Daily Devotional for December 31, 2016

1 John 1:8-10
If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
 
When I was about twelve, I got braces to correct an overbite and a huge gap between my two front teeth. I wore the braces for about two years, and the result was a really nice smile with perfectly aligned teeth. I even had my wisdom teeth removed, because the orthodontist said they might affect my new “alignment” if we allowed them emerge later on.

Despite my efforts to practice good dental health, my perfectly straight row of lower teeth have pushed together a bit over time – probably due to “bruxism” – a condition where I grind my teeth at night. I also started to have a slight gap between two of my upper teeth that was cosmetically bothersome. To compensate for the grinding, the dentist made me a little “retainer” of sorts to wear at night - called a “night guard.”

Many years ago, the dentist made impressions of my teeth to create a model for the night guard. Over time, this device became pretty worn. Last spring, I took in the old models of my teeth and asked the dentist to make me a new device.  For a few weeks, this new night guard fit pretty snugly…but over time, my teeth adjusted. The gap is much smaller now as my teeth have conformed to the fit of this device created from my original impressions.

I could deny that I grind my teeth…but the dentist can prove otherwise.  To say that he is mistaken would be to essentially call him a liar. And while this might offend him…I would be the real loser as my teeth weakened and separated over time. I’m not going to say that my teeth would ever be as badly aligned as they were when I was twelve…but I could surely do some serious damage and negate all of the hard work it took to get a nice, straight smile.

Even worse, I could grind the teeth down so much that they began to crack and break. And besides…my parents really scrimped and scraped to pay for my braces. To fail to do what I need to protect my teeth would be incredibly disrespectful and ungrateful toward them.

The solution is simple. I pop in this little soft plastic night guard each night and sleep with confidence that my teeth are protected – and staying in place.  And honestly, the “solution” with God is pretty simple, too.  All we have to do is acknowledge that we are sinners…then affirm that Jesus died so that our sins are forgiven. Then we must stay in close contact with Him through prayer and Bible study, so that we have the best chance of maintaining alignment with His will for our lives.

Just like my teeth can still shift and change, we are all still capable of sin. To claim we aren’t is the same as saying that God is a liar!  A right relationship with Jesus Christ is our spiritual “night guard.”  When we admit that we are sinners and do all of the “preventative maintenance” necessary to honor Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we will always enjoy His protection and blessings.  To accept Salvation in Jesus Christ - then try to have things our way after the fact - is essentially the same as thumbing our noses at this amazing Gift and indicating that we are plenty capable of keeping ourselves aligned without any help. Honestly, this tells Jesus, “I didn’t really need You in the first place…and any claims You make to the contrary are lies.”

Surely this is not how we want to live.  And there is no time like today to make necessary changes.  Don’t let your spiritual relationship with Jesus weaken or lose its alignment. As you think about the New Year and resolutions to make improvements, put your relationship with Him at the top of the list!  Jesus is already your perfect “Night Guard”…all you have to do is acknowledge that you continually need Him – and enjoy the perfect alignment of His grace, mercy, forgiveness and blessings.  It’s an offer you can’t afford to refuse!  Are you ready to “line up” with Jesus?  Will this be the year that you do?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 30, 2016

1 Corinthians 8:8-9
But fortunately God doesn’t grade us on our diet. We’re neither commended when we clean our plate nor reprimanded when we just can’t stomach it. But God does care when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a fellow believer still vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown off track.

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.
 
A man was found dead recently in a hot tub at a residence in Northwest Arkansas.  The homeowner possessed an Amazon Echo…a hands-free voice-controlled speaker.  When someone says, “Alexa” or “Amazon” (the names assigned to this device), the machine begins recording your questions or comments, and a response is then given. It’s sort of an “in-home Siri” for those who have a smart-phone and are familiar with this feature.  Police want to confiscate the Amazon Echo device as evidence in this particular death.  They want to examine this device to see if anyone in the home the night the death occurred might have said something that was recorded. Amazon is refusing to comply, citing privacy concerns.
  
Let’s just label this the monthly “People Are Watching” devotional!  We apparently need plenty of reminders about this idea, because related scriptures pop up in my outline every few weeks.

Here’s the thing…a lot of us think that what we say and do in the privacy of our own home or car is our business…that nobody should know – or care.  In truth, we are now surrounded with surveillance. Unless you have been under a rock, you know that you can be hacked, observed, followed and monitored – even as you sit and read this devotional!  I don’t mean to make us paranoid - and you can Google ways to protect yourself from hackers and other “spies” at home and online.  But the bottom line is that people.are.watching…and this SHOULD affect how we conduct ourselves at all times.

Our Timothy is particularly astute. Tell him something once…and he never seems to forget.  He is also extremely observant. So the old notion of “Do as I say – not as I do” confuses him to no end. And honestly…this should be a signal to us as “grown-ups” that we cannot play this both ways. We cannot call people names and expect our children – or anyone we encounter – to refrain from doing this. If you have ever watched a little kid pretend to “smoke” a “cigarette,” you know that they already assume that SOMEDAY, this will be okay for them in reality.  Actually, just sit quietly sometime and watch and listen as your kids play. Most likely, you will get a pretty good picture of how you sound and act in their presence…and it might be pretty enlightening!

At every turn, we need to examine what we say and do…and how we behave. We should continually be asking ourselves if anything about our demeanor could cause someone else to sin or backslide.  Yes, God is in the business of forgiving us when we “fall short”…but our daily goal should be to never give Him a reason to have to do so!  Most certainly, we should make every effort to conduct our lives in a manner that no one else is tempted to falter.  We should be so steeped in self-control through the power and strength of Jesus Christ that others want the same kind of relationship with Him that we enjoy.

Is there something that you are saying or doing that could cause another person to be thrown off track?  Could your words and actions actually result in distance between someone else and their relationship with Jesus?  Perhaps we need to think of God as our own personal “Echo”…listening and recording everything about us – and act accordingly.  Will this be the day that you give yourself a head-to-toe exam and discover where you might be exercising your freedom in the salvation of Jesus in a way that could be harmful to others?  Will you then ask God to help you make necessary adjustments?  Don’t you think you should?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 29, 2016

1 Corinthians 1:2-9
To: The Christians in Corinth, invited by God to be his people and made acceptable to him by Christ Jesus. And to: All Christians everywhere—whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs.

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you all of his blessings, and great peace of heart and mind.

I can never stop thanking God for all the wonderful gifts he has given you, now that you are Christ’s: he has enriched your whole life. He has helped you speak out for him and has given you a full understanding of the truth; what I told you Christ could do for you has happened! Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he guarantees right up to the end that you will be counted free from all sin and guilt on that day when he returns. God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord.

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

For months, our 4-year-old nephew, Nathan, has been talking about a toy he wanted for Christmas…a Batbot. This remote-controlled toy transforms from a robot into an “armored” tank.  Nathan never wavered.  This was what he wanted…and he was certain that it was waiting for him under the Christmas tree.  Every box that even remotely looked like it could be the right size, he would say, “That’s probably a Batbot!”  Christmas Eve, as his mother helped him open a box of assorted colors of Play-doh®, he asked her, “Is that my Batbot?”

Nathan DID get the Batbot on Christmas morning…and I am sure he has spent countless happy hours playing with it since then.  Now, can you imagine if his parents told him that he had to give it back to them?  I cannot even think about what would happen if they told him that he had to take his prized toy back to the store. He would be devastated…and his entire vision of Christmas and the hope and excitement that surround this season would probably be destroyed.  Thankfully, I don’t know anyone who rescinds their child’s Christmas gifts…or any other gifts for that matter.

I cannot imagine living with the idea that Jesus could revoke my salvation at any moment…that my “friendship” with Him teetered so precariously and could vanish in a heartbeat. One of the great joys of Christian faith is living with the childlike hope and confidence that Jesus truly will deliver the grace, blessings, gifts and power that He promised…and we get to keep them forever!

While I don’t have to consciously think about this night and day, I also cannot grow complacent or take Jesus’ gifts for granted.  If you stop and think about it, we tell our children that they have to…“be good, or Santa won’t come and bring you what you asked for.”  Jesus does NOT operate like Santa Claus...efforts on our part to “be good” do not have a direct correlation to His gift of Salvation and Eternal Life.

But we should want to do everything we can to honor Jesus’ gifts and blessings - precisely because we cannot earn them. We are offered Salvation and all of the benefits of a life in Christ – forever and ever – in spite of our ugly, egotistical, sinful selves.  Jesus knows that we are undeserving…but He loves us and generously lavishes these gifts upon us anyway.  There is no “naughty or nice list”…at least not in the way we envision with Santa Claus.  And aren’t we glad?!

I thank God every day for Jesus…for the grace, blessings, gifts, and power that are mine because HE is my Redeemer. I thank God that many people I know and love share in these same blessings and gifts…though NONE of us deserves them or can ever “earn” them. Because I know that Salvation and the abundance of a life in Christ are available to any and all who will accept His invitation, I am doing all I can to lead as many people into this relationship as I possibly can…and I hope you are with me!

If you have not accepted Jesus’ invitation, please do so today.  If you are living in His abundance and blessings already, what are you doing to show your gratitude and respect – and give others a reason to accept this invitation for themselves?  Will this be the day that you begin to answer this question?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 28, 2016

1 Corinthians 1:10-13    
But, dear brothers, I beg you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be real harmony so that there won’t be splits in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.  For some of those who live at Chloe’s house have told me of your arguments and quarrels, dear brothers. Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul”; and others say that they are for Apollos or for Peter; and some that they alone are the true followers of Christ.  And so, in effect, you have broken Christ into many pieces.

But did I, Paul, die for your sins? Were any of you baptized in my name?

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

Twenty-nine years ago, my Mam-ma Polly gave me money for Christmas and said, “Buy whatever you want.” Greg and I had just started our new business venture…and there were plenty of things on which we could have spent this money (I think it was $25).  But I wanted to buy something that would last…a tangible reminder of my grandmother and this gift.  So I went to a local “Christmas store,” and I bought two nativity sets…a large 4-piece white ceramic Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus on a manger of straw…and a musical nativity scene snow-globe that played “Silent Night.”  With a few dollars left, I purchased a small wooden 3-piece set that had been hand-crafted by an Arkansas artisan.

Sadly, the snow globe leaked and ruined last year and had to be discarded…but over the last 3 decades, I have added to the collection, so that today has grown from the initial 3 sets to nearly 100 if you count “nativity” ornaments we hang on our tree.  I have enjoyed rescuing sets from the thrift store to go alongside those I purchased at estate auctions.  Many sets once graced the homes of people I knew who are in heaven now - from a plaster set that belonged to my mother’s first grade teacher to a beautiful towering Madonna that I purchased at the estate sale of dear friends.  And this year – the large creamy colored set that my parents purchased in Mexico several decades ago has a special place of honor among the other sets.

A few years ago I wrote a song about how “we set out nativities beside Santa Claus.”  Indeed, plenty of people collect “Santas”…and I will admit that I have a table of them in the same room with most of the nativities!  When starting my nativity collection, I decided that I would rather amass something that celebrated the birth of Jesus…the hope and faith of Mary…the “true meaning of Christmas.”  So while I have a few “Santas” on display…I have far more images of Jesus, Joseph and Mary.

Does this mean that I feel my collection is superior to those who collect “Santas?”  Absolutely not!  Does it mean that I disapprove of the secular compilations…or judge those who assemble them?  Never!  Can “Santa” and Jesus be recognized in the same space?  Most definitely!  Are we worshipping Santa and splintering our faith – or devaluing the true meaning of this holiday season?  I don’t think so…as long as we keep Jesus the real “reason for the season.”

But too many of us HAVE placed a great emphasis on the teachings of one person, like a particular evangelist or Bible scholar.  We have made too much of which form of worship is the best…traditional, contemporary – or even “communing with nature.”  We have drawn a line in the sand that only the King James Version of the Bible should be studied and quoted…or that traditional hymns are outdated and no longer “speak to us.”  And we have definitely made people who practice other religious beliefs feel inferior…or even evil!

In numerous ways that we don’t even realize, we have “broken Christ into many pieces.”  We have created division among us…the very thing that Jesus taught against.  And in so doing, we have dishonored and disrespected our Lord and Savior.

It is time to regain our focus.  In these waning days of 2016, let’s take some time to think about Jesus…the commandments He gave us…the sacrifice He made for each of us.  Let’s remember who the real KING of KINGS and LORD of Lords is! And let’s stop pitting ourselves against one another over petty issues.  Christian faith is not a competition…it is a unification – or it should be.

Now is the time to “be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”  Are you ready to be a part of the body of Christ? Will this be the day that you begin?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 27, 2016

1 Corinthians 10:32-33    
As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory. At the same time, don’t be callous in your exercise of freedom, thoughtlessly stepping on the toes of those who aren’t as free as you are. I try my best to be considerate of everyone’s feelings in all these matters; I hope you will be, too.

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.

Sometimes, we Christians are so busy trying to make a point that we fail to make a difference!  We get so caught up in rituals and appearances of piety that we totally fail at serving as the hands and feet of Jesus. We turn our Christian faith into a grand production…we have to belong to the right groups…we have to have plenty of Christian symbols in our jewelry and home décor.  We have to attend the right Bible studies. At church, the lighting has to be just right…the musicians have to be semi-professional or better…and the worship facility has to be large and grand – or chic and trendy.  

We serve coffee at worship services and try to dress and act casual, so everyone feels comfortable. But then we make a big deal out of our offerings…or even have times when we encourage people to come to the altar with their “gifts.”  We pass the plate or bucket at special events like the Christmas Eve candlelight service...OR, we dress “to the nines” with the premise that we want to show respect to God by wearing our best clothes and accessories.

We look at those whose appearance is different than ours in some way as we walk the aisles of Walmart…and they know immediately that we disapprove. We wear our cross jewelry and “Jesus Saves” t-shirts…but we cluck our tongues at those in headgear and other clothing and accessories that symbolize their beliefs.  And then we wonder why others think that many there isn’t room for everyone at God's table.

We don’t take into account that the very people we are seeking to reach – those who may not yet enjoy the freedom of salvation in Jesus Christ or who may be seeking a church home or a simple Christian friendship – often feel judged by these actions and behaviors.  They feel they cannot measure up…that they cannot afford to participate at an “appropriate or acceptable level”…that this Christian faith must be for those who have it all together and/or belong to a certain group. 

In short, Christian faith becomes a “country club” for “eligible members”…and we often step all over the toes of those who are “on the outside” – if only in their own minds.  A whole lot of people don’t want what we are peddling as Christians…and who can blame them?!

This is dangerous territory.  We cannot afford to even suggest exclusion for a single person, because this is NOT why God gave us Jesus!  At every turn, we need to be asking ourselves – and God…”Am I being considerate?  Is this glorifying my relationship with God and the freedom and blessings He offers through salvation in Jesus Christ?”  We must carefully consider everything we say and do, because…wait for it…PEOPLE.ARE.WATCHING!

God wants us to enjoy our lives as Christians.  He wants us to worship Him and celebrate Jesus to the best of our ability.  He wants us to communicate with Him in prayer and praise…to serve others in Jesus’ name (and give Him the glory)…and to honor all that He has given us by giving back – in time, talents, AND money.  But God does not approve of a spectacle…or any words and gestures that cause another person to feel unworthy, judged, or excluded.

This is where a lot of us miss the mark.  People ARE watching.  When they look at you…what – and WHO – will they see?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 26, 2016

Titus 2:7-8
And here you yourself must be an example to them of good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect your love of the truth and the fact that you are in dead earnest about it. Your conversation should be so sensible and logical that anyone who wants to argue will be ashamed of himself because there won’t be anything to criticize in anything you say!

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

“So-and-So said a bad word!” Adults hear that a lot from children. I also hear, “We can’t say bad words, because we’re kids. When we’re grown-ups, we can say it.”  I’ve seen children snicker in the classroom over a word they perceived to be “bad”…and tattle on each other for what they deemed to be inappropriate words and deeds.

I try to tell all children that “bad” words/behaviors are just that…a bad idea.  Even grown-ups shouldn’t participate in their usage. It’s hard to navigate this subject without appearing to criticize other adults…especially a child’s parents or others who are something of an authority figure. And with so many in the public eye using profanities and unkind phrases, it is indeed a slippery slope!  So I try to tell children, “You are smart…you know lots of great words to use – and you know how to behave nicely. Always make good choices!”

None of us is immune. I was putting Timmy in the car at school recently, and he kept saying, “I can’t fasten my seatbelt.”  I looked in the back seat…and before I could think, I said, “Well, dummy…you’re wearing your backpack!”  Boy, did I have to do some backpedaling and apologizing…and I did!  I told him that was a terrible name to call him…and I was so very sorry…that I should never use that word.  I’ve also tried to tell the children not to use words like “stupid and idiot” – and then I’ve heard them expressed in “kid’s” movies like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”  It’s a tough balancing act because so many unkind and inappropriate words and actions have become mainstream in media and personal conversation…and we HAVE become complacent about their usage.

So I have been reminded to stay on guard. My words to Timmy slipped out…but I need to be more careful.  A lot of things have a way of “slipping out” if we do not make a conscious effort to conduct ourselves in a manner that defies reproach.

God can help us with this.  We should take time every day to ask Him for guidance and guardianship over our words and actions.  We should steep ourselves in His word and the concept that “practice makes perfect”…and we should make concerted efforts to banish any hint of bad word usage or behavior that could be subject to criticism.  God has given us so much…the opportunity for salvation through Jesus Christ and the promise of Eternity in heaven…His love and care on this earth and forever at His feet…amazing blessings and abundances of all kinds.  How can we disrespect Him with words and behaviors that are untrue, inappropriate, or even downright shameful?

As we wind down this holiday season and look toward a New Year, let’s make a concerted effort to clean up our act…to be the kind of people spoken of in Titus 2:7-8.  The justification that we are earthly “grown-ups” doesn’t negate the fact that we will always be God’s “children,” so let’s remember this as we go about our day. Make sure that you strive to always represent our Heavenly Father in the best way possible.

We must never give anyone a reason to question our integrity - or our spiritual “lineage.”  Ask God to help you always make good choices – and never operate in bad ideas.

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 25, 2016

Romans 8:32    
Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?

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

For the last 25 days (or longer, for those who put up their trees around Halloween!), we have celebrated Christmas with family members and friends.  We’ve decorated our homes…sent greeting cards…shopped…baked…eaten delectable foods…wrapped gifts…presented and enjoyed holiday programs…attended parties…worshipped together…and shared gifts and merriment with each other.  We've celebrated Jesus’ birthday, lit the advent candle, and sung carols to herald His arrival.

The festivities will continue for a few more days for some of us.  For others, it’s all over but the clean-up!  But honestly, Christmas isn’t over for any who believe in Jesus Christ.  In fact…it’s just beginning!

God knew when He sent Jesus to earth that His would not be an easy life.  He knew that there would be ridicule, misunderstanding, persecution…and a crucifixion.  And He sent Jesus anyway.  He sent His Son as a tiny baby so that we could fully see perfection in human form – from the cradle to adulthood.  Physically, God wanted Jesus to be “one of us.”  But all along, God knew that Jesus would suffer and die for us…that He would shed His blood as the perfect Lamb - sacrificed for our sins.

God didn’t just send a baby and say, “Here you go folks…figure out the rest!”  He knew all along just how things would happen – and why.  And that’s why “Christmas” doesn’t end today…or tomorrow…or next week or next year.  When we know Jesus as our Savior, every day is “Christmas”…and a gift from God Almighty.

Someone noted today on Facebook that historically, Jesus probably was born in the spring - not in December…that December 25 is likely not actually Jesus’ real birth date.  It doesn’t matter what day has been chosen to mark the birth of our Savior.  It doesn’t change the fact that some 2050 years ago, God sent His Son - against all odds - to save us from our sins.  And He has been in the “giving” business ever since.

I don’t understand God’s grace and generosity.  I cannot explain His mercy…or why He continues to bless us with abundance.  It is beyond my comprehension that God’s gift of Jesus was not enough…that He continues to meet our every need and lavish us with gifts that we will never deserve.  I honestly don’t know why God didn’t dust off His hands after sending Jesus to earth and basically say, “Merry Christmas…and to all a Good Night!” and be done with us.  But I’m very glad that He didn’t.

God loves us beyond anything we can comprehend.  He sent Jesus to show us how to live and serve…and to die for our sins.  And now, God walks with us each and every day…hears our prayers…heals us in every sense of the word…and blesses us beyond human understanding.  I don’t understand His generosity…but I will never doubt it!

So take down the tree…and pack away the lights, tinsel and decorations for the next few months.  But don’t pack away “Christmas.”  Let the spirit of God’s greatest Gift live on in your heart each and every day.  Embrace His gift of Salvation…and watch His blessings and abundance flow in your life.  Live and serve with gratitude for such an amazing Gift…and make every day a reason to celebrate!  Merry Christmas!

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 24, 2016

Psalm 112:1-5
Praise the Lord! For all who fear God and trust in him are blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing his commands.

His children shall be honored everywhere, for good men’s sons have a special heritage. He himself shall be wealthy, and his good deeds will never be forgotten. When darkness overtakes him, light will come bursting in. He is kind and merciful — and all goes well for the generous man who conducts his business fairly. 

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

“Uncle Greg, are y’all rich?”  This was the question that Timothy asked when he learned that Greg had traded in the Jeep that he bought 12 years ago (used) for a newer one (also used).  Greg’s answer was priceless.  He explained to Timmy that we are rich…we have a loving family, the love of Jesus and a church family who cares for us, friends, a comfortable home, plenty to eat, good health – and so much more. That was not exactly the response that our little nephew was seeking. He has gotten it in his mind that we are “Donald Trump rich!”  Unless the president-elect has exaggerated his wealth, I assure you that we are NOT that kind if “rich!”

Today, our family will gather to celebrate Christmas.  There are dozens of packages under the Christmas tree…mostly for three precious children we love with all of our being.  There are stockings for everyone with a few little goodies (and some candy, of course!)…and we will share a fun afternoon of merriment and celebration. We have decorated, baked, shopped, and planned for this day.  We have tried to incorporate some family “traditions” and memories…particularly those of loved ones who are no longer with us.

Greg set out the big wooden Santa like the one from his childhood.  His mom and dad helped us create this jolly old elf almost 40 years ago. I have hung my mother’s crystal ornaments on our piano room tree, which is topped by the tinsel star that adorned the Christmas trees of Greg’s childhood. Mother’s big nativity set has a prominent spot amidst the collection of nativities on display in our piano room. Her “Christmas tree” napkin rings hold holiday cloths on our dining table.  The cookie jar is filled with my Mam-ma Polly’s legendary sugar cookies, and I’ve made my mother’s holiday “Russian tea.” The association these things and others have to our loved ones will remind us of their gift of love and fairness toward everyone they met.

We will also celebrate God’s kindness and mercy toward all of us…and the fact that He has seen us through some pretty rough patches this last year plus.  I will say a silent prayer to especially thank God for the amazing husband He gave me…a man who is unbelievably generous and fair to all, without any judgment or qualifications.  I will thank Him for the blessing of three little children whose innocent outlooks and penchant for joy in all circumstances have made seemingly unbearable moments tolerable.

I will thank God for HIS gifts…especially Jesus.  I will praise Him for the kindness, mercy, grace and generosity that He pours out on me each and every day.  And I will remind myself that we all have a “legacy” to perpetuate…that indeed, “good men’s sons have a special heritage.”  We have done all we can to prepare for this day…but each of us is called to carry the “spirit of Christmas” in our hearts every day…to operate in kindness and fairness…to be generous to others without judgment or qualification.  We are reminded to count our wealth not in dollars and cents…but in the blessings and abundance of God Almighty…beginning with the ultimate gift of Jesus that makes us heirs to His throne…and thereby “royalty.”  You can’t get richer than that!

So enjoy this day…celebrate with your own family traditions and perpetuate the heritage your family has created.  But take some time to remember the richest legacy…your place in the body of Christ.  Thank God for the best Gift of all…and make every effort going forward to advance His special heritage to the next generations.  Glory to God in the Highest…and Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours. 

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 23, 2016

Proverbs 3:27-29
Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
    your hand is God’s hand for that person.
Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time”
    or “Try me tomorrow”
    when the money’s right there in your pocket.
Don’t figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor
    when he’s sitting there trusting and unsuspecting.

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.

Christmas Eve 2011, Greg and I were hosting our family for a mid-afternoon lunch.  Grandma E was here, and my sister and her husband were on their way.  My mother and her sister drove up at our front door with my Mam-ma Polly riding in the front passenger seat, and Greg went to the door to greet them.  I was busy in the kitchen when I heard my mother yell.  Mam-ma had stepped out of the car before anyone could get to her to assist her…and she had fallen.  I stopped what I was doing and rushed to the driveway, where my grandmother lay outside the car like a stunned little bird that had flown into a window.  She was motionless, and blood was pouring from her head - and running down our driveway.

Greg called 911 and ran to get towels, and I applied pressure to the wound while doing my best to keep my grandmother still. She had “come around” and was saying, “I need to get up.” I encouraged her not to move until the ambulance and EMTs arrived.

Needless to say, the dinner plans were changed in a split second.  Greg and I took turn sitting in the ER with my grandmother, while my mother and her sister finished preparing the almost-ready meal for the others, then cleaning the kitchen. My grandmother  was admitted to the hospital for a couple of days to treat a concussion, and trips back and forth to sit with her became our “Christmas.”  I would not have had it any other way.

Mam-ma tried to send me home a couple of times…but we both knew she needed me.  The tables had turned, and I was now the “parent”…and she was the “child.”  More to the point, she was God’s child, and I was in many ways His hand for her.  Earlier in the same month, my grandmother had spent about a week in the hospital for congestive heart failure.  While sitting with her, I wrote Christmas cards, greeted visitors, and attended to her needs in between doctor and nurse visits.

It would have been so easy to say, “I have things to do…a house to decorate, gifts to purchase and wrap, cookies to bake…” and much more.  But my grandmother needed help…and God sent me.

I wish I could say that I have always been as attentive to God’s nudge…that I have never said, “Not this time,” or “Maybe later.”  But I have promised visits to people and never gotten there…I’ve said “If I can help you, please let me know” and hoped the whole time that no one would call me. I’ve gritted my teeth and helped someone while wishing the whole time that God had sent someone else.

Don’t misunderstand me…there are times when we genuinely are not available…when we are too busy, not up to the task – or we sense that God is not telling us to get involved in something or offer to help with a particular task.  We must be careful not to step into someone else’s mission or ministry, and we must pay very close attention to where and how God is calling us to serve.  But when we know that God is putting us in a position to be His hand to someone else, we MUST comply – and serve gladly.

There were several times in the years that I cared for my grandmother that I grew weary and frustrated…but I did my best to listen to God’s voice and help her whenever and however I could.  I’m sure there were times I missed the mark completely…and there were plenty of times that SHE felt I fell short!  But I have no regrets…and lots of blessings and happy memories.  And I want that to be the case in every instance where my hand is God’s hand to another.  What about you?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 22, 2016

Proverbs 25:21-22
If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch;
    if he’s thirsty, bring him a drink.
Your generosity will surprise him with goodness,
    and God will look after you.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

One of the hardest things we will ever have to do as Christians is to show kindness to those who have been unkind to us. For me, the word “enemy” is a little strong…I don’t feel I have any personal enemies.  But this is the word used throughout the Bible for those who treat others in an unkind or unfair manner, and I have encountered unkind people and felt the sting of harsh words and excluding gestures. I bet you have, as well.

For me, the worst is when this comes from fellow church members or people who profess to be Christians.  But sadly, it happens…and I hope and pray that you and I am not guilty of doing the same thing to others.

It would be easy to turn and walk in the other direction when we encounter someone who has spoken to us unkindly. If a person has spread untruths about you, it would be understandable if you were not first in line to offer a helping hand when he/she was in need.  There have been instances in my life that have caused me to think, “I wouldn’t walk across the street to spit on this person if he/she was on fire!”

But then, there is Proverbs 25:21-22 - not to mention Matthew 5:44!  We are called to “love our enemies” and surprise them with generosity…to pray for them and offer them every kindness. So that means speaking to the person who mistreated you – and doing so with a smile.  It means doing whatever God leads you to do to help ALL people in their time of need.  It means reaching out to those you would really rather show your back instead of a smile or a helping hand.

How do we manage this?  We call on God’s grace and mercy.  We ask Him to fill our hearts with compassion for the other person…and we do this because Jesus does it for us.  Certainly, Jesus had every reason to turn His back on you and me.  He doesn’t owe us even a smile…much less Salvation and a home with Him for all eternity.  Yet this is exactly what we are in line to receive.
  
Jesus provides us with His grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and understanding every single day – even though none of us deserves any of it. So how can we, as His disciples, offer others anything less?  I can almost hear Jesus saying, “Suck it up, Buttercup!  If you want to serve in MY army, you have to be willing to treat others as I would - even your ‘enemies.’”  Where does this apply to you today?  Who needs to see Jesus through your words and actions?

Are you making a point…or making a difference in your Christian discipleship?  Isn’t it time to get this right?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 21, 2016

Proverbs 19:17
Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

If you follow my daily devotionals, you know that this has been a rough year for us.  I wrote in our Christmas newsletter that 2016 kicked us in the gut…and it did.  But God ushered us through all of it. We even welcomed a new arrival last March – my cousin, Hudson Edward. Nothing blesses like a new baby to snuggle!

One of the things I have been keenly aware of this year is how God fills gaps.  When my mother died, Greg told me that he was worried about how I would fill in the time that she and I spent each day talking on the phone or exchanging email messages.  I can’t tell you how God did it…but I think I’ve coped with this loss better than I could have ever imagined – or explained. And somehow, those daily “gaps” were filled.

Greg and I kept our nephew, Nathan, on Mondays and Fridays for over a year…and when he went back to school in September, I went to school, too – the elementary school!  Each Friday, I find needs in all sizes, shapes and ages…and I try to give what I can to fill them. When I read this verse from Proverbs 19, it struck me that my “mercy” to students and teachers may be a loan to God and a gift to the “needy,” but it blesses ME most of all.

I’ve also learned to stop and be present in the moment more…and this is a form of “mercy to the needy,” as well.  When our 17+-year-old cat Mabel demands that I sit in a reclining chair and let her sleep between my feet, I comply.  These are moments I won’t ever get back…and they give me time to reflect on how well she has loved us all of these years – and the joy that this little calico bundle has brought to our lives.  They also give me time to sit, breathe and just “be” for a while…to slow down, rest, and regroup.  God knows that I need this…and out of my “mercy” for an elderly cat, He provides me with a reprieve.

These are only two illustrations…there are dozens more.  The point is that our concept of the “needy” and God’s are not the same.  His are far more encompassing.  We ALL have opportunities every single day to give to the “poor in spirit,” as well as those who are physically in some form of need.  Every time we share mercy, grace, forgiveness and kindness with someone else, we are doing this in Jesus’ name – or we should be.  In this way, we are “loaning” ourselves to God to serve on His behalf…and Scripture tells us that He repays these loans with interest!

We need to get to a point in our love of Christ and desire to serve Him where we would do this regardless of the “reward.”  We ought to be so in love with Jesus that we want to do everything we can to share Him with others – in whatever form they need and He directs…and this really should come “second-nature” to us.  Are you there yet?  Are you working toward this level of Christian discipleship?  Isn’t it time you were?

I don’t know what God is calling you to do…where He is asking you to offer mercy to the needy – or in what capacity.  But I do know that God wants to fill in the gaps in your life as He shows you how to fill in those for others.  Are you ready to follow His lead?  Will this be the day you get started?
 
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 20, 2016

Proverbs 11:24-25
It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.

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

The latest issue of our county’s historical journal has a reprint of an article that features my Mam-ma Polly.  The story was written by our dear friend Merrellyn, who was Mam-ma’s neighbor in the last 2 decades of her life. Merrellyn peppered the article with Mam-ma’s recollections of her childhood, as well as some interesting experiences from her adult life.  She notes how hard that she and her siblings worked to help my great-grandmother with chores…and that she did not have a home with electricity until 1938 - six years after she and my grandfather married. My dad was two by then. I cannot imagine life with a toddler and no electricity…can you?

I’ve said many times that I always thought my grandparents were rich…because they were always sharing SOMETHING with someone else.  By the same token, I grew up hearing about a few people in our community who legitimately were financially able to do a lot of good things for many people…but they were so attached to their money and possessions that they could not bear to think of parting with any of them – even for a “good” cause.  And when I thought of these people, they seemed lonely, bitter, and sad.

I’ve known more than a few people who isolated themselves and “hid their light under a barrel”…and when the time came that they were in need, there were few people who were even aware of them enough to step forward and help.  On the other hand, I’ve known people who gave generously of their time, energy and whatever they had to any and all who required what they had to offer…and there was practically a line around the block to help them whenever they needed assistance.

I’ve attended funerals for people who were virtually penniless…yet they gave all they could and lived a “rich,” full life filled with service, love and joy.  And I’ve attended services for some who lived such stingy, self-absorbed lives that barely a dozen people showed up to pay their respects.  I’m not saying that this is always how the equation works.  I’m sure there have been mitigating circumstances, and generous people who were neglected or “flew under the radar.”  I know there were probably some selfish folks who appeared to have a bevy of friends and people who cared about them in spite of their egocentric nature.  But Scripture tells us in Galatians 6:7 that “…a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows!”

The goal is not to die surrounded by people who care and sing your praises…or those who will note how “rich” you were.  The aim should be to serve God with everything we have…because it ALL ultimately belongs to Him in the first place.  The rewards and blessings that come from giving are a nice byproduct - a bonus, if you will!  God does not bless us so that we can become self-centered hoarders of our time, talents and money.  He showers us with abundance so that we can share with others in the name of Jesus.  We can all do better at this.

My challenge today is that we all take inventory of our lives and see where we could “share the wealth” a little more - and glorify God in the process.  Are you willing to take a closer look?  Isn’t this the perfect week to do so?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 19, 2016

Philippians 4:19
You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

This morning, I helped Timothy’s teacher get his class ready to trek across campus to the high school gymnasium for the school-wide Christmas music program.  When I got up at 6:00 a.m., it was twelve degrees.  By the time we made the walk across what amounts to about a city block at 8:45 a.m., I would say the temperature MIGHT have risen to 18 degrees – with a wind!  Friday, we made this walk for a rehearsal, and several of the children were not dressed warmly.  It was in the 30s then, but several of the children shook and shivered as we traveled to and from the gym.

I knew in reason that today, there would be some cold kids.  Wind chills were in the single digits. Timothy and Zola have heavy warm coats – and gloves – but I knew that a lot of their classmates would have only a windbreaker, at best.  So I gathered extra scarves and several fleece blankets that our children enjoy when they are visiting and took them with me.  The six blankets and scarves I brought were just enough to fully wrap the children in Timothy’s class whose coats and jackets were inadequate.

I went down the line of 20 children and made sure each one had his/her hood on…and that whatever they were wearing was fully zipped. One little boy had what appeared to be a brand new coat, but he was not wearing it.  I told him to put it on and zip it up…and he said, “I can’t…it doesn’t fit me.”  I insisted…and he tearfully let me put him in the coat.  His arms barely slid in, and I thought I might not get it zipped. He looked like a stuffed sausage!  Once the program ended, I could not get this child to put the coat back on…and I mentioned this to a resource teacher who was standing next to me. She shook her head and said, “He has to have a warm coat for Christmas break. I can fix this…let me see what I can do.”

Thirty minutes later, the teacher showed up in Timothy’s classroom with an almost-new coat that fit much better. The teacher made the swap, and I wish you could have seen this child’s face. The relief and happiness that swept over him almost moved me to tears.
Each fall, there is an organization in our community that conducts a coat drive.  People donate new and used coats for those who are in need…and hundreds of coats are distributed. This distribution just happened recently, and I suspect that the “leftovers” are housed somewhere in our school - just for situations like this.

I know this is a long story, but two things struck me.  God put it on my heart to take those blankets and scarves this morning – not because I am so wonderful...but because HE is.  He met the needs of those cold children and placed me in a position to realize that there was a child who needed a bigger coat.  He put a burden on the hearts of people in our community to gather coats for those who need them…and to create a program to see that those in need received a helping hand.

God orchestrated the “connection” between me and the teacher who found this child a new coat.  He touched the hearts of the older elementary children who started a food pantry at our school that creates “weekend bags” of food for students who would otherwise go hungry for those days.  Today, I was again almost moved to tears as I looked at the “Christmas break” bags that were placed at each classroom door for the teachers to disseminate.

My point is that God is meeting needs and touching hearts…motivating people and sending disciples all around us, whether we actually realize it or not.  The question is…are you one of them?  Don’t you want to be?  Open your heart and mind to the possibilities.  Don’t ask God “Why?”  Instead, ask, “Why not?”  Whatever He places on your heart and in your mind to do for others, He will help you accomplish.  Where you can’t see a way for things to work out…God has already handled every detail and will implement His plan according to His perfect timing.  In any and every situation where you are tempted to throw up your hands and say, “I don’t know how much more I can take!”…God has already accounted for this, and He is leaps and bounds ahead of you!

God is in the business of loving us generously…of caring for our every need – and then some.  I don’t get it…but the Bible tells us that His is a love we cannot fully comprehend.  And I accept this, because I so want to believe…and trust…and bask in the fullness of His glory and His goodness.  What about you?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 18, 2016

Matthew 6:1-4
When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.

When you give to the poor, don’t blow a loud horn. That’s what show-offs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it.Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you.

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

Greg and I have seen a couple of CBS news stories this week by reporter Steve Hartman* about a “Secret Santa” whose origins have been traced back to the late Ted Horn of Houston, Mississippi.  In 1971, Horn noticed a homeless man who wandered into the Dixie Diner. The starving man ordered a big breakfast with the intention to sneak out before the bill came.  Horn realized what was happening and slipped up behind the man and handed him a $20 bill, saying, “I think you may have dropped this.”  The homeless man vowed that if he ever became wealthy, he would pay this kindness forward.  And Larry Stewart did indeed “make it big” in cable and long distance.  Stewart fulfilled his vow by randomly passing out $20 bills to strangers during the Christmas season.

Larry Stewart’s identity only became known after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2006. A friend - who remains anonymous - picked up the torch and has continued to pass out the donations. To date, over $2 million in $20 bills has been given away.  A follow-up story we saw featured Kansas City police officers, who the current “Secret Santa” enlisted to get in on the joy of giving.  The officers were each given $1000 to share with those they felt had a need.  A total of $30,000 was distributed to strangers in department stores, coffee shops, and on the street…and one officer gave his entire amount to a homeless mother with 2 children that he was already personally housing in a motel. For these Kansas City cops, the “rewards” were two-fold…they provided immediate joy to those who received the money, and they helped to build good relationships between the public and “men and women in blue.”

The whole key to the “Secret Santa” concept is…well…anonymity. There are a lot of “Larry Stewarts” in this world who perform random acts of kindness and generosity on a daily basis.  But there are also a lot of people who can’t hand a kid a nickel without wanting recognition for their “good deed.”  And this is what Jesus is referencing in these verses.  Not only do we make ourselves look arrogant by doing this…we also indicate a lack of faith in God.  After all, if we believe that serving Him is the “be-all-end-all,” and we trust that God knows everything about us…then why do we need to announce to the world that we have basically done what we are supposed to do?

We are called to be disciples of Christ - essentially “Secret Santas” of a kind - all.year.long.  Some of us have a handle on this…but others are still seeking the limelight.  It’s time for us to demonstrate the confidence of our faith…to step up and step out, and do what God calls us to do without anticipation of a moment’s recognition.

Are you ready to show the world the love and care of Jesus?  God’s reward of Eternity in heaven should be more than enough accolade for any of us.  Are you ready to demonstrate His love and care to others in secret?  Don’t you think it’s time you were?
          
©2016 Debbie Robus

*http://www.cbsnews.com/news/two-million-dollars-later-how-secret-santa-came-to-be/

Daily Devotional for December 17, 2016

Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”

Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”

The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”

Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

I almost didn’t go to school to help in the kids’ classrooms yesterday.  I’ve been a little under the weather lately, and I almost “called in sick.”  But I woke early and felt pretty decent, so I dressed and headed for the school. Within 5 minutes of my arrival, I knew why I was there. A young mother approached me and began to thank me for the sympathy card and message I sent when her dad passed away recently.  She said my words were just what she needed to hear, and she had hoped to see me to thank me in person.

About 30 minutes later, I visited with a teacher whose mother was buried earlier in the week. I hugged her as she cried and asked, “Will it ever get better?”  I assured her that it would – in time…that it has been eleven months since my mother died, and I sometimes feel that I am still numb.  I also told her that God is shielding her now from more pain and sadness than she could otherwise bear, and He will continue to do this.  She squeezed me tightly and said, “You really do know how this feels.”

I don’t share these experiences for any other reason than to show you that “hunger” comes in many forms.  These two women needed a word of encouragement from someone who has “been there, done that”…and God apparently chose me.  I told one of them that when my own dad and brother died in a span of 13 months, I was struck by how many dear friends and loved ones said and did absolutely NOTHING to comfort us…and I vowed to never be that person for someone else.  God made a believer out of me in a profound way…and I am so glad He did!

I don’t know what God is calling you to do to minister to the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick or jailed.  I don’t know what strangers He will insert into your path to be shown His grace, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, hope and promise.  But I know that God WILL do this. We had best all be watching and listening for any and all opportunities to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we encounter…whether they are a stranger or someone we know and love dearly.  And we need to begin today.  Are you paying attention?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 16, 2016

Matthew 25:1-13
“God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.

“In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bride-groom’s here! Go out and greet him!’

“The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’

“They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’

“They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.

“Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’

“He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’

“So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.

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 went to Walmart this afternoon after I finished helping with Timothy’s class at school.  I know…Friday afternoon at Walmart = BAD IDEA!  But it was especially chaotic today, and I chalked it up to the fact that there are only 9 days left until Christmas.  Maybe people had decided, as had I, that along with our milk and bread, it would be a good idea to go ahead and pick up a few things for the holiday meal…last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers…and anything else we might need in the next week.  Hopefully, this would save us a return trip…or at least some of the hassle of a lengthy shopping trip.

When I entered the store, it was a miserable 37 degrees outside - with a pretty good wind.  When I left, there was also a fine mist in the air.  I didn’t know until I got home that freezing drizzle is just north of us in neighboring counties!  Let me tell you, nothing will send people to Walmart faster than a little precipitation and near-freezing temps or the mention of ice and/or snow in the forecast – and we have both!

Isn’t it funny that we are all about going to the store and getting milk and bread if we think there is even the slightest chance of frozen precipitation…but we are more than willing to play fast and loose with our Christian faith!  We’ll stockpile food, movies, and everything we need to be “snowed in” for a few days…but we won’t store up the things that draw us closer to God and prepare us for a face-to-face meeting with Jesus.  We’ve got all manner of time and energy to drop everything and gather our supplies for a “snowstorm”…but we don’t have time to open our Bibles or talk to God about anything and everything – much less share the Good News of Jesus with someone else.

We don’t have time to help a neighbor…stop and truly ask someone how he/she is doing – and stick around to hear the answer…or offer another person kindness and care.  We are too busy with WHATEVER to do the things that Jesus clearly says in scripture will make the difference for God’s Kingdom.  We may not know the hour of Jesus’ return, but we are in no hurry to “stock up on milk and bread” so that we are prepared.

Christmas IS coming in nine days…and most of us will be ready – for Santa, celebrations, and packages under the tree.  But will we be ready for Jesus?  Will we have “bought enough oil, milk and bread” and made provisions to ensure that we are not left “standing out in the cold?”  Don’t you think it’s time we did?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 15, 2016

Matthew 19:21-23
Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” When the young man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.

Jesus said to his disciples, “It’s terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven!

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

Greg and I cleaned our closets yesterday.  It was long overdue.  We will donate the purged items to a local clothes closet that helps people in need…many who have nothing due to a house fire, domestic violence, job loss, or other unfortunate circumstances.  For the record, I am a bit of a clothes hoarder.  I’ve cleaned my closet countless times and put pretty much everything back on the racks and in the drawers.  I tell myself that I might actually be able to wear the jeans that fit when I was 40…or that I really need a shirt I bought for a song – in 1994!

This time, I tried to be ruthless…and I have to say, I did better than expected.  Because I asked myself one question…”Who needs this worse?”  And if you looked at my closet today, you might ask if I really removed anything.  See, I still have plenty…but now, the person who really needs a good pair of Levis® will be able to have them.  The warm jacket that I have not worn in at least five years will keep someone cozy this winter instead of taking up space in our closet.  Those shoes that pinched my toes might be just the right size for a woman who is looking for a job and wants to look professional.  And honestly, these days, my need for “office attire” is pretty well nil.

I inherited this “clothes hoarding” gene from my mother and grandmother.  I know that to be a fact, because I cleaned out their closets!  And I am not criticizing them…they were careful bargain shoppers.  And after decades of scrimping and scraping so that we kids could have nice things, they deserved to have beautiful garments.  But I also know that “you can’t take it with you.” Even after my purging, I could pretty well wear a different outfit every day for a month and not repeat myself!  In view of the fact that some have NOTHING to wear – at least nothing that is decent – this makes no sense.

So I’ve made a small step toward sharing my “riches.”  I have not sold or given away everything that I own, but I’ve started letting go of an unreasonable attachment to clothes that clutter my closet and could actually benefit someone else.

A couple of years ago, I went through every closet and drawer and purged and organized what was in them…and it’s time to do that again.  This may not seem like a huge deal in the realm of God’s Kingdom, but it is. When we let go of our “things,” we focus more on what is really necessary and important.  When we part with something because we realize that another person has a bigger need for it than we do, we’re making progress.  And I have to believe that this makes God smile.

I don’t want to hinder my journey to heaven with clutter and “stuff”…and I’m betting you don’t either.  This small step could lead to bigger ones - and point us in the right direction, once and for all.  Are you ready to start gleaning?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 14, 2016

Matthew 10:5-8
Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:

“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

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.

In May 2006, Greg and I “adopted” a then-5-year-old child in Ghana.  We have financially sponsored Kojo - and corresponded with him - for the last ten years.  We’ve received photos and information to help us understand his culture, assess his needs, and keep up with his progress. We have also had “offers” from Compassion International, the host agency for this sponsorship, to visit our “son.”

Here’s the thing…it would cost each of us thousands of dollars to visit Kojo in Ghana.  At best, we would probably have ONE DAY with him personally.  The rest of the trip would be spent touring Ghana and learning about Compassion’s efforts there.  Would it be a wonderful experience to meet this now-16-year-old boy…to hold him close, hug him and tell him in person how much we have grown to love him?  Absolutely!  Would it be worth nearly $10,000?  I can’t say it would…and here’s why…I keep thinking of how much that time and money could help others.

Don’t misunderstand me.  Countless people do make this trip – or go on other mission trips, and they find them life-changing - for themselves, and hopefully for the people they encounter there.  But I look around our community…I assess the children in Timmy and Zola’s classrooms each week…and the hundreds of children in the cafeteria, hallways and on the playground…and I see needs everywhere I turn.

I see children who need to be nurtured and protected…children who are hungry and poorly clothed…children who are dealing with tremendous burdens far beyond their years.  I go to visit friends at the nursing home and Assisted Living Facility, and I see lonely, sad people who have no one to visit them or see after them on a regular basis.  Yes, their basic personal needs are met…but there is so much more to life…and sadly, more than a few people have been dumped in these facilities and forgotten.

I know there are shut-ins, addicts, homeless people, and a segment of our population that operates “on the fringes” and “under the radar”…with needs that go unmet.  And I hear Jesus’ words loudly and clearly…”Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood.”  I hear Him say, “Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons.”  I hear Jesus saying, “You can spend your time and money for one day with a child who knows that you love and support him – and that I am with him…or you can reach dozens who have not heard this message.”

In short, we HAVE been treated generously and must live generously.  But what we must first determine is our own definition of “generous living.”  Will we make a point in some way…or will we make a difference?  Will we be so busy looking beyond our borders to a far-off place that we neglect the needs in our own community?

The point is that we can all do SOMETHING to make a difference for God’s Kingdom.  With prayerful consideration, we just need to figure out how and where to accomplish this.  And a good place to start might be right here in our own back yard.

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 13, 2016

Matthew 10:40-42
“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.

When I decorated for Christmas this year, it seemed I had “light” issues everywhere I turned.  I could not find the lights for the “big” tree…and the lights on the tree I place atop the piano would not come on and had to be replaced.  I could have thrown up my hands and gotten upset…but instead, I just knuckled down and got it done.  And part of what motivated me was a gift I received last Christmas.

Greg’s brother died on New Year’s Eve…and the following day, my mother entered the hospital – and subsequently was admitted to Hospice care.  The next twelve days are something of a blur, spent with family as we mourned the passing of a beloved brother…and sitting at my mother’s bedside in her living room. A lot of that time, Greg was with me…and other family members came and went, as well.  The first few nights, I came home to shower and sleep. Later, I stayed at my mother’s house pretty well around the clock.  But twice, I slipped away in the early morning hours to drive home, shower, and have a cup of coffee…to take a deep breath, hug my husband and our cat, and be “normal” for a few minutes.  And one of the things that I remember about coming home is the lights.

Every time I drove into our driveway, lights welcomed me.  Greg made sure to turn on all of the holiday lights inside and out…the trees, the mantel…all of it.  Those twinkling lights were a warm welcome that said, “You are home…you are loved…and it’s going to be okay.”

I don’t know how else to explain what I felt.  I’ve always loved lights. I keep several strands glowing year-round throughout our house.  But the thought that my husband made a point to turn on these holiday lights in the midst of such chaos and sadness was an extraordinary gift to me. He would probably shrug and say, “It was nothing.”  But I am here to tell you…the gesture spoke volumes.  In my eyes, it was huge.  This was my “cup of water” to quench my thirst for a small sense of normalcy – and a warm welcome.

This year, as I strung bright lights throughout our house, I thought of last year…and how the decorations became a much-needed “gift” of sorts.  And the extra effort to get them working just right brought me joy and peace.  As I read this passage today, I asked myself…”Who in my ‘circle’ is thirsty?  Who needs my smallest gesture of love and encouragement?  Who needs a smile…my prayers…a phone call or note of love and care?  Who needs a bag of cookies and hot cocoa mix – or a simple Christmas card?  What child needs an ‘angel tree’ gift?  Who needs my change in the bucket to help make it through the holidays and beyond?”

Sometimes the smallest gifts have the biggest impact.  Who needs your “cup of water” today…or for you to simply “turn on the Christmas lights?”  Are you ready to do your part in this “harvest work?”  Don’t you think it’s time you were?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 12, 2016

Malachi 3:10
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!

“Try it! Let me prove it to you!

​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’ve been helping Timothy’s room mother “chair” with the holiday parties this year.  It seems that in Zola’s kindergarten class, there are plenty of parents lined up and ready to help.  By the time the children get to second grade, the enthusiasm has waned and that number has greatly dwindled. So while we have managed to get plenty of “donations” – party favors, food, and money – we have had trouble getting parents to come and actually help with activities.

For the Fall Party, more than a dozen parents actually came to the party…but only 3 or four had agreed to help serve refreshments, play games, decorate, and clean up.  A week from today, we will have the Christmas party, and I will be interested to see how much physical help we are able to muster!

It’s easy to grab a few cupcakes, pick up some party favors at the dollar store, or send a check to cover the cost of decorations. It’s another to actually show up and do the work…to give time and effort. I understand that parents work - now, more than ever.  But I also know that a lot of people think that it won’t be fun to help the children…or they won’t be good at it.  And the truth is…the adults will get more from the experience than the children, in many instances.

Here’s the thing…a lot of us write a check for 10% to the church…and we think we are done. But I don’t believe this is what was meant by these scriptures about “tithing.” Sure…churches need money to operate. But they need physical participation, also. People in your community need a helping hand as much as they need your dollars. The world at large needs to be encouraged, nurtured, and helped in a myriad of ways that involve actually getting in there and doing the work!

Should we “tithe” to the church?  Yes!  I know from watching my Mam-ma Polly take 10% off the top every month and give it to her church that she received countless blessings in return. She never ran short…there was always abundance in her life.  But I also know that she gave far more than this 10% of her monthly Social Security pension. She gave of her time, talents, physical energy, prayers, and much more.  And God blessed her greatly for her efforts.

Examine your life and prayerfully consider what you give to God…and how you give it.  Are you simply writing a check and moving on with other things…or are you giving in every way that you can, to the best of your ability?  Are you missing out on blessings that could be yours if you gave more creatively?  Make this the season that you step outside of your comfort zone and start really “tithing” to God and His children.  And if you want to come play Christmas Bingo with some second graders next week, let me know!

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 11, 2016

Luke 6:38
For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give—large or small—will be used to measure what is given back to you.”
  
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Early in my life, I learned what a joy it is to give to others – particularly from the examples of my paternal grandparents. My grandfather loved to show up on our doorstep on a Saturday morning with a truckload of new furniture. He “outfitted” all of our bedrooms over time with pieces that still fill my parents’ house today. But he and my grandmother also loved to share an extra bushel of peas or a few pounds of Black Angus beef with family and friends. My grandmother spent hours sewing tiny Barbie doll clothes for my sister and me… and they both enjoyed helping the needy and lending a hand where possible.

December 20, 1981, my grandparents’ house burned to the ground.  It was a crisp Sunday morning, and as my grandmother fried sausage for breakfast and Pap-pa fed his cows, the fire quickly consumed their very old farm house and virtually everything in it.  They managed to move their vehicles…grab their clothes, the mantel clock, and the family Bible…and get out with their lives. One year shy of their 50th wedding anniversary – at ages 70 and 69 – my grandparents were pretty well stripped bare of all physical belongings.

In the months that followed, a new house was built for them only yards away from the site of the old home…and people showered them with gifts of household items, furnishings, food, and money. Friends who wintered in the deep South offered the use of their home while they were away…so my grandparents had a cozy house in which to stay while theirs was under construction. The builder re-worked his already busy schedule, so that the house could be erected quickly, and my grandparents could get back to their farm as quickly as possible. 

By the time my grandparents moved into their new home in early 1982, they had all of the household items and furnishings they needed to be cozy and comfortable. Their lifetime of giving was pressed down and shaken together…and room was made for an overflow of contributions, as they pretty well started over.

This experience made me keenly aware of what a blessing it is go give to others. Once we understand the joy of giving, it often becomes second nature.  I am not talking about tangible gifts or monetary donations, although it can feel good to give these, as well.  But we all can give according to our abilities. Every one of us can serve others in some capacity.  We can share what we have with those who are in need…or just to put a smile on someone else’s face. 

In Giddy Up, Eunice!*, Sophie Hudson tells about her mother-in-law, Martha, who spent the entire afternoon with a friend who had moved into a nursing home.  She visited with the lady, folded her clothes, and just kept her company.  And when Martha left, the friend, said, “It was good to see you, Dot!”  Hudson notes that Martha kept going back to visit this lady.  Why?  Because that was Martha’s gift to her friend.  The friend didn’t remember Martha’s name…but she enjoyed the visit. They laughed together and shared conversation…and it didn’t matter what the friend knew who she was - or didn’t.  Martha got the blessing anyway.  And heaven forbid…should Martha ever end up in such a facility, it sounds like there would be a line out the door of folks waiting to spend an afternoon with her!

We shouldn’t give in order to be rewarded or blessed. We should give because God gave us the most perfect Gift – Jesus Christ. We should want give out of love and a desire to emulate Jesus. But the beautiful thing is that when we give, God blesses…sometimes to abundant excess…because He loves us so much!  Study the lives of those you know who are good at giving…and learn from their examples. Look around and see where you can give…not with the expectation of getting, but because it just feels that good!  Then be prepared to be blessed beyond measure…because that’s exactly how God operates!

©2016 Debbie Robus

*Giddy Up, Eunice! ~ https://www.amazon.com/Giddy-Up-Eunice-Because-Women/dp/1433643111

Daily Devotional for December 10, 2016

December 10 ~ Luke 6:30
Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don’t worry about getting them back.

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

When I was about eight or nine, I got a brand new bicycle.  A boy my age came into our yard one day and asked if he could try out the bike.  His dad worked with my dad sometimes, so I said, “Yes.”  The boy hopped on the bicycle and rode away…like several blocks, across the highway, and across town.  My dad happened to be home, and when I told him what had happened, he got in to his truck, chased the boy down, and retrieved my bicycle.  Daddy told me to never let someone outside of the family ride my bike again…and I didn’t!

I learned a valuable lesson that day about lending to others.  Of course, the “lesson” is different for children and bicycles - or other toys and personal belongings.  But as an adult, I’ve learned that any “loan” I make could very well be a “gift.”  And let’s be honest…if the need is great enough for someone to ask you for a loan, there is a good chance that person has eaten a big slice of “humble pie” to do so.  My pastor has wisely noted that the time to help someone is when he/she asks.

So if a person asks to borrow money, a tool, an item of clothing, or a book or other personal belonging – and I can afford to help him/her…I “lend” with the assumption that I will never see this article again. Of course, God wants us to be wise. Don’t lend someone your car with the same supposition.  Don’t lend money you need for your mortgage, utilities, food…or daily living. Don’t give away your “nest egg!”

Be wise…pray about such loans before you commit to them…and make good choices.  But don’t be stingy.  Don’t expect people to jump through hoops to repay a few dollars – or to return a coat you never wore in the first place.  Be realistic and understand that even people with the best intentions sometimes don’t follow through on their promises. Give accordingly…with God’s guidance and blessing.

In short…don’t get hung up on your possessions or accrued wealth.  If someone else is truly in need and asks to borrow, be ready to prayerfully give what is needed.  If the loan is repaid, consider it a bonus.  If not, trust God for the “compensation.” And never, ever let someone outside of your trusted “family” take a spin on your new bicycle!

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 9, 2016

Luke 3:11
John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
    
It was so cold today that the children had to have “indoor recess” at school.  Two classes combined in Timothy’s classroom, and his teacher turned on some classic Christmas cartoons from the 1940s. The children also had the option to do art projects. Some colored, others drew…and a couple of little girls attempted to make paper snowflakes.  I showed them how to fold the paper so that they would get a complete circle or square design.  They were enthralled.

Timothy and his friend Cage wanted to make snowflakes. I told them to get some paper.  Timothy said, “I don’t have any.” Cage pulled out a notebook filled with lined paper, and he said, “It’s no problem. I have plenty. Timmy, you don’t have to worry about it…I’ve got enough for both of us.” He tore out some paper, and I showed the boys how to cut the snowflakes, which we then taped to their desks.

Almost every Friday, I am moved by the kindness or generosity of a student I encounter…their unselfish spirit and willingness to look out for their fellow students. Yes, there are those who are selfish and never think of anyone but themselves.  But there are also plenty of kids who would gladly share an extra coat.  And while it is forbidden for health reasons, lots of kids are eager to share food in the cafeteria.  No child goes hungry, but they are not to eat food offered by another child.  However, that doesn’t stop some sneaky sharing from going on!  I guess where there is a will, there’s a way!

The point is that I believe God made us for giving.  He created us with an inherent spirit to share with our neighbor.  And somewhere along the line, some of us have lost that “heart.”  We’ve grown hard around the edges, selfish and self-centered.  And our closets and drawers bulge with more than we can ever use or enjoy.  Our cupboards and pantries are laden with food, and we think nothing of eating half a can of something and tossing the rest.  Meanwhile, there are countless people right in our own back yards who are “cold” and hungry…who have huge needs that we could fill.  And it’s time we started doing so!

The challenge for all of us is to get out of our comfort zone…to open our eyes and ears…and our hearts…and to figure out who needs a little of our abundance – and get it to them!  “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”  A spirit of generosity and giving is really pretty simple…so why don’t we see evidence of these more often?  As I’ve said many times, if little kids can implement these concepts, why can’t we?  Isn’t it time we did?

©2016 Debbie Robus