January 29 ~ 2 Chronicles 1:9-10
I am supposed to rule these people, but there are as many of them as there are specks of dust on the ground. So keep the promise you made to my father and make me wise. Give me the knowledge I'll need to be the king of this great nation of yours.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When was the last time you asked God for wisdom? We ask God for specific things – “Do this for me.” “Heal me of this illness or injury.” “Bring resolution to this conflict with So-and-So.” But how often do you ask, “Lord… give me wisdom in this situation. Help me to know how to proceed, according to your will.”
Solomon was a very wise man. And yet, he knew he was helpless to rule all of the people of Israel without God’s wisdom. And if you read on in verses 11 and beyond, you will see that God told Solomon (I’m paraphrasing here), “You could have asked for anything… wealth, fame, or a long life. But you asked for wisdom, and I will give it to you. But I will also make you rich and famous!” In other words, because Solomon asked for wisdom instead of “material” things, God rewarded him with both!
Does that mean God will reward us with material blessings if we ask for wisdom? Not necessarily. But without God’s wisdom, material things will never satisfy. Without God’s wisdom, nothing else will come together like we hoped it would. The key to success lies in the wisdom of God – and asking for it in prayer. Unless you pray for wisdom, you’re probably going to spend some time spinning in circles. Ask God to give you wisdom, according to His will. Listen and pay attention for His answer. You’ll be amazed at how much better things turn out if you do.
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 28 ~ 1 Kings 8:35-36
Suppose your people sin against you, and you punish them by holding back the rain. If they turn toward this temple and pray in your name and stop sinning, listen from your home in heaven and forgive them. The people of Israel are your servants, so teach them to live right. And please send rain on the land you promised them forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When you go to Sonic and order lunch, you are very specific, aren’t you?! You ask for your hamburger with or without cheese. You may ask for mustard only and no onions. Or you may say, “I want that with everything.” If you don’t specify how you want your burger and whether you want tots or fries, there is no telling what you will get. And honestly, if you don’t tell the person taking the order how you want things, you have no room to complain when it isn’t right.
If we are so specific about something like a Sonic lunch order, why are we so non-specific with our prayers? Sure, God knows already what we need… but He wants us to tell Him specifically. He wants us to admit our sins, repent of them and ask forgiveness… and then He wants us to tell Him what we need. So if you have a big test that is coming up and you are worried about it, God doesn’t want you to say, “Help me in school, Lord.” He wants you to say, “Lord, I have this huge test coming up, and I really need help with studying and learning the material.” If you are sick with strep throat, God knows this. But don’t just pray, “Lord, heal me,” or “Father, make me well.” Tell him, “God, my throat is killing me. Please heal the infection there and make the antibiotics work, so that I can get well and go back to my regular routine.”
When we are children, we run down the litany of people in our nightly prayers… “God bless Momma and Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Sue, my sister, and the dog Spot.” But as we grow and mature, God wants us to be more specific. He wants us to detail our needs to Him and ask for answers, just as Solomon asked for forgiveness for the people of Israel… and for rain! I’m not saying that God won’t answer us when we pray, “You know the needs, Lord.” Sometimes, this is all we can muster… and God understands. But there are times when we need to confess our sins, ask God to forgive us, and then “order specifically!” It works at Sonic… and it will surely work with our awesome God!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 27 ~ 1 Kings 3:7-9
LORD God, I'm your servant, and you've made me king in my father's place. But I'm very young and know so little about being a leader. And now I must rule your chosen people, even though there are too many of them to count.
Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don't, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever been asked to do something, but you felt completely inadequate? Maybe a teacher asked you to do something in class – like make a speech – and you felt you did not have what it takes to do this. Or maybe your boss asked you to head up some big project, and you felt so nervous and uncertain – and worried you might fail. Maybe you are taking a step toward a serious relationship, or even marriage, and you believe this is the right course, but you still have a little “cold feet” and even some fears. Or maybe you are facing a decision about placing your parents in the nursing home – or downsizing your own living arrangements as you age – and the future seems scary and uncertain. The first step to certainty – the way to work yourself out of anxiety and fear and nervousness – is to pray. Ask God for wisdom, just as King Solomon did. He knew that God wanted him to lead the people. But as mighty and confident as King Solomon was, he still had reservations and uncertainties – and he knew that without God’s help, everything would fail. On our own, we have every right to feel nervous and uncertain, because we are only human. But with God, all things are possible. Ask Him today to guide your steps – to give you wisdom and courage where you need it. He can make the difference in your outcome. Are you trusting Him to do this?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 26 ~ Psalms 65
Our God, you deserve praise in Zion, where we keep our promises to you. Everyone will come to you because you answer prayer. Our terrible sins get us down, but you forgive us. You bless your chosen ones, and you invite them to live near you in your temple. We will enjoy your house, the sacred temple. Our God, you save us, and your fearsome deeds answer our prayers for justice!
You give hope to people everywhere on earth, even those across the sea. You are strong, and your mighty power put the mountains in place. You silence the roaring waves and the noisy shouts of the nations.
People far away marvel at your fearsome deeds, and all who live under the sun celebrate and sing because of you. You take care of the earth and send rain to help the soil grow all kinds of crops. Your rivers never run dry, and you prepare the earth to produce much grain. You water all of its fields and level the lumpy ground. You send showers of rain to soften the soil and help the plants sprout. Wherever your footsteps touch the earth, a rich harvest is gathered. Desert pastures blossom, and mountains celebrate. Meadows are filled with sheep and goats; valleys overflow with grain and echo with joyful songs.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Are you facing a dilemma… a fearful situation… a challenge? Have I got the scripture passage for you! This would be a great passage to memorize for the times when we need to remind ourselves of God’s power, grace, mercy, and love. This would be a great reminder that God answers prayers, nurtures and cares for us, and prepares a home for us - in His temple.So whatever troubles are coming your way these days… whatever challenges you are facing, remember Psalm 65. Keep it close to you, or commit it to memory and impress its words on your heart. God’s rivers never run dry…He saves us… and His fearsome deeds answer our prayers. Our God puts the mountains in place with His mighty power. What else… WHO else do we need?!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 25 ~ 2 John 1:2
We love you because the truth is now in our hearts, and it will be there forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission. Have you ever waited for some news, and the time seemed to drag by without end? Maybe you were waiting to find out if you got into a certain college, or whether you got a job you wanted. Maybe you were waiting for a new baby to arrive or counting the days until a big event, like a big game in which you were playing – or even your wedding day! In every case, the joy and relief and overwhelming range of emotions that filled you when the waiting ended may have been indescribable. But in many cases, the love and joy you felt probably seemed overwhelming.
It’s that way with our relationship with God. Once we know His truth… the truth of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and subsequent resurrection…we are filled with love that flows outward – love for others and love for our God who loves us so well and completely.
Here’s the thing. All of the “events” of our lives for which we wait and anticipate and enjoy are fleeting… or at least that overwhelming sense of joy and delight we experience at the outset subsides. Sure, you may revel in the big game for years to come. You may be delighted and filled with joy and love for a new spouse or a new baby. You may really love your job and enjoy going to work each day. But none of these compare with the changes in your heart that learning God’s truth can bring. The joy, peace, comfort, hope, courage and all of the emotions that flood our heart will rise and fall over time, but the truth of God’s love, grace, and mercy, will remain steadfast. Feelings come and go, but God’s truth is forever. The wait is over… God’s truth is ours…have you made a place for Him in your heart?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 24 ~ 1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is truly in our hearts.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my favorite sounds is that of wind blowing through a pine grove. I bet you know the sound. It is a little eerie… and soothing… all at once. When I was a child, I loved to visit a moss-covered creek bank across the road from my grandparents’ house. It was lined with pine trees, and I would jump the creek, climb up on that soft mossy bank, then sit and listen to the wind blowing through the trees. I felt safe, peaceful, and loved there.
If you want to get really technical, we don’t see or hear wind… we hear the effect wind has on objects that it impacts. We hear and see the rustle of leaves and tree branches. We see a field of tall grasses wave and hear the whoosh they make as they do so. We know the wind is there… the evidence of its effects is all around us.
Like the wind, we don’t actually see God, but we feel His effects. We are surrounded and filled by His love. We see and hear evidence of His presence, and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He exists. And when we love each other as God has taught us, He fills our hearts with feelings of peace, safety and love as if we were sitting and snuggling on a mossy creek bank, listening to the wind rustle through the pines.
God is the ultimate “wind beneath our wings.” Can you feel Him surrounding you and filling your heart these days?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 23 ~ James 4:13-16
You should know better than to say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!" What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. You should say, "If the Lord lets us live, we will do these things." Yet you are stupid enough to brag, and it is wrong to be so proud.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, a 15-year-old boy in our town collapsed and died while playing in a basketball game at his church gym. He apparently suffered a heart attack. A couple of days later, a young man in Little Rock collapsed on his gym floor of an apparent heart attack, and he survived but is still hospitalized in serious condition. I am sure neither of these young men or their families and friends even remotely imagined that this could happen to such young, seemingly healthy people. The people of Haiti could not possibly have planned for the devastating earthquake that ravaged their country in recent weeks and killed hundreds of thousands. Is this passage telling us we should not make plans? NO! But it is telling us that we need to remember how temporary our earthly life is… and how quickly our plans can change!
So what does this all mean for us? I believe God wants us to have hopes, dreams, and yes – plans. He wants us to plan to finish high school and/or college. He wants us to plan to grow old with family and friends and to have a rewarding career and a full life. He wants us to plan to serve Him in ways great and small… and to confidently anticipate the future and sharing His Good News with others. But at the same time, He wants us to know that this could be our last day on this earth. He wants us to realize that we don’t have time to waste on being silly or acting like a fool, worrying, blowing opportunities, and bragging about our great ambitions. We don’t know how much time we have, so we must make the most of every single minute!
God has plans for each of us, and we must stay in constant contact with Him so that we know what He wants us to do. He will give us seasons of work, play, and rest… and when His plans for us are done, He will call us to Heaven. The question we must ask God is, “Lord, what do you want me to do with my time on this earth?” Remember Who numbers your days, and plan to make each one count!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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January 22 ~ Ephesians 3:1-10
Christ Jesus made me his prisoner, so that I could help you Gentiles. You have surely heard about God's kindness in choosing me to help you. In fact, this letter tells you a little about how God has shown me his mysterious ways. As you read the letter, you will also find out how well I really do understand the mystery about Christ. No one knew about this mystery until God's Spirit told it to his holy apostles and prophets. And the mystery is this: Because of Christ Jesus, the good news has given the Gentiles a share in the promises that God gave to the Jews. God has also let the Gentiles be part of the same body.
God treated me with kindness. His power worked in me, and it became my job to spread the good news. I am the least important of all God's people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured. God, who created everything, wanted me to help everyone understand the mysterious plan that had always been hidden in his mind. Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Think about each snowflake that falls. By themselves, they have very little impact and may not seem that important, but put them together, and you have a snowball, snowman, or a beautiful winter wonderland!There are times when each of us wonders, “Why am I here?” You may feel like you are fairly insignificant in the scheme of things. But Paul shows us in this passage that each of us has a place in God’s plans. We may not feel all that important, but to Him, we are vital! He created us for His purposes… and even when they seem small to us, they still matter to God.
Just like individual snowflakes, we are unique… and vital. We may not understand why we are here, but God knows… and that’s what counts. Ask God to show you how to serve Him. In time, He will reveal more and more of His plans to you and where you fit in them. Be patient… and content… knowing He chose you and gave you a part!
©2009 Debbie Robus
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