Daily Devotional for December 15, 2016

Matthew 19:21-23
Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” When the young man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.

Jesus said to his disciples, “It’s terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven!

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

Greg and I cleaned our closets yesterday.  It was long overdue.  We will donate the purged items to a local clothes closet that helps people in need…many who have nothing due to a house fire, domestic violence, job loss, or other unfortunate circumstances.  For the record, I am a bit of a clothes hoarder.  I’ve cleaned my closet countless times and put pretty much everything back on the racks and in the drawers.  I tell myself that I might actually be able to wear the jeans that fit when I was 40…or that I really need a shirt I bought for a song – in 1994!

This time, I tried to be ruthless…and I have to say, I did better than expected.  Because I asked myself one question…”Who needs this worse?”  And if you looked at my closet today, you might ask if I really removed anything.  See, I still have plenty…but now, the person who really needs a good pair of Levis® will be able to have them.  The warm jacket that I have not worn in at least five years will keep someone cozy this winter instead of taking up space in our closet.  Those shoes that pinched my toes might be just the right size for a woman who is looking for a job and wants to look professional.  And honestly, these days, my need for “office attire” is pretty well nil.

I inherited this “clothes hoarding” gene from my mother and grandmother.  I know that to be a fact, because I cleaned out their closets!  And I am not criticizing them…they were careful bargain shoppers.  And after decades of scrimping and scraping so that we kids could have nice things, they deserved to have beautiful garments.  But I also know that “you can’t take it with you.” Even after my purging, I could pretty well wear a different outfit every day for a month and not repeat myself!  In view of the fact that some have NOTHING to wear – at least nothing that is decent – this makes no sense.

So I’ve made a small step toward sharing my “riches.”  I have not sold or given away everything that I own, but I’ve started letting go of an unreasonable attachment to clothes that clutter my closet and could actually benefit someone else.

A couple of years ago, I went through every closet and drawer and purged and organized what was in them…and it’s time to do that again.  This may not seem like a huge deal in the realm of God’s Kingdom, but it is. When we let go of our “things,” we focus more on what is really necessary and important.  When we part with something because we realize that another person has a bigger need for it than we do, we’re making progress.  And I have to believe that this makes God smile.

I don’t want to hinder my journey to heaven with clutter and “stuff”…and I’m betting you don’t either.  This small step could lead to bigger ones - and point us in the right direction, once and for all.  Are you ready to start gleaning?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 23, 2016

Mark 11:25-26
Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”

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 around young children, you know that in a split second, they can have every single toy, puzzle, and game strewn across the floor.  And we dare not remove a solitary item, because it will surely be missed!

I have started limiting what the kids can get out at one time.  I will tell them, “Before you get out those cars, you have to pick up this box of blocks.”  They don’t like it…and sometimes, they will say, “But I’m still playing with that toy!” Occasionally, they make a good case…but often, I tell them that we are not going to do anything else until they get done with the task at hand.

Now think about your life.  There are times when you have so many things “strewn about”…you are clinging to this grudge or that conversation that upset you.  You are angry with someone about SOMETHING…and you’re not quite done being mad!  You come before God and ask Him to guide your steps…to care for you and your loved ones…to heal this situation or that.  And God essentially says, “Clean up your mess first.”

It’s not that God doesn’t want to help us.  Just as WE could pick up the toys and get everything straightened up and in order for our little ones, God could surely clean up any mess we have.  He could fix our grudges…resolve our conflicts…heal the world mentally, physically and spiritually…cover every debt of every kind.  But God knows that we need to have a part in this.  We learn valuable lessons from actively participating in this process. God also knows that if we keep accumulating clutter in our heart and mind, we’ll just pile our hearts full complaints, resentments, bitterness, ill will toward others, and other clutter.  We say to our children, “I’m not giving you another thing to play with while you have all of this.”  God says, “I cannot help you with ABC until you resolve XYZ.”

God is not being mean, just as we are not being unkind to our little ones.  He is saying, “Assume responsibility.  Don’t ask Me to do something you are not willing to do yourself.  Get your house in order a little before you start asking Me to step in and save the day.”

If there is an area of your life where you feel that God isn’t answering – no matter how large or small – I suggest you take a long hard look at your own heart.  See if there is a possibility that you are harboring a little clutter…a grudge, some bitterness, a hateful opinion of someone, or even a minor irritation.  Let go…and let God have room to work!  Once you clean up some of the mess, you may be astounded at how quickly God goes into action! 

God can – and will – do anything we ask, if our heart is in the right place.  Isn’t it time we cleared out enough space for Him to work?  Will this be the day that you get started?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 28, 2011

Luke 12:15
Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."

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.

Few among us have not heard of the new reality TV shows that feature “hoarders” – people who have some sort of mental or psychological disconnect that causes them to be unable to part with anything… even garbage. Others continually acquire material possessions… or even pets. And recently, a new show has featured people who use discount coupons to save hundreds of dollars on groceries and other items… but many of them become “hoarders” of sorts, accumulating storage rooms filled with items they don’t even want or use, all because they were “free."

I will be the first to admit that I have too much “stuff”. I have far more clothes than I can wear. I tend to stockpile a few staples and paper goods in the pantry. Everyone knows I love antiques and old things… and my laundry room and closets attest to this. I have mundane collections… from books to nativity sets… and like most people, a fair share of “junk” I just can’t seem to part with.

But I have honestly come to a point in my life where I feel my “stuff” does not define me. I could get rid of most of it tomorrow and be just fine. Maybe I’ve cleaned out one too many drawer at my grandmother’s or gone to enough estate auctions to see that it’s just stuff, and you can’t take it all with you! I stood at an estate auction recently and looked at items being sold for pennies on the dollar and thought, “Yesterday, those things were important and valuable to the person who owned them. Today, they are being auctioned off to the highest bidder.”

Greed is caused by a number of things… deep-seated psychological needs, a mental disconnect, something that happened in one’s past, a strong desire for control, and more. But at the very core, I believe that greed is borne out of a spiritual lack. We are trying to fill up an emptiness within us that only God can fill… but many of us don’t know that He is what we really need. Once we learn to focus on God and the things He desires for us… to spend our time serving Him and living in His presence, our wealth and belongings are not nearly as important… or at least they shouldn’t be!

I stood recently at the cemetery and looked at a large brass box that contained my cousin’s ashes. I thought about my own life and how someday I, too, will be reduced to a box like that. What will be my legacy? Will my “stuff” matter then? Will people talk at my funeral about what a nice car I drove or the house in which I lived? Will they say, “She had nice stuff!” Or will they talk about how I lived… who I loved… how I served my LORD? I pray that I would never be defined by what I have. I pray that we would all learn to value relationships and the things of God more than material wealth.

What about you? What is valuable to you? Are you greedy… a hoarder… defined by your “stuff?” Or are you focused on what really matters? Ask God to help you de-clutter your life and focus on serving Him. Call on Him to give you the wisdom and courage to “clean out the closets” of your life and lay down the baggage. Learn to really live… free and unencumbered. Fill up on God – not things… and see how blessed your life can truly be.

©2011 Debbie Robus