Romans 8:15-17
This resurrection life you received
from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously
expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s
Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who
he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are
going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go
through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard
times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times
with him!
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.
Last night was the final
session of our church’s Vacation Bible School for this year. The kids
had a wonderful time, but I have to say…we were all glad that VBS is
over. Coupled with daily swim lessons, I think we were all pretty
weary. Greg counted yesterday and determined that for the last several
days, the children have been buckled in and out of the car at least six
times a day! And I counted up at least 4 daily wardrobe changes for three
kids plus myself! It’s July…and we have heat indexes over 100 degrees,
which adds to the overall fatigue. Last night during Timothy’s crafts
rotation at VBS, he told me, “Aunt Debbie, I have to tell you
something…we played ‘Freeze Tag’ – and I’m exhausted!”
Today as
we headed home from swim lessons, I reminded the kids, “Just one more
day this week, and then we get a break.” There is light at the end of
this tunnel, but we have journeyed far this last five days/nights. The
children learned important Bible lessons…and their swimming skills are
improving every day. But the schedule has been a bit much at times.
And sometimes, we’ve kept them going with promises of a prize at the
end…ice cream after a nap, suckers after swim lessons…or a chance to
choose a new toy at the end of the week. There have been some tears and a
tantrum or two…and the kids have been grumpy as well (just kidding!).
But we are surviving, and the week is almost over.
In this
scripture passage, Paul is comparing our Christian faith to that of a
“Father/child relationship” in which we anticipate what is next with
God…what lies ahead with our Heavenly Father. But in the meantime, we
probably will have to go through some “stuff.” We will face challenges,
temptations, and even hardships, sadness and disappointments. But it
won’t be anything that Jesus didn’t endure. And even more importantly,
we won’t go through anything on this earth without Jesus right there
with us – at least we don’t have to!
For those of us who have
surrendered fully to Christ…confessed our sins and given Him authority
over our lives, we have gained a “Forever Friend.” Those of us who have
invited the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts never go through
anything alone…no matter how empty or frustrated we might feel at any
particular moment. We are promised an unbelievable inheritance…but also
a never-ending companionship.
I don’t know about you, but this
keeps me going, to a large degree. I know that God won’t ask me to
handle anything by myself…and I truly do believe that His rewards – both
in the short and long term – will make it all worthwhile.
Like
children who cling to the prizes – both big and little – we cling to
hope in Jesus Christ…and His promises that an unbelievable inheritance
awaits us someday. Meanwhile, we trust in Him to give us hope and
encouragement…and an occasional nap doesn’t hurt, either! My prayer is
that you feel God’s presence, promises, and peace this day…and in those
to come.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label being childlike in our faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being childlike in our faith. Show all posts
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
“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 January 14, 2015
Luke 8:15-17
People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”
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 Timothy’s first books was called Inside Noah’s Ark* by Charles Reasoner. My mom bought this “board book” for him, and it didn’t take long for Timothy to learn the rhyming phrases on each page. “Load the animals, two by two – here on Noah’s floating zoo”, the first lines say…and we “loaded” the ark countless times. I read other “God books” to Timothy…simple prayers for children, Bible stories, and a particularly special book that explored the question, “Where is God?”
I have always marveled at Timothy’s acceptance of God. He has asked a few insightful questions about why we cannot see God…and where is He, really?...but he readily accepts that God is everywhere – that He lives in our hearts and is with us at all times. I believe he truly loves God as much as any five-year-old can. He is learning about the importance of living in a way that pleases God…and it appears to be important to him to do this. We’ve read stories about Jonah and others who did not obey God and suffered the consequences. I feel like Timothy and his siblings are developing a very good grasp of just how much God loves them…and they are developing a desire to honor and obey Him.
The question seems to be…when do we lose this innocence and purity of heart? At what age/life stage do we start to really question God’s authenticity…and His presence? More importantly, WHY do we do this? There are dozens of answers, ranging from the development of an intellect that causes us to question everything to peer pressure to a heightened sense of ego and self-sufficiency that can often lead to rebellion…or some catastrophic event that kicks us in the gut and leaves us feeling “punished” or abandoned by God.
Regardless of the causes, the bottom line is that we need to return to “child-like faith” and trust God more readily. It’s okay to have questions…God welcomes them, and He will provide the answers if/when we are willing to seek His guidance. It’s okay to be confident and believe in yourself – to a point. But rather than criticize or demean those who seem to rely on God and follow His lead with something akin to “wild abandon,” we would do well to “let go and let God” a little more and adapt their approach.
Sometimes, reverting to your childhood can be a good thing…and when it comes to your faith in God and the attitudes of your heart, it’s most definitely good to be a kid again. Are you ready to trust God with the simplicity of a child? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
*http://www.amazon.com/dp/0843148853/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=ICIIN9FURNLT&coliid=I1AX4856YA4WRD
People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”
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 Timothy’s first books was called Inside Noah’s Ark* by Charles Reasoner. My mom bought this “board book” for him, and it didn’t take long for Timothy to learn the rhyming phrases on each page. “Load the animals, two by two – here on Noah’s floating zoo”, the first lines say…and we “loaded” the ark countless times. I read other “God books” to Timothy…simple prayers for children, Bible stories, and a particularly special book that explored the question, “Where is God?”
I have always marveled at Timothy’s acceptance of God. He has asked a few insightful questions about why we cannot see God…and where is He, really?...but he readily accepts that God is everywhere – that He lives in our hearts and is with us at all times. I believe he truly loves God as much as any five-year-old can. He is learning about the importance of living in a way that pleases God…and it appears to be important to him to do this. We’ve read stories about Jonah and others who did not obey God and suffered the consequences. I feel like Timothy and his siblings are developing a very good grasp of just how much God loves them…and they are developing a desire to honor and obey Him.
The question seems to be…when do we lose this innocence and purity of heart? At what age/life stage do we start to really question God’s authenticity…and His presence? More importantly, WHY do we do this? There are dozens of answers, ranging from the development of an intellect that causes us to question everything to peer pressure to a heightened sense of ego and self-sufficiency that can often lead to rebellion…or some catastrophic event that kicks us in the gut and leaves us feeling “punished” or abandoned by God.
Regardless of the causes, the bottom line is that we need to return to “child-like faith” and trust God more readily. It’s okay to have questions…God welcomes them, and He will provide the answers if/when we are willing to seek His guidance. It’s okay to be confident and believe in yourself – to a point. But rather than criticize or demean those who seem to rely on God and follow His lead with something akin to “wild abandon,” we would do well to “let go and let God” a little more and adapt their approach.
Sometimes, reverting to your childhood can be a good thing…and when it comes to your faith in God and the attitudes of your heart, it’s most definitely good to be a kid again. Are you ready to trust God with the simplicity of a child? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
*http://www.amazon.com/dp/0843148853/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=ICIIN9FURNLT&coliid=I1AX4856YA4WRD
Daily Devotional for December 7, 2014
Luke 2:16-19
They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story expressed astonishment, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Our family took in the community’s annual lighted Christmas parade recently… including our niece and her husband and children - Timothy, Zola and Nathan. Timothy was clutching a small drawing that he and his mother had made earlier in the day. There was a depiction of Santa Claus, a reindeer, and some writing. He was very proud of his picture and showed it to several people…but he never let go of it.
Timothy told a friend of ours that he was going to see Santa after the parade. She asked, “Are you going to tell him what you want for Christmas?” With a gentle shake of his head, he very politely, but definitively told her, “No…he already knows!”
After the parade, the children did indeed get to see Santa. And we learned that the picture had been prepared for HIM…for his refrigerator at the North Pole. All that Timothy wanted to do was to give Santa the drawing he made for him. When he saw Santa walking across the lawn, he shot out toward him like a rocket…and he presented him with the picture. Santa thanked him - and Zola and Nathan. And he said, “I’ll be seeing you again very soon!”
Now, I know that Jesus isn’t Santa…and I do not mean to draw that comparison, except to say that the childlike faith and confidence of trusting that Santa WILL come and knows what we want often eludes us in the context of our Christian faith and trusting God for the same things. It doesn’t occur to us to “give back” to Jesus…to “make something for Him” in words and deeds. And while some of us might SAY that we believe that He knows our every need…few of us operate with such confidence and assurance that “God’s got this!” in our daily lives.
With unwavering conviction, the shepherds rushed to the stable to greet the newborn King. With complete certainty, they returned to their village and surrounding pastures to tell everyone what they had seen…that Jesus - the Messiah - was HERE! They did their part to herald the birth of Christ and share the Good News with others.
Today, it’s our turn. What will YOU do to demonstrate your faith and confidence in Jesus? Do you fully believe that He knows what you need before you even speak of it? Isn’t it time for you to trust Him more fully? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story expressed astonishment, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Our family took in the community’s annual lighted Christmas parade recently… including our niece and her husband and children - Timothy, Zola and Nathan. Timothy was clutching a small drawing that he and his mother had made earlier in the day. There was a depiction of Santa Claus, a reindeer, and some writing. He was very proud of his picture and showed it to several people…but he never let go of it.
Timothy told a friend of ours that he was going to see Santa after the parade. She asked, “Are you going to tell him what you want for Christmas?” With a gentle shake of his head, he very politely, but definitively told her, “No…he already knows!”
After the parade, the children did indeed get to see Santa. And we learned that the picture had been prepared for HIM…for his refrigerator at the North Pole. All that Timothy wanted to do was to give Santa the drawing he made for him. When he saw Santa walking across the lawn, he shot out toward him like a rocket…and he presented him with the picture. Santa thanked him - and Zola and Nathan. And he said, “I’ll be seeing you again very soon!”
Now, I know that Jesus isn’t Santa…and I do not mean to draw that comparison, except to say that the childlike faith and confidence of trusting that Santa WILL come and knows what we want often eludes us in the context of our Christian faith and trusting God for the same things. It doesn’t occur to us to “give back” to Jesus…to “make something for Him” in words and deeds. And while some of us might SAY that we believe that He knows our every need…few of us operate with such confidence and assurance that “God’s got this!” in our daily lives.
With unwavering conviction, the shepherds rushed to the stable to greet the newborn King. With complete certainty, they returned to their village and surrounding pastures to tell everyone what they had seen…that Jesus - the Messiah - was HERE! They did their part to herald the birth of Christ and share the Good News with others.
Today, it’s our turn. What will YOU do to demonstrate your faith and confidence in Jesus? Do you fully believe that He knows what you need before you even speak of it? Isn’t it time for you to trust Him more fully? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 22, 2014
Psalm 100:1-5
Shout praises to the Lord,
everyone on this earth.
Be joyful and sing
as you come in
to worship the Lord!
You know the Lord is God!
He created us,
and we belong to him;
we are his people,
the sheep in his pasture.
Be thankful and praise the Lord
as you enter his temple.
The Lord is good!
His love and faithfulness
will last forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My friend put up a Christmas tree and let her three young grandchildren (a boy and two girls - ages 5 and under) decorate it. One of the little girls methodically hung ornaments while singing, “O Mistmas Twee, O MISTmas Twee!” It was adorable. She sang her heart out for the joy of Christmas and decorating the tree in her Honey’s bedroom.
I’ve often said that we can learn so much from little children. They are truly pure and unadulterated…able to find the joy in little things like decorating a “Mistmas twee” with cousins at Grandma’s house. They get excited over presents…sometimes as much about the box as what was inside. For the most part, they have no doubt that they are loved and belong to someone…and in their own way, they are thankful.
Somehow, as we grow up, we seem to somewhat “outgrow God”. We’re not nearly as unabashed in our singing of His praises. We question who we are, where we fit in – and sometimes, WHOSE we are! We take God for granted…and when we do thank Him, it’s often hurried or superficial. We fail to truly acknowledge His gifts…and when we do, we’re much more concerned with what is given than the packaging or the Deliverer.
I have to wonder…are our “songs of praise” to God as sweet and dear to Him as the humbly offered “Oh, Mistmas Twee” of a toddler? Are our words of gratitude a “joyful noise” in His ears, or the same old “yadda, yadda, yadda” we’ve offered Him for ages? Isn’t it time we got this right? Wouldn’t this be a great day to begin?
Make a joyful noise. Serve the LORD with gladness. Come before His presence with Thanksgiving. For the LORD is good…His mercies are everlasting…and His truth endures forever. If that doesn’t merit a grown-up “O Mistmas tree” praise, I don’t know what will…do you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Shout praises to the Lord,
everyone on this earth.
Be joyful and sing
as you come in
to worship the Lord!
You know the Lord is God!
He created us,
and we belong to him;
we are his people,
the sheep in his pasture.
Be thankful and praise the Lord
as you enter his temple.
The Lord is good!
His love and faithfulness
will last forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My friend put up a Christmas tree and let her three young grandchildren (a boy and two girls - ages 5 and under) decorate it. One of the little girls methodically hung ornaments while singing, “O Mistmas Twee, O MISTmas Twee!” It was adorable. She sang her heart out for the joy of Christmas and decorating the tree in her Honey’s bedroom.
I’ve often said that we can learn so much from little children. They are truly pure and unadulterated…able to find the joy in little things like decorating a “Mistmas twee” with cousins at Grandma’s house. They get excited over presents…sometimes as much about the box as what was inside. For the most part, they have no doubt that they are loved and belong to someone…and in their own way, they are thankful.
Somehow, as we grow up, we seem to somewhat “outgrow God”. We’re not nearly as unabashed in our singing of His praises. We question who we are, where we fit in – and sometimes, WHOSE we are! We take God for granted…and when we do thank Him, it’s often hurried or superficial. We fail to truly acknowledge His gifts…and when we do, we’re much more concerned with what is given than the packaging or the Deliverer.
I have to wonder…are our “songs of praise” to God as sweet and dear to Him as the humbly offered “Oh, Mistmas Twee” of a toddler? Are our words of gratitude a “joyful noise” in His ears, or the same old “yadda, yadda, yadda” we’ve offered Him for ages? Isn’t it time we got this right? Wouldn’t this be a great day to begin?
Make a joyful noise. Serve the LORD with gladness. Come before His presence with Thanksgiving. For the LORD is good…His mercies are everlasting…and His truth endures forever. If that doesn’t merit a grown-up “O Mistmas tree” praise, I don’t know what will…do you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 4, 2014
Job 12:7-12
“But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you;
let the birds tell you what’s going on.
Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics.
Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories.
Isn’t it clear that they all know and agree
that God is sovereign, that he holds all things in his hand—
Every living soul, yes,
every breathing creature?
Isn’t this all just common sense,
as common as the sense of taste?
Do you think the elderly have a corner on wisdom,
that you have to grow old before you understand 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.
My nephew, Timothy, will be five years old in a little over a week, yet he has a wisdom that far exceeds his years. I’m not talking about his ability to count to 100 or his uncanny capacity for reciting entire scenes from movies verbatim. I’m talking about his appreciation of the simplest of pleasures…a cheese sandwich (no crust)… a thrift-store Velociraptor or T-Rex – or a plastic tub full of garage-sale cars, trucks and planes…a “Christmas” blanket and a “soft” Santa Claus – and a recording of “Frosty The Snowman” played for the gazillionth time…or a trip to the park to play. I am also referring to his awareness of nature…how he notices the intricacies of a bug AND the beauty of others…and his appreciation for a “wonderful day” that includes sunshine and doing the things he loves with the people he loves.
More importantly, Timothy has a huge heart…for living creatures – and for God. He doesn’t question…he trusts. He seems to have a depth of understanding and acceptance of God that eludes people ten times or more his age! He appears to comprehend God’s power and strength – and His unconditional love and care. This little boy doesn’t notice age, sex, skin color, or socio-economic differences. He doesn’t hesitate to tell the ticket taker at the bouncy houses in the park that she is beautiful…or to greet an elderly person with a hug and ask “How is your day going?” Every child he encounters is a potential “friend”…and he doesn’t hold grudges.
Author and speaker Beth Moore writes in Feathers From My Nest that children will be influenced exponentially by people and forces outside of the home as they grow and venture forth. And sadly, they will lose some of their innocence and trusting nature…and maybe even their faith. No longer will they be so willing to take people and situations at face value. They will become too busy to “stop and smell the roses” in many instances…and they may begin to question everything – including God. I know that she is right. It happens to most of us…and it may happen to our little guy.
But there is good news. While we changed as we grew…God has NOT changed. He is still with us…still there for us in every minute – in every way…and we can find Him again and give Him our full trust and devotion. The first step is to stop and get still and quiet for a little bit…to look around and truly SEE God in the detailed pattern of fur on your dog or cat – or that cow-lick in your hair…to marvel at the incredible attention He has given to the body of even a lowly moth or grasshopper…to appreciate His gift of sunshine and rain – seasons and surprises. Take a full assessment of your life and recognize where God has provided…how He has guided your steps and cared for you along the way.
Devote a few minutes to reviewing where you stepped away from God and tried to “have it your way”. Acknowledge how this may not have worked out so well…and pledge to stay more attuned to His will and direction in the future. In essence, become a kid again…but not necessarily in the way you might think. Quit making everything so complicated and return to the child-like wonder of a relationship with God…the time when life was simpler and “under-analyzed”…when all you needed was a cheese sandwich, your favorite blanket and a plastic dinosaur or bug book…and the people you loved.
Find God again…and reconnect with Him by surrendering YOUR will to His. Let “nature” and the “wisdom” of a five-year-old be your guide.
©2014 Debbie Robus
“But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you;
let the birds tell you what’s going on.
Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics.
Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories.
Isn’t it clear that they all know and agree
that God is sovereign, that he holds all things in his hand—
Every living soul, yes,
every breathing creature?
Isn’t this all just common sense,
as common as the sense of taste?
Do you think the elderly have a corner on wisdom,
that you have to grow old before you understand 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.
My nephew, Timothy, will be five years old in a little over a week, yet he has a wisdom that far exceeds his years. I’m not talking about his ability to count to 100 or his uncanny capacity for reciting entire scenes from movies verbatim. I’m talking about his appreciation of the simplest of pleasures…a cheese sandwich (no crust)… a thrift-store Velociraptor or T-Rex – or a plastic tub full of garage-sale cars, trucks and planes…a “Christmas” blanket and a “soft” Santa Claus – and a recording of “Frosty The Snowman” played for the gazillionth time…or a trip to the park to play. I am also referring to his awareness of nature…how he notices the intricacies of a bug AND the beauty of others…and his appreciation for a “wonderful day” that includes sunshine and doing the things he loves with the people he loves.
More importantly, Timothy has a huge heart…for living creatures – and for God. He doesn’t question…he trusts. He seems to have a depth of understanding and acceptance of God that eludes people ten times or more his age! He appears to comprehend God’s power and strength – and His unconditional love and care. This little boy doesn’t notice age, sex, skin color, or socio-economic differences. He doesn’t hesitate to tell the ticket taker at the bouncy houses in the park that she is beautiful…or to greet an elderly person with a hug and ask “How is your day going?” Every child he encounters is a potential “friend”…and he doesn’t hold grudges.
Author and speaker Beth Moore writes in Feathers From My Nest that children will be influenced exponentially by people and forces outside of the home as they grow and venture forth. And sadly, they will lose some of their innocence and trusting nature…and maybe even their faith. No longer will they be so willing to take people and situations at face value. They will become too busy to “stop and smell the roses” in many instances…and they may begin to question everything – including God. I know that she is right. It happens to most of us…and it may happen to our little guy.
But there is good news. While we changed as we grew…God has NOT changed. He is still with us…still there for us in every minute – in every way…and we can find Him again and give Him our full trust and devotion. The first step is to stop and get still and quiet for a little bit…to look around and truly SEE God in the detailed pattern of fur on your dog or cat – or that cow-lick in your hair…to marvel at the incredible attention He has given to the body of even a lowly moth or grasshopper…to appreciate His gift of sunshine and rain – seasons and surprises. Take a full assessment of your life and recognize where God has provided…how He has guided your steps and cared for you along the way.
Devote a few minutes to reviewing where you stepped away from God and tried to “have it your way”. Acknowledge how this may not have worked out so well…and pledge to stay more attuned to His will and direction in the future. In essence, become a kid again…but not necessarily in the way you might think. Quit making everything so complicated and return to the child-like wonder of a relationship with God…the time when life was simpler and “under-analyzed”…when all you needed was a cheese sandwich, your favorite blanket and a plastic dinosaur or bug book…and the people you loved.
Find God again…and reconnect with Him by surrendering YOUR will to His. Let “nature” and the “wisdom” of a five-year-old be your guide.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 6, 2013
Philippians 4:9
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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.
Today, my nine-year-old cousin Olivia spent the day with us. Olivia’s mom is a kindergarten teacher who has already returned to work for the new school year. So I invited Olivia to come have a “sewing/craft” day with me. When I picked her up at 9:00 a.m., she told me that what she really wanted to do today was cook! I asked, “What would you like to cook?” She decided we should bake cupcakes. So bake cupcakes we did… and Olivia carefully watched every step in the process. I put flour into the sifter… she sifted. I mixed buttermilk and cocoa powder, and she stirred. She scooped the batter into the cupcake papers. We both checked them for doneness as they baked! I told her I was not any good at frosting cakes, and she said, “Don’t worry… I’m great at it…I’ll teach you!” And she truly did show me a few tricks!
We also sewed… I helped her make a little felt purse for her American Girl doll, and she helped me cut out some fabric flowers to enhance a dress that we made for her. Things move quickly with a nine-year-old, so you try a lot of different projects in one day! We even drew a flower and worked with pastels, and I showed Olivia how to blend the colors and smooth them… something she learned to do quickly and really enjoyed. And she taught me how to be a “shark” when playing Monopoly!
I know that at least a few of the things we did today will stick with Olivia. We looked at several of my cooking utensils, and I told her some had come from her great-great-grandmother (my great-aunt). We talked a lot about cooking, and I told her about the women in my life who taught me to cook… especially my grandmother and her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She also told me, “I won’t taste the cupcake batter, because it has raw eggs in it.” She is listening and watching… and putting into practice what she learns and receives from the “teachers” in her own life.
It gets better…Olivia’s mother shared with me that last night at bedtime Olivia prayed for me and for our time together. Now that is the perfect example of putting into practice what one has learned! When we reach a point in our faith where we deem it important to pray about something as seemingly trivial as a “play-date” with a friend or relative, we have successfully put into practice what we have learned and received from God and faithful parents and “teachers”. And for such attentiveness and obedience, God gives us His abiding peace.
I often say that we could learn a lot from our children… and Olivia is a great example of this. Before her tenth birthday, she has learned to pay attention to the “lessons” that surround her… and she is busy putting her knowledge into action. Sadly, at some point many of us seem to “catalog” our lessons rather than incorporate them… especially when it comes to Christian discipleship and how we share Jesus with others. You don’t have to look very far to see that often this directly correlates to a spirit of discontentment, fear, disappointment and chaos in our lives.
Wouldn’t you rather operate in God’s peace? Don’t you see that God has given us perfect instruction and models for this through His Holy Word and the discipleship of many in our midst? Are you paying attention and learning from these examples? Are you practicing what you receive and putting this information into action in your daily living? Do you know that it’s never too late to learn something new? Won’t you make this the day you start acting like a true Disciple? Are you ready to experience the peace of God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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.
Today, my nine-year-old cousin Olivia spent the day with us. Olivia’s mom is a kindergarten teacher who has already returned to work for the new school year. So I invited Olivia to come have a “sewing/craft” day with me. When I picked her up at 9:00 a.m., she told me that what she really wanted to do today was cook! I asked, “What would you like to cook?” She decided we should bake cupcakes. So bake cupcakes we did… and Olivia carefully watched every step in the process. I put flour into the sifter… she sifted. I mixed buttermilk and cocoa powder, and she stirred. She scooped the batter into the cupcake papers. We both checked them for doneness as they baked! I told her I was not any good at frosting cakes, and she said, “Don’t worry… I’m great at it…I’ll teach you!” And she truly did show me a few tricks!
We also sewed… I helped her make a little felt purse for her American Girl doll, and she helped me cut out some fabric flowers to enhance a dress that we made for her. Things move quickly with a nine-year-old, so you try a lot of different projects in one day! We even drew a flower and worked with pastels, and I showed Olivia how to blend the colors and smooth them… something she learned to do quickly and really enjoyed. And she taught me how to be a “shark” when playing Monopoly!
I know that at least a few of the things we did today will stick with Olivia. We looked at several of my cooking utensils, and I told her some had come from her great-great-grandmother (my great-aunt). We talked a lot about cooking, and I told her about the women in my life who taught me to cook… especially my grandmother and her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She also told me, “I won’t taste the cupcake batter, because it has raw eggs in it.” She is listening and watching… and putting into practice what she learns and receives from the “teachers” in her own life.
It gets better…Olivia’s mother shared with me that last night at bedtime Olivia prayed for me and for our time together. Now that is the perfect example of putting into practice what one has learned! When we reach a point in our faith where we deem it important to pray about something as seemingly trivial as a “play-date” with a friend or relative, we have successfully put into practice what we have learned and received from God and faithful parents and “teachers”. And for such attentiveness and obedience, God gives us His abiding peace.
I often say that we could learn a lot from our children… and Olivia is a great example of this. Before her tenth birthday, she has learned to pay attention to the “lessons” that surround her… and she is busy putting her knowledge into action. Sadly, at some point many of us seem to “catalog” our lessons rather than incorporate them… especially when it comes to Christian discipleship and how we share Jesus with others. You don’t have to look very far to see that often this directly correlates to a spirit of discontentment, fear, disappointment and chaos in our lives.
Wouldn’t you rather operate in God’s peace? Don’t you see that God has given us perfect instruction and models for this through His Holy Word and the discipleship of many in our midst? Are you paying attention and learning from these examples? Are you practicing what you receive and putting this information into action in your daily living? Do you know that it’s never too late to learn something new? Won’t you make this the day you start acting like a true Disciple? Are you ready to experience the peace of God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 15, 2013
James 1:6-9
But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Vacation Bible School began at my church last night, and the theme is Athens. We are learning about Paul’s journey to Athens to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. I am leading crafts for grades 1-5. My assistant and I created a “marketplace”… tenting overhead with tables laden with musical instruments, pottery, baskets, fruits and vegetables, and more. We dress in costume appropriate for the era and visit with the children as they create their “marketplace souvenirs”. Last night it was a musical lyre…tonight it will be a clay pot decorated with beads and jewels, then a voting ballot necklace and a memory box on subsequent nights.
The “leader guidelines” tell us to begin the first night as skeptics…to ask the children if they have heard of this guy, Paul… and the “crazy” things he is saying about some guy named Jesus who died and rose again. Supposedly, Paul is telling people that there is only one God… and He is Jesus! As market vendors during a “festival of gods,” we are to ask the children, “How can this be? Aren’t there many gods?” Recognizing that women probably were not supposed to have an opinion, I told one table of 3rd-graders that I overheard my husband and father talking, and they said that there were MANY gods… that this Paul fellow was wrong. One little girl looked up at me and said, “Well, your husband needs to read his Bible!”
As the Vacation Bible School progresses, we will all learn the TRUTH about Paul and Jesus, and by the last night, my character will have become a believer. But for now, I have a feeling at least one 3rd grader does not trust me! In her mind, I have doubts. She has none… and thankfully, I am happy to report that many other children in the group adamantly expressed an assurance that Jesus is REAL and the one true God.
My character is sort of having a rough go of things. Business is slow in the marketplace, and now some guy has shown up in town stirring up trouble. My character has a lot of questions. As I told the children last night, “I hope I get to meet this Paul guy and hear what he has to say.” And maybe you need to hear from someone about Jesus today. Even if you know Him… you may not really know Him. You may not have the full assurance that He is with you and will provide for your every need, regardless of who you are – or where you are in life. You may not understand that God does not see us as we see ourselves… He doesn’t recognize “beauty” as we do… He doesn’t care about your economic status – He just cares what you do with what you have! God doesn’t judge us by the same criteria we value. He stands ready to bless us… to love and nurture us… to meet our every need. Our job is to trust Him to do so… and to recognize His blessings when they come.
Are you even a little like my marketplace vendor? Are you even the least bit skeptical about when and how God answers our prayers and cares for us? Are you as certain as a 3rd-grader of the power and autonomy of Jesus in your life? Isn’t it time you were? On the way home last night, Timothy reported that “Paul is our friend!” Some of us need to hear this today… and to hear that Jesus is the best Friend we will ever have. If little children who have absolutely zero reference point for a relationship with Jesus can believe in Him so readily and trust His word… why can’t we? Isn’t it time to change this?
©2013 Debbie Robus
But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The “leader guidelines” tell us to begin the first night as skeptics…to ask the children if they have heard of this guy, Paul… and the “crazy” things he is saying about some guy named Jesus who died and rose again. Supposedly, Paul is telling people that there is only one God… and He is Jesus! As market vendors during a “festival of gods,” we are to ask the children, “How can this be? Aren’t there many gods?” Recognizing that women probably were not supposed to have an opinion, I told one table of 3rd-graders that I overheard my husband and father talking, and they said that there were MANY gods… that this Paul fellow was wrong. One little girl looked up at me and said, “Well, your husband needs to read his Bible!”
As the Vacation Bible School progresses, we will all learn the TRUTH about Paul and Jesus, and by the last night, my character will have become a believer. But for now, I have a feeling at least one 3rd grader does not trust me! In her mind, I have doubts. She has none… and thankfully, I am happy to report that many other children in the group adamantly expressed an assurance that Jesus is REAL and the one true God.
My character is sort of having a rough go of things. Business is slow in the marketplace, and now some guy has shown up in town stirring up trouble. My character has a lot of questions. As I told the children last night, “I hope I get to meet this Paul guy and hear what he has to say.” And maybe you need to hear from someone about Jesus today. Even if you know Him… you may not really know Him. You may not have the full assurance that He is with you and will provide for your every need, regardless of who you are – or where you are in life. You may not understand that God does not see us as we see ourselves… He doesn’t recognize “beauty” as we do… He doesn’t care about your economic status – He just cares what you do with what you have! God doesn’t judge us by the same criteria we value. He stands ready to bless us… to love and nurture us… to meet our every need. Our job is to trust Him to do so… and to recognize His blessings when they come.
Are you even a little like my marketplace vendor? Are you even the least bit skeptical about when and how God answers our prayers and cares for us? Are you as certain as a 3rd-grader of the power and autonomy of Jesus in your life? Isn’t it time you were? On the way home last night, Timothy reported that “Paul is our friend!” Some of us need to hear this today… and to hear that Jesus is the best Friend we will ever have. If little children who have absolutely zero reference point for a relationship with Jesus can believe in Him so readily and trust His word… why can’t we? Isn’t it time to change this?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 10, 2013
Isaiah 54:13
I will teach all your children,
and they will enjoy great peace.
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.
I have been amazed at how readily – and easily – Timothy accepts and embraces the lessons he is learning in Sunday school. My friend Alyce and I decorated the “craft room” this morning for our church's Vacation Bible School next week. I thought about all of the children who will pass through this area, creating beaded clay bowls, a lyre, a memory box and more to remind them of the Apostle Paul’s journey to Athens. I can almost hear the stories from Timothy now!
Do you remember your Sunday school days – or maybe Vacation Bible School? Do you remember how and when you first came to know about God… that He existed and that He loved you? Do you remember when you first began to question it all? As I studied commentaries on this scripture passage, I gained insight into how the Holy Spirit fills us as children… how God dwells in our hearts and teaches us. In our childlike wonder and purity, we accept His message as He “loads” us like little hard drives with His desires for our life. He also utilizes our surroundings, adults, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School and other tools to reinforce our knowledge and wisdom of His love and devotion.
Somewhere along the line, we begin to question… to doubt… to try to rationalize and reason. And often, the things we once accepted so readily about God begin to seem uncertain… problematic… debatable. Let’s be honest… these doubts can cause us to feel unsettled – and to lose our peace. If this has happened to you, I encourage you to open your Bible – and your heart. With childlike wonder and innocence, allow God to fill you with His wisdom – and his peace.
Recognize that the devil is whispering in your ear… “How can this be? How can God possibly love you like He says…with such abandon and abundance? How crazy do you have to be to believe that God sent His only Son to die on the cross and freely pay the price once and for all for your sins? There has to be a catch! God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness must surely have some sort of price!” Choose to refute these thoughts… to pour God’ promises of hope, joy and salvation into your spirit and to operate in pure, unadulterated faith that He is the Real Deal and will do exactly what He has pledged.
Trust that the Bible is God’s Holy Word… one of His methods to reach your heart and fill you with His perfect will for your life. This is one instance where it’s okay to become a kid again… to allow yourself the freedom to open your heart, mind, and imagination to the possibilities God offers you… and the peace He wishes to give you. Let God teach you once more. After all, in His eyes, we are still His little children. Maybe it’s time we acted like it! Try looking at God through the eyes of a child… your own, or how you imagine a child would see Him. See if you don’t discover a renewed energy and enthusiasm for God… and an amazing sense of peace, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
I will teach all your children,
and they will enjoy great peace.
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.
I have been amazed at how readily – and easily – Timothy accepts and embraces the lessons he is learning in Sunday school. My friend Alyce and I decorated the “craft room” this morning for our church's Vacation Bible School next week. I thought about all of the children who will pass through this area, creating beaded clay bowls, a lyre, a memory box and more to remind them of the Apostle Paul’s journey to Athens. I can almost hear the stories from Timothy now!
Do you remember your Sunday school days – or maybe Vacation Bible School? Do you remember how and when you first came to know about God… that He existed and that He loved you? Do you remember when you first began to question it all? As I studied commentaries on this scripture passage, I gained insight into how the Holy Spirit fills us as children… how God dwells in our hearts and teaches us. In our childlike wonder and purity, we accept His message as He “loads” us like little hard drives with His desires for our life. He also utilizes our surroundings, adults, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School and other tools to reinforce our knowledge and wisdom of His love and devotion.
Somewhere along the line, we begin to question… to doubt… to try to rationalize and reason. And often, the things we once accepted so readily about God begin to seem uncertain… problematic… debatable. Let’s be honest… these doubts can cause us to feel unsettled – and to lose our peace. If this has happened to you, I encourage you to open your Bible – and your heart. With childlike wonder and innocence, allow God to fill you with His wisdom – and his peace.
Recognize that the devil is whispering in your ear… “How can this be? How can God possibly love you like He says…with such abandon and abundance? How crazy do you have to be to believe that God sent His only Son to die on the cross and freely pay the price once and for all for your sins? There has to be a catch! God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness must surely have some sort of price!” Choose to refute these thoughts… to pour God’ promises of hope, joy and salvation into your spirit and to operate in pure, unadulterated faith that He is the Real Deal and will do exactly what He has pledged.
Trust that the Bible is God’s Holy Word… one of His methods to reach your heart and fill you with His perfect will for your life. This is one instance where it’s okay to become a kid again… to allow yourself the freedom to open your heart, mind, and imagination to the possibilities God offers you… and the peace He wishes to give you. Let God teach you once more. After all, in His eyes, we are still His little children. Maybe it’s time we acted like it! Try looking at God through the eyes of a child… your own, or how you imagine a child would see Him. See if you don’t discover a renewed energy and enthusiasm for God… and an amazing sense of peace, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 3, 2013
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
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.
Today was an unseasonably crisp, cool day for July 3rd in Arkansas. We awoke to a low of approximately 55 degrees, with a bright sunny sky overhead. I picked up Timothy about 9:30 and took him to get a haircut. Then we returned to his house and retrieved his mom, his sister Zola, and baby brother Nathan… and off we went to the city park to play. A little while later, my husband joined us there (thankfully)… it pretty well took all three of us to watch all three children!
But the little ones didn’t have a care in the world. Theirs was an atmosphere of exuberant joy… and complete peace. Their thoughts were on which apparatus to play upon next… who would push them in the swing…the children who came and went and interacted with them. They trusted that we would see to their every need. And when the time came to leave just before noon, they trusted that we would feed them and see that they got home safely. When you are four, two and one, you trust the adults in your life to see that everything goes smoothly and that all of your needs are met. You depend upon your parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to ensure that you are fed, kept clean and tidy, and entertained. So far… so good for our three!
Not all children have such a carefree existence. Some already know the pangs of hunger… the discomfort of living in squalor or not having clean clothes to wear - or even a bed in which to sleep. I know this. I understand that some children lose their ability to trust adults – or anyone else – at a very early age. Still, I believe that children as a group are better able to operate in total faith that someone will meet their needs and care for them than most of us.
I don’t know what age we begin to worry and mistrust. I am fairly certain it is different for each of us. But few of us make it to adulthood with perfect peace and a continual notion that someone else has our back at all times… even God. And therein lies the problem. See, the reason even children can operate in such faith, peace and joy is because God places people in their lives to care for their every need. The reason we can continue to operate in faith and peace as we grow and age is because God always has our back – one way or another. If we will keep our focus on this, nothing can rattle us.
Troubles will come…there will be bumps in the road some days – and downright potholes on others. But when we trust God and keep our thoughts fixed on Him… pleasing Him, serving Him, and trusting Him… we can have peace and joy even in the midst of our worst, most difficult day.
We all know that every July 3rd in Arkansas will not be cool and crisp. We all understand that we can’t play in the park with the abandonment of young children every day. But when we trust in God to meet our needs and handle our cares, every day can have the joy and peace that little ones seem to find so readily in even the most mundane – or unpleasant - circumstances. Are you ready to trust God with childlike faith? Are you ready to receive the serenity and calm that He can provide in all situations? Will today be the day you “let go and let God” once and for all? Shouldn’t it be?
©2013 Debbie Robus
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
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.
Today was an unseasonably crisp, cool day for July 3rd in Arkansas. We awoke to a low of approximately 55 degrees, with a bright sunny sky overhead. I picked up Timothy about 9:30 and took him to get a haircut. Then we returned to his house and retrieved his mom, his sister Zola, and baby brother Nathan… and off we went to the city park to play. A little while later, my husband joined us there (thankfully)… it pretty well took all three of us to watch all three children!
But the little ones didn’t have a care in the world. Theirs was an atmosphere of exuberant joy… and complete peace. Their thoughts were on which apparatus to play upon next… who would push them in the swing…the children who came and went and interacted with them. They trusted that we would see to their every need. And when the time came to leave just before noon, they trusted that we would feed them and see that they got home safely. When you are four, two and one, you trust the adults in your life to see that everything goes smoothly and that all of your needs are met. You depend upon your parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to ensure that you are fed, kept clean and tidy, and entertained. So far… so good for our three!
Not all children have such a carefree existence. Some already know the pangs of hunger… the discomfort of living in squalor or not having clean clothes to wear - or even a bed in which to sleep. I know this. I understand that some children lose their ability to trust adults – or anyone else – at a very early age. Still, I believe that children as a group are better able to operate in total faith that someone will meet their needs and care for them than most of us.
I don’t know what age we begin to worry and mistrust. I am fairly certain it is different for each of us. But few of us make it to adulthood with perfect peace and a continual notion that someone else has our back at all times… even God. And therein lies the problem. See, the reason even children can operate in such faith, peace and joy is because God places people in their lives to care for their every need. The reason we can continue to operate in faith and peace as we grow and age is because God always has our back – one way or another. If we will keep our focus on this, nothing can rattle us.
Troubles will come…there will be bumps in the road some days – and downright potholes on others. But when we trust God and keep our thoughts fixed on Him… pleasing Him, serving Him, and trusting Him… we can have peace and joy even in the midst of our worst, most difficult day.
We all know that every July 3rd in Arkansas will not be cool and crisp. We all understand that we can’t play in the park with the abandonment of young children every day. But when we trust in God to meet our needs and handle our cares, every day can have the joy and peace that little ones seem to find so readily in even the most mundane – or unpleasant - circumstances. Are you ready to trust God with childlike faith? Are you ready to receive the serenity and calm that He can provide in all situations? Will today be the day you “let go and let God” once and for all? Shouldn’t it be?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 28, 2013
June 28 ~ Hebrews 12:4-11
None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin. But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God’s children,
“When the Lord punishes you, don’t make light of it, and when he corrects you, don’t be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own.”
Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?
Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
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.
As I tucked Timothy into bed one recent night, he said, “Tell me a story.” So I told him the story of “The Three Little Bears.” Then he said, “Tell me another story. I asked, “What story would you like to hear?” He replied… “Tell me the story of how we have to listen to GOD… and how those people ate the fruit of the tree and got into trouble.” So I gave him my best “four-year-old version” of the story of Adam and Eve and their sin in the Garden of Eden. When I finished, Timothy whispered dramatically… “God was SO disappointed.” I agreed and reminded him that yes, God is disappointed when we don’t listen to Him… that we must obey Him and do what He says.
I also pointed out that God wants us to listen to our parents, our aunts and uncles… and to be nice to our brothers, sisters, and friends. Timothy said, “We don’t want to disappoint God!” I agreed again. Then I asked him, “Did you know you can talk to God? We call it praying… we say our prayers and talk to God – and He talks to us!” We discussed some prayer books I have bought him in the past… Timothy calls them his “God books”… and how our prayers are the time we thank God for everything He has given us – and we ask Him to help us be good listeners. I offered… “Would you like for me to talk to God for you now?” Timothy nodded yes.
So I prayed a simple prayer. I thanked God for Timothy…his sister Zola, who was sleeping in another bed nearby…his brother Nathan…his mom and dad… and all of the people who love him. I thanked God for giving us grass and trees and fruit and everything we have… and I asked Him to help us – especially Timothy – be good listeners. When I finished, Timothy said, “I don’t want to disappoint God!” I told him that God is not disappointed with him… that God loves him. “And as long as you listen to God and do what He says,” I continued, “God will be very happy.” I also told him that sometimes we all fail to listen to God… and when that happens, we should tell God we are sorry.
Timothy asked, “Would you say that talk to God again?” I clarified, “You want me to talk to God again for you?” He replied, “Yes… tell Him I’m sorry when I disappoint Him.” Trying to hold it together, I prayed once again and thanked God for all of His good gifts… and I told Him that Timothy really wants to listen, but sometimes he forgets… and he is sorry.” Then I reminded Timothy how very much God loves him. “God is not disappointed with you,” I assured him as we snuggled. You make Him very happy… and as long as you do your best to listen to Him and are really sorry when you forget, He will not be disappointed. God will ALWAYS love you.
This amazing little four-year-old boy looked up at me, grinned, and said, “Okay… GOOD NIGHT!” And he rolled over and drifted off to sleep. If you knew our “history,” you would know that this is a child who didn’t go to sleep many nights of his first three years without a major battle… and then he was plagued with “night terrors” – almost nightly disruptions in his sleep that left him screaming for sometimes as much as an hour before he could settle back into a restful pattern. To see him drift off to sleep with such peace gives me a relief I cannot verbalize. To know that he went to sleep with peace in his heart about his relationship to God – and such a depth of wisdom and understanding – gives me a joy beyond description.
It seems like the older we get, the more we lose our “child-like wonder and understanding” of God’s love for us and what He requires in return… and we also lose much of our peace. While the “hows and whys” of our relationship and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins are incredibly complicated…the basic tenets are fairly simple. Listen to God…deeply desire to please Him…accept that there will be times when we fall short… be ready to apologize and ask for forgiveness… and above all, remember that God loves us and calls us His own.
I encourage you to take some time to meditate on these principles…to talk with God and discover where you have overcomplicated and cluttered your relationship with things that truly are not of significance – or benefit. Have you created much of your own inner turmoil and anxiety by making your Christian faith far more difficult and complex than God ever intended? Isn’t it time you came back to the purity and simplicity of a four-year-old who doesn’t want to disappoint God? Will this be the night you sleep in peace and assurance that God loves you and has forgiven you for “not listening?” Isn’t it your turn to have a bedtime talk with God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin. But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God’s children,
“When the Lord punishes you, don’t make light of it, and when he corrects you, don’t be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own.”
Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?
Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
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.
As I tucked Timothy into bed one recent night, he said, “Tell me a story.” So I told him the story of “The Three Little Bears.” Then he said, “Tell me another story. I asked, “What story would you like to hear?” He replied… “Tell me the story of how we have to listen to GOD… and how those people ate the fruit of the tree and got into trouble.” So I gave him my best “four-year-old version” of the story of Adam and Eve and their sin in the Garden of Eden. When I finished, Timothy whispered dramatically… “God was SO disappointed.” I agreed and reminded him that yes, God is disappointed when we don’t listen to Him… that we must obey Him and do what He says.
I also pointed out that God wants us to listen to our parents, our aunts and uncles… and to be nice to our brothers, sisters, and friends. Timothy said, “We don’t want to disappoint God!” I agreed again. Then I asked him, “Did you know you can talk to God? We call it praying… we say our prayers and talk to God – and He talks to us!” We discussed some prayer books I have bought him in the past… Timothy calls them his “God books”… and how our prayers are the time we thank God for everything He has given us – and we ask Him to help us be good listeners. I offered… “Would you like for me to talk to God for you now?” Timothy nodded yes.
So I prayed a simple prayer. I thanked God for Timothy…his sister Zola, who was sleeping in another bed nearby…his brother Nathan…his mom and dad… and all of the people who love him. I thanked God for giving us grass and trees and fruit and everything we have… and I asked Him to help us – especially Timothy – be good listeners. When I finished, Timothy said, “I don’t want to disappoint God!” I told him that God is not disappointed with him… that God loves him. “And as long as you listen to God and do what He says,” I continued, “God will be very happy.” I also told him that sometimes we all fail to listen to God… and when that happens, we should tell God we are sorry.
Timothy asked, “Would you say that talk to God again?” I clarified, “You want me to talk to God again for you?” He replied, “Yes… tell Him I’m sorry when I disappoint Him.” Trying to hold it together, I prayed once again and thanked God for all of His good gifts… and I told Him that Timothy really wants to listen, but sometimes he forgets… and he is sorry.” Then I reminded Timothy how very much God loves him. “God is not disappointed with you,” I assured him as we snuggled. You make Him very happy… and as long as you do your best to listen to Him and are really sorry when you forget, He will not be disappointed. God will ALWAYS love you.
This amazing little four-year-old boy looked up at me, grinned, and said, “Okay… GOOD NIGHT!” And he rolled over and drifted off to sleep. If you knew our “history,” you would know that this is a child who didn’t go to sleep many nights of his first three years without a major battle… and then he was plagued with “night terrors” – almost nightly disruptions in his sleep that left him screaming for sometimes as much as an hour before he could settle back into a restful pattern. To see him drift off to sleep with such peace gives me a relief I cannot verbalize. To know that he went to sleep with peace in his heart about his relationship to God – and such a depth of wisdom and understanding – gives me a joy beyond description.
It seems like the older we get, the more we lose our “child-like wonder and understanding” of God’s love for us and what He requires in return… and we also lose much of our peace. While the “hows and whys” of our relationship and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins are incredibly complicated…the basic tenets are fairly simple. Listen to God…deeply desire to please Him…accept that there will be times when we fall short… be ready to apologize and ask for forgiveness… and above all, remember that God loves us and calls us His own.
I encourage you to take some time to meditate on these principles…to talk with God and discover where you have overcomplicated and cluttered your relationship with things that truly are not of significance – or benefit. Have you created much of your own inner turmoil and anxiety by making your Christian faith far more difficult and complex than God ever intended? Isn’t it time you came back to the purity and simplicity of a four-year-old who doesn’t want to disappoint God? Will this be the night you sleep in peace and assurance that God loves you and has forgiven you for “not listening?” Isn’t it your turn to have a bedtime talk with God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 27, 2013
1 Corinthians 14:20
To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility.
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 will probably step on some toes today, but I feel like I have to share this. On my Facebook feed today, I found a post from an organization claiming that Beyoncé flashed a sign of the devil during her Super Bowl halftime performance this year. Additionally, these folks claim that Beyoncé’s husband, rapper Jay-Z, uses this sign on t-shirts and other products that promote his own celebrity as a public figure and entertainer. The claim is that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are part of a Satanic cult, and they are using their prominence to spread their message. Regardless of how you feel about Beyoncé (and I am neither endorsing nor condemning her and Jay-Z), I do not believe they have a hidden – and/or Satanic – agenda!
What does this have to do with 1 Corinthians 14:20? I’ll tell you! God wants us to be cognizant of evil. He want us to operate in wisdom… to be awake and alert to danger and attempts by the devil to creep into the tiniest corners of our lives. But God wants us to be smart, too. He doesn’t want us to fall for every claim we see and hear. Just because someone makes such statements on behalf of a “Christian” organization doesn’t mean they are speaking the truth – much less for God!
Just as we know that scammers contact us on e-mail and by telephone claiming to represent our bank or credit card company and needing vital information in order to “protect” us, we must be aware that the devil is plenty busy finding so-called “believers” to do his dirty work by keeping Christians riled up unnecessarily and “chasing rabbit trails.” To better understand this passage, I considered the verses before and after it. I also consulted several leading commentaries.
My conclusion is that Paul is reminding us to be innocent and child-like in our faith… to accept Jesus Christ and fully believe in Him even though we have not seen Him with our own eyes… to fully serve as His disciples and share His Good News with others. But at the same time, he is warning us not to get high and mighty in our actions and behaviors as Christians. We are not superior to others… we do not have a “secret code” or “inside scoop.” Moreover, we are not to run off on a tangent… to engage in hateful protests, or promote rumors and – at best – half-truths that look for the “boogey man” behind every rock. Instead of condemning others or acting as if we have it all figured out, we are to operate in child-like humility and faith… to earnestly and continually seek God and His wisdom and will for our lives.
Furthermore, I believe we are called to look out for one another… to share the knowledge and wisdom God provides us with fellow believers and those with whom we are sharing the Good News of Jesus. But we are called to refrain from perpetuating the falsehoods and negativity that some want to offer in the name of God…and in fact, to speak out against these things when we see and hear them being proffered. I know this is not always easy or popular, but serving God is not always a smooth ride. I know that by even sharing this with you today, some could decide not to read these daily devotionals any longer. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I want to be child-like in my faith… and mature in God’s wisdom. Don’t you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility.
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 will probably step on some toes today, but I feel like I have to share this. On my Facebook feed today, I found a post from an organization claiming that Beyoncé flashed a sign of the devil during her Super Bowl halftime performance this year. Additionally, these folks claim that Beyoncé’s husband, rapper Jay-Z, uses this sign on t-shirts and other products that promote his own celebrity as a public figure and entertainer. The claim is that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are part of a Satanic cult, and they are using their prominence to spread their message. Regardless of how you feel about Beyoncé (and I am neither endorsing nor condemning her and Jay-Z), I do not believe they have a hidden – and/or Satanic – agenda!
What does this have to do with 1 Corinthians 14:20? I’ll tell you! God wants us to be cognizant of evil. He want us to operate in wisdom… to be awake and alert to danger and attempts by the devil to creep into the tiniest corners of our lives. But God wants us to be smart, too. He doesn’t want us to fall for every claim we see and hear. Just because someone makes such statements on behalf of a “Christian” organization doesn’t mean they are speaking the truth – much less for God!
Just as we know that scammers contact us on e-mail and by telephone claiming to represent our bank or credit card company and needing vital information in order to “protect” us, we must be aware that the devil is plenty busy finding so-called “believers” to do his dirty work by keeping Christians riled up unnecessarily and “chasing rabbit trails.” To better understand this passage, I considered the verses before and after it. I also consulted several leading commentaries.
My conclusion is that Paul is reminding us to be innocent and child-like in our faith… to accept Jesus Christ and fully believe in Him even though we have not seen Him with our own eyes… to fully serve as His disciples and share His Good News with others. But at the same time, he is warning us not to get high and mighty in our actions and behaviors as Christians. We are not superior to others… we do not have a “secret code” or “inside scoop.” Moreover, we are not to run off on a tangent… to engage in hateful protests, or promote rumors and – at best – half-truths that look for the “boogey man” behind every rock. Instead of condemning others or acting as if we have it all figured out, we are to operate in child-like humility and faith… to earnestly and continually seek God and His wisdom and will for our lives.
Furthermore, I believe we are called to look out for one another… to share the knowledge and wisdom God provides us with fellow believers and those with whom we are sharing the Good News of Jesus. But we are called to refrain from perpetuating the falsehoods and negativity that some want to offer in the name of God…and in fact, to speak out against these things when we see and hear them being proffered. I know this is not always easy or popular, but serving God is not always a smooth ride. I know that by even sharing this with you today, some could decide not to read these daily devotionals any longer. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I want to be child-like in my faith… and mature in God’s wisdom. Don’t you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 21, 2012
John 20:29
Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few nights ago, my husband and I spoke by phone with our three-year-old nephew, Timothy, who lives in another state. At one point, he said, “Debbie, I want to see you!” I replied, “I want to see you, too, Timothy.” He did not understand the concept of talking to someone on the phone and being unable to see them… and he kept trying to show us things – toys, movies, and more.
As we talked, Timothy’s mother got out a picture album and showed him photographs of us. He would say, “That’s probably you, Debbie. That’s probably you, Uncle Greg!” It seemed to help him to visualize us as we spoke… to remember what we looked like, based on our photos.
Doesn’t it seem like it would often be easier to communicate with God if we had a photograph of Him? Don’t we long to see Him? Yet Jesus tells us in this passage that the very fact that we accept Him on faith – even though we have never physically seen Him – is what makes our relationship so special and powerful. We trust in God solely on faith that He exists… and the evidence of His love, care, grace and mercy on our behalf. We trust completely that a man we’ve never seen died on a cross for our sins, was buried and rose again. We hold onto a promise that we will join Him in heaven someday for all eternity.
Timothy trusts that we are the same Aunt Debbie and Uncle Greg who loved him unconditionally and lavished attention, food, clothes, shelter and time on him when he stayed with us. Conversely, Timothy’s little sister Zola does not know us. We have not seen her since she was three months old, so she has no recollection of us except for photos… no real basis for a connection. Yet somehow, I believe she will come to know us and love us, based solely on the words of her parents and brother – and our actions toward her. In a childlike manner, we Christians walk and live by faith… completely trusting God without ever having seen Him. Just like our little Zola, we operate purely on the word of others… and the actions and blessings of God on our behalf.
We humans tend to be such literal creatures. I find it truly amazing that we have the capacity to so deeply love and adore a God we have never seen, based on faith that He really exists. I find it even more incredible that God can love us with such a power and compulsion that we find this completely plausible - real and genuine. How can we deny His existence? How can we fail to trust and serve Him? After all, evidence of God is all around us… in nature, daily miracles and blessings, and answered prayers. With the confidence of a three-year-old looking at photographs, we can say, “That’s probably God’s handiwork!” – and know without question that we are correct.
Do you have “unseen” faith? Do you believe in God, even though you have never physically seen His picture? Do you require more proof that He exists, or are you ready to take a look around you and acknowledge that what you see is more than probably God at work in your life? He truly IS here… ready to meet your every need! What more do you require? What is holding you back from truly believing in Him? If a toddler can accept that the voices on the other end of a phone are those of people he loves (who love him, also) - yet he only sees them in photographs - can’t we accept that the God who is evident all around us truly exists? Are you ready to exercise the faith of a child… and be blessed accordingly?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few nights ago, my husband and I spoke by phone with our three-year-old nephew, Timothy, who lives in another state. At one point, he said, “Debbie, I want to see you!” I replied, “I want to see you, too, Timothy.” He did not understand the concept of talking to someone on the phone and being unable to see them… and he kept trying to show us things – toys, movies, and more.
As we talked, Timothy’s mother got out a picture album and showed him photographs of us. He would say, “That’s probably you, Debbie. That’s probably you, Uncle Greg!” It seemed to help him to visualize us as we spoke… to remember what we looked like, based on our photos.
Doesn’t it seem like it would often be easier to communicate with God if we had a photograph of Him? Don’t we long to see Him? Yet Jesus tells us in this passage that the very fact that we accept Him on faith – even though we have never physically seen Him – is what makes our relationship so special and powerful. We trust in God solely on faith that He exists… and the evidence of His love, care, grace and mercy on our behalf. We trust completely that a man we’ve never seen died on a cross for our sins, was buried and rose again. We hold onto a promise that we will join Him in heaven someday for all eternity.
Timothy trusts that we are the same Aunt Debbie and Uncle Greg who loved him unconditionally and lavished attention, food, clothes, shelter and time on him when he stayed with us. Conversely, Timothy’s little sister Zola does not know us. We have not seen her since she was three months old, so she has no recollection of us except for photos… no real basis for a connection. Yet somehow, I believe she will come to know us and love us, based solely on the words of her parents and brother – and our actions toward her. In a childlike manner, we Christians walk and live by faith… completely trusting God without ever having seen Him. Just like our little Zola, we operate purely on the word of others… and the actions and blessings of God on our behalf.
We humans tend to be such literal creatures. I find it truly amazing that we have the capacity to so deeply love and adore a God we have never seen, based on faith that He really exists. I find it even more incredible that God can love us with such a power and compulsion that we find this completely plausible - real and genuine. How can we deny His existence? How can we fail to trust and serve Him? After all, evidence of God is all around us… in nature, daily miracles and blessings, and answered prayers. With the confidence of a three-year-old looking at photographs, we can say, “That’s probably God’s handiwork!” – and know without question that we are correct.
Do you have “unseen” faith? Do you believe in God, even though you have never physically seen His picture? Do you require more proof that He exists, or are you ready to take a look around you and acknowledge that what you see is more than probably God at work in your life? He truly IS here… ready to meet your every need! What more do you require? What is holding you back from truly believing in Him? If a toddler can accept that the voices on the other end of a phone are those of people he loves (who love him, also) - yet he only sees them in photographs - can’t we accept that the God who is evident all around us truly exists? Are you ready to exercise the faith of a child… and be blessed accordingly?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 20, 2011
John 17:24-26
Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them—who you are and what you do—and continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them.
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 bought a book at a yard sale for my nephew Timothy called I Wanted to Know All about God by Virginia Kroll and Debra Reid Jenkins. I also bought him a beginning book of prayers. He calls these his “God books,” and we read them over and over. I have talked about God and Jesus to Timothy since he was an infant… sung “Jesus Loves Me” and other praise and worship songs. But how do you explain God and Jesus to a toddler? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not really any different than talking to someone older. In the beginning, much of getting to know God is pure faith. Someone tells us that He exists and what He has done, and we trust that this is the truth.
The book I Wanted to Know All about God does a great job of planting seeds…with phrases like “I wondered what God's love feels like, and Grandma put her arms around me and gave me a big hug"; "I wondered if God is strong, and the ocean roared in my ears"; and one of Timmy’s favorites…"I wondered if God likes art, and I saw a spiderweb in my uncle's barn.” The illustrations are beautiful paintings that showcase God’s creations, especially children. It’s a start… and learning about God through His love for us and all of nature is a good beginning at any age.
Whether we are two, twelve, twenty-two, or older, our knowledge and communion with God grow as we learn more about Him. We become more accustomed to feeling His love in our daily lives and we feel Jesus’ presence through His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Wherever you are on your Spiritual journey, I hope you are finding God today. The book concludes with this… “I wanted to know where God likes to visit, and I felt someone knocking at my heart. Now when I go out looking for God, I know exactly where to find Him.” Do you know where to find God today? Is He knocking at your heart?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them—who you are and what you do—and continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them.
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 bought a book at a yard sale for my nephew Timothy called I Wanted to Know All about God by Virginia Kroll and Debra Reid Jenkins. I also bought him a beginning book of prayers. He calls these his “God books,” and we read them over and over. I have talked about God and Jesus to Timothy since he was an infant… sung “Jesus Loves Me” and other praise and worship songs. But how do you explain God and Jesus to a toddler? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not really any different than talking to someone older. In the beginning, much of getting to know God is pure faith. Someone tells us that He exists and what He has done, and we trust that this is the truth.
The book I Wanted to Know All about God does a great job of planting seeds…with phrases like “I wondered what God's love feels like, and Grandma put her arms around me and gave me a big hug"; "I wondered if God is strong, and the ocean roared in my ears"; and one of Timmy’s favorites…"I wondered if God likes art, and I saw a spiderweb in my uncle's barn.” The illustrations are beautiful paintings that showcase God’s creations, especially children. It’s a start… and learning about God through His love for us and all of nature is a good beginning at any age.
Whether we are two, twelve, twenty-two, or older, our knowledge and communion with God grow as we learn more about Him. We become more accustomed to feeling His love in our daily lives and we feel Jesus’ presence through His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Wherever you are on your Spiritual journey, I hope you are finding God today. The book concludes with this… “I wanted to know where God likes to visit, and I felt someone knocking at my heart. Now when I go out looking for God, I know exactly where to find Him.” Do you know where to find God today? Is He knocking at your heart?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 10, 2011
Psalm 131
I am not conceited, LORD, and I don't waste my time on impossible schemes. But I have learned to feel safe and satisfied, just like a young child on its mother's lap. People of Israel, you must trust the LORD now and forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, my nephew Timothy came home from daycare one day feeling very tired and cranky. He stood in the middle of the room and cried, saying, “I sad.” I scooped him up and soothed him. I really don’t know for sure why Timothy felt sad… and he might have simply been tired and unable to express that. The next day, I sat on my grandmother’s bed and wrapped her in a hug as she cried. I’m not sure exactly why she was so sad, except it was her 99th birthday, and she is feeling old and tired. In each case, my hug and snuggle was soothing to a point… but it was something of a “Band-aid” approach to the real cause of their sadness.
Sometimes the best thing I can give Timothy is a snuggle on my lap. He settles in when he is tired, sad, frightened… or just needs a hug. I know from his body language that he feels safe and satisfied. This reminds me of how secure I felt when I was little and an older cousin or an adult family member snuggled me. Now I find a grown-up comfort in snuggling in my husband’s arms. And in the last few years, I’ve come to truly appreciate the safety and satisfaction of settling into the lap of Jesus and resting there.
Hugs from another human being are important… and helpful. But the real hug we need is the one from God… the one that says, “I’ll handle this for you… just sit here and rest.” See, we can’t fix everything ourselves… and we’re crazy and conceited if we think we can. We must learn to really trust God to take our worries, cares, and burdens… our sins and our shortcomings… and sort them out, repair the damage, and set us upright again. And we must truly leave these things to God and not pick them up over and again.
After a little time, Timothy got down from my lap and started happily playing again. My grandmother dried her tears and greeted a well-wisher who had stopped in to say “Happy Birthday.” I didn’t fix their problems, but I made them feel loved and secure for a few minutes. And after God comforts us, we can slide off of His lap and move forward, restored and renewed. The difference is that God truly can handle things for us and make things better.
We are so blessed to have a God who loves us like this. We should be thanking Him daily for His love and comfort and truly trusting Him now and forever. The sooner we learn to turn to God for safety and satisfaction, the better. Have you spent some time in His lap lately?
©2011 Debbie Robus
I am not conceited, LORD, and I don't waste my time on impossible schemes. But I have learned to feel safe and satisfied, just like a young child on its mother's lap. People of Israel, you must trust the LORD now and forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, my nephew Timothy came home from daycare one day feeling very tired and cranky. He stood in the middle of the room and cried, saying, “I sad.” I scooped him up and soothed him. I really don’t know for sure why Timothy felt sad… and he might have simply been tired and unable to express that. The next day, I sat on my grandmother’s bed and wrapped her in a hug as she cried. I’m not sure exactly why she was so sad, except it was her 99th birthday, and she is feeling old and tired. In each case, my hug and snuggle was soothing to a point… but it was something of a “Band-aid” approach to the real cause of their sadness.
Sometimes the best thing I can give Timothy is a snuggle on my lap. He settles in when he is tired, sad, frightened… or just needs a hug. I know from his body language that he feels safe and satisfied. This reminds me of how secure I felt when I was little and an older cousin or an adult family member snuggled me. Now I find a grown-up comfort in snuggling in my husband’s arms. And in the last few years, I’ve come to truly appreciate the safety and satisfaction of settling into the lap of Jesus and resting there.
Hugs from another human being are important… and helpful. But the real hug we need is the one from God… the one that says, “I’ll handle this for you… just sit here and rest.” See, we can’t fix everything ourselves… and we’re crazy and conceited if we think we can. We must learn to really trust God to take our worries, cares, and burdens… our sins and our shortcomings… and sort them out, repair the damage, and set us upright again. And we must truly leave these things to God and not pick them up over and again.
After a little time, Timothy got down from my lap and started happily playing again. My grandmother dried her tears and greeted a well-wisher who had stopped in to say “Happy Birthday.” I didn’t fix their problems, but I made them feel loved and secure for a few minutes. And after God comforts us, we can slide off of His lap and move forward, restored and renewed. The difference is that God truly can handle things for us and make things better.
We are so blessed to have a God who loves us like this. We should be thanking Him daily for His love and comfort and truly trusting Him now and forever. The sooner we learn to turn to God for safety and satisfaction, the better. Have you spent some time in His lap lately?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 8, 2011
Luke 8:8-10
When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, "If you have ears, pay attention!"
Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant. So he answered: I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you, but for others I can only use stories. These people look, but they don't see, and they hear, but they don't understand.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I spend a lot of time showing Timothy things that I’ve told him, because he doesn’t understand what I am saying. Some of the “lessons” – like “that’s hot” or “that piano lid will pinch your fingers” are going to be learned the hard way, while others seem to come easier as he mimics our behaviors and words. And often, while I am demonstrating a concept, he is kicking and screaming and exercising his “terrible twos” to the max!
But after a few days of working with a new tricycle, Timothy is starting to get the hang of keeping his feet on the pedals and steering. The last visit, he actually sat at the piano and matched my rhythms on the keys as he sang along… and some of the words actually made sense! If I had any notion he wasn’t paying attention, he showed me differently! And I have to admit, my husband and I were both bursting with pride at his newfound accomplishments.
Think about this… in God’s eyes, we are often the “terrible two-year-old”… kicking and screaming and wanting to do things our own way. God tells us in all sorts of ways what we need to know… but sometimes, we have to be shown. We need an example… a “sign” – something to indicate to us that He is at work in a situation. I have no doubt that we try God’s patience just like toddlers try ours. And I have to wonder… does He burst with pride when we begin to “get it?”
As we grow in our faith… as we develop as Christians… we must become secure and comfortable as we rest in the confidence that God is telling us the truth. Just as toddlers begin to comprehend the spoken word more and more… we must learn to comprehend what God shares with us in Scripture, through prayer and fellowship with other believers, and in the “signs and wonders” all around us. We must learn to hear from God and understand Him… and sometimes we will have to learn the hard way by “touching something hot” or through our own failures and shortcomings.
Jesus said, “If you have ears, pay attention!” God wants us to hear Him… loudly and clearly… even when He doesn’t physically speak! Are you listening? Are you hearing from God? Does He have your attention?
©2011 Debbie Robus
When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, "If you have ears, pay attention!"
Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant. So he answered: I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you, but for others I can only use stories. These people look, but they don't see, and they hear, but they don't understand.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I spend a lot of time showing Timothy things that I’ve told him, because he doesn’t understand what I am saying. Some of the “lessons” – like “that’s hot” or “that piano lid will pinch your fingers” are going to be learned the hard way, while others seem to come easier as he mimics our behaviors and words. And often, while I am demonstrating a concept, he is kicking and screaming and exercising his “terrible twos” to the max!
But after a few days of working with a new tricycle, Timothy is starting to get the hang of keeping his feet on the pedals and steering. The last visit, he actually sat at the piano and matched my rhythms on the keys as he sang along… and some of the words actually made sense! If I had any notion he wasn’t paying attention, he showed me differently! And I have to admit, my husband and I were both bursting with pride at his newfound accomplishments.
Think about this… in God’s eyes, we are often the “terrible two-year-old”… kicking and screaming and wanting to do things our own way. God tells us in all sorts of ways what we need to know… but sometimes, we have to be shown. We need an example… a “sign” – something to indicate to us that He is at work in a situation. I have no doubt that we try God’s patience just like toddlers try ours. And I have to wonder… does He burst with pride when we begin to “get it?”
As we grow in our faith… as we develop as Christians… we must become secure and comfortable as we rest in the confidence that God is telling us the truth. Just as toddlers begin to comprehend the spoken word more and more… we must learn to comprehend what God shares with us in Scripture, through prayer and fellowship with other believers, and in the “signs and wonders” all around us. We must learn to hear from God and understand Him… and sometimes we will have to learn the hard way by “touching something hot” or through our own failures and shortcomings.
Jesus said, “If you have ears, pay attention!” God wants us to hear Him… loudly and clearly… even when He doesn’t physically speak! Are you listening? Are you hearing from God? Does He have your attention?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 15, 2011
John 3:6
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.
It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.
But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.
Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.
There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.
It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.
But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.
Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.
There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 13, 2011
Matthew 18:3
Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy has been staying with us lately, and I always marvel at how curious he is… and how we can almost see his thought processes. There are three decorative “nested” metal tins stacked on the floor beside our staircase. Each lid is painted with a picture of angels. Timothy loves them… mostly because the empty tins make a great noise when he bangs them together or on something else. But he also loves to try to stack the tins… although usually his efforts result in much clanging as the stack falls to the floor.
But lately, he has figured out if he will put the largest tin on bottom, then the smallest one next, and then the middle-sized one on top, they stay in place and he can pick the stack up and move it from one place to another. It’s really rewarding to see him develop – even in such a small way. His thought processes have progressed to a stage where he can reason out this little dilemma and come up with a viable solution.
Imagine how we must seem to God. Think of our faith in the context of a baby who grows and progresses in development. In the “toddler” stage, we begin to figure out how to use the gifts God has given us to handle difficult situations… to call on Him to give us wisdom and discernment to navigate challenges and problems. As we grow and mature, we learn even more about how God operates within us… how the Holy Spirit moves to guide us through every minute of the day. This must give Him such delight to see us grow and discover how He works.
None of us “knows it all” the day we become a Christian. None of us ever has all of the wisdom and potential that God wishes for us… we are all forever works in progress. We all began as babies… and we are hopefully growing and developing in our walk with Christ and our abilities to serve Him well. Just like children, some of us will progress more quickly than others… while some of us will be “slow learners.”
The key to this passage is our understanding that we must approach God with the innocence of a child… the wonder and awe at even the simplest things, like three nested tin cans! We must not come with a “know-it-all attitude” that we don’t need guidance… or that our salvation makes us better than anyone else. We must come to Jesus with humility, a hunger for knowledge, and the childlike enthusiasm for all He wishes to share with us.
For some of us, this means we need to make a change. Maybe we tried to “skip ahead” and be more than we were capable of too soon. Perhaps we need to humble ourselves and say, “Lord, I don’t know nearly as much as I thought I did… but I’m willing to listen and learn.” Maybe we need to rekindle our excitement and enthusiasm… our wonder and awe… for the amazing life we have in Christ. Maybe we need to reacquaint ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Whatever we need to do… the time for change is now. The day to start is this one. Are you ready to become like a kid again?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy has been staying with us lately, and I always marvel at how curious he is… and how we can almost see his thought processes. There are three decorative “nested” metal tins stacked on the floor beside our staircase. Each lid is painted with a picture of angels. Timothy loves them… mostly because the empty tins make a great noise when he bangs them together or on something else. But he also loves to try to stack the tins… although usually his efforts result in much clanging as the stack falls to the floor.
But lately, he has figured out if he will put the largest tin on bottom, then the smallest one next, and then the middle-sized one on top, they stay in place and he can pick the stack up and move it from one place to another. It’s really rewarding to see him develop – even in such a small way. His thought processes have progressed to a stage where he can reason out this little dilemma and come up with a viable solution.
Imagine how we must seem to God. Think of our faith in the context of a baby who grows and progresses in development. In the “toddler” stage, we begin to figure out how to use the gifts God has given us to handle difficult situations… to call on Him to give us wisdom and discernment to navigate challenges and problems. As we grow and mature, we learn even more about how God operates within us… how the Holy Spirit moves to guide us through every minute of the day. This must give Him such delight to see us grow and discover how He works.
None of us “knows it all” the day we become a Christian. None of us ever has all of the wisdom and potential that God wishes for us… we are all forever works in progress. We all began as babies… and we are hopefully growing and developing in our walk with Christ and our abilities to serve Him well. Just like children, some of us will progress more quickly than others… while some of us will be “slow learners.”
The key to this passage is our understanding that we must approach God with the innocence of a child… the wonder and awe at even the simplest things, like three nested tin cans! We must not come with a “know-it-all attitude” that we don’t need guidance… or that our salvation makes us better than anyone else. We must come to Jesus with humility, a hunger for knowledge, and the childlike enthusiasm for all He wishes to share with us.
For some of us, this means we need to make a change. Maybe we tried to “skip ahead” and be more than we were capable of too soon. Perhaps we need to humble ourselves and say, “Lord, I don’t know nearly as much as I thought I did… but I’m willing to listen and learn.” Maybe we need to rekindle our excitement and enthusiasm… our wonder and awe… for the amazing life we have in Christ. Maybe we need to reacquaint ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Whatever we need to do… the time for change is now. The day to start is this one. Are you ready to become like a kid again?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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