Psalm 91:9-10
For Jehovah is my refuge! I choose the God above all gods to shelter me. How then can evil overtake me or any plague come near?
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
If it weren't so pitiful, it would almost be funny how people have reacted to the recent news about the appearance of the ebola virus in our country. When the deadly illness first struck people in Dallas, Texas, I had Facebook "friends" who actually said, "Omigosh! That's only 6 hours away from here!" Helloooooo! You're not going to get it over the Internet!
Fear is one of the devil's biggest weapons. If he can just make us fear something...if he can confuse us and cause us not to understand, investigate, and/or get all of the facts...he can really mess with our minds and our hearts. And many of us seem to "go there" with warp speed!
In this scripture passage, we are reminded that God is our refuge...our shelter...the "soft (and safe) place to fall". When we are securely grounded in Him...when we are firmly entrenched in the clutches of His hand, what can really harm us?
Does this mean that we will never get sick...that nothing "bad" will ever happen to us? NO! But one of the keys to this passage is the word overtake. Nothing can overtake us when God is in control. When we are safely sheltered in His arms, we can face any challenge...we can battle any illness, or injury...we can work our way through grief and loss - and find a place of recovery and restoration. When God is our refuge, "plagues" may come dangerously close...but we will never be overcome by them.
I am participating in a six-week Bible study with a wonderful group of ladies. One night, the facilitator asked us what was keeping us from discovering our "Best Yes"...from doing what we know that God is calling us to do - and finding a million excuses for doing anything and everything else. What is really holding us back? And the answer we collectively agreed upon was...fear...fear of the unknown...fear of what might (or might not) happen...fear of rejection and ridicule...fear of failure. And we had to agree that for those who truly believe in the shelter and refuge of God Almighty, fear is totally ludicrous!
So I guess my question for us today is this...are we really dwelling in the shelter and refuge of God? Or have we stepped away and given the devil a chance to latch hold of us? God's arms are open...He is waiting to offer us safety and protection. In His grip, nothing can overtake us. So where will you choose to reside?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label choosing to listen to God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label choosing to listen to God. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 10, 2013
Proverbs 3:11-12
My child, don’t turn away
or become bitter
when the Lord corrects you.
The Lord corrects
everyone he loves,
just as parents correct
their favorite child.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A couple of years ago, I had a ceramic angel sitting on a table in our entryway. Timothy loved to look at that angel… and to touch it. This was not a valuable piece… it was something I had gotten in a box of items at an auction. But it was shiny and pretty, and I had repeatedly told Timmy – then about 2 – not to touch it. One day I turned my back for just a second, and I heard the crash. Timothy had picked up the angel… and dropped it on the floor. Thankfully, the damage was minor… I think it was missing a foot. I knew I could glue the piece back together, and I reminded Timothy that…”This is why we don’t touch Aunt Debbie’s things!”
A little later, I noticed blood on the top of Timothy’s foot. When I washed away the blood, there was a tiny cut. I surmised that this happened when he dropped the angel, and I showed him the cut and again reminded him… “This is what happens – we can get into trouble and get hurt.” I won’t say that Timothy has completely stopped touching “pretties” at our house… that would be a lie! But he is better about it. He remembers the angel and what happened. Thankfully the lesson was not too harsh… yet it was valuable.
I am not one of those adults who put away every single thing that the children should not touch. I do have safety locks on cabinets that hold household cleaners… and we watch the children closely. But I know I can’t shelter Timothy and his siblings from everything… sometimes I have to allow them to get into a little trouble and use these moments as “teachable experiences”. And so it is with God. There will be times when He will sit back and allow us to get into a little trouble, so that He can bring us back into a right relationship with Him. When we figure out that we need help, He can use the moment to teach us just how inadequate we are on our own – aside from His power and wisdom.
The KEY is to humbly accept God’s correction, along with His help. If we turn our backs on Him and conclude that “No loving God would allow this to happen to me,” we have missed the point completely – and we’ll miss the blessings, too. If you removed a stove or heater from your house because children might touch it and get burned, they would never learn to stay away from the hot appliance! We have to accept that God will allow bad things to happen sometimes, so that we can grow – and recognize how much we need Him!
How you choose to react to the “teachable moments” in your life is up to you. But please don’t turn away from God. Don’t make the mistake of deciding that God has deserted you in these circumstances… because nothing could be farther from the truth. When troubles come – either those of your own making or the ones that seem to be the result of outside forces – call on God and ask Him, “LORD, what am I to learn from this? What will you show me? How will I grow from this experience with regard to my relationship with You?” Allow God to allow you room to develop and increase in your knowledge and faith in Him. God would never turn His back on you. Don’t make the mistake of deserting Him, either.
©2013 Debbie Robus
My child, don’t turn away
or become bitter
when the Lord corrects you.
The Lord corrects
everyone he loves,
just as parents correct
their favorite child.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A couple of years ago, I had a ceramic angel sitting on a table in our entryway. Timothy loved to look at that angel… and to touch it. This was not a valuable piece… it was something I had gotten in a box of items at an auction. But it was shiny and pretty, and I had repeatedly told Timmy – then about 2 – not to touch it. One day I turned my back for just a second, and I heard the crash. Timothy had picked up the angel… and dropped it on the floor. Thankfully, the damage was minor… I think it was missing a foot. I knew I could glue the piece back together, and I reminded Timothy that…”This is why we don’t touch Aunt Debbie’s things!”
A little later, I noticed blood on the top of Timothy’s foot. When I washed away the blood, there was a tiny cut. I surmised that this happened when he dropped the angel, and I showed him the cut and again reminded him… “This is what happens – we can get into trouble and get hurt.” I won’t say that Timothy has completely stopped touching “pretties” at our house… that would be a lie! But he is better about it. He remembers the angel and what happened. Thankfully the lesson was not too harsh… yet it was valuable.
I am not one of those adults who put away every single thing that the children should not touch. I do have safety locks on cabinets that hold household cleaners… and we watch the children closely. But I know I can’t shelter Timothy and his siblings from everything… sometimes I have to allow them to get into a little trouble and use these moments as “teachable experiences”. And so it is with God. There will be times when He will sit back and allow us to get into a little trouble, so that He can bring us back into a right relationship with Him. When we figure out that we need help, He can use the moment to teach us just how inadequate we are on our own – aside from His power and wisdom.
The KEY is to humbly accept God’s correction, along with His help. If we turn our backs on Him and conclude that “No loving God would allow this to happen to me,” we have missed the point completely – and we’ll miss the blessings, too. If you removed a stove or heater from your house because children might touch it and get burned, they would never learn to stay away from the hot appliance! We have to accept that God will allow bad things to happen sometimes, so that we can grow – and recognize how much we need Him!
How you choose to react to the “teachable moments” in your life is up to you. But please don’t turn away from God. Don’t make the mistake of deciding that God has deserted you in these circumstances… because nothing could be farther from the truth. When troubles come – either those of your own making or the ones that seem to be the result of outside forces – call on God and ask Him, “LORD, what am I to learn from this? What will you show me? How will I grow from this experience with regard to my relationship with You?” Allow God to allow you room to develop and increase in your knowledge and faith in Him. God would never turn His back on you. Don’t make the mistake of deserting Him, either.
©2013 Debbie Robus
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.
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 7, 2013
Proverbs 16:19
You are better off to be humble and poor than to get rich from what you take by force.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have spent most of the day trying to figure out what to share with you in this devotional. This was not an especially busy day for me. When I awoke this morning, I knew that I had plenty of time to do a few household chores, write this devotional – and even squeeze in a workout before dinner time. This morning, two friends telephoned to visit with me – one delivered some sad news, and the other was checking on a mutual acquaintance. Both calls were important. Then another friend called to discuss a sewing project on which she was working and to seek some advice. That was important also. AND…I phoned my mother to share the sad news that one of the friends had delivered earlier…per her request.
In all, a lot of my morning was spent on the telephone. I decided to “park” this scripture and get in a workout. Greg was delivering Meals on Wheels, as he does each Monday. He returned before I finished exercising and said, “It’s such a beautiful day… I was hoping we could go for a bike ride.” My friend with the sewing project was due to visit later in the afternoon so that I could help her. I told Greg that it shouldn’t take long to do the sewing, and we could ride afterward… and we did. What a beautiful afternoon we shared… bright, sunny skies and cool, crisp fall air. We returned home just before time for dinner.
After we ate, Greg went to his office to watch a ballgame, and I was going to work on this devotional. My friend called… her sewing project was not going well. She had difficulties that I could not “talk her through” over the phone, so I insisted she drive back to our house, so that I could help her finish the project. As she drove away from our house, I thought… “Here’s my devotional!”
See, the “richest” part of my day was not what I was able to check off my list. It was the people with whom I spent time. Dishes can wait… that television show I might have wanted to watch can be recorded and viewed later (or skipped altogether)…the little “projects” I had hoped to work on today will still be there tomorrow – or next week – but my friends and family wanted and/or needed me today. Had I stomped my foot or made excuses and said, “I’m not answering the phone again!” or “I will not do another thing with someone else until I check XYZ off of my own list,” I might have missed out on some wonderful blessings.
The point is that we are missing out on the riches found in the little things of life, because we are focused on getting ahead or accomplishing as much as possible in as little time as possible. We truly would be “better off humble and poor” than to have trampled over the feelings of others to get what we want. To make another feel like your priorities and preferences are more important than his/hers… in even small matters… is the same as getting rich – or getting ahead – by force. When we choose to stop focusing on our own desires more than the needs of others, we have truly begun to understand what it is to be a disciple of Christ.
On any given day, our plans don’t go as we hoped. Sometimes that is our own doing… other times God is showing us opportunities to serve in His name… or even to receive a blessing that He wants to bestow. Whether we tap into what God is offering or not is totally up to us. It’s our choice. We start by being attuned to His will for our lives…and learning to ask Him, “What do YOU think I should do in this situation?” When we listen to His lead, we always make the right choice in the end. The question is… are you listening? Isn’t it time you were?
©2013 Debbie Robus
You are better off to be humble and poor than to get rich from what you take by force.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have spent most of the day trying to figure out what to share with you in this devotional. This was not an especially busy day for me. When I awoke this morning, I knew that I had plenty of time to do a few household chores, write this devotional – and even squeeze in a workout before dinner time. This morning, two friends telephoned to visit with me – one delivered some sad news, and the other was checking on a mutual acquaintance. Both calls were important. Then another friend called to discuss a sewing project on which she was working and to seek some advice. That was important also. AND…I phoned my mother to share the sad news that one of the friends had delivered earlier…per her request.
In all, a lot of my morning was spent on the telephone. I decided to “park” this scripture and get in a workout. Greg was delivering Meals on Wheels, as he does each Monday. He returned before I finished exercising and said, “It’s such a beautiful day… I was hoping we could go for a bike ride.” My friend with the sewing project was due to visit later in the afternoon so that I could help her. I told Greg that it shouldn’t take long to do the sewing, and we could ride afterward… and we did. What a beautiful afternoon we shared… bright, sunny skies and cool, crisp fall air. We returned home just before time for dinner.
After we ate, Greg went to his office to watch a ballgame, and I was going to work on this devotional. My friend called… her sewing project was not going well. She had difficulties that I could not “talk her through” over the phone, so I insisted she drive back to our house, so that I could help her finish the project. As she drove away from our house, I thought… “Here’s my devotional!”
See, the “richest” part of my day was not what I was able to check off my list. It was the people with whom I spent time. Dishes can wait… that television show I might have wanted to watch can be recorded and viewed later (or skipped altogether)…the little “projects” I had hoped to work on today will still be there tomorrow – or next week – but my friends and family wanted and/or needed me today. Had I stomped my foot or made excuses and said, “I’m not answering the phone again!” or “I will not do another thing with someone else until I check XYZ off of my own list,” I might have missed out on some wonderful blessings.
The point is that we are missing out on the riches found in the little things of life, because we are focused on getting ahead or accomplishing as much as possible in as little time as possible. We truly would be “better off humble and poor” than to have trampled over the feelings of others to get what we want. To make another feel like your priorities and preferences are more important than his/hers… in even small matters… is the same as getting rich – or getting ahead – by force. When we choose to stop focusing on our own desires more than the needs of others, we have truly begun to understand what it is to be a disciple of Christ.
On any given day, our plans don’t go as we hoped. Sometimes that is our own doing… other times God is showing us opportunities to serve in His name… or even to receive a blessing that He wants to bestow. Whether we tap into what God is offering or not is totally up to us. It’s our choice. We start by being attuned to His will for our lives…and learning to ask Him, “What do YOU think I should do in this situation?” When we listen to His lead, we always make the right choice in the end. The question is… are you listening? Isn’t it time you were?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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