Daily Devotional for October 8, 2013

Proverbs 16:9
We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.

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 year ago today, Greg and I were in Arlington, Texas, loading up my niece, her husband and three children – and moving them back to Arkansas. When I was her age (23), I would have never believed anyone who told me that someday we would be so actively involved in the lives of children ages 4, 2, and 1.  Even at age FORTY-THREE, I would not have imagined this! We did not have children… we felt God sent us in a different direction - and we planned accordingly.

 

When we retired in 2005, I was not even fifty years old.  My “retirement plans” included spending time with Greg and our two cats, exploring lots of writing projects – blogs, music, and articles for “content” websites, antiquing, catching up on the stacks of books I had purchased and never read… and much more.  God has allowed me to fulfill some of these plans… just not in the way I had envisioned them.  I now write mostly devotionals and a few blog posts…my “antiquing phase” has greatly waned… and I play the piano and guitar about once a week for an hour or so – or when the children visit.  Many of those books I bought are still on the shelf - waiting to be read.

 

My “retirement plans” have taken a pretty sharp turn… but the results have been no less blessed or fulfilling.  Our home has frequently been filled with the noise of at least one – and sometimes two or three babies and toddlers.  Watching this family grow and develop has been an unexpected joy.  I am so grateful that God gave me such a compatible mate. Greg and I spend virtually every waking moment together, and we still enjoy each other’s company after almost 40 years of marriage.  Our 14-year-old cats have learned to tolerate frequent visits from little ones who love to chase them… and yes, I think that is somewhat God’s doing, as well.  I was able to provide the necessary care for my grandmother in her last years and spend  a lot of time with her – or doing things behind the scenes with regard to her care.  Now that she is gone, those memories – even the less than happy ones – sustain me.

 

God has shifted my focus… and I am trying to stay alert to His plans for my life instead of my own.  I’m a slow learner, but I’m learning nonetheless… that each day has its own ebb and flow – and blessings.  The key is to choose to see them!  I can plan the way I want to live… but only God will make me able to live it.  And on the days when things don’t go according to my plans, I can choose to be upset – or to look for God’s hand in the shifting… and work with what He allows.  I can clearly see that God has been orchestrating the events of my life from the very beginning… with some fairly amazing experiences and outcomes.  Why on earth would I want to start trying to tell Him how to run things now?

 

What about you?  Are you planning the way you want to live and fully expecting everything to go just as you designed it?  Are you frustrated, angry and upset when things do not materialize as you expected?  Isn’t it time you recognize God’s hand in making us able to live out our plans… and embrace the changes He allows and/or arranges?  I promise you… God is at work in every single detail of our lives.  It is up to us to see this… and to acknowledge His presence.  How we react to the events of our lives is totally up to us.  What will you choose to do?
 

©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 4, 2013

Numbers 9:15-23
As soon as the sacred tent was set up, a thick cloud appeared and covered it. The cloud was there each day, and during the night, a fire could be seen in it. The Lord used this cloud to tell the Israelites when to move their camp and where to set it up again. As long as the cloud covered the tent, the Israelites did not break camp. But when the cloud moved, they followed it, and wherever it stopped, they camped and stayed there, whether it was only one night, a few days, a month, or even a year. As long as the cloud remained over the tent, the Israelites stayed where they were. But when the cloud moved, so did the Israelites. They obeyed the Lord’s commands and went wherever he directed Moses.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
I once knew a woman who traveled a lot for work.  When she was gone, she left her porch light on, so that her neighbors would know she was away and her house was unattended.  When she returned, she turned off the light.  This was their “neighborhood watch” system… until the time she came home and didn’t turn out the porch light.  The neighbors assumed she was still away.  When other friends noted that she was not answering phone calls, or returning messages, her home was searched.  She was discovered in her garage, sitting in her car…a victim of suicide.  She had circumvented the neighborhood signaling system… and created a truly “epic – and tragic - fail.”
 
It sounds so good on the surface to think that God would have this “foolproof” system of communicating with us.  Storm clouds hanging overhead?  Don’t budge!  Clouds on the move?  Go with them!  But here’s the problem with this system… we are not that obedient.  We would ultimately decide that we knew better than God’s cloud, and we would set out on our own at some point.  I know us!  We are a stubborn people!  Additionally, we grow impatient and complacent.  We would get to the point where we didn’t even really notice that cloud.  We would forget to even check to see if it was there or not.  And the next thing you know, God would appear – or move – and we would be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 
Just as you could argue that the devil used my friend’s “porch-light system” with her neighbors to create a diversion and allow her to take her own life, you could conclude with fairly high accuracy that he would at least try to find a way to distract us from God and His signals.
 
There are a couple of lessons in this passage.  We are not obedient enough to operate under such a black and white system… even if we should be.  We need the grace and mercy God offers us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  We have a far better chance of serving God obediently if we are dependent on a constant dialog and active interaction with Him.  We are far more apt to stay awake and alert… and to follow His lead… if we are required to pay attention – to listen and respond.  We need the forgiveness of a loving God that results from an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit… because we probably will get busy at some point and lose focus… and the “cloud” will come and go without us.
 
Does this mean that we have a license to do as we please and ignore God’s “signals”?  Absolutely not!  Paying attention to God and staying focused on Him is more important than ever.  This brings me to the second lesson of this passage.  Because God no longer operates in such a “black-and-white” system, we have a choice to make.  We can choose to follow Him and do the necessary work to stay in communion with Him… or we can choose to wander off down another path – to be swayed by the persuasions of the devil - and to allow him to distract and dissuade us.
 
I know that there were a lot of people who felt they missed the signs of distress that my friend displayed.  I know that there are dozens of distractions for each of us in any given hour.  And I know that it sounds like a simple “cloud/no cloud” system from God would simplify everything.  But truly, it would not.  There is no short-cut.  We must all choose whether to pay attention and listen to God’s signals… or whether to “wing it”, do our own thing, and let outside forces determine our destiny.  For me, the latter is simply not an option… what about you?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 22, 2013

September 22 ~ John 16:23-24
“This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I’ve revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he’ll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!"
 
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.
 
Our 2-year-old niece, Zola, has been “campaigning” to come to our house for a visit for more than a week now.  Every time we visit, she gets her little pink backpack… or stands by the door… or latches onto one of us and won’t let go…and she repeats over and over, “Go!  Go!”  One night last week we kept Nathan, Zola’s baby brother.  When I went to get him, Timothy told Zola, “It’s Nathan’s turn to go… then it’s my turn.  It’s not your turn.”  Zola kept saying, “NO!  It’s MY turn!”
 
So when we picked the children up for church this morning, Zola was very happy… until we stopped in the church parking lot.  She “froze” in her car seat and refused to get out.  “No! No!” she cried.  I carried her into the building… crying.  We know that she thought we were picking her up for a visit to our house.  That would have been her preference.  The hour spent with friends in the church nursery was worthwhile… but it was our will for Zola – not hers!  Once she saw her friends and toys in the nursery, she was fine, and she was happy when we returned for her and took her back to her home.  But her choice was a visit to Aunt Debbie and Uncle Greg’s house!
 
I have to tell you that I am one of the world’s worst for “campaigning” to God for the things that I want. I pray continually… oh, man, do I pray!  But I can’t say that I always pray for God’s will.  In fact, I would have to admit that I interject far too much of my own desires into my communication with our Heavenly Father… as if I know better than He does how things should go!
 
Now I know better… and I do try to ask for God’s will.  But I’m pretty sure that He can see right through me.  He hears me say, “If it be your will”… but he also hears that little undertone in my voice that says…”but I really want it this way!”  If ever there was a scripture passage that clearly tells us that God will answer our prayers, it is this one.  If ever there was a passage that tells us He will do so according to His will… it is this one!
 
We can “campaign” all we want.  God will still do what is best for us.  We can kick and scream and go rigid and “refuse to get out of the car,” and He will still do what fulfills His perfect plans.  Does this mean we waste our breath when we pray?  Absolutely not!  God wants to hear from us.  But He wants to hear the surrender in our voice… He wants to fully recognize our humility and our desire for His will – not our own.
 
If we can ever truly relax and let God have control, I honestly believe we will see that His ways are better than ours… that His choices trump ours every time.  I, for one, am a work in progress… and I suspect you are, too.  But we need to do this… we must do this!  We have to call on God to meet our needs… in Jesus’ name…according to His will.  When we get to the point where we can genuinely make this shift in attitude… when we can completely surrender control to God… we invite Him to fully and freely work in our lives – and the floodgates of joy and blessings are blown wide open.  I know I want this in my life and the lives of those for whom I’m praying… don’t you?  Isn’t it time we chose to “let go and let God”?  When you ask God to hear your prayers… will you be invoking His will – or yours?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 21, 2013

John 14:5-7
Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t even know where you are going! How can we know the way?”
 
“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.”
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
This week, 78-year-old Christian author Henry Blackaby was reported missing in Atlanta, Georgia.  Blackaby is the author of Experiencing God, a best-selling workbook for Christian discipleship that was published in the 1990s.  The author’s family reported that he was a diabetic, and he did not have his medication with him.  Volunteers combed the Atlanta area in an attempt to assist police in locating Blackaby.  Some 29 hours later, he was found.
 
This updated information was posted on the website for Blackaby Ministries International (www.henryblackaby.com)...

On Thursday, September 19, Henry Blackaby drove his car to pick up his wife Marilynn from an appointment.  Henry apparently suffered a heart attack while driving.  He became disoriented and unable to find his way back home.  He drove for the next 29 hours until finally being found in a small town south of Atlanta.  He did not have his cell phone with him nor insulin for his diabetes.  As a result, his blood sugar rose and his kidneys began to struggle as well.  The family was able to track his movements as he used a credit card to make occasional purchases.  He is currently in a hospital undergoing extensive tests.  He seems to be in good spirits and lucid.  We appreciate your prayers.  With Henry disoriented, suffering from a heart attack, and driving for 29 hours throughout the night all over Atlanta, it is clear that GOD HEARD AND ANSWERED THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE!  Thank you to everyone who prayed and helped in the search.

Any time someone is missing, there is confusion and uncertainty.  Where do you begin the search for them?  How do you make sure that someone will recognize them?  There are choices to make… when to truly declare a person missing… who are the proper authorities are to which this should be reported… how the search should be handled – and who should be involved.  In this case, it all came down to a credit card. By tracing Henry Blackaby’s credit card transactions, searchers could figure out where he was and follow him.  You may not find it a stretch that someone thought to check his credit card activity… but that a man in his physical and mental condition actually used said card in his condition is nothing short of miraculous in my mind!
 
I saw several e-mail reports about this situation throughout the day.  While we live over 500 miles from the Atlanta area, we were asked to pray for this family and those who were searching for Henry.  Information was given in each update, including a description of his car and the license plate number and the fact that he was a diabetic without his medication - indicating that he might need immediate medical attention, if found.  I can’t help but believe that God answered the prayers of many by providing clues such as the credit card purchases, so that Henry could be found.
 
I know you are wondering… has she lost her mind?  What does this have to do with John 14?  More than you might think!  See, Jesus’ disciples were questioning Him.  They wanted physical proof of His true identity… that what He told them was true.  It wasn’t enough that He said, “If you have seen me, you have seen my Father!”  They wanted Him to show them.  Moreover, they seemed clueless about how to follow Him… how to get to Heaven.  He kept telling them, “I am the way”… but they wanted a map – or at least some pretty good directions…and maybe more than a few clues and hints.
 
And here’s the thing… God’s “clues” are all around us.  Some are subtle and easily missed… that “still, small voice” you sometimes get…a scripture verse that keeps popping up and you wonder, “Why do I keep seeing this?”…a passing comment from a friend that keeps running through your head.  Others are smack-you-in-the-face obvious, like when an elderly friend of mine said that three times in one morning she had an encounter with another driver who pulled in front of her.  She told me, “I think God’s trying to get my attention and telling me I need to stop driving!”
 
The trouble with us is that we’re stubborn!  We don’t pay attention.  We walk right past God’s equivalent of flashing neon signs and choose to look the other direction. Now maybe we don’t do this deliberately, but in essence, we make choices every day with regard to whether we will pay attention to what God is telling and showing us… or not.  God shows us how to follow Him… the direct path to true discipleship and an eternity spent with Him in Heaven… and we are so busy doing what we choose that it often doesn’t even register.  I’m not saying that we necessarily make a conscious effort to ignore God.  But by choosing to allow ourselves to be preoccupied with other things… or to serve our own interests… we essentially do exactly that!
 
I don’t know what clues and signals God is sending you today.  But I know that we can either choose to pay attention – to look and listen for God’s messages and guidance… or we can choose to ignore the signs and “wing it.”  If you ask me, the latter choice is the surest way to end up in your own equivalent of driving aimlessly around Atlanta for twenty-nine hours.  Mr. Blackaby’s outcome could have been far more serious… and so could ours, if we don’t figure out who God really is and start following Him.  Is this a chance you are willing to take? 
 
What choices have you made that need rethinking?  The “search party” is out on your behalf.  God wants you found and returned to Him… restored and placed back on the right path.  Won’t you recognize His presence and choose to follow His lead?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 9, 2013

Daniel 3:15-18
I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

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.

It’s been 27 years since I taught public school kindergarten…and probably 30 years since the incident I am about to describe actually happened… but I remember it like it was yesterday.  An administrator for our school district was observing a lesson that I taught one morning. Our school district was something of the “guinea pig” for every new program that came down the pike.  This time, it was a program on assertive discipline.  The woman who visited my classroom was doing “blind observations.”  She did not know which teachers had attended the trial classes in assertive discipline… and which had not (and for the record, I was in the latter category!).  As I began my lesson, a little boy named Marice began to “show out.”  I warned him that a trip to “time out” was eminent.  He persisted.  I placed him in said “time out,” which consisted of a little nook in a corner of the classroom with a chair for sitting, separated from the rest of the room by a tall file cabinet.  Think of it as a “3-sided box.”

I placed Marice in “time out.”  He protested… loudly.  I continued my lesson.  He screamed and yelled, “I hate you!  I’m never coming back!”  I continued to deliver my lesson and interact with the other students as if nothing was amiss.  Marice continued to shout, kick the filing cabinet, and protest… although he never left the corner.  At the end of his ten minutes, the timer I had set began to ring, and I told him that he could return to his seat.  The administrator later told me (as she shook her head), “I do not know how you did it!  I could not have handled that!”  I suggested to her that it was a matter of choices.  The little boy chose to misbehave, and I gave him a chance to correct his behavior.  By choosing to continue his actions, he elected to suffer consequences.  I opted to enforce those consequences.

I could have “caved” and let him off the hook.  I could have said, “We have a guest here today, and I don’t want to make a scene.”  But I knew that this would not be the right option… this would not be productive for any of us in the long term.  So I chose to grit my teeth and endure the 10 minutes of “time out” that was somewhat torturous for everyone.  In the end, the little boy – and the other students – realized that I meant business.  The rules were to be followed, or there would be consequences.

So often in our lives, there are “rules” that must be followed and choices that must be made, or we suffer consequences.  In the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, there were two sets of rules - God’s, and King Nebuchadnezzar’s.  To follow the king’s rules would save them from the fiery furnace.  To follow God’s rules could possibly result in burning to death, which is not my idea of a pleasant way to go!  I don’t know about you, but I would not have been able to blame these men if that threat had caused them to succumb to the pressure and say, “Okay, we will bow down to your idols.”

Here’s the thing…there are times when it would be so easy to say, “I just can’t do this.  It’s too hard.  I’m not sure exactly what will happen if I say ‘No!’… but I just can’t take that risk.  I don’t think I can handle this.”  But here’s the more important part… when we can’t handle a choice that we know God is calling us to make, we must trust Him to step in and do the hard work for us.  We have to believe that He will carry us… that God will handle whatever pain and disruption our hard choice creates… that He will be there to rescue us from our “fiery furnace.”

I’m telling you… this is H.A.R.D. for me to digest – and it may be for you, as well.  Like the administrator, there are times where I want to throw up my hands and say, “I simply cannot do this!”  But I keep hearing God whisper, “Why can’t you?  I’m right here with you.  If you will listen and stay strong, I will show you that together, we can do this!”  Does this mean that certain choices are no longer scary… that there aren’t times when I feel nauseous and anxious and wring my hands over the options I choose?  Absolutely not!  But my desire to follow God’s lead and serve Him is bigger than my fears… at least so far!  What about yours?

©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 7, 2013

Colossians 3:15-17
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
 
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.
 
Timothy and Zola have been staying with us for the better part of 4 days and three nights, while their mother has been under the weather.  One night as we settled into bed, I said to Timothy, “Let’s say our prayers.  What should we say to God?”  Timothy instantly replied, “Let’s thank God for EVERYTHING!”  And so we did.  We sang our hearts out to God as we thanked Him for Timothy and Zola… their parents, their brother Nathan, their grandparents and great-grandparents and others – including Timothy’s teachers and friends at his new pre-K.  Then Timothy thanked God for his Uncle Greg, Aunt Debbie, Lucy and Mabel (the cats), and he said, “God, thank you for letting me stay with Uncle Greg and Aunt Debbie.  Thank you for letting me get to come here and play with my toys and see all my friends (his dinosaurs).”  It doesn’t get much sweeter than that!
 
Here’s the thing…Greg and I never had children of our own.  Somehow God saw fit to involve us quite actively in the lives of these three little ones… our great-nephews and niece.  We do not take this lightly.  Our roles in their lives are in direct response to the Master, Jesus… and He guides us every step of the way.  I don’t know why God thought we would be suitable for this… but I’ve learned not to question His plans too much.  I reminded myself today as Timothy and I headed to Wal-Mart for groceries (while Zola napped at home under Uncle Greg’s careful watch) that there are things “in the works” here that we cannot see and may never understand.  Best-selling author Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) wrote in My Utmost for His Highest for September 6th… “A river reaches places which its source never knows.”  Chambers explained that Jesus’ “rivers of living water” will flow from us and bless others even beyond any visible effects we may ever realize.  He concluded… “God rarely allows a person to see how great a blessing he is to others.”
 
There are two profound thoughts here… 1) that we, like rivers, reach places beyond what we will ever know; and 2) that God rarely allows us to see the full impact of what we do in His name.  Sit and think about these thoughts for a while.  Let them really resonate with your heart.  Consider the responsibility of each choice we make… in light of the ripple/river effect that it has – on us and on others.  Do you see how important it becomes that we cultivate the peace of Christ in our heart, an attitude of thankfulness, and a heart for the message of Jesus?  Can you even begin to appreciate the potential impact that every detail of our lives – words, actions, reactions, and gestures great and small – can have on others… and on the Kingdom of Heaven?  When you choose to go one direction… and God chooses to send you another… what do you do?  How you answer this makes all the difference.
 
Are you making wise choices? Are you serving God obediently and with your whole heart? Have you cultivated an attitude of thankfulness to God in all things and for all outcomes – both those you see and those you don’t?  Are God’s “rivers of living water” flowing from you?  Are you offering God the opportunity bless others through you?  Isn’t it time you did?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 4, 2013

1 Peter 5:5
In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
 
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.
 
The movie 42, written and directed by Brian Helgeland, tells the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in the National Baseball League.  Robinson was mistreated at every turn by fellow players, hotel managers, bus drivers, restaurant staff, and other teams…because of his race.  His owner, Branch Richey, insisted that Robinson not react to the taunts and abuse from others.  He believed that this just encouraged those who were mistreating Robinson… that they wanted him to react to their hatefulness… to give them a reason to say, “See… he doesn’t belong in baseball!”
 
The movie does a good job of depicting how difficult things were for Jackie Robinson and his family… how he struggled with the abuse and mistreatment.  But I also read a recent interview with Jackie Robinson’s wife, Rachel, in AARP Magazine, where she divulged that Jackie frequently left the baseball field and went to a driving range after games and practices.  There, he would hit golf balls… sometimes for hours… until his anger and hurt subsided.  Only then would he come home.
 
Jackie Robinson found a way to accept the authority of his owner…to humble himself to the influence of his leaders.  He didn’t necessarily accept the abuse and racism of others; but he chose to react in a way that was unexpected and contrary to the effect his enemies desired.  By doing so, he honored God, his family, and himself.  He maintained his dignity and made God proud.
 
There are many times when we have to choose whether to do what people expect and react in a certain manner… or to humble ourselves and respond differently.  A good example of this is when fellow “Christians” are being critical of those who think otherwise… participating in name calling or derogatory remarks toward certain persons or groups of people…or even speaking out on certain social issues and creating a “buzz” that often is more harmful than if they had remained silent.  If we “chime in” and add our support, we may feel better (at least temporarily), but we are not acting as God’s humble servants… and His work is not furthered by these actions and behaviors.
 
In essence, there are times when we all need to “go to the driving range and hit a few buckets of balls” (at least figuratively).  We need to choose to hold our tongues, keep our opinions to ourselves, and refrain from jumping on the latest bandwagon.  Our Ultimate Leader is God Almighty… and we must accept His authority and operate in a way that serves His will and makes Him proud.  We would all do well to check ourselves often to see if we are operating in humility… to ask if what we are saying and doing pleases God and furthers His Kingdom.  If we find that we are doing anything less, we probably should choose to go in a different direction.
 
©2013 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 9, 2012

Matthew 10:32-39
“Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?

“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.

“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

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.

Someone was telling me recently about visiting the home of a friend, and there was a pillow in one room that said, “It’s all about ME!” Sadly, this is not a joke for some of us! Many people function in this world under the assumption that it truly is all about them. Their focus is on their own agenda… the next purchase…who is paying attention to them… what is happening in their own little circle… and how they appear to others – on every level.

Forget asking these people to change their plans or forego a “treat” for themselves to help someone else. Remember, it’s all about them! Never mind asking them to put the needs of another person ahead of their own… or to say, I had planned to give such-and-such to my parents or my child… but this person is in dire straits and needs it worse, so I will proceed in a different direction.

When it comes to our Christian Discipleship, even more of us have a problem in this area. Ask yourself… “Would I be willing to forego a daily/semi-weekly cup of specialty coffee or a large soft drink in order to sponsor a child in Compassion, International or help another worthwhile charity? Could I give up an hour or so a week of doing something I really enjoy in order to help someone who had a physical need I could meet… running errands, help with lawn maintenance, delivering Meals on Wheels, giving a shut-in a ride somewhere, etc.? What if I turned off my television each day for one hour and spent that time in quiet prayer and meditation for others?”

I don’t know what God is calling you to do. I don’t know where your path to Discipleship leads you. But I do know that a lot of us are far less obedient and selfless in these areas than we ought to be. When it comes to our Christian witness and Discipleship, more than a handful of us could sport a pillow that says “It’s all about ME.”

I’m asking you to examine your heart… and your lifestyle… and see where you are acting selfishly and with a self-centered heart. Then ask God to help you turn things around. Start operating from a place of incredible generosity… the old “give until it hurts – and then some” mentality. I’m not talking about money, per se… unless that is what God asks you to give. I’m talking time, talents, energy - whatever He requests. Be willing to give…and then give some more. Stand up for God, and He will stand up for you! Life may not always be cozy,but you will be blessed. You will know that you can someday stand before God with honor and the confidence that you went all the way with Him. You gave everything you had to give… and then some.

If it’s all about GOD, He will see that your needs are met in the bargain. And when God meets your needs, nothing is lacking…and He is truly enough. Aren’t you ready for this? Won’t you ask God to help you change your focus?

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 18, 2012

Matthew 4:18-22
While Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen, and they were casting their net into the lake. Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.

Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

One day a few months before my grandmother moved to the assisted living facility, I drove over to her house, and she wasn’t there. The door was unlocked, her purse was where she kept it, as was her walker… but she was nowhere to be found. After several minutes of frantically searching through her house and around the yard outside, I decided she had gone somewhere with a friend. If she had left for a walk around the block, she would have taken her walker. Sure enough, in a few more minutes a truck pulled up, and my grandmother and two feeble, elderly, and most unwell friends emerged. They had all been to buy some peaches somewhere out in the countryside. I reminded my grandmother that she had agreed not to ride with these people because they were in such poor health, and she said, “… but they wanted me to go with them.”

My grandmother was a “gad-about” in her time. We had a running joke that even on her sickest day, she would get up and go with the first person who stopped by and invited her. It didn’t matter who it was or where they were going, really… or in this case, that her “driver” had no business being behind the wheel of a vehicle. Someone said, “Come with me!” And she did!

If only we were as eager to follow Jesus! If only we were eager and willing to get up on our worst day and do whatever He needed us to do! But we find all sorts of excuses, don’t we? “Not today, LORD. Maybe next week – or next year. I’m not able… I’m not well… I’m not dressed nicely enough… I’m having a bad hair day…I’m busy…I’m not interested.”

When we come to the point where we can drop what we are doing to follow Jesus and serve Him, who we are as a Christian disciple changes dramatically. Total obedience to God is one of the hardest things for Christians to attain. Part of our resistance lies in our human selfishness… and part lies in the devil’s ability to fill us with fear and to convince us that following Jesus will cost us – freedom, friends, ridicule, and more. And he’ll tell you that the last thing you want to do is to “give up” anything in your already great life.

In truth, the devil wants you to stay right where you are… to never go anywhere. He wants you stuck in a rut… focused on yourself, and operating in fear. If you really, truly drop everything and follow Jesus, be prepared for some tough times, because Satan will fight like mad to get you to quit and go home. But also get ready to experience true joy and blessings. When we are fully obedient to God, even when what He asks us to do makes no sense at all, we experience real abundance. I can’t explain it fully – you have to experience this for yourself. But the best description I can offer is that complete surrender to God will bring you a joy and peace you have never known before. Even on your worst day with God, you will feel better than you did sitting at home with the devil.

So get up… get going. When Jesus says, “Come with me,” be ready to roll! Don’t look back… look to Heaven! Don’t ask, “Why, LORD?” Ask, “What next?” Make this the day you turn the corner and truly surrender to Jesus. Operate fully in the will of God, with total abandon… and experience complete joy in the LORD. Are you ready to really follow Jesus? When He calls…will you answer?

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 11, 2012

Joshua 24:14-18
“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. For the Lord our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.

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.

For the person with an addictive personality, there is no middle ground. An alcoholic can’t have “just one drink.” The person addicted to nicotine cannot smoke a lone cigarette every month or two. Someone hooked on gambling is not able to play one slot machine and walk away. Even if we do not have an addictive personality, many of us have trouble drawing a line in the sand on certain things.

Some of us are permissive parents who cannot say “No” to our children. Others have trouble with budgets and making wise decisions about where and how to spend their money. Still others are so eager to be popular and accepted that they say one thing to one person and another to someone else – and hope the two never meet! The bottom line is that in many instances in life, we are all over the map with regard to who we associate with – and how… where our allegiances lie…and what matters to us!

Even worse, a lot of us cannot decide whether we are totally in with God or not. We want desperately to be “good Christians” – to live well and please God… and most certainly to be assured of an eternity in heaven. But we still want to dabble in sin… to share in juicy gossip or enjoy our “one little vice”… to occasionally slip a little slur or expletive into our conversation or behave badly and chalk it up to “too much to drink” or a “night out with the boys/girls.” You know the phrase… “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!” We want to play fast and loose with our faith… and hope that no one (especially GOD) notices!

None of us is perfect, and there will certainly be slip-ups for each of us. But when we come to a place where we can boldly claim, “I am serving the LORD - I have decided to be totally in… to go whole hog… to make every effort to follow Him and live more like Jesus every day,” we have turned a HUGE corner in our Christian faith walk. When we make a concerted effort to lay down the vices and sins – even the most minor of infractions – we have stepped onto a higher plain. We have attained a deeper level of commitment and intimacy with God.

In a way, this passage is telling us to get off the fence. You’re either totally in, or you’re not in at all. You can’t be a recovering addict and still dabble in your addiction. You can’t be a follower of Jesus who desires a deep and meaningful relationship with Him then choose to fiddle with occasional sin or “little vices.” And honestly, if you are fully committed to Christ, you won’t want to do this! But it takes dedication, effort, and a concerted determination to do better – a steadfastness to live for Jesus each and every day.

I can’t adequately express how incredible this is. But I can tell you that the transformation is profound. Living with purpose and an “all-in” commitment to serve and obey God is a game changer! Everything about your life will feel different… better… more focused… and joyful! I know that many people feel that choosing to wholeheartedly serve God will mean giving up something “fun” or comfortable. But the truth is that this is liberation in its highest form!

Choose who you will serve… the choice IS yours! But as for me and my house, we are serving the LORD… and this has made all the difference! Are you ready to do the same?

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 24, 2012

Proverbs 4:23-27
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

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.

Each August, residents up and down Arkansas Highway 64 have a garage sale that lasts several days over one weekend. They call it “Bargains Galore on 64.” One year, my husband and I traveled this highway from Beebe to Conway and took in the sales along that part of the route. My husband drove, and I watched for signs and scouted the sales to determine whether or not it would be worth our time to stop. As the day wore on and the crowds thickened, this became a bit of a risky adventure! Drivers were paying more attention to the sales than their driving. Many either didn’t have a “navigator” to assist them…or that person was busy gawking, too… because there was more than one near-miss collision as we motored along!

I would venture to say you could call these sales something of a “sideshow distraction.” Highway 64 is a relatively busy thoroughfare, particularly as you get closer to the larger communities. Add in some traffic that is stopping and starting – often with little to no warning – and you have a recipe for potential disaster!

This is a good example of how many of us maneuver through life. We are busy gawking at the “sideshow distractions,” and we fail to pay attention to the importance of our main focus… navigating the path of our Christian faith. Daily living is fraught with challenges aplenty without taking detours and becoming preoccupied with such things as other people’s business, temptations, and our selfish desires to fit in or “be somebody!” These behaviors lead to the “white lies,” excuses, gossip, and careless banter that can wreak such havoc with our Christian witness and daily living.

In some respects, God is our “Navigator” as we travel the highways of life. He shows us what distractions and detours are worth our time and trouble… and He frees us to remain focused on the road ahead. He protects us from a collision course. Our job is to make every effort to be a “good driver”… to keep our heart and motives pure… and to listen to His advice.

I love a good yard sale as much as the next person… and I have to admit, I am often easily distracted. But I am asking God to strengthen my focus… to purify my motives – and my thoughts and actions – and to leave evil in the dust. Who is your Navigator these days? Are you a on a smooth stretch of road - or have you made a detour of sorts? Ask God to set you back on the right course… and to give you everything necessary to keep you there!

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 14, 2012

Proverbs 3:33-35
God's curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize.

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 husband heard the Chairman of the NCAA interviewed, about how many college football and basketball players have aspirations to become professional athletes. Obviously many Division I athletes have hopes of “going pro.” However, to emphasize his point, the chairman stated that 50% of all of Division II football and basketball players (including those at schools like Harding, Arkansas Tech, and others where student athletes may not even be on full scholarships) hope to “go pro.” In reality, only 1% actually make it to “the big leagues.” Clearly the expectations exceed realizations!

I am not criticizing these young people for having hopes and dreams. In fact, I commend their determination. At the same time, I wonder who has convinced them they may have what it takes to become a professional athlete. How many have unrealistic opinions of themselves and their abilities… and expect to be rewarded for their talents in this manner? As Graduation Day approaches for many high school and college students, I wonder who is looking toward a future in a career that God did not sanction. Who is anticipating being a “star” athlete in college or the pro ranks… or pursuing a degree that meets his/her choices rather than God’s?

Many of us spend a lot of time creating an image of wealth, intelligence, and general “success”. We care far too much about how others see us, and far too little about how we are truly seen. How many times have you heard it said that someone appeared to be beautiful and truly amazing, until this person opened his/her mouth? How many celebrities do you know who appear to have it all… wealth, fame, good looks… a great life… but in reality their life is falling apart? I could give you a laundry list of names, but you probably have your own already.

Regardless of our age or stage in life, we all need to focus on living humbly instead of playing the game. We need to seek God’s will for our lives. If God directs us to do the things that put us in line for wealth, fame… or even a chance to play a professional sport… then He will show us how to do the work to accomplish this. He will use us in this capacity to serve Him and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others in these arenas. If God calls us to operate in the background, He will equip us with the necessary guidance and gifts for this, as well.

God needs all kinds of people in His army… He can use celebrities and “regular Joes” alike. But God is not amused by those who try to be something or someone other than who He has called them to become. If God wants a college athlete to become a high school coach and help mold and shape the lives of countless teenagers, He will bless these efforts far more than the “riches” this athlete could ever accrue on the pro circuit. One has to recognize that the coach and the “pro” athlete are both professionals… just with a different vehicle for serving potential service. There is no shame in changing your major, your career, or even your hobby, if you feel that God is moving you in a different direction.

Who are you trying to be? What are you working toward… and does it line up with what God wants for your life? Have you truly shown up for life… the life that God has planned for you? Or are you determined to be something or someone else? Ask God to show you how to show up for the life that He has chosen. Humbly seek His will for your life… then get busy fulfilling His desires. You will be amazed at how He shows up for you as a result!

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 4, 2012

Romans 5:3-5
There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

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.

In a regional “lifestyles” section of our newspaper, I read an article today about Lorrie Thiel of Jacksonville, Arkansas, who was injured in a serious car wreck nearly 10 years ago. As a result, Lorrie suffers frequent seizures. She obtained a service dog named Schultzy to alert her when a seizure is about to occur. She and Schultzy later adopted Galahad from the local animal shelter and trained him to become Lorrie’s service companion.

Galahad can not only alert Lorrie when a seizure is forthcoming, he also wears a special backpack which contains her medications on one side, and her purse (hidden) on the other. When a seizure is eminent, Galahad lets Lorrie know so that she can find a safe, comfortable chair and sit down – and she can take medication to lessen the seizure’s effects. If Lorrie is unable to take her medications, and other people are present, Galahad will rub against someone’s leg with the side of the pack that contains the medication. If they don’t respond, he stops and starts this process until they look in his pack. He is also trained not to let anyone look in the side of his pack containing Lorrie’s purse unless they are wearing a police or paramedic uniform.

Lorrie now trains service dogs for others in need. She still suffers two to three seizures a week, but she has used the troubles that once hemmed her in to develop a passion for helping others who may be in a similar situation. She was alert for what God was going to do next in her life, and as a result, her blessings are abundant and have poured over into the lives of many others.

So often, we are so busy living in fear of what might or might not happen in our lives that we fail to recognize the opportunities God is presenting us with at this very moment. We impatiently anticipate big things from God at the expense of what He may be showing us… if only we would sit still and pay attention. When we are hemmed in by troubles on all sides, we panic. How could this happen to us? Where is God? What will become of us… how will we ever get past this?

I would be willing to bet that Lorrie Thiel didn’t dream that her life would take this turn. I feel pretty sure that this mother of two teenagers never saw herself experiencing such a life-changing event… or allowing God to use her to bless so many other people out of her own troubles. I don’t know what God has planned today, tomorrow, next week or next year – for any of us. But I know that through the Holy Spirit, He wants to generously pour into our lives an abundance of love, grace, mercy and blessings that we can’t possibly gather enough containers to hold!

We have two choices… 1) we can operate in fear and impatience, worrying continually about what will happen each day to us and those we love… we can allow Satan to fill us with dread and dissatisfaction and stay stagnant in our faith walk, or 2) we can take the daily experiences of life and steel ourselves with patience and passion as God pours into us. We can anticipate what amazing, incredible things He has in store for us… believe for them, watch and listen for them to arrive… and act on them to pay forward what He stands ready to deliver. The choice is 100% ours. I don’t know about you, but I’ve already started looking for bigger containers!

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 15, 2011

2 Kings 22:3-20
After Josiah had been king for eighteen years, he told Shaphan, one of his highest officials: Go to the LORD's temple 4and ask Hilkiah the high priest to collect from the guards all the money that the people have donated. Have Hilkiah give it to the men supervising the repairs to the temple. They can use some of the money to pay the workers, and with the rest of it they can buy wood and stone for the repair work. They are honest, so we won't ask them to keep track of the money.

While Shaphan was at the temple, Hilkiah handed him a book and said, "Look what I found here in the temple--The Book of God's Law." Shaphan read it, then went back to Josiah and reported, "Your officials collected the money in the temple and gave it to the men supervising the repairs. But there's something else, Your Majesty. The priest Hilkiah gave me this book." Then Shaphan read it out loud.

When Josiah heard what was in The Book of God's Law, he tore his clothes in sorrow. At once he called together Hilkiah, Shaphan, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, and his own servant Asaiah. He said, "The LORD must be furious with me and everyone else in Judah, because our ancestors did not obey the laws written in this book. Go find out what the LORD wants us to do."

The five men left right away and went to talk with Huldah the prophet. Her husband was Shallum, who was in charge of the king's clothes. Huldah lived in the northern part of Jerusalem, and when they met in her home,she said: You were sent here by King Josiah, and this is what the LORD God of Israel says to him: "Josiah, I am the LORD! And I will see to it that this country and everyone living in it will be destroyed. It will happen just as this book says. The people of Judah have rejected me. They have offered sacrifices to foreign gods and have worshiped their own idols. I cannot stand it any longer. I am furious.

"Josiah, listen to what I am going to do. I noticed how sad you were when you read that this country and its people would be completely wiped out. You even tore your clothes in sorrow, and I heard you cry. So I will let you die in peace, before I destroy this place."

The men left and took Huldah's answer back to Josiah.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

I know this is a long scripture passage today, but I felt it was important that I share all of it. Doesn’t it seem to you like we have a lot of chances to look the other way in life? We get a printout for a medical bill that indicates we were overcharged, but insurance covered it, so we just let it go. We know someone is not doing what they should and causing harm to a lot of people, but since it doesn’t affect us directly, we keep quiet.

You are fairly sure your friend is drinking and driving… but you can’t prove it, so you don’t get involved.

• You think a child is being abused, but adults in charge of his/her care have a sketchy “explanation” for every bump and bruise. So you do nothing. If the apparent abuse is verbal and emotional, you hesitate to speak to the abuser/bully and “make a scene” - or risk making this person angry with you.
• You see people who are supposed to be Disciples of Christ behaving in ways that are questionable at best… or downright dishonest and disobedient, and you look the other way.
• It would have been so easy for Josiah to pretend he didn’t see the Book of Law. He could have set it in a closet and looked the other way as his people continued to sin and anger God. But he knew that he had to say something. He knew that one person can make a difference… or start the process.

In the life of a Christian, there is no such thing as looking the other way. We have to take a stand for what is right… and do so in a civil, Christ-like manner. This doesn’t mean getting involved in ugly confrontations or standing on street corners yelling and protesting (although this may be necessary at times). Think about the accomplishments of Jesus… most were not grandiose or dramatic and flamboyant. He touched a sick person and said, “Rise and walk”… and they did. He prayed over casks of water and they turned to wine. He blessed a few fish and loaves of bread and fed thousands. He saw needs and met them. He saw wrongs and worked to make them right. He also chased the thieves and money changers out of the temple. He used discretion and wisdom to determine the appropriate action… and God can supply us with that same discretion and wisdom if we will ask Him.

How are we following Jesus’ example? Are we paying attention and looking for the right thing to do… the way that God would have us proceed? And are we following through and doing what He asks? Isn’t it time we stood up like Josiah and said, “This is not pleasing to God! How can we set things right?” What type of behavior are you choosing these days?

©2011 Debbie Robus