannot expect Him to take care of our every need while we deny Jesus and our Christian discipleship.  “Oh, but I would NEVER do that!” you may say.  Really?  Exactly how long has it been since you did something selfless for another?  When was the last time you did something you really didn’t want to do because you felt God was calling you to it?  When was the last time that you were unkind to someone or even spoke hatefully to them or about them?  Who have you mocked behind their back?  What tidbit of gossip did you share?  Who did you last criticize… maybe even to their face?  How strong is your prayer life?  Do you even have one?  Are you willing to give to others – or is it all about what’s in it for you?
 
How often are you doing what you want to do instead of what you know God is asking you to do in Jesus’ name?  Where are you spinning your wheels while God tells you…”It’s time to fold ‘em and move along.”?  Do you see that this can also be disrespectful and dishonorable toward God?  It’s probably time for each and every one of us to have a long, serious conversation with God… to examine our daily living and where we are operating selfishly and with disrespect… and to discover where He really wants us to be spending our time and energy.
 
The last thing any of us wants is for God to turn His back on us… even for a minute.  Won’t you take some time to talk to God and ask Him to show you where you are missing the mark?  Ask Him to show you where you need to mend fences, correct course… or even jump ship!  I assure you that if God is calling the shots, you will always make the right move.
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 17, 2013

1 Samuel 26:9-11
“Don’t kill him!” David whispered back. “The Lord will punish anyone who kills his chosen king.  As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle.  But I pray that the Lord will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let’s grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!”
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
I don’t know about you, but I do not like snakes.  In fact, they scare me half to death.  So when I tell you that we had at least one black rat snake that lived underneath our porch and deck most of the summer, you will probably think I am crazy.   I tend to fall into that camp that says “the only good snake is a dead snake!”  Had this been a copperhead living underneath our deck, I would probably have begged Greg to send him on to wherever it is snakes go when they die!
 
We could have killed the black snake.  And a couple of summers ago, a “Speckled King Snake” that was hanging out in our yard wandered into the neighbor’s yard, and he did exactly that!  But Greg and I both agreed that as long as these “harmless” snakes were in our yard, there was less likelihood that we would encounter the poisonous ones… or so we hoped.  And to my knowledge, no copperheads or rattlesnakes were seen in our yard – or near it – this past season.  And as much as I dislike snakes – and a big black rat snake on our front porch scared the life out of me a couple of summers ago (and yes, I screamed and ran in the house and left Greg and his mother standing on the driveway!) – I respect the role that this particular reptile plays in keeping our yard relatively safe.
 
As long as I know to watch for him/her, I trust that he will do his job… and I will do mine… and we will keep our distance from each other! Having said all of this, when the snake ventured into our front yard one day and was very curious about entering the garage while Greg was mowing, he didn’t hesitate to scurry the serpent into the woods and away from the house!
 
Here’s the deal…David could easily have killed King Saul… and a lot of people would probably have thanked him.  But David knew that this was up to God to decide.  It was one thing to disarm the king and leave him without water… but to take his life was quite another.  And there are many times when we would absolutely LOVE to take matters into our own hands about a myriad of situations… but it’s simply not our place.
 
We have to respect God and trust Him to handle a lot of things that we are simply not equipped to manage.  Most of the time, we don’t have all of the facts.  And if we do, we still may often lack the proper wisdom and ability to do or say the right thing.  So we must allow God to do what is best and remain faithful that He will create the perfect outcome.
 
Where have you tried to take matters into your own hands?  Where have you made a mess of things in the process?  How have you disrespected God by stepping in where you shouldn’t?  When have you “killed the snake” that should have been allowed to slither back underneath the porch?  Isn’t it time you started communicating more closely with God and allowing Him the final say in things?  Will this be the week that you begin?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 16, 2013

1 Thessalonians 5:13-15
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
 
Rex was the boy who sat beside me at my table in first grade.  One day, he threw up his morning milk.  Since I was not a fan of morning milk time in the first place, I scooted my chair away from the ugly puddle, for fear of becoming nauseous myself.  There were no intercoms or cell phones in this dank concrete block building with its cold cement floor, but I’m sure that somehow the janitor was summoned.  Meanwhile, my teacher, Mrs. Troy, walked over to the table and snapped, “Debra, if that is getting your goat, then MOVE!”  I never said a word.  I had the deepest respect for Mrs. Troy… call it a mixture of admiration and a healthy dose of fear.  I’d seen that little wooden ping pong paddle she kept perched atop the chalk rail at the reading circle!  I sat stock still and waited for the janitor to come sprinkle that dusty clay mixture over the puddle and wait for it to absorb so he could sweep it away.
 
I didn’t dare move, as Mrs. Troy had suggested.  But don’t you find it amazing that some 50 years later, I still vividly remember that incident and her words?  I remember going home and telling my mother what she said… crushed in spirit at what I perceived as an insult and a total lack of empathy for my feelings.  A woman I had deeply revered and respected had totally betrayed me… and even as a six-year-old first grader, it somewhat broke my spirit.  To be honest, for all of the things I lovingly remember about Mrs. Troy… that lone incident is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of her even today.
 
You can insert your jokes and jabs here… “So you were scarred for life by a first-grade puking incident?!”  You can declare me incredibly sensitive… overly so, to allow something so minor to affect me for half a century.  But here’s the point.  We truly do not know what others are thinking and feeling.  We have no clue what effect our words and actions toward them can have.  As a former teacher, I can assure you that I get it… the last thing you want in your classroom in the middle of a busy morning is for some kid to upchuck his/her milk!  I still remember the morning I was collecting lunch money and a child approached me and threw up all over my open-toed shoe… and it was not pretty!  And I remember distinctly that I did NOT snap at this child… perhaps because of my own childhood experience.
 
Still, you have to look at it from the other person’s perspective.  My teacher apparently didn’t consider how close I was to joining Rex in this disgusting “upheaval”.  She probably didn’t mean to snap at me… but once words are spoken, they are very hard to retract.  And apologies (if/when offered) have fairly little relevance for young children.  They say “Sorry!” all the time without meaning it!
 
What has all of this got to do with us today?  Plenty!  We need to work harder at respecting each other.  We need to choose our words and actions more carefully… to be kinder… to look for the best in others and point this out rather than their faults.  We need to take deep breaths and count to ten before responding, and we need to look for those who could use a little encouragement – and give it to them!  And we need to ask God to help us with every bit of this and more… to equip us with wisdom, compassion, and common sense!
 
An acquaintance of mine recently lost her husband in an airplane crash.  She wrote a blog post about how people are constantly asking her, “How are you doing?”  She said she knows the desired response is, “I’m fine.”  But the truth is… she isn’t “fine”… she is deeply hurt, scared, lonely, and feeling her way through the days in a world that she feels is spinning around her while she stands still. Several people commented to her and told her that they never fully understood these emotions until they lost someone dear to them… and now they get it.  If nothing else, the experiences of grief and loss – and personal disrespect - have a way of making us more tender and sensitive to the needs and feelings of others around us… or they should.
 
We shouldn’t have to be thrust into a situation such as the death of a loved one before we become more attuned to the feelings of others.  We should be looking for ways to show our respect for others… to offer them kindness, grace, mercy, encouragement, and support.  We should recognize that every person has value – and needs… and our job as Christian disciples is to meet them right where they are.  No one wants or deserves to be disrespected… not even a six-year-old.  Look around.  Who needs your respect today?  What will you do to find the best in others and bring it to the forefront?  Is there someone you have disrespected who needs to hear from you today?  Will you make an effort to bring out the best in others and meet their needs, in Jesus’ name?  Shouldn’t you?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 15, 2013

2 Corinthians 10:12-16
We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.
 
We aren’t making outrageous claims here. We’re sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We’re not moving into someone else’s “territory.” We were already there with you, weren’t we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you?
 
We’re not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we’re hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you’ll play a part within our expanding work. And we’ll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it.
 
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 recently read a truly poignant essay that someone posted on Facebook about a woman who stood in the checkout line behind another woman who had five children with her.  Two were blond like the “mother” figure and dressed rather nicely.  Their appearance was neat and clean. The other three appeared to be of mixed race, and they were disheveled, dirty and unruly.  The “mother” was struggling to put her purchases on the conveyor belt… juggle a handful of forms… and figure out how to use an EBT (food stamp) card – all while trying to corral five small children.
 
People behind the author of this essay began to mumble loudly.  “Bet she doesn’t even know who the baby daddy is for those kids… whaddya wanna bet she pays with food stamps…there goes our taxpayer dollars – we’re the ones who are really paying for all of this!”  The essayist seethed for a few minutes, and then she stepped forward and offered to help the “mother”, asking, “Yours or fosters?”  The “mother” replied… “Both… these three were just dropped off with me… with only the clothes on their backs.”  She handed them each a coat as the clerk rang up the price.  The essayist offered that she was a foster mother herself… and she extended her help with sorting the food items according to WIC regulations… and showed the “mother” how to use her EBT card, which had come with the three foster children. When she had finished and the family was leaving, the essayist turned to the critics behind her… and she let them have it!  She closed her story by noting that after her rant was over, the folks standing behind her moved to another checkout line.
 
If you go back and read the verses leading up to this passage from 2 Corinthians 10, you see that people were accusing the Apostle Paul of superiority… of talking rather strongly to them in his letters about how they should be conducting themselves.  Word had apparently gotten back to Paul that some of the Corinthians wondered if he “walked the walk” as much as he “talked the talk”!  And don’t you know people like that?  Don’t you know people who are quick to criticize someone else for the very things they are doing themselves… or to make unfair comparisons or assumptions… and to act disrespectfully as a result?
 
There are so many examples of this that I could cite, but I bet you can think of plenty on your own.  The point is that we often want to throw credit – and blame – around where it doesn’t belong… and in doing so, we are disrespectful toward others.  Our criticism and lack of regard for other people often seems to know no bounds!  Ninety-nine percent of the time, we do not have all of the facts.  That person who appears to have it all together and be incredibly successful and fortunate may be going through all sorts of heartbreaking things in private.  The disheveled man or woman in the checkout line may be in a hurry to get home to a house filled with children who were up all night… and wondering what he/she will feed them for dinner and how they will stretch the paycheck for another week or more.  Your cranky, difficult grandfather or grandmother may be secretly worried sick that he/she is going to end up in a nursing home and left to die alone.
 
Worse yet, we judge others’ level of faith.  We conclude that this one or that one “is not a believer” or “doesn’t feel the Holy Spirit”.  Most certainly they are not as faith-filled as we are… and if they don’t jump on our bandwagon, we all know where they are headed!  If they really loved Jesus, they would be at church every Sunday.  If they really had a relationship with the Holy Spirit, they would treat us… and others… more kindly.  If God was top priority in their lives, they would have their act together!  Admit it… you’ve uttered more than a couple of these – or something very close!
 
The time has come for us to all start respecting each other… to stop assuming that we know what the other person is thinking, feeling, or experiencing… and to work on refining our relationship with God.  Only then will we be able to do His work… and to meet others right where they are.  Only when our actions match our talk can we relate to one another on a level playing field.
 
If we are humble and sincere in your daily living, others will notice.  If we stop judging others without all of the facts and making assumptions… if we live in a way that honors our Christian discipleship and the sacrifices of Jesus on our behalf, we can be confident that our actions are not misinterpreted or overstated. When others recognize us as respectful, honest, humble and sincere, they will not mistake our witness and ministry for grandstanding and superiority.
 
We must remember to always give credit where credit is due… to recognize God as our Supreme Source – for everything – and we must duly note that He is the only one worthy to judge any of us.  When we operate in this truth, we are no longer even capable of judging or disrespecting others.  It simply isn’t on our radar!  And we are free to do the work of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ… of ministering to others and reaching them as equals. This is my fervent goal as a Disciple of Christ… is it yours?

©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 14, 2013

Acts 10:34-36
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.

 
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 a cold, snowy February night just over 20 years ago, I stood with my friend Kathy under the portico to the Pierre Hotel in New York City and watched as stars and entertainers arrived and departed from limousines.  We were in town on a business trip… the entertainers and celebrities were attending a party inside the Pierre that was being held by the executives at Arista Records to celebrate the Grammy Awards ceremony the following night.  Kathy and I are both about as “southern” as they come… and when we opened our mouths, it was evident that we were NOT native New Yorkers.  However, we kept quiet and tried to blend in with the crowd as I snapped photos with my camera.
 
A couple standing next to us began to heckle the stars and the doorman.  They were being incredibly vulgar and rude, and the hotel security official shot them more than one ugly glance.  He even walked over to where we were standing and asked them to pipe down, which only made the couple laugh harder and become more offensive.  Finally, he insisted that this young man and woman leave the hotel property.  They immediately began to question this, and the doorman told them, “You do not belong here… you are not guests of the hotel… you need to leave – NOW!”  The couple protested and pointed to Kathy and me and said, “But why don’t THEY have to leave?  They don’t belong here!”  The doorman told them, “They are guests of the hotel.”
 
To be clear, we were not staying at the hotel.  We had merely wandered through the lobby to take in its ornate décor, and we happened to notice Cindi Lauper and a couple of other “famous” people as we stepped back outside.  So we quietly parked ourselves along a velvet rope and tried to look inconspicuous.  AND… the key word most likely was “quietly”.  We were not heckling anyone.  We were not shouting obscenities and looking the other way, as if someone else had uttered them and we didn’t know where the offensive words originated.  We were not arguing with anyone or being a bother.  So we got to stay… and the doorman treated us quite kindly.  And in the end, the hecklers moved along down the sidewalk (and probably crashed another party at a neighboring hotel).
 
I have every confidence that this entire spectacle could have been avoided.  Had the couple shown a little respect and honored the doorman’s authority and position, they could have been “wannabe paparazzi” like Kathy and me.  We were no better than they were.  And if you want to “go there”… the celebrities we were ogling were truly no “better” either!  We give far too much credence to “celebrity” in this world – at least in my book!  But the point I want to make is that these people forfeited the “privilege” of standing on that hotel portico and taking in the sights by failing to respect the authority of those in charge.  They did not recognize… or accept… the parameters.  They were unwilling to do as they were asked.  And so “the door was closed.”
 
Where in your life have you “closed the door” in effect… on your relationships with people…on opportunities for improvement and/or advancement… and most significantly, on God?  How have you disrespected the authority and guidelines?  Where have you refused to “play by the rules” and essentially cost yourself a place at the table?  How have you treated the people and situations in your life… and what has been the outcome?
 
We make a lot of our own messes, it seems.  We make life and relationship choices that alter our course… and often close a lot of doors.  We can correct this… especially with God.  We can recognize and respect His authority in our lives… and His will.  In turn, as we begin to give God the proper reverence and regard, He will open doors for us to repair and restore relationships and the conditions of other circumstances in our lives.  God can put together what we have broken… if only we will bow before Him and ask for His forgiveness… and His help.
 
I don’t know about you, but the one door I never want closed is the door to heaven.  I never want to behave in a manner that causes me to hear God say, “You need to leave.” I hope you feel the same way… and that you will do whatever it takes today to reconnect with Him… and to repair other relationships and situations where you have been disrespectful.  You can regain your place at God’s table… you can stand once again alongside the “velvet rope” and enjoy the party.  The choice is totally yours.  How will you decide?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus