Daily Devotional for October 31, 2016

Matthew 6:5-6
“And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
 
“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. 

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 warn you now that you may not like some - or all - of what I am about to say!  But I have studied this scripture passage carefully, and I have developed strong feelings about public prayer – and the importance that many attach to this action.

If you wanted to talk to a friend and loved one about something deeply personal, would you do this out loud – in a public venue?  Would you get on the public address system at a sporting event and thank Mary for the kindness she showed to you…or discuss your concern over Joe’s cancer diagnosis or Bill and Sue’s marital problems?  Would you announce to an entire table of diners in a restaurant that you were worried that your teenager might be experimenting with drugs?  Would you want your child to stand up in his/her classroom and share that there was dissension in your church…or that Daddy got a raise and the whole family was super excited and grateful, because things had been really tight and stressful at home?

I realize that this is an extreme analogy…but hopefully you get where I’m going. I totally “get” that some attach great importance to “public” prayers. Some see this as a way to publicly demonstrate their Christian faith.  But therein lies the problem I have. Are we really talking to God – or making a show?

When I go to the pool to work out, I use this as a personal prayer time.  A man who often swims at the same time as I do tried to strike up conversations with me on more than one occasion. One day he said something that gave me the opportunity to mention that I used my workout time as prayer time. I could have just jogged around the pool, praying aloud…and he and everyone else could have drawn conclusions about what a “good Christian” I must be…or even that I was a little nuts!  Instead, I just kept talking to God in between conversation exchanges and waited for an opportunity to explain that this was my personal prayer time.  I figured this was the best way to respectfully regain my privacy…and simultaneously express my Christian faith.

Carefully consider Jesus’ words in this scripture passage. Prayer is meant to be an intimate conversation with God…not a public spectacle. Jesus is pretty clear that we are to be still and quiet - and pour out our heart to God…to focus completely on Him and not on what anyone else hears - or thinks. Leading a group in prayer has its place and time. But I think when we fret so much about whether or not public prayers are allowed in this venue or that one, we so miss the mark. You and I can talk to God anywhere…anytime!  All we have to do is get quiet and still  - and open the dialogue.  We can do this without ever moving our lips – much less uttering a vocal sound.  And we SHOULD! 

The more we understand about the intimacy – and quite frankly, the privacy – of most prayers, the more we see how important it is to talk to God throughout each day.  We understand how vital it is to keep Him close in our thoughts…and to shift our focus from making a public display to sensing His presence – and His grace.

Each of us has the opportunity for a unique and deeply personal daily conversation with God that will not only nurture our relationship with Him but also profoundly affect how others see Jesus in and through us. If we are busy worrying about whether we can pray out loud – and where such public demonstrations are allowed – we risk missing the opportunity to hear from God.  And that’s a chance I’m not willing to take.  What about you?

 ©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for July 1, 2016

Romans 15:30-33
Will you be my prayer partners? For the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake and because of your love for me—given to you by the Holy Spirit—pray much with me for my work. Pray that I will be protected in Jerusalem from those who are not Christians. Pray also that the Christians there will be willing to accept the money I am bringing them. Then I will be able to come to you with a happy heart by the will of God, and we can refresh each other.

And now may our God, who gives peace, be with you all. Amen.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sometimes, “life” has a cumulative effect…and this last few months has been no exception.  We’ve been left to ask “Why?” a million times with the unexpected passing of several loved ones and friends.  And now, a senseless and horrific shooting in our little community has taken yet another friend, injured his wife, and traumatized three of his five grandchildren.

There is no “good” answer for why this happened.  We trust that God has a plan…but still we grieve and mourn – and scripture supports these emotions.  And when we can - as we can - we pray.  I will tell you that there have been countless times – sometimes for days on end – when my prayers were jumbled at best.  But there’s an answer for that in scripture, too. Romans 8:26 tells us…”And in the same way—by our faith — the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words.”

A lot of the time these days, I truly don’t know what to pray for…I need direction, a renewed purpose, strength, peace, comfort – and wisdom to offer encouragement and hope to others.  And there doesn’t seem to be an adequate way to express all of this to God.  But here’s the really cool thing…He knows anyway!  God knows what we need, and when we face times like this where our words seem so inadequate – or simply will not come together in a way that makes sense – the Holy Spirit advocates for us.  And God gets the message!

So will you be my prayer partner today?  Will you join me in asking God to meet our needs in any and all situations, from the simplest of days to those when the whole world seems to fall apart?  Will you depend on the Holy Spirit to advocate for you when words won’t come…and convey your jumbled thoughts to God in a way that they make sense and express your deepest longings, heartaches and distress?
  
Will you trust God to understand your grief and frustration – and to orchestrate a way to manage all of this?  Will you lay it all on the line and allow God to make some sense of it all?  Do you trust Him to do this?  Will you pray for others who are on a similar journey and recognize that in joining with them in “corporate prayer,” we flood heaven with a clamor so loud that it must ring in God’s ears?

I know that God hears the tiniest whisper…but He can’t help but take notice of the din of our corporate petitions. This day, let’s lay bare our hearts and souls before God.  If words fail you, simply say, “I’m here, LORD…and I need you.”  He will know what to do.  Let’s ask God to meet our needs – and the ones of those around us – according to His will.  And let’s trust that the Holy Spirit will fill in the details.  I am looking for Christian friends and disciples today who join in this heavenly chorus.  Will YOU be my prayer partner?
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 4, 2015

Matthew 8:18-20
“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”
 
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.

The director of our church’s Children’s Ministries suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage about a month ago.  On MayoClinic.org, I found this description: “Subarachnoid hemorrhage is bleeding in the space between your brain and the surrounding membrane (subarachnoid space).”  It has been “touch and go” for much of this month with Donna…and she has endured countless tests and treatments to get everything stabilized.  She’s still not there…but she is far closer than she was a month ago.

Everyone loves Donna…and the children have been concerned about her recovery.  So when we met Sunday night for the first rehearsal of our Christmas Program, the person in charge asked if anyone would like to lead a closing prayer.  A fourth grader named Kael readily volunteered.  He prayed sweetly, asking God to help us learn the music and to be able to give a good performance.  And then he prayed for Mrs. Donna…that God would heal her and bring her back to us.

In that moment, an hour spent with 30+ children and adults singing “Joy to the World” and dancing along with animated camels on the projection screen while singing “We Three Kings” got incredibly holy.  We were gathered to rehearse for the program and learn some new music to celebrate Jesus and glorify God during the Christmas Season…but in that closing prayer, Heaven went into action big time!

Yesterday, while I did my pool workout, I thought about the scripture from Matthew 11 about trading our “yoke” for that of Jesus.  I jogged around the pool and gave my “yoke” to Him.  I would say, “Lord, I give you this worry.  Please take that concern.  I give you this person, and that one, and another.”  By the end of a half-hour workout, my “yoke” was so much lighter.  I felt the presence and comfort of Jesus’ yoke vs. my own.  It was one of the best workouts I’ve had in a while…and certainly a holy time.

My point is this…holy moments and opportunities are all around us.  They don’t just happen during a formal worship service, a Bible study, or other organized assemblies.  When you need Jesus, He is there.  When your heart is burdened for someone or something, you can give that “yoke” to Him, and Heaven will go into action!  When a 9-year-old child pours out his concern for a beloved spiritual leader - and the sentiment is silently echoed by dozens who are standing with him – God hears the pleas.  And He is ready to answer.

So get busy talking to God.  Trade your “yoke” for that of Jesus, and feel the burdens lifted from your shoulders.  Discover the power of compounded prayers as you “activate the heavens” by sharing your burdens and concerns with others…and agree together over them as you talk to God.  Realize that every time you offer to pray for someone – and actually do it…God answers.  And He does the same when someone prays for you!

I can imagine that the decibel level in Heaven must be astounding at any given minute, as millions of people lift their worries and concerns to God…and He hears and answers each and every one.  Are yours among them?  Don’t you think it’s time they were?

©2015 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 23, 2012

Matthew 6:5-8
When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you.

When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask.

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

I have said before that I am not necessarily in favor of public prayers at mealtime. There are times when we come together as a family – Thanksgiving, Christmas, or perhaps a family potluck – and I feel that a short group prayer of thankfulness is appropriate. But how many times have you been enjoying a meal in your favorite restaurant… talking and laughing with friends… when you notice that the people next to you are praying over their food? Don’t you feel a little uncomfortable? Doesn’t this give you a sense that you should stop your own meal and bow your head, also? Have you ever started to “bless” your food as a server approached? How uncomfortable do you suppose this makes him/her… not to mention how it slows them down as they do their job?

Now that you have decided I must be a terrible, horrible person, let me explain. Just as there is no reason you cannot bow your head and pray silently in any school, court house, or at any public event or restaurant – there is no reason you have to make an exhibition that all can see and hear. Do you think that God can’t hear your silent prayers? “Oh, but this is a demonstration to others of our Christian faith!” you may say. Is it really? Or are you saying to others, “I’m such a strong Christian that before each meal (or at every event, before school starts – you fill in the blank) I offer an auditory prayer to God. I’m publicly expressing my faith!”

Now, if you do this, and you feel strongly about it, do not feel that I am condemning you…I am not. How you communicate with God is deeply personal and none of my business. But I have to wonder sometimes how intimate and heartfelt our public prayers are.

I have already bought Timothy a little book of prayers, and we read them together. But I did not do this to teach him how to pray, because I believe this would do him a disservice. I thought this would be a good way to begin to introduce a toddler to God… to help Timmy learn about offering gratitude… and to show him how to ask God for guidance and protection. Hopefully, as he grows, he will learn more about God and how amazing it is to be able to share your thoughts and feelings with Him – anytime, anywhere.

If you continue reading Matthew 6, Jesus gives us a model for how to pray… and the Apostle Paul tells us to talk to God throughout the day and make this our prayer. But Jesus did not intend for “The Lord’s Prayer” itself to become our mainstay as a means to communicate with our Heavenly Father. I hope that everyone will truly get this!

Prayer is a deeply personal – and critical – component of our Christian walk. I have to admit that my prayer life was pretty shallow for a good many years… filled with rote recitations and generally based in desperation – as in, “LORD… I need you… NOW!” Much of the rest of the time, I didn’t have a whole lot to say to God. I didn’t understand the importance of talking to Him and expressing my gratitude on the days when things were going pretty well. When we come to the point in our discipleship where prayer is as familiar to us as breathing, we have turned a corner.

Praying aloud over someone who has asked for your intercession can be a blessing for the recipient – and a privilege for you. Reciting The Lord’s Prayer as a group in a worship setting can be a profoundly intimate experience… all of God’s children coming together to speak to Him as one body. But we need to develop a strong, private, running conversation with God… communication that is honest, at times raw, and deeply personal between the two of you.

There is a fine line between talking to God in public as a show of unity… and merely putting on a show. Be sure that you know – and exercise - the difference!

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 11, 2011

Psalm 111:1-4
Shout praises to the LORD! With all my heart I will thank the LORD when his people meet. The LORD has done many wonderful things! Everyone who is pleased with God's marvelous deeds will keep them in mind. Everything the LORD does is glorious and majestic, and his power to bring justice will never end. The LORD God is famous for his wonderful deeds, and he is kind and merciful.

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

You may feel like this is a strange scripture passage to share on a day when we commemorate the 10th anniversary of one of the most horrific events in our nation’s history. But even in the midst of such mind-boggling devastation, God was there. And if you ask family members of some of the victims, they will tell you that the love and support – and prayers – of people they didn’t even know have strengthened them and reminded them of God’s kindness, mercy, and power. And for that, they shout praises to the LORD!

I have had the honor of corresponding with the families of two victims of 9/11 over the last decade. Joe Henry was the son of Ed and Alice. Ed and Joe’s brother were NYC firefighters, too… just like his grandfather had been. In fact, Ed suffered a serious back injury at the Twin Towers, where Joe died. Imagine the gut-wrenching despair of Alice as she tended to her husband while grieving the loss of her 24-year-old son, whose body was never recovered.

Imagine the devastation of Veronica Squef, wife of NYC Firefighter Keith Glascoe, as she sat with her two babies, Nolan and Owen… pregnant with their third child… and grieved for her husband who had perished. Consider what it must have been like for her, and dozens of other mothers, to deliver babies whose daddies were gone in a split second with the dust and rubble of Ground Zero.

I know in my heart that these two families, along with countless others, could not have survived these last ten years without God’s wonderful deeds… His kindness, mercy, and power. I know that they have made it through dozens of days on the wings of prayers lifted by people like you and me… and God’s answers. And I know that if they can survive this horrible event and hold their heads up… walk with joy and confidence in a future filled with God’s bright promises… then so can we!

Today, as we pause to remember the events of 9/11/2001, let us also give thanks to God, who is bigger than even the worst day of our lives. Give Him glory for bringing perfect justice… according to His will and timing. Praise Him for equipping us to endure what seems impossible to handle… and for showing us how to move forward with our lives through His grace. God bless all who were directly – and indirectly – affected by the events of September 11, 2001… and may God bless each of us as we strive to operate in His power, mercy and grace.

©2011 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 5, 2011

Psalm 103:3-6
He forgives your sins—every one.
He heals your diseases—every one.
He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
He renews your youth—you're always young in his presence.

God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.

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 am on the list to receive prayer requests from my mother’s church, my Emmaus community, and my own church. I also see needs expressed on Facebook and receive requests from friends and family members as special prayer concerns arise. Some days, the list of expressed needs is quite lengthy, and the burdens can become rather daunting. So many people are hurting in one way or another… illness… grief and loss…the challenges of aging…the challenges of youth and being a teenager, heading off to college or becoming an adult…economic woes… sin… we all have a laundry list of things to talk with God about each and every day. And then we turn on the television and hear the news of incomprehensible suffering in Third World countries… and we can’t help but be overwhelmed at times.

The GOOD NEWS is that God has answers! Many of them are outlined in Psalm 103…and I really love how this translation enumerates them. He heals diseases… every one of them! He saves you from hell… wraps you in goodness…renews your youth. Best of all, He makes everything right! I don’t know about you... but for me, this is fantastic news! I am moved to tears to think of this incredible love and protection… to know that God really is listening to my prayers and meeting my needs.

I don’t know what you are enduring today. You may be ill or have family members who are sick… you may be facing major challenges, such as a new school, a new job, or moving to a new city. You may have suffered a major loss – a loved one, a relationship change, or even the death of a beloved pet. You may feel old and tired… discouraged, depressed, or disappointed. You may have a heavy burden of sin that you are carrying like a backpack filled with rocks. But all of this and so much more matters to God… and He is ready to make things right.

Will you get instant relief? Possibly… although God’s timing is not always as quick as we would like. Will you feel God’s presence? Yes… if you maintain close contact with Him and truly seek Him on a regular basis. Will things get better? Absolutely! It may take awhile…but keep praying and believing. Keep trusting God to meet your every need. Don’t hesitate to ask fellow believers to pray for you – and with you. It is an honor and a blessing to pray for others, and there is tremendous power in corporate prayer. Flood the “airwaves” today with prayer and praise… let God set you back on your feet – and make things right for you and those you love.

©2011 Debbie Robus