Daily Devotional for April 30, 2014

Hebrews 11:6
You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I know that some of you are getting tired of reading about the tornado that devastated central Arkansas on Sunday, April 27th.  But please bear with me.  Yesterday, Greg and I drove Grandma “E” to a doctor’s appointment in Little Rock.  The route we took to get there carried us directly through the tornado’s path in El Paso, Arkansas, where a woman perished.  We returned via I-40 through Mayflower, and I cannot put into words what the tornado damage looks like there.  Pictures have not adequately portrayed how horrific it is…and Grandma “E” remarked, “Surely someone must have died right here in this.”  It didn’t seem possible that any living thing that was unfortunate enough to be in this area and above ground at the time could have possibly survived…although we know that many did.

My Facebook wall is still covered in posts regarding the tornado, and I know that the impact will keep these posts coming for quite some time.  By far, the most poignant post I’ve seen is from the blog of a young mother named Jessica Sowards, who lives in Vilonia, Arkansas.  Her dear friends and nearby neighbors, April and Daniel Smith, lost two sons in the tornado…8-year-old Cameron and his 7-year-old brother, Tyler.  If you don’t do another thing all day long, please read this blog post:

http://thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-cheerleader.html?m=1

If you have asked God “Why?” – about this tornado and/or any situation, ever – you need to read this post and hear the words of April Smith.  April is not okay with God allowing her two sons to be taken…but at the same time, she trusts that God is still in charge and has a bigger, more complicated – and perfect – plan than we can begin to see.  And so April trusts…she believes…and she waits for God to carry her through this. 

If you want to fully understand the words of Hebrews 11:6, read this post.  Hear the words of this woman and try to wrap your brain about the level of faith in Jesus that the mother of little Cameron and Tyler has.  I wish I could say that I am as trusting…but honestly, I am not sure that I could be so faithful and filled with peace, were I in her shoes. 

Believe me…I want to serve God at this level…because I know that this is where “the good stuff” really resides.  I know that to be so confident and filled with faith will equip me to handle anything and everything that the devil throws at me…and I so need that – don’t you?  Will this be the day that we begin to truly, fully walk in faith and depend on God – for everything?  Don’t you think it should?

   
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 29, 2014

Hebrews 10:24-25
In response to all he has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good.

Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

In the wake of the devastating tornado that ravaged several communities in Central Arkansas on Sunday, we are hearing countless news reports of “Good Samaritans” who have rushed to the aid of those in need…from law enforcement officers and rescue workers to medical personnel to church groups who are organizing shelters, meals and supplies…to area businesses that are feeding and supporting victims and workers alike.  It’s a beautiful thing, and God’s handiwork is evident even in the midst of the horrific destruction and piles of rubble that are all that is left of neighborhoods, schools, church buildings and businesses.

I cannot count the reports I have heard in the last 24 hours in which victims claim that “the grace of God saved us.”  Does this mean that those who were killed and injured were not covered by this same grace?  Will people in these decimated communities turn their backs on God and blame Him for the destruction?  I don’t think so.  As one woman explained today…”God has a plan.”  If ever many of us had a reason to walk away from God, this might be it.  And let’s be honest…when troubles and tragedy befall us, we often ask God, “Why?”  We wonder “Why me?  Why my family?  Why this?  What have I done to make God so angry?”  The people of Vilonia, Arkansas, are asking, “Why two times in three years?” as they crawl out of the rubble of homes that they rebuilt after the 2011 tornado…only to lose them again on Sunday.

I don’t have good answers for why these things have happened.  I don’t know why God allowed some to be injured or wiped out…or killed – and others were allowed to live.  I do know it was not to punish them.  And I do agree with the survivor who said that “God has a plan.”  He will not waste these events.  God will continually work in and through these days/weeks/years to bring about amazing results that further His Kingdom.

Come Sunday, I suspect that any church building in the area surrounding the communities affected by these tornadoes will be filled to brimming with worshippers.  Those who lost their church facilities in the storm will find a place and a time to stop the cleanup efforts and come together to praise God for His love and care…and to seek His guidance as they move forward, rebuild and recover.  And if people in this situation can gather to encourage each other and glorify God…surely those of us who are safe, warm, dry, fed, clothed, housed and comfortable can take a few hours out of our week to pray, sing, study, fellowship and feed on the word of God.

Here is yet another example of how God is working through a tragedy to demonstrate His love and care.  He is using these tornado victims to encourage and uplift even those of us who are observing from afar.  God is inspiring people across the nation to roll up their sleeves, open their wallets, and come together in His name and for His glory…to show the world at large that nothing can separate us from His love – that we will serve Him with whatever we have and however we can.

A tornado may take our home, our business…even our loved ones.  But God is still with us.  And in the days ahead, we will gather to help those in need…and to worship Him.  Will you be among them?  Don’t you think you should?

  
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 28, 2014

Ephesians 5:8-10
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do 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.
 
We were warned for days.  Every forecaster talked about the serious tornado threat for our area – up to a week beforehand.  The danger from impending tornadoes was the lead story on the national news broadcasts on Saturday evening…even though the storms were not expected for another 24 hours or so.  I sat in church Sunday morning and prayed for safety for everyone in Arkansas.  A line of thunderstorms with hail had come through earlier, and a soft rain fell.  I asked, “LORD…who won’t be here this evening?  What structures will be missing?  Will our area be hit?  Is this, quite literally, the ‘calm before the storm’?”  It seemed surreal…and nebulous.  “Maybe the storms will miss us,” we commented hopefully.
 
The storms did miss our community…but not those 40-50 miles to our south, with the cities of Mayflower and Vilonia, Arkansas, being hit the worst.  Storm debris, photos and papers from these areas have even been found near my neighborhood.  Lives have been taken.  Homes are destroyed.  The devastation defies description in a swath as much as a mile wide and spanning some 90 miles in distance.  This massive, violent storm was on the ground for a long, long time.  And worse yet, the tornado’s path was the same as one that emaciated much of this very area only three years ago.  Some people lost their homes – or suffered thousands of dollars in damage – in 2011…and now those refurbished or reconstructed homes are gone once again.  The death toll is 16…and climbing…as family and friends search for missing loved ones.
 
So today, as the sun tries to peek through the clouds and we step up out of our safe rooms and “hidey holes”…as we pull ourselves out of the murk and the darkness into the bright light of day and the truth of this horrific scene, we are left to ask a lot of questions…”WHY, LORD?  And…WHY the same area once again?  Why were two cities who have endured much hardship in recent years – including natural disasters and a man-made one – revisited with tragedy and incredible hardships?  What on earth do we do now?  Where do we turn?”
 
A couple of years ago, I watched incredible cable news footage of a tornado destroying homes in rural Oklahoma.  A photographer aboard a nearby helicopter captured the horrific scene, and the news station aired it live.  Once the storm passed, people began to emerge from underneath the rubble.  Where only the foundations of houses remained, doors to “safe rooms” in the ground opened, and entire families stepped up and out into the light of day.  They wandered…and stumbled…and appeared to be understandably dazed and confused.  And many are in that same condition today.
 
I watched an interview this morning with one young father whose house is gone – for the second time in three years.  He told the reporter, “We are still here by the grace of God.”  I know it is easy for me to say this from a safe distance…but the hand of God is evident in this tragic event – even now.  People are sharing harrowing stories of survival.  Many who lost everything they own are thanking God for keeping them physically safe.  Rescue and recovery efforts are organizing all over the state and nation.  People are praying.  And even in circumstances where loved ones have lost their lives, God is at work.  These deaths will not be in vain.  We cannot see it, but God is orchestrating the events of this storm – and its clean-up.  He is touching the hearts and lives of all who observe this devastation, and people are pulling together in restoration efforts.
 
People are figuring out what to do to please Christ…even as they grieve and struggle.  They are turning to Him for guidance as they stumble…because honestly, they don’t have a clue what to do of their own accord.  And Jesus is answering.  As we look to Him for wisdom and direction, He is walking with us.  If we will prayerfully move forward, He will guide our steps.  Our Heavenly Father will make sense of all of this for us in the daylight hours.  He will show us what is good…right…true…and equip us to do these things!
 
Where is God in this tragedy?  He is here…right smack dab in the middle of it!  He is holding our hand, picking up a shovel and scooping debris, and orchestrating rescue and restoration efforts.  He is soothing the broken hearts of the grieving, healing the injured, and touching the hearts and minds of His people.  He is saying, “Step into the light of Christ. Walk with Him…and when you can’t put one foot in front of another, let Him carry you. We will get through this!”
 
Christ’s bright light is making the way plain.  Have you come out of the darkness and found God?  This is the day to get busy doing what is good, right, and true – even in the midst of this horrific, devastating storm…to figure out what will please Christ, and then do it!  Are you with me?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 27, 2014

Ephesians 2:7-10
Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
 
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.
 
There is a running joke in our family that Timothy is just a little compulsive.  His bath tub “friends” must all face a certain direction, and “everyone knows that dinosaurs and zoo animals do not mix together on the window [sill]”!   He gets things just like he likes them…and trust me…it has to be HIS idea how everything will go from there!  He is big on “I’ll do it myself!”  I’ll be honest… most of the time in between Timothy’s visits to our house, his toys are left exactly where he placed them.  They remind me of him and how hard he “worked” to get them just right when he was here.
 
Have you thought about how hard God worked to create you and get you to where you are today?  Have you considered all of the planning and preparation that went into designing you and your life… all of the actual “work” that was involved in making you the person you are and developing your potential for the future?  Did you know that God even has plans for your Eternity in heaven…purposes and goals for what you will accomplish there for Him?
 
Trust me…you won’t mind performing your “heavenly assignments”.  But I am afraid more than a few of us resent doing God’s work on this earth…or at least we act like we do.  We appear to be anything BUT eager to serve Him…to seek His will…to stay in communication with Him.  We’re like the teenager or college-aged student who doesn’t answer Mom or Dad’s phone calls or texts.  We figure if they can’t reach us, we can say we didn’t get their message…that we had no clue they wanted us to do something.  We didn’t know that they expected us to come for dinner, pick up a sibling from school, or help Grandma with some yard work.  We were not aware that they were counting on us to do well in school and provide frequent reports…or to be a responsible citizen/employee/friend/child.  We didn’t get the “memo”.
 
Do you see that this really makes no sense?  Do you understand that everything we have…everything we are and ever will be is because of God – not ourselves?  Don’t you want to enjoy everything He designed and planned for you?  Do you get it that your attempts to do things your way often sabotage God’s plans to make everything “just right” for you…lined up perfectly and in the exact combinations that are spot-on?  Isn’t it time you dropped the arrogance and bravado and allowed God to create perfection within you...His way…on His terms?  Don’t you know that His way will always be better than ours?
 
Are you ready to go full in with God…to let go of your own will in order to embrace His?  Will this be the week that you begin?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 26, 2014

Ephesians 1:3-6
How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
 
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.
 
Greg’s nephew, John, and his wife, Leslie, are expecting their second child soon.  They planned for this child, just as they planned for their 3½-year-old daughter, Kelsey.  They have spent weeks attending pre-natal checkups and “Big Sister” classes and getting the new baby’s room ready.  They already know that this baby will be a girl, and they will call her Ellie.  They have Ellie on their mind…she is already the focus of their love, and they cannot wait to welcome her into their family.
 
John and Leslie will adore their children…and like most people, I am sure they have wondered how they will ever love another child as much as their first.  But when Ellie is placed in their arms for the first time, they will understand the capacity to love more than one child with your whole heart.
 
Now, picture yourself as God’s child.  Imagine that you are one of millions of God’s children!  How could He ever focus on you?  How could God love you with His whole heart…and have the capacity to love others the same way?  Yet, He does exactly that!  God loves you with reckless abandon…full throttle…all in…lavishly…unconditionally…and thoughtfully.  He planned for your birth and has a design for your every breath!  You matter to God…more than you can ever realize – and more than you will ever matter to any human being!  Does God play favorites?  Absolutely…YOU are His favorite…I am His favorite…we are ALL God’s favorites!  He gave the ultimate sacrifice…Jesus Christ…who died on the cross for each of us!
 
I know how much our great-niece, Kelsey, loves her mom and dad.  I am certain that Ellie will love them, too.  She will be delighted to belong to such a blessed family…and they will bless her in return.  I pray that she will enjoy a long and joyful relationship with her parents and Kelsey (and with any future siblings who may be born), and that they will always be a close-knit family filled with love and devotion for one another.
 
God wants this sort of relationship with each of us.  He longs for us to be close to Him…to seek His companionship…and to keep Him squarely planted in our hearts at all times.  He is available 24/7/365…just for this purpose.  All we have to do is turn and recognize Him.  Just think of it…the God who planned for you, longed for your arrival, and designed every heartbeat of your existence wants to be an integral part of your life – on this earth and for all Eternity!  Don’t you want to be part of His?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 25, 2014

Deuteronomy 4:29-31
In all of your troubles, you may finally decide that you want to worship only the Lord. And if you turn back to him and obey him completely, he will again be your God.  The Lord your God will have mercy—he won’t destroy you or desert you. The Lord will remember his promise, and he will keep the agreement he made with your ancestors.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
Our five-year-old nephew, Timothy, plays this little game with me sometimes when we are at the park or out in the yard where he runs and expects me to chase him.  He will look back and say, “You can’t catch me!”  I often laugh and tease him, “I don’t want to catch you!” I’m fairly certain that he will not go very far…that he will double back pretty quickly and return to me.  Timothy will dart from tree to tree in the park, stopping to pick up a leaf or a stick.  Or he will amble along singing to himself and just basking in his “freedom”.   Once in a while I have to take a few steps toward him and reel him in a bit…but usually I simply stand back and watch…and allow him to find his way back to the playground or driveway.  I’m not about to let him get too close to the lake or run into the street…but I have let him wander far enough away that he couldn’t see me momentarily (I can always see him!)…and he gets a little concerned and returns pretty swiftly!
 
Timothy also seems to worry just a little about getting older.  He recently told his barber that his hair was growing fast because…“I’m just getting old.”  When we tell him that he is growing up and becoming such a big boy, he will quickly ask, “But I’m still your baby…right?”  It is very important to him to be reassured that we will always love him…always be here for him, no matter how old he gets or what happens.
 
Can I tell you something?  You will always be God’s baby! There very well may be a time in your life when you run from God…a time when you decide that you can do a better job of managing your life on your own.  You may conclude that you don’t like His “rules”…that Christian discipleship is just not your thing – or that it isn’t working well for you.  You might determine that life would be a whole lot more fun if you weren’t constantly worried about God looking over your shoulder.  And so you take off and run.  You dabble with this “leaf” or that “twig”…and you may actually think you have gotten out of God’s sight!
 
But you are only fooling yourself.  I promise you, for every minute of “fun” you think you are having in the devil’s world, you are missing out on real joy that comes from the freedom of living in God’s will.  Yes, I said freedom.  Because keeping God at the forefront of your life will provide you with the true liberation to fully live…to enjoy everything He has given you with abandonment.  No more looking over your shoulder to see if someone is judging you or poised to check you for your choices and behaviors.  No more worrying about whether you are doing the right thing…no more uneasiness that this might not be the best path to take. You know that you know that you know that you are living within God’s plan…that He is guiding each and every step and giving you all you need to enjoy your journey.
 
Does this mean everything will be easy and a bed of roses?  No…but it won’t matter, because you will know that God has your back!  Trust me…this makes a world of difference!  ABC News anchor Robin Roberts has written a new book titled Everybody’s Got Something…and she is exactly right.  But Roberts would be the first to tell you that when God is in charge of your life, you can handle anything with His help!
 
I know that I have to allow Timothy to try a few things…and to make his own mistakes along the way.  And this is what God does with us.  But He is always there…willing and waiting to welcome us back into His arms.  Don’t keep wandering farther and farther away.  Turn back to Him…sooner than later…and start experiencing all that He has to offer you.  God has not deserted you.  He is waiting for you to turn around and recognize Him…to return to Him – or maybe to call on Him for the first time ever. As the Nike slogan says, “Just do it!” You’re still God’s baby…turn around and come back to Him. Make this the day that you stop running from God…and really start to live!
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 24, 2014

Acts 17:24-29
“The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does 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.
 
While eating lunch today, I was watching a local television station’s “noon show”, and a woman was talking about the Eastern Phoebe...a little songbird native to our area.  The Eastern Phoebe is important to us because it eats wasps and other pesky insects.  Learn more about this bird at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/eastern_phoebe/id - and even listen to its call, which I bet you will find familiar if you live in the South!
 
Like many animals, we sometimes wonder why God made birds like the Eastern Phoebe. As the person on this show explained, this bird eats pesky wasps.  But some might ask, “Why did God make the wasp?”  Trust me…every creature on this earth serves some purpose.  A friend posted a photo of a now-dead snake that made the mistake of crossing her driveway.  She wanted to know what kind it was.  Aside from the half-dozen comments that it was a “dead snake”, some told her it was a blue racer or rat snake…harmless to humans, but helpful in controlling the poisonous snake/rodent populations.  Yes, God even gave snakes a purpose!
 
All around us, leaves are appearing on trees and shrubs…flowers are blooming…and the yellow pollen is so thick that many of us can barely get a good breath!  And in it all, we can find the hand of God.  I’ve always laughed a little when people say, “I don’t go to church…I prefer to find God in nature.  So I go hunting or fishing…to the lake… take a walk or run…or even sit on my back porch and enjoy the beauty around me.”  That’s wonderful!  But “nature” is not the only place we find God – or experience him. Yes, we can see the hand of God in the rosebuds that have peppered our bushes in the front yard…and the brilliant red azalea blossoms that are opening.  Yes, we can “hear” God in the rumble of thunder as a line of spring storms blows through our neighborhood.
 
We can find God’s handiwork in the intricate patterns of my calico cat’s fur or the way our Lucy’s black and white “tuxedo” coat covers her little frame.  We experience God in the daily growth and accomplishments of our little Timothy, Zola and Nathan.  But I also found Him in the frail, wrinkled hands of my grandmother that toiled and loved…and served Him for over 100 years.  And we can find God in the details of her life…the way He saw her through triumphs and tragedies and arranged every detail to her last breath.
 
The point I am trying to make is that God IS evident in nature and the living things He has created.  But if we don’t find Him in everyday, ordinary people, places and things, we’ve not truly experienced Him. There is none other like Him, and there never will be.  God is not hiding from us…He is in plain view at all times - if we will open our eyes and ears. Too many of us are busy trying to create other “gods”…or “worshipping” in the wrong places.  We have been so busy pursuing what we think is “spiritual” and holy that we have walked right past God!  While we’re seeking choirs of angels and the roar of a pipe organ in our ear – or celestial trumpets that announce God’s presence – He is quietly sitting in the corner, meticulously orchestrating our lives and those of the world at large.
 
Don’t miss Him!  Don’t get so caught up in your own agenda or seeking grandiose demonstrations that you miss God’s omnipresence.  Find God in the beauty of nature, the song of an Eastern Phoebe, or the intricacies of a small child or a precious pet.  But recognize His existence in the ordinary, even mundane events of your life as well.  Feel His hand holding yours as you take a test, meet with your boss, interview for a job, apply for a loan, or undergo a medical exam.  Experience His wisdom and design for your life as you seek Him through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers.  Recognize His role in numbering every step of your life…orchestrating each event with purpose and intention.
 
When you fully experience God…when you recognize Him in all ways – in all places – everything about your life begins to change.  But don’t take my word for it… find out for yourself!  Discover fully just how present God is in your own life!  Learn to live and move in God…and discover just how amazing He truly is!
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 23, 2014

2 Timothy 3:16-17
Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
 
Several years ago, I set out to read the Bible in a year, using a study guide that suggested a passage to read each day from the Old Testament, the New Testament…and a Psalm or verses from Proverbs.  At first, I thought it was a little strange, as I read from Genesis 1 and Matthew 1, plus the Psalm.  But very quickly, I began to see how these scriptures dove-tailed…how often something in either the Old Testament or the New Testament would reference the verses from the other…or how the topic would be quite similar.
 
I’ve heard several people ask why we need the Old Testament now.  After all, Jesus came and made things new…gave us new commandments and removed the need for us to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice animals on an altar.  He became the Sacrificial Lamb for our sins!  So why even read all of that in the Old Testament?  Why read about the rituals of Leviticus and all of the old Jewish rules? What do the statistics in Numbers matter to us now? These are valid questions.
 
As I studied, I realized that having a reference point from these Old Testament passages gave them relevance.  It was clearer to me just how much the life of Jesus meant for us…how much it changed things.  As I read about the “old ways” and parallel scriptures about the “New Life in Christ”, I was even more grateful for Jesus’ life and what He did for each of us.  And as I write these devotionals each day, I am keenly aware of just how timely God’s word is for us.
 
On any given day, the exact same scripture verse can speak to us in a different manner. Philippians 4:13… For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (NLT)…can speak to us of God’s strength and power one day…remind us of His love and compassion another…and on another can encourage us and alleviate any fear and doubt we may experience about God’s continual presence.  I have opened my Bible and read the same passage countless times and come away with a totally different perspective in that particular moment.
 
Does this mean the Bible is wishy-washy…that God’s word is ambiguous?  Absolutely NOT!  God’s word is relevant and right for us all the time.  Just as Paul told Timothy in this passage, the scriptures are “God-breathed” and always useful “in one way or another.”  So when we need compassion, God breathes empathy into His ordained word…when we need strength, we find it. 
 
When we need reassurance or courage, God leads us to passages that can provide sustenance and motivation.  And the scriptures of the Old Testament provide a foundation…illustrate how we got here…provide profiles in courage and lessons in faith…and pave the way for the message of the New Testament and the accounts of the life of Christ and the creation of His church.
 
Whatever you need…wherever you are, the “God-breathed” words of the scriptures can fill the bill.  When was the last time you picked up your Bible and dove into the message that God left there for you?  How often are you seeking Him in scripture?  Are you missing out on truths, training, and tasks that God has highlighted for you there?  Isn’t it time you looked at the scriptures with fresh eyes and an open heart and mind?  Will this be the day that you begin?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 22, 2014

1 John 4:17
And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

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

 
Greg’s niece and her family came for a visit during Easter.  We all got together at Greg’s brother’s for a cookout one night, and as the adults sat around the fire pit and visited, 10-year-old Chase asked me to toss a football with him. Three dachshunds belonging to a couple of family members were in the back yard with us…and they do not like sudden noises or movements.  Chase got a little rambunctious at one point, and I think he squealed.  The dogs came running…barking, growling, and surrounding us.  Without a second thought, Chase screamed, turned his back to me and scooted up as closely against me as he could get…and I wrapped my arms around him tightly until the dogs moved away.
 
I honestly do not know whether those little dogs would have hurt our nephew…but I would have done all I could to prevent it…and Chase instinctively knew that.  In a moment of great fear, he knew just what to do…and where to turn.
 
There are many times in our lives when we face something frightening or unsettling.  It may not be as “at-your-heels” as three barking, growling dogs…but we all encounter situations that disturb us or cause us worry and concern.  What do you do when this happens?  Is God so ever-present in your life that you instinctively back up to Him and allow His arms to engulf you?  Do you have a pervading, often inexplicable sense of calm…even in the midst of a situation that would understandably panic most people to their core?
 
A few months ago, I met with a high school “small group” of senior girls.  I shared with them a couple of times in recent years where I had experienced some gut-wrenching events that I honestly did not think I could bear.  I related to them how I prayed and begged God to somehow prevent these things from unfolding…and how I trusted Him when I could see that they were going to happen anyway.  When the unthinkable happened…God covered me in His peace and steeled me with calm and reserve that I could not comprehend - nor fully explain.  He sheltered me from the worst of the pain and heartache, because He knew I could not handle it on my own.  I backed up against God, and He wrapped me in His arms and held on tightly.
 
Maybe you have been through a similar situation - or are experiencing one of these even now…
  • You have watched as a loved one suffered and slowly inched out of this life and into the next…and there was nothing you could do to stop it.
  • Someone you loved was suddenly taken from you…leaving you shocked, bewildered, and feeling totally lost.
  • The “rug was pulled out from under you” at work – and you lost your job or your hours were cut.
  • Bills are piling up, and you seem to be on a path to lose your home or your car, despite your best efforts to come up with the payments.
  • You are failing a class or two…and no matter how hard you study, you can’t seem to grasp enough of the information to pass the tests.
  • You are sick, or you have been injured and can no longer participate in a beloved sport…pick up your kids, grandkids or a precious pet…perform routine household chores or even to the things that make your life enjoyable.
  • You have a relationship breakdown…and you feel a disconnect with a partner, spouse, friend, relative, or acquaintance – and a separation or division of some sorts seems imminent.
  • You keep reliving events from your past, and you can’t seem to forgive those who have hurt you – much less trust them again…and you can’t forgive yourself for any of your past lapses and failings.
  • Despite your best efforts to be a “good person”, your life seems to be crumbling on several levels.  You are unsettled, irritable and negative, nervous and uneasy…and there doesn’t seem to be any “light at the end of the tunnel”.
I get it…I’ve been right there with you in many of these situations.  But I as I told the girls in the “small group”, I have learned that God is always, always with me.  If I will stay close to Him and trust Him completely…He will protect me.  My fears will subside, and God’s peace and calm will cover me.  I admit…I have to remind myself of this often - or maybe GOD reminds me!  The fact is…Satan is NOT happy when we rest in the LORD and let Him have our troubles.  HE is the barking dog who nips at our heels and says, “Be afraid…be very afraid!”
 
So kick the devil to the curb today.  Back up against God and allow Him to hold you close.  Give HIM your worries and fears…and every facet of your life…and see how much better things can go.  I can’t promise that you won’t have any more troubles or fearful experiences.  In fact, I almost guarantee that you will!  But with God to hold you close, you can face them with confidence…assured that He will always protect you.  And on the Day of Judgment, you will recognize His presence and protective hand as He welcomes you forever into His perfect peace.
 
When the “dogs” of the devil come nipping at your heels…where will you be standing?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 21, 2014

1 John 1:7
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
 
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 niece Jasmine, said that when Zola put on her Easter dress, she twirled around in the floor with excitement.  Her older brother Timothy told her to “Stop that!  You are NOT a hula girl!”  Zola quickly replied, “Yes I AM!  I AM a hula girl!”  Trust me…this is not the first time that Big Brother has told Little Sister how to act…and it certainly won’t be the last!
 
The thing is…more than a few of us could use a “big brother or sister” to tell us to “Stop that!”  We have claimed the name of Jesus…then gone right back to behaving like we always did.  Nothing really changed.  Many people made their annual “Easter appearance” at church on Sunday…and that will be about as “spiritual” as it gets for them until at least Christmas!  A friend of mine calls these folks “Christmas-and-Easter-Christians”.
 
I still recall when one of my best friends was baptized into her husband’s church.  We were both so excited for her new-found faith, and I asked her, “So what’s next?”  She replied, “What do you mean?”  I explained that I was wondering if there was going to be someone in her church family who would nurture her and encourage her as she studied the Bible and grew in her discipleship. She did not know of any such person.  So we studied together and shared in our faith walk for the next few months/years…and I’m sure her husband and other family members encouraged her, as well.
 
But it did make me wonder…are we in a “numbers game” of sorts?  Are we so focused on winning souls to Jesus that we fail to nurture and encourage them afterward?  Where DO we go from the cross and the tomb?  What really does happen after Easter?  I pray that you will not put away your Bible and go back to your old ways.  I pray that this will be the year that you truly find God…that you fully grasp that Jesus came to earth and taught us about love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion…about the power of Almighty God and the lasting presence of His Holy Spirit…about the tremendous sacrifices that He made to wash away every one of our sins.
 
I pray that you will really internalize Jesus’ commandment to “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.”  It is my hope that you will know without any doubt His promise that “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”*
 
Easter is a time when we think of a rebirth…new life…a fresh start.  Will this Easter season mark the beginning of your intimate journey with God and a shared life in His light?  Has the blood of Jesus truly transformed you…or are you twirling like a “hula girl” and “playing Christian” when it suits you?  Isn’t it time you became the “real deal” for Jesus?  What are you waiting for?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus
 
*Matthew 28:19-20

Daily Devotional for April 20, 2014

Matthew 28:1-10
The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.  Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord’s angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it.  The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead.

The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross.  He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying.  Now hurry! Tell his disciples that he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. That is what I came to tell you.”

The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples.  Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him.  Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

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

It almost never fails.  When we go to see our nieces and nephews, Timothy and Zola run to us and cling to our legs.  They are always delighted to see us…and they hold on as if to say, “I’m never going to let you go!”  And honestly, there are several people who I would probably cling to if they came back from the dead…wouldn’t you?!  So it’s no surprise that Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ Aunt Mary did this.  They had suffered so much…they were so grief stricken…and all of a sudden, an angel had told them that He was alive – and then they SAW Him standing in the roadway.  I would imagine that they were struck speechless…there was probably little else they could do but run to Him and fall on His feet!  And I am quite certain they never, ever wanted to let go of Him again.

I honestly don’t think we fully grasp the concept of death…until someone is truly gone and does not come back.  Even when we sit and hold vigil with a loved one who is critically ill…someone we have been told cannot possibly recover medically…we don’t fully comprehend the finality of death until the very moment they draw their last breath.  In my own personal experiences, I have been so happy for the person who was ushered into heaven at that very moment…but the enormity of just how final death truly is has hit me like a ton of bricks.

So when someone says to you, “You’re never ready”…this is what they mean.  No one can prepare for that moment when the angels of death come, Heaven’s gates open, and a person’s soul departs from his/her body. And here’s the thing…the only One who will ever return from this is Jesus, which makes His story all the more precious!  Jesus is the only “human” the grave cannot hold.  Jesus is the only One who is bigger and more powerful than death.  And I am here to tell you, Jesus is ALIVE!  He is walks among those of us who believe in Him each and every day!

The words of Jesus to Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” are just as powerful for us now…”Don’t be afraid.”  Because of Jesus, we have no need to fear.  Because of His crucifixion and death on the cross, our sins are forgiven.  All we have to do is ask Him to include us…just like the thief who hung beside him…and it will be so forever and ever.  Because the tomb is empty, we are assured of our place in Heaven with Christ someday…when God sends His angels for us.  Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we are promised new life in Him…and an eternity in His presence.

It’s been quite a week…from the jubilation and triumph of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem…to the “Last Supper” and the arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane…to Christ’s mutilation, crucifixion, and death…and now His resurrection.  And this truly IS the BEST day…we have received the GOOD NEWS that He is Risen!

We will celebrate Jesus today.  We will dress up and attend worship services and sing His praises.  And then many of us will go right back to our old lives on Monday…if not as soon as Sunday afternoon. Don’t let this happen to you.  Don’t forget what happened on “Holy Week” so long ago.  Remember every minute of it…savor every single thing Jesus did for you…and for me…and for all who will believe in Him.  Thank Him each and every day for the incredible sacrifices He made…for loving us with such abandon.  And never – NEVER – forget that He is RISEN…the devil could not tempt Him…the tomb could not hold Him…and we WILL see Him again.

There is an old hymn, written in 1875 by Philip P. Bliss, called “Hallelujah, What a Savior”…or sometimes it is referred to as “Man of Sorrows.”  In the hymn, the story of Holy Week is outlined…but the last line of each verse is…”Hallelujah, What a Savior!”  Please take time to read this hymn.  Think about the words and what they mean to you.  Christ is Risen!  He will come again for you…and for me.  Hallelujah!  What a Savior we serve!  What a glorious day this is!  Have a blessed Easter!

Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

Man of Sorrows! what a name
 For the Son of God, who came
 Ruined sinners to reclaim.
 Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
 In my place condemned He stood;
 Sealed my pardon with His blood.
 Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
 Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
 Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
 Now in Heav’n exalted high.
 Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
 All His ransomed home to bring,
 Then anew His song we’ll sing:
 Hallelujah! What a Savior!
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 19, 2014

Matthew 27:57-66
Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.
 
After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, “Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be raised.’ We’ve got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There’s a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, ‘He’s risen from the dead.’ Then we’ll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first.”
 
Pilate told them, “You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can.” So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
 
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.
 
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.
 
In John 19:30 (NLT), we read…”When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.”  But it was not “finished”…the literal act of dying is never the end.  I remember distinctly when my grandmother died last year...on a Friday night.  The coroner and his deputy happened to be dear friends who loved Mam-ma Polly like their own grandmother.  They came and got her body and took it to the funeral home for embalming and preparation.  I knew in my heart that each task they performed…every touch of their hands…would be a loving gesture.  I believe it was the same for Joseph of Arimathea…one of Jesus’ followers.  I know it was that way for Mary Magdalene, and Mary – Jesus’ aunt. I know that they waited…hoping to have a chance to add their own “touches” to what Joseph had done as he wrapped Jesus’ body in oil-laden linen strips.
 
I remember that the day after my Mam-ma Polly died was a whirlwind of appointments to make funeral arrangements, visits with family members and friends, and time spent at my computer collecting information and photos for the obituary and funeral service.  I don’t remember every minute detail of that day and the days after…but I know they were full and left me little time to think and “stew”.  It felt like I was on “auto-pilot” as others around me did the things that provided the supporting structure, while I focused on just getting things done and making it through the day.
 
In the midst of their grief and sorrow, I know that even Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ Aunt Mary wanted to stay “busy”…I get that.  It helps to have something to do in those next few hours/days…making arrangements, greeting those who come to extend condolences, and more.  Many people really don’t want to be alone in their thoughts…at least not initially.  It’s often far too painful.  I believe the “busyness” that comes after someone dies is in some way God’s design to shield and shelter us from the profound grief that would overcome us otherwise.  So Mary Magdalene and his Aunt Mary got busy…they focused on waiting and watching near the tomb.  They made it their mission to supervise – as best they could – every single facet of Jesus’ burial.  They involved themselves in the details.
 
Today, as you reflect on the crucifixion and the events of “yesterday” – Good Friday – think about the day after the crucifixion and all of the people who were ministering to Jesus and his family members in ways great and small.  More importantly, think about how God cares about every minute detail of your life…even the “busy work”.  Thank Him for loving us in such a way that even in our deepest sorrow or on our worst day, He orchestrates the particulars of our life and pulls everything together.  In the most profound way, God is always with us to support us and keep us from collapsing under the weight of our burdens and challenges.  Nothing is ever too big for God to handle.
 
And so today - the day after Good Friday - we sit by the tomb and wait.  We go about our day with a Supernatural strength and courage…an inexplicable and unspoken assurance that all is well…and a confidence that “joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).  As you “sit by the tomb” today, think of all that God does for you…from the largest sacrifices of Jesus on the cross to the tiniest unrecognized gestures of each and every day…and be eternally grateful for such unimaginable, unconditional, inexplicable love and care.  It’s only Saturday…the best is yet to come!  Are you watching and waiting?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 18, 2014

Matthew 27:27-29; 31-40; 45-56
The governor’s soldiers led Jesus into the fortress and brought together the rest of the troops.  They stripped off Jesus' clothes and put a scarlet robe on him.  They made a crown out of thorn branches and placed it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. The soldiers knelt down and pretended to worship him. They made fun of him and shouted, “Hey, you king of the Jews!”  Then they spit on him. They took the stick from him and beat him on the head with it.
 
When the soldiers had finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him and led him off to be nailed to a cross.  On the way they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross.
They came to a place named Golgotha, which means “Place of a Skull.” There they gave Jesus some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain. But when Jesus tasted what it was, he refused to drink it.
 
The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes.  Then they sat down to guard him.  Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.
 
People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and shouted, “So you’re the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God’s Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
 
At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o’clock. Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”  Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.  Others said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.” Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.
 
At once the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart.  Graves opened, and many of God’s people were raised to life. Then after Jesus had risen to life, they came out of their graves and went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people. The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God’s Son!”
 
Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance.  Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were some of these women.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
I just watched a video of a kindergarten program in which the daughter of one of MY kindergarten students portrayed a “cloud”.  It was adorable, and amazingly, all of the “raindrops”, “clouds”, and other characters performed well.  No one had a meltdown or left the stage…and the children even sang on key for the most part in front of a packed house!
 
I’ve been to dance recitals and other events where one or more of the participants did not fare so well.  Children screamed and cried…teenagers and adults forgot their lines or “froze” on stage, as the crowd looked on…sometimes sympathetically, and other times with laughs, heckling, or ridicule.  Recently, someone even threw a shoe at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she gave a public speech!
 
I also heard lately that the reason public executions were outlawed in America is because they drew large crowds that were difficult to manage.  Apparently, we humans are natural-born gawkers…for anything and everything.  And sadly, sometimes the gorier the event, the better - in the eyes of many!
 
So it should come as no surprise that a crowd gathered to see Jesus persecuted and crucified… to witness His public humiliation and mutilation…to mock Him, taunt Him, and yes – to spit on Him.  In He Chose the Nails, pastor-author Max Lucado writes about how spitting on someone doesn’t physically hurt them… it is purely an act to “degrade the soul”.  And many apparently felt the need to degrade Jesus that day.
 
Imagine how it must have felt to be stripped and beaten before the masses, including your mother and your closest friends and family members – both male and female.  Imagine having to watch their anguish as you suffered.  It wasn’t bad enough to be flogged and tortured…some felt the need to try to trick Him with “water” that was a mix of wine and vinegar.  Imagine how that liquid must have stung as it touched Jesus’ open wounds.  I encourage you to read the account of the crucifixion in all four Gospels…Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19.  One of these reports indicates that the soldiers broke the legs of the criminals on either side to hasten their death.  But when they came to Jesus, He appeared to have already died…so they left his legs intact.  But they pierced his side with a spear and caused the blood and water to pour out of him. And I’m sure many in the crowd cheered at this sight.
 
All of this decimated our LORD’s body…and degraded His soul.  And those who taunted Him and suggested that He climb down and save Himself were right about one thing...Jesus could have chosen to do exactly that!  But He stayed… He suffered…He endured.  Because your name…and mine…and the names of millions of others were on His tongue and etched into His heart.  He loves us so much that He could not succumb to the devil’s final attempt to entice Him.
 
In the darkness of that horrific day…in the brutality and loneliness of this revolting, gruesome, ghastly, incomprehensibly inhuman abuse…Jesus stayed on that cross…for me…and for you.  No One else could have done what He did.  No One else will ever love you this much.  What have you done for Him lately?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus
 

Daily Devotional for April 17, 2014

Matthew 26:36-48
Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. He was very sad and troubled, and he said to them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”

Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup.  But do what you want, and not what I want.”

He came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, “Can’t any of you stay awake with me for just one hour? Stay awake and pray that you won’t be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”

Again Jesus went to pray and said, “My Father, if there is no other way, and I must suffer, I will still do what you want.”

Jesus came back and found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open. He left them and prayed the same prayer once more.

Finally, Jesus returned to his disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. Get up! Let’s go. The one who will betray me is already here.”

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

When I read this passage today about the disciples falling asleep in the garden, I totally got it. I’m terrible about falling asleep while watching television or a movie…especially after a big meal. Greg says he thinks it is funny…but it’s embarrassing to me that I cannot stay awake.  I suppose I see it as a sign of weakness.

But I also understood how Jesus felt.  It used to be a running game in my family to guess who would fall asleep the fastest after a big dinner…and I have several pictures of relatives “laid out” in recliners and sleeping on couches as evidence that we are pretty good at this!  I understand that feeling of looking around in a group and realizing that virtually everyone else is asleep.  It’s not the end of the world…but it IS something of an odd feeling - a sense of loneliness, and sometimes even a perception of insignificance or unimportance to those who could not stay awake in your company!

There were a lot of disappointments for Jesus on “Maundy Thursday”.  The word “Maundy” is thought to derive from the Latin word “mandatum”…as in “A new commandment I give to you...” -the “mandate” spoken by Jesus that we are to love one another.  Others think it comes from the English word “maund”, which is a derivative of the Latin word “mendicare” or the French word “mendier”...meaning “to beg”.  Jesus did plead with His disciples to stay awake.  He pled with God to take the cup of torture and crucifixion from Him.  And when He realized that the disciples could not even stay awake and pray with Him - knowing how anguished and concerned He was - He must have felt terribly sad and lonely.  Worse yet, when Jesus realized that God was not going to remove this suffering - that He would indeed have to endure the cross - He had to have experienced incredible despair.

So as we think about “Maundy Thursday” and Jesus’ journey to the cross, let’s stay awake and alert.  Let’s join together in prayer today and ask God to give us the strength and courage we need for whatever He has in store for us.  More importantly, let’s ask God to protect us from the devil’s temptations…to give us the fortitude to resist the persuasion to deny Jesus and conform to the world’s ways…to take the easy way out.  Let’s thank God for the indescribable sacrifice of Jesus…and for the assurance that He has never left us for even one minute.

Take some time today to consider the significance of the Last Supper, as well.  Recognize the significance of Jesus’ words…“This is my body…this is my blood.”  When you eat the bread of Holy Communion, think about Jesus’ body – beaten, brutalized and mutilated…for YOU.  Remember that this tiny bite of bread signifies your sins…taken from you by Jesus.  His flesh was broken and demolished so that we could be whole and complete…perfectly without blemish before God.

The juice or wine in which you dip your bread – or drink from a cup – signifies Jesus’ blood pouring out and literally washing away every one of your sins.  By His grace, we will never know that level of suffering…because of His amazing love, we never have to face such indignation. Because of the cross, we don’t ever have to face the darkness of hell.

At times, it may seem like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders…that your body has been bruised and battered – even mutilated…that your friends or loved ones have “fallen asleep”, denied your existence, or literally betrayed you in some manner.  You may even feel like God has turned His back on you.  When these feelings arise, think of the cross.  Think of “the bread and the cup” and what they represent.  Remind yourself how much Jesus loves you…how much He sacrificed and took upon Himself – for YOU.  Hear His plea to stay awake… to stick by Him.  It’s the least we can do for the One who did EVERYTHING for us.

We’re getting closer to "Black Friday"…and these are dark, desperate days.  But hang on…Easter is coming!  It is important to remember how we get there, for today.  But rest assured that this is not the end of the “story” – it’s only the beginning.  May you feel Jesus’ presence – and His amazing love on this day…and may you stay awake and alert as our journey takes us even nearer to the cross.


©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 16, 2014

Isaiah 53
Has anyone believed us
or seen the mighty power
    of the Lord in action?
2 Like a young plant or a root
    that sprouts in dry ground,
the servant grew up
    obeying the Lord.
He wasn’t some handsome king.
Nothing about the way he looked
    made him attractive to us.
3 He was hated and rejected;
his life was filled with sorrow
    and terrible suffering.
No one wanted to look at him.
We despised him and said,
    “He is a nobody!”
4 He suffered and endured
    great pain for us,
but we thought his suffering
    was punishment from God.
5 He was wounded and crushed
    because of our sins;
by taking our punishment,
    he made us completely well.
6 All of us were like sheep
    that had wandered off.
We had each gone our own way,
but the Lord gave him
    the punishment we deserved.
7 He was painfully abused,
    but he did not complain.
He was silent like a lamb
    being led to the butcher,
as quiet as a sheep
    having its wool cut off.
8 He was condemned to death
    without a fair trial.
Who could have imagined
    what would happen to him?
His life was taken away
because of the sinful things
    my people had done.
9 He wasn’t dishonest or violent,
but he was buried in a tomb
    of cruel and rich people.
10 The Lord decided his servant
    would suffer as a sacrifice
to take away the sin
    and guilt of others.
Now the servant will live
    to see his own descendants.
He did everything
    the Lord had planned.
11 By suffering, the servant
will learn the true meaning
    of obeying the Lord.
Although he is innocent,
he will take the punishment
    for the sins of others,
so that many of them
    will no longer be guilty.
12 The Lord will reward him
with honor and power
    for sacrificing his life.
Others thought he was a sinner,
but he suffered for our sins
    and asked God to forgive us.

 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
A post appeared on Facebook with a link to a story about a company who set up online job interviews for the “World’s Toughest Job”.  The “interviewers” spoke via the Internet with dozens of applicants.  Some of the criteria for the job included: working up to 135 hours per week (at least one person was told, “Basically, this is a 24/7 position.)…no scheduled breaks…you must be able to stand most of the time, bend and stretch – and lift approximately 75 pounds…a psychology degree was preferred, but a pleasant disposition and the ability to solve problems and act as a mediator were a necessity.  You had to be able to work in a chaotic environment…possess a valid driver’s license and be able to drive a mini-van…and be proficient in coordinating schedules, multi-tasking, and handling surprises.
 
Applicants had to have a good grasp of finance…and medicine.  At least one candidate was told, “It would be nice if you had degrees in medicine, finance, culinary arts, and psychology.” Most importantly…there was NO PAY for this position!  The majority of the applicants folded pretty quickly.  But a few asked questions and stuck around to hear more.  At the end of the “interview”, the applicant was told that there really was no job vacancy. I’m sure some of you have already guessed that this was the position of being a mom…and the interviewers suggested to each applicant that he/she might want to give Mom a call and thank her!
 
There are conflicting views about who is referenced in Isaiah 53, but I believe that this is a prophecy of Jesus and His crucifixion.  Scriptures in the Gospels that reference this passage seem to confirm this.  And as I read the verses and thought of Jesus, I thought of this mock interview by comparison.  What if these were among the criteria on the interview:
 
  • You must appear simple and ordinary…no flashy clothes or jewelry…you cannot drive a nice car or live in a fancy home.
  • You must walk everywhere (and there is a lot of walking!)…or occasionally ride a donkey.
  • You must be willing to share meals and lodging with perfect strangers…even the poor, prostitutes, drunkards and lepers.
  • You must be able to accept ridicule and persecution without flinching.
  • You must heal the sick, raise the dead to new life, and feed the masses…even when there is no food available.
  • You must resolve conflicts without violence or showing your temper.
  • You must be able to endure physical, mental and emotional abuse of the most wretched kind.
  • You must be willing to be beaten to a pulp, flogged in public, crowned with thorns, stripped naked and nailed to a cross.
  • You must be able to carry a wooden cross weighing between 80 and 110 pounds for about 1/3 of a mile – after you have been beaten and mutilated.
  • You must be willing to take the blame for the sins of the world at large, even though you are totally innocent.
  • You must be willing to be put to death for any and all accusations…even though every one of them will be false.
  • You must remain loving, compassionate, merciful and forgiving of all who have mistreated or betrayed you…and you must encourage others to do the same.
  • You must do everything your boss (our Heavenly Father) tells you…without question.
 
Who among us could handle these criteria?  We might make it past the first two…maybe even the third and fourth items.  But it wouldn’t take long for us to fall by the wayside.  We are not up to this!  In the “mock interview”, the person in charge told those who applied that millions of people were already doing the “World’s Toughest Job”.  But I can assure you, not even a dozen people would line up to try to fill Jesus’ shoes!  And any who say they could are liars…or delusional…or both!
 
None of us could ever for even one minute consider coming close to Jesus.  And yet, everything He did was for us. Every supernatural act of stamina, love, mercy, grace, compassion, forgiveness, endurance, tolerance, healing, and nurture was for you…and for me…and for everyone else.  As we inch closer to the cross, think of all that Jesus did for you…all that He DOES for you each and every day.  Because you see, Jesus is still with you.  He left His Holy Spirit to be your companion and comforter.  Some of us don’t recognize the Holy Spirit, but He is available...He desires to help you with every single aspect of your life.
 
Yes, Mom’s have one of the world’s toughest jobs.  But Jesus holds the title of World’s Only Savior.  He is the only One who could have done such things.  He is the only One who will ever love us to this extent.  It turns out that the whole gimmick with the “World’s Toughest Job” was created by a card company… http://cardstore.com.  Mother’s Day is coming, and this was a fairly effective way to get people thinking about their moms!  Several in the video publicly thanked their mothers, while others said they were going to call “Mom” right away.
 
What will it take to get you to think about Jesus and the cross?  Will this criteria and scripture passage be enough to make you think of Him and the sacrifices He made on your behalf?  Will it be sufficient to make you fall to your knees and thank Him…to ask, “What can I do for YOU in return?”  Don’t you think it should?  Jesus was the ONLY One who could have done what He did.  Now what will you do for Him?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus