Acts 20:28
“Now it’s up to you. Be on your
toes—both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit
has put you in charge of these people—God’s people they are—to guard
and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for.”
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 I had a dollar for every time
someone told me in the last month about the notes, phone calls, and
words of encouragement that my mother offered them over the course of
her life, I could treat half the town to a nice dinner! My mother spent
a good portion of her day writing cards, talking on the phone to
friends who needed a lift…or even physically doing things for others.
There have been times that I have fussed at my mother for doing things
for friends that physically were almost beyond her…things that should
have been done by that person’s much-younger family members. She would
say, “But this is something I can do…and this person needs me!" Some
people “talk the talk” – my mother “walked the walk!”
I know I am
dangerously teetering on the line of judging others, but this is
something of a pet peeve of mine…Christians who want to talk a good game
– but they truly are “all talk.” Too many of us never give a single
thought to the other guy. We look at widows, single persons, and guests who
sit next to us on the pew each Sunday…but we never acknowledge their
presence. We talk about how concerned we are for someone who is sick…or
how sad we are about the death of a friend or loved one…and then we
never take time to physically acknowledge this…to check on the person
who is ill …or to reach out to those who are grieving after a loss.
Don’t
misunderstand me…there are people who do a great job of “feeding the
sheep”…of being the hands and feet of Jesus to others. Some, like my
mother, probably even go a little overboard. I am reminded of a dear
member of our church who spent years “feeding the sheep,” because her
mother-in-law had been totally neglected and ignored when she fell ill
and infirm…and Mrs. Peggy vowed that this would not happen to others on
her “watch!” If you could have seen this octogenarian’s daily calendar
of people to visit or “tend to," your jaw would be on the ground! Now
her own health is failing and she cannot serve in this manner…but there
will surely be extra stars in her “crown” in heaven because of Mrs.
Peggy’s faithfulness to this Scriptural commission – and God must be
greatly pleased with her efforts.
My charge to you this day is to
stop and look around you. Where are you called to meet a need? Who
could use an e-mail message from you that says, “How are you doing?”
Could you give up a 30-minute sitcom to telephone a friend? Could you
forego that shopping trip for things you really don’t require in favor
of visiting a shut-in, carrying out the garbage or running an errand for
someone who is unable to do these things? Where could you “walk the
walk” rather than “talk the talk” – and show others that you care enough
to guard and protect them physically, mentally and spiritually?
As
the Apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus, God thought His people
were worth dying for…including YOU! So it follows that they should have
worth to us, as well…and we should be ready, willing and able to
demonstrate this. How are you doing these days? We all have room for
improvement. The question is…will you? Are you ready to truly walk in
Christian faith and feed Jesus’ sheep? Will this be the day that you
begin?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label bearing each others burdens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bearing each others burdens. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 12, 2014
Psalm 112:4-9
Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, a good friend of ours underwent surgery to remove his kidney. Pat was diagnosed with a form of Renal Cell Carcinoma…kidney cancer. Preliminary scans determined that the brain and bones were cancer-free, and the surgery revealed that the lymph nodes are clear as well. The message we received was “They got it all out.” This is great news for this 40-something father of three small children…as well as for all of us who love this family.
In a message Pat sent me following the surgery, he said, “We both know God has - and will - see us through this. He was never caught off guard by this.” His wife Kerri added, “We are feeling the overwhelming love from everyone…and feeling the prayers. God is giving us strength and comfort. We feel His hand in all of this.” Friends and fellow church members gathered at our church during the surgery to lift Pat in prayer…to ask for wisdom and expertise from the medical team…and to call on God to offer compassion and comfort to Pat’s family and friends. Clearly, God heard the prayers!
The husband of another friend - also a 40-something father to boys ages 6 and 8, and five-month-old twins - is battling Glioblastoma…a deadly (and so far, incurable) form of brain cancer…or as his wife calls it, “The Beast”. Adam’s cancer seems to be growing faster than chemo can kill it. And as we pray for Pat, we are also praying for Adam and his family.
Two Godly fathers…two very different prognoses. And some would say, “What did one do that the other did not? Why is God showing more mercy to one than the other? Doesn’t He see that both families need these dads? Doesn’t He understand the long-term impact of these situations? Why doesn’t God intervene for both of them? Does he care more for one family than the other?"
The simple answer is that God does not play favorites. Yes, God is fully aware of every single aspect of these situations…and He truly IS showing compassion for all concerned. As Pat said in his message, “God was never caught off guard by this.” So while it may seem that this scripture passage is telling us that God rewards our “good deeds” with His love and care…this is not the “whole enchilada”. Clearly we have an example of two men who have served their LORD well…but the path He designed for each of them is radically different. The pervading message is that God loves both of them…and He has tremendous love and compassion for their lives and the events that are unfolding.
So what do we do with this? How do we square such distressing ordeals with a loving, compassionate, merciful God? How do we witness to others about a God who allows human suffering and loss? The answer is simple… we look to the cross. We gaze upon the beaten and mutilated body of Jesus Christ, our SAVIOR…and we see that God understands how we feel. His anguish over Jesus’ suffering was so profound that it caused Him to momentarily look away. God feels our trepidation…He fully comprehends our questions – and why we ask them. But He knows so much more than we do about the “big picture”. We cannot fully see what God sees or know what He knows. But God is never caught off guard by these events.
Surely God calls on us to be faithful in our service to Him…fair in business…generous and kind…benevolent and compassionate to the needy…and fearless in the face of trials and tribulations. But He doesn’t play favorites. He does not say, “I will punish this person with a horrific accident or illness”…or “I will take him/her out of this world for such misdeeds or lack of faith.” He doesn’t arbitrarily decide that one young father should get a good diagnosis while another’s is grim. We simply do not see God’s big picture…so there is no way to fully understand His purposes.
We must cling to the promise that God’s plans are always perfect. We must trust Him and recognize that He loves us more than we can ever, EVER begin to comprehend…and His mercy and compassion are unending. And we must love others and show them the face of God, no matter what our circumstances. I have been so moved by the models of courage and fortitude that both of these young fathers and their families have demonstrated. I have witnessed God’s love and care through their examples of unwavering faith and hope. I have observed the outpouring of love, kindness, compassion and mercy from others for these families. And I have seen God’s handiwork in both situations.
None of us knows what tomorrow holds…or if we are promised another day. If you are young, you may think you have the rest of a very long life to start living for Jesus…plenty of time to be fair, honest, faithful and benevolent. But truly, you don’t know that. So don’t waste one minute! Pick up your Bible and read Psalm 112 in its entirety. Move over to the New Testament and read about the events that led to Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection. Then spend some time with God and ask Him to strengthen you in your discipleship…to truly enable you to be His face to others…to fortify your ability to be generous, compassionate, and righteous.
And pray for Pat and Adam and their families…and others who are facing tremendous tests and challenges. Ask God to reveal Himself to them in such a way that leaves no doubt that they belong to Him…that He is never caught off guard. Call on God to remind us in ways great and small that He’s got this – and them…and all will be well. To God be the glory…forever and ever. Amen!
©2014 Debbie Robus
Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, a good friend of ours underwent surgery to remove his kidney. Pat was diagnosed with a form of Renal Cell Carcinoma…kidney cancer. Preliminary scans determined that the brain and bones were cancer-free, and the surgery revealed that the lymph nodes are clear as well. The message we received was “They got it all out.” This is great news for this 40-something father of three small children…as well as for all of us who love this family.
In a message Pat sent me following the surgery, he said, “We both know God has - and will - see us through this. He was never caught off guard by this.” His wife Kerri added, “We are feeling the overwhelming love from everyone…and feeling the prayers. God is giving us strength and comfort. We feel His hand in all of this.” Friends and fellow church members gathered at our church during the surgery to lift Pat in prayer…to ask for wisdom and expertise from the medical team…and to call on God to offer compassion and comfort to Pat’s family and friends. Clearly, God heard the prayers!
The husband of another friend - also a 40-something father to boys ages 6 and 8, and five-month-old twins - is battling Glioblastoma…a deadly (and so far, incurable) form of brain cancer…or as his wife calls it, “The Beast”. Adam’s cancer seems to be growing faster than chemo can kill it. And as we pray for Pat, we are also praying for Adam and his family.
Two Godly fathers…two very different prognoses. And some would say, “What did one do that the other did not? Why is God showing more mercy to one than the other? Doesn’t He see that both families need these dads? Doesn’t He understand the long-term impact of these situations? Why doesn’t God intervene for both of them? Does he care more for one family than the other?"
The simple answer is that God does not play favorites. Yes, God is fully aware of every single aspect of these situations…and He truly IS showing compassion for all concerned. As Pat said in his message, “God was never caught off guard by this.” So while it may seem that this scripture passage is telling us that God rewards our “good deeds” with His love and care…this is not the “whole enchilada”. Clearly we have an example of two men who have served their LORD well…but the path He designed for each of them is radically different. The pervading message is that God loves both of them…and He has tremendous love and compassion for their lives and the events that are unfolding.
So what do we do with this? How do we square such distressing ordeals with a loving, compassionate, merciful God? How do we witness to others about a God who allows human suffering and loss? The answer is simple… we look to the cross. We gaze upon the beaten and mutilated body of Jesus Christ, our SAVIOR…and we see that God understands how we feel. His anguish over Jesus’ suffering was so profound that it caused Him to momentarily look away. God feels our trepidation…He fully comprehends our questions – and why we ask them. But He knows so much more than we do about the “big picture”. We cannot fully see what God sees or know what He knows. But God is never caught off guard by these events.
Surely God calls on us to be faithful in our service to Him…fair in business…generous and kind…benevolent and compassionate to the needy…and fearless in the face of trials and tribulations. But He doesn’t play favorites. He does not say, “I will punish this person with a horrific accident or illness”…or “I will take him/her out of this world for such misdeeds or lack of faith.” He doesn’t arbitrarily decide that one young father should get a good diagnosis while another’s is grim. We simply do not see God’s big picture…so there is no way to fully understand His purposes.
We must cling to the promise that God’s plans are always perfect. We must trust Him and recognize that He loves us more than we can ever, EVER begin to comprehend…and His mercy and compassion are unending. And we must love others and show them the face of God, no matter what our circumstances. I have been so moved by the models of courage and fortitude that both of these young fathers and their families have demonstrated. I have witnessed God’s love and care through their examples of unwavering faith and hope. I have observed the outpouring of love, kindness, compassion and mercy from others for these families. And I have seen God’s handiwork in both situations.
None of us knows what tomorrow holds…or if we are promised another day. If you are young, you may think you have the rest of a very long life to start living for Jesus…plenty of time to be fair, honest, faithful and benevolent. But truly, you don’t know that. So don’t waste one minute! Pick up your Bible and read Psalm 112 in its entirety. Move over to the New Testament and read about the events that led to Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection. Then spend some time with God and ask Him to strengthen you in your discipleship…to truly enable you to be His face to others…to fortify your ability to be generous, compassionate, and righteous.
And pray for Pat and Adam and their families…and others who are facing tremendous tests and challenges. Ask God to reveal Himself to them in such a way that leaves no doubt that they belong to Him…that He is never caught off guard. Call on God to remind us in ways great and small that He’s got this – and them…and all will be well. To God be the glory…forever and ever. Amen!
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 30, 2012
James 5:19-20
My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from 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.
One day last week, I made tuna salad. As I opened the cans of tuna fish, my cat, Lucy, came into the kitchen and began to cry and rub my legs. I have never given Lucy and Mabel tuna fish. They get a small spoonful of canned cat food each night, but never “human” food! I was tempted to give Lucy a small bite of the tuna, but I knew from experience with our first two cats that this would start something that I could never reverse!
We could apply this same principle to how we treat others… we cannot get this started! When someone wanders off track… engages in behavior that is irresponsible at best… or even downright immoral or ungodly… we must not dismiss them. We must never say, “Well, I tried… I gave it my best… but I’m done.” We most certainly cannot become disgusted and give up on them. If we give up on others, this will have a cumulative effect. We will find it easier and easier to throw up our hands, concede defeat and walk away. And the devil will dance.
Jesus never gives up on us. If we want to be like Him, we can never give up on others, either. We must continue to pray and trust God for His will to be manifested. We have to stay positive and faithful. We don’t need to preach and lecture. But we must maintain contact and offer love and kindness… let the other person know we still care - no matter what.
I can’t tell you how or when things will turn around… or if you will ever physically see the results of your efforts. I can assure you that if/when someone who has wandered away does make a change, you will be blessed… and so glad you didn’t give up on him/her. Either way, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you did what God asked of you… that you persisted in showing love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Never let it be said of you that these attributes have limits in your life. Love as Jesus did… without conditions or constraints.
Be ready to go the distance for others, just as Jesus does for us. And if/when the person does come back to God’s truth, be grateful… not for what you have done, but for how generous and dependable our Heavenly Father is toward each of us. Humble yourself and thank God for allowing you to play even the smallest part in showing unconditional love – and persistent faith – to others. This is not only our duty… it’s our privilege as Christians and Disciples of Christ. Are you doing your part to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from 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.
One day last week, I made tuna salad. As I opened the cans of tuna fish, my cat, Lucy, came into the kitchen and began to cry and rub my legs. I have never given Lucy and Mabel tuna fish. They get a small spoonful of canned cat food each night, but never “human” food! I was tempted to give Lucy a small bite of the tuna, but I knew from experience with our first two cats that this would start something that I could never reverse!
We could apply this same principle to how we treat others… we cannot get this started! When someone wanders off track… engages in behavior that is irresponsible at best… or even downright immoral or ungodly… we must not dismiss them. We must never say, “Well, I tried… I gave it my best… but I’m done.” We most certainly cannot become disgusted and give up on them. If we give up on others, this will have a cumulative effect. We will find it easier and easier to throw up our hands, concede defeat and walk away. And the devil will dance.
Jesus never gives up on us. If we want to be like Him, we can never give up on others, either. We must continue to pray and trust God for His will to be manifested. We have to stay positive and faithful. We don’t need to preach and lecture. But we must maintain contact and offer love and kindness… let the other person know we still care - no matter what.
I can’t tell you how or when things will turn around… or if you will ever physically see the results of your efforts. I can assure you that if/when someone who has wandered away does make a change, you will be blessed… and so glad you didn’t give up on him/her. Either way, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you did what God asked of you… that you persisted in showing love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Never let it be said of you that these attributes have limits in your life. Love as Jesus did… without conditions or constraints.
Be ready to go the distance for others, just as Jesus does for us. And if/when the person does come back to God’s truth, be grateful… not for what you have done, but for how generous and dependable our Heavenly Father is toward each of us. Humble yourself and thank God for allowing you to play even the smallest part in showing unconditional love – and persistent faith – to others. This is not only our duty… it’s our privilege as Christians and Disciples of Christ. Are you doing your part to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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