Deuteronomy 28:1-6
“If you fully obey all of
these commandments of the Lord your God, the laws I am declaring to you
today, God will transform you into the greatest nation in the world.
These are the blessings that will come upon you:
Blessings in the city,
Blessings in the field;
Many children,
Ample crops,
Large flocks and herds;
Blessings of fruit and bread;
Blessings when you come in,
Blessings when you go out.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
We have a system that we
use with Timothy and his siblings to promote good behavior when they
visit us. I have little cards that have a spot for the child’s name,
and boxes with numbers 1-20. Each time the child does something good, I
punch a number. When the card has all of its boxes punched, the child
gets to pick a “prize”. My brother-in-law calls this bribery...but you
can see from this scripture passage that the “if/then” method of
“behavior modification” is nothing new!
The children have seen
the prize basket. They know what is in there and what they are working
toward, and they are motivated to earn those toy cars, dinosaurs, tiny
baby dolls, and more. These are mostly thrift-store or Dollar Tree®
finds...nothing expensive or extraordinary. But the children really
work hard to do what is asked of them so that they can earn those
punches – and a prize! There ARE consequences for bad choices and
behaviors. But by putting the focus on doing what is right, we avoid
most conflicts and infractions. At school, Timothy’s kindergarten
teacher refers to this as “making excellent choices”.
There is a
bigger payoff...the children build a sense of responsibility for their
actions, a feeling of pride in doing what is right, and a delight in
showing their mom and others the fully punched cards and hearing, “You
did a good job! I’m proud of you!” I don’t think it’s all that
different for us as Christians...or it shouldn’t be.
God has
clearly laid out the “rules and consequences”. He has told us what He
expects of us...and what blessings will be ours as a result of our
obedience. He has told us that “the wages of sin are death”...and that a
life without Christ will keep us from spending Eternity in heaven. And
as I have pointed out before, God’s blessings are so numerous...and
Jesus’ sacrifices on our behalf were so tremendous...that we should be
filled with desire to honor and obey out of our own sense of devotion
and gratitude.
I don’t know about you, but I am appreciative of
the “health and blessings” that God provides. I don’t mind knowing what
is required of me...and doing all I can to live up to those
expectations. I feel so much better about myself when I know that I am
pleasing God and operating within His will for my life. And I look
forward to the day when I meet Jesus face-to-face and hear, “Well done!
I’m so proud of you! Welcome Home!!!”
There is healing power in
the “rules and consequences” of God. We have a clear “prescription”
for how to live as disciples of Christ. And like all people, we have a
choice to make...we can “follow the Doctor’s orders” and be healthy...or
we can set the “medicine” on the shelf and try to do things on our own.
We pretty well know what the end results will be. So what choices will
YOU make today? Will they be “excellent”, healthy, and pleasing to
God...or not?
©2014 Debbie Robus
3 John 1:2
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
This
morning as I left the pool at our local Aquatic Center, I met my Mam-ma
Polly’s best friend, Ruby. She was just getting into the therapy pool
for a morning exercise class. Ruby has a number of health issues,
including diabetes and neuropathy. She is also 95 years young, still
lives in her own home, and drives her own car...even to the community
Aquatic Center on a rainy Monday morning! If Ruby misses a church
service or Sunday school, you know that she is more than a little under
the weather!
Ruby is like my Mam-ma Polly – she comes from “good
stock!” She has endured a number of challenges and heartaches in her
life, including the deaths of two husbands and her daughter. Ruby took
it hard when Mam-ma Polly had to move to the Assisted Living Facility –
and even harder when she went to heaven. Mam-ma Polly was Ruby’s
“partner in crime” in many things for a number of years! You hardly saw
one without the other, so I know she has been lonely without her
friend.
Still, Ruby is one of the most upbeat and cheerful women I
know...and she reminds me of the “Engergizer® Bunny”! Her soul is
incredibly healthy, even as her body ages and declines...and I don’t
think this is any accident. I’ve known quite a few remarkable men and
women who lived well into their 90s...and some to nearly 100. And when I
say “lived well”...I mean, they lived well! If you take a good
look at these amazing role models, you can see a common thread...they
all have/had healthy souls! Their hearts belong to Jesus...they trust
Him to meet their needs and keep them upright and moving forward...and
they eagerly and joyfully anticipate spending eternity in His presence!
There
are “Rubys” and “Pollys” in our midst...and we would do well to watch
and learn from their extraordinary examples of faith and Christian
service. Look around you and see who demonstrates a healthy soul – even
when their body may not be serving them so well. Pay attention to how
they persevere...what keeps them motivated and encouraged. Learn from
their “spiritual fitness regimen”... and incorporate their methods into
your own life.
Many of us have a role model for physical
fitness...and/or someone to whom we look for guidance in business and
personal matters. And our “health” in these areas is important to God.
But fewer of us have found a role model for a healthy “faith walk,” and
it’s time we made this a priority. There are people around us who are,
for the most part, getting it right! Ask God to reveal their
presence...then pay attention to how they serve Him! Thank God for
examples of “good stock” who trust Him for their health and well-being
in every area of their lives...and take a page from their book for your
own circumstances.
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well
with YOU this day, and that your body - AND your soul - are both very
well and healthy.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Psalm 102:25-27
In the beginning, LORD, you laid the earth's foundation and created the heavens. They will all disappear and wear out like clothes. You change them, as you would a coat, but you last forever. You are always the same. Years cannot change you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, I gave my closet what I considered a “good cleaning.” I have items of clothing that are more than a decade old… and some jackets that are even older. I know that a few people are probably saying, “I believe it… no wonder you look so outdated!” But I do not like to get rid of things. And honestly, some of these items are still in style – or they have come back into style – and they have a lot of good “wear” left in them!
Some of my shoes are really well-made and appear to be headed toward lasting forever. Others… like my favorite pair of more-than-10-year-old fake leather boots… recently started to “flake” apart. I had to admit that they were worn out and needed to go. And on closer inspection, a lot of the items I thought I couldn’t live without had seen better days or no longer were right for me. So I sacked and sorted and donated and threw away. And I have to admit… I’m really happy with my “new” closet. Even though there are fewer items there, it seems more orderly and spacious… and what is left seems to make more sense.
This is a good time of year for us to clean our “Spiritual” closet, too. It’s time to let go of some old, outdated – or misinformed – concepts we have and seek a sleeker, cleaner, more organized relationship with God. Because you see, His truths are not going anywhere! The love, grace, mercy, and indisputable word of God will never change. But our level of faith… our attitudes and study habits… our level of communication and connection with God… seems to fluctuate. We appear to change our relationship with God often - like we change our wardrobe!
Wouldn’t it feel good to “clean out the closet” once and for all… to get rid of the old, worn-out habits and ideas that stymie your faith and your walk with God? Wouldn’t it be great to have a “Spiritual closet” filled with the “timeless classics” of a solid relationship with Almighty God and His Holy Spirit? Set aside some time to search your heart… to talk to God about what needs to stay, what is missing… and what needs to go. Then give your heart the “Spiritual cleaning” of a lifetime. This time, vow to keep things in order. With God’s help, we can do this… and our Spiritual life will always be in style.
©2010 Debbie Robus
Genesis 17:4
I promise that you will be the father of many nations. That's why I now change your name from Abram to Abraham.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When couples marry, the bride often changes her surname to that of the groom to signify her commitment and the beginning of a new life. While we don’t go to the extreme of changing our name on January 1st, many of us will vow to make significant changes in our lives… weight loss, kicking habits, getting a degree, starting an exercise program… maybe even starting a new career or moving to a new location! Change is inevitable… and often, change is good!
Making changes of a Spiritual nature are often just what The Doctor ordered. This is a great time to take stock of our Christian life and see where we need to make a few changes. Maybe we need to reinforce our prayer life. Maybe we need to confess a few sins and start living more like a disciple of Christ and less like the devil’s agent. Maybe we need to commit to serving God more and ourself a little less. Or maybe there are some who still need to make major changes – give their heart to Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to dwell within their heart.
Whatever Spiritual changes you make, today is the perfect time to begin. The other changes you want to incorporate may be important – and positive – but nothing will trump your efforts to become more in tune with God’s will for your life. Spend some time today talking to Him about how and where to start… and Happy New Year! May the coming year be the best, most blessed year you’ve experienced yet!
©2010 Debbie Robus
