Daily Devotional for July 11, 2015

Luke 8:13-17
“But the corrupt tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, but beat upon his chest in sorrow, exclaiming, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! For the proud shall be humbled, but the humble shall be honored.”

One day some mothers brought their babies to him to touch and bless. But the disciples told them to go away.

Then Jesus called the children over to him and said to the disciples, “Let the little children come to me! Never send them away! For the Kingdom of God belongs to men who have hearts as trusting as these little children’s. And anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get within the Kingdom’s gates.”

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 have spent any time at all with children – or if you think back to your own childhood – one of the top ten questions children ask (if not #1) is…”WHY?”  And probably the most common answer adults give is…”Because I said so!”  The interesting thing is that we grown-ups expect this to be enough explanation and justification…and quite often, it IS!

So why is it that when our Heavenly Father says, “Because I said so…” we go…”But wait a minute!  What about XYZ?  You haven’t heard my reasons for why I want to do it this way!  What about what I want to do?!”  We demonstrate little to no faith in God to know what is best for us…and in doing so, we are as good as saying, “Yeah…I know You sent Jesus to supposedly die for my sins and show me how to live for You…but I’m not sure I totally buy it!”

Where is your humility?  Where is your “childlike faith” in an unseen God?  Where is your hope and confidence that all of the things God has promised us are real…true…and available to everyone?  When will we start living like children of the Most High God?  Are you humble enough to be honored and blessed by God…or are you too proud to really receive His forgiveness?  When it comes to faith in Jesus, “older and wiser” doesn’t always compute.  Is your heart as trusting as a little child’s?  Don’t you think you should be?

©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 22, 2015

Isaiah 55:8-11
This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours! For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours.

As the rain and snow come down from heaven and stay upon the ground to water the earth, and cause the grain to grow and to produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry, so also is my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it.

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

Greg and I watched a movie last night about WWII, called Fury.  Starring Brad Pitt (who also served as an Executive Producer), this  film portrayed the experiences of one particular five-man platoon that manned an Army tank behind enemy lines in Germany.  The film is truly graphic and gruesome in spots, as the story of just how horrific this war was comes to life on the screen.  And we are left to ask, “Why?”  This is a question a lot of people around the world are asking quite often these days…

• “Why are terrorists beheading and torturing people in the name of their religion?”
• “Why am I – or people I love – sick, injured, mentally challenged, suffering from dementia, handicapped in some way, or struggling in some manner?”
• “Why are we being pounded with seemingly unending weather systems that disrupt our daily routines and livelihood?”
• “Why are there abused and orphaned children, homeless people, and puppy mills?”
• “Why did my loved one have to die?”
• “Why can’t we all get along?”
• “Why are there people who refuse to believe in You and serve You?”
• “Why can’t I seem to find You?”

We believe that if only we had answers to these questions, life would be so much better…easier…more manageable.  But this is the polar opposite to what God shows us in this scripture passage.  It’s as if He says, “Stop!  Take a breath and trust Me!  I know what I am doing!  This is not supposed to make sense now…but it will someday - I promise!”

I get it…this is a really tough pill to swallow – especially in light of these very plausible and seemingly reasonable questions.  And God is not upset that we ask Him these things…only that we don’t often trust His response.

You may not like God’s answer…and He understands that, too.  We’re not called to enjoy human tragedy and suffering, natural disasters, death and other maladies…but we ARE beckoned to believe God’s promises and trust Him to deliver on them.  He will accomplish all He set out to provide…and the results will be prosperous – and perfect. 

Whatever your “Why?” today…God has a good answer.  Our challenge is to embrace His plans with confidence and to seek His “harvest” even among life’s “storms”.  Are you ready to trust God and embrace His “higher thoughts”?  Will this be the day that you begin?

©2015 Debbie Robus