1 Peter 2:21-25
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
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 be honest…I am very concerned about the “Christians” in our country who are behaving in such a disruptive and divisive manner. My mother always said, “This is nothing new.” And truly, if you look back in history to the time of Jesus - and even beforehand - people have always fought, argued and called each other names. This is no excuse…it’s more a demonstration that we have not learned a whole lot from previous generations. And God must be so grieved over this.
Consider that God sacrificed His Only Son…He allowed Jesus to suffer – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Let it soak into your soul that He did all of this for each of us. And this is how we repay Him – by acting like ungrateful idiots!
When we come to a point where we really grasp what Jesus did for us in His time on earth, we ought to be incredibly humbled. To think of the healing that He accomplished on our behalf…how He rescued us like lost sheep – and named us –should be all of the incentive we ever need to fall to our feet and worship Him with all we’ve got. And we can! We just have to be thoughtful and careful…to watch what we say and do - and consider the ramifications.
We can do better than many are doing. Too many are like sheep who ambled off and got tangled in the briars. Intelligent, well-meaning, CHRISTIAN people have traveled so far off track and become so caught up in the hoopla and hype of many present-day situations that they have forgotten Whose they are – and how to act accordingly.
Let’s all take a collective breath and ask God to forgive us – for all of the ways that we fail Him each and every day. Let’s make a genuine promise to honor all that has been given to us – the sacrifices that Jesus made on our behalf and the blessings with which He covers us every single day. Let’s make a concerted effort to be the named sheep that He has healed and restored. And let’s begin today. Are you with me?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label emulating Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emulating Jesus. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for September 6, 2015
Matthew 5:28-30
You know that you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We have all been saddened and discouraged by recent tragic events…the shootings in Charleston, South Carolina; Roanoke, Virginia; and the senseless killings of policemen AND those committed by law enforcement officers, to name a few. We’re angered and disgusted over pictures that appear on social media of animals that have been abused. We are outraged by the photos of hungry and homeless children and refugees in foreign lands. And I don’t know about you, but the latest heartbreak – the little body of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian child who washed ashore after drowning at sea as his family fled for Turkey (and ultimately to Europe) – has just about done me in.
“Somebody should pay,” we say! But who – and how? What would we deem the right recompense for some of these atrocities? Oh, don’t tell me…because I have a feeling that many of us have a few mortal “answers.” But we need only look as far as the words of Jesus to know what we’re really supposed to say…how He intends for us to feel – and act. The One who knew that His own disciple would betray Him…that He would be spit upon, beaten, bruised and bloodied – then crucified horrifically on a wooden cross…told us clearly and plainly what to do. This One who had every right to seek revenge…to turn His back on the whole lot of us…said, “Don’t try to get even.”
In fact, Jesus went further. He said, “When someone takes your shirt…offer them your coat, too!” In other words, when someone wrongs you, continue to treat them with love and kindness. Even when it takes everything you can muster not to be rude - or at best, distant - pull yourself together in the name of Jesus, and show the person who wronged you His loving image through your words and actions.
Tough to do? You betcha! It ranks right up there with forgiving others…and I’m not all that good at either one. But I know that this is what is required of me. And I cannot ask to do less than the One who did EVERYTHING for me…and neither can you! So hitch up your britches, pray hard, and start living like Jesus! Let God handle the judgment and revenge…and keep your eyes on the Cross. We.can.do.this! Jesus will be with us every step of the way. And He will make all the difference!
©2015 Debbie Robus
You know that you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We have all been saddened and discouraged by recent tragic events…the shootings in Charleston, South Carolina; Roanoke, Virginia; and the senseless killings of policemen AND those committed by law enforcement officers, to name a few. We’re angered and disgusted over pictures that appear on social media of animals that have been abused. We are outraged by the photos of hungry and homeless children and refugees in foreign lands. And I don’t know about you, but the latest heartbreak – the little body of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian child who washed ashore after drowning at sea as his family fled for Turkey (and ultimately to Europe) – has just about done me in.
“Somebody should pay,” we say! But who – and how? What would we deem the right recompense for some of these atrocities? Oh, don’t tell me…because I have a feeling that many of us have a few mortal “answers.” But we need only look as far as the words of Jesus to know what we’re really supposed to say…how He intends for us to feel – and act. The One who knew that His own disciple would betray Him…that He would be spit upon, beaten, bruised and bloodied – then crucified horrifically on a wooden cross…told us clearly and plainly what to do. This One who had every right to seek revenge…to turn His back on the whole lot of us…said, “Don’t try to get even.”
In fact, Jesus went further. He said, “When someone takes your shirt…offer them your coat, too!” In other words, when someone wrongs you, continue to treat them with love and kindness. Even when it takes everything you can muster not to be rude - or at best, distant - pull yourself together in the name of Jesus, and show the person who wronged you His loving image through your words and actions.
Tough to do? You betcha! It ranks right up there with forgiving others…and I’m not all that good at either one. But I know that this is what is required of me. And I cannot ask to do less than the One who did EVERYTHING for me…and neither can you! So hitch up your britches, pray hard, and start living like Jesus! Let God handle the judgment and revenge…and keep your eyes on the Cross. We.can.do.this! Jesus will be with us every step of the way. And He will make all the difference!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 28, 2015
Philippians 2:5-8
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
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.
A post is circulating on social media about a woman who moved into a neighborhood and began to hang out her laundry each morning. The next-door neighbor noted that the laundry was dirty, and she remarked to her husband with great condescension that this woman ought to know better than to hang out dirty laundry. Then one morning she got up, and the woman was hanging out her laundry – and it appeared to be clean. The critical neighbor wondered aloud who had spoken to the woman about her wash, and the husband said, “Oh I just got up early and cleaned our windows this morning.” The point was that how we see things depends upon the cleanliness of our “windows.”
In light of this scripture passage, I think we ought to ask ourselves, “Who do we think we are?!” We have this perfect example in the life of Jesus Christ…the King of Kings who humbled Himself, lived 100% as a human being (and all that this implies), and then suffered a death worse than that of a common criminal. The Son of God…the Savior of the World…the One who could have whispered to His Father and stopped everything…became a mere man, subservient to God in all things. And still, His primary commandment to each of us is to love others, because that’s what He did. And boy, did Jesus demonstrate how to love!
I don’t know about you, but I'm pretty sure that I’m due a “window cleaning!” I would suspect that many – if not all – of us need to dial it down a notch…to think a little less of ourselves than we do. It’s time to humble ourselves before God and recognize that we are not His equal…to learn from the One who truly was…and yet, He humbled himself to become a servant and the subject of ridicule, persecution, and the most humiliating and torturous death imaginable.
It is most likely that God is not ever going to ask us to truly suffer for Him – most certainly not anything like what happened to Jesus. All He wants us to do is to humbly serve wherever and whenever He sends us…and to love one another. And that means we need to “keep our windows clean.” We can do this…can’t we?! I’ll grab the bucket…you get the squeegee.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
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.
A post is circulating on social media about a woman who moved into a neighborhood and began to hang out her laundry each morning. The next-door neighbor noted that the laundry was dirty, and she remarked to her husband with great condescension that this woman ought to know better than to hang out dirty laundry. Then one morning she got up, and the woman was hanging out her laundry – and it appeared to be clean. The critical neighbor wondered aloud who had spoken to the woman about her wash, and the husband said, “Oh I just got up early and cleaned our windows this morning.” The point was that how we see things depends upon the cleanliness of our “windows.”
In light of this scripture passage, I think we ought to ask ourselves, “Who do we think we are?!” We have this perfect example in the life of Jesus Christ…the King of Kings who humbled Himself, lived 100% as a human being (and all that this implies), and then suffered a death worse than that of a common criminal. The Son of God…the Savior of the World…the One who could have whispered to His Father and stopped everything…became a mere man, subservient to God in all things. And still, His primary commandment to each of us is to love others, because that’s what He did. And boy, did Jesus demonstrate how to love!
I don’t know about you, but I'm pretty sure that I’m due a “window cleaning!” I would suspect that many – if not all – of us need to dial it down a notch…to think a little less of ourselves than we do. It’s time to humble ourselves before God and recognize that we are not His equal…to learn from the One who truly was…and yet, He humbled himself to become a servant and the subject of ridicule, persecution, and the most humiliating and torturous death imaginable.
It is most likely that God is not ever going to ask us to truly suffer for Him – most certainly not anything like what happened to Jesus. All He wants us to do is to humbly serve wherever and whenever He sends us…and to love one another. And that means we need to “keep our windows clean.” We can do this…can’t we?! I’ll grab the bucket…you get the squeegee.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 13, 2015
John 8:6-8
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
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 first year I taught, I had 31 first-grade students…and a year-long supply budget of $50. This was supposed to furnish me with everything from chalk to “magic markers” to paper for arts and crafts. So I made a list of things that I thought I might need to supplement this tiny budget…and I asked each child to bring one item on the list. One child brought potting soil…another brought tissues…another brought some construction paper, and so on. One little girl was asked to bring plastic cups. I planned to use these for things like planting beans as a science experiment (hence the potting soil I had requested!).
One morning, this child arrived with a big brown paper sack and a smile that covered her face. “Here are the cups,” she said proudly. “My mom got married, and they were left over from her wedding.” Inside were more than two dozen plastic wine glasses with snap-on “stems”. You can’t make this stuff up! I thanked her for the contribution and put them on the shelf with the other supplies. Some almost-40 years later, I cannot recall what we did with the cups, but I know we used them for something. We had to…it meant too much to this little girl.
Never mind that a lot of the other parents would be less than thrilled for their child to bring home a bean growing out of a stemmed wine “goblet”…forget that this was not really a suitable “planter” for the science project. To have tossed these aside as less than acceptable would have been the same as telling this darling little brown-eyed girl that she was not worthy – that her contribution was no good. And yet, we do this to people every single day in some form or another.
We make snap judgments and criticize…we blame others for things that there is no way they could have controlled…we lift ourselves by trying to make other people look small…we “cast stones” and pretend that we are sinless. We know better…but somehow, we cannot seem to do better!
I wonder just how long Jesus will continue to draw and dig in the sand and be patient with us. He’s already shown us more mercy and tolerance than any of us could ever deserve. Isn’t it time we started checking ourselves a little more closely? Shouldn’t we be asking that proverbial question, “What would Jesus do?” a little more often…and then making our thoughts, words and actions line up with His? Aren’t you ready to drop the stones…and have others drop the ones they have lined up for you? Wouldn’t this be a good day to begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
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 first year I taught, I had 31 first-grade students…and a year-long supply budget of $50. This was supposed to furnish me with everything from chalk to “magic markers” to paper for arts and crafts. So I made a list of things that I thought I might need to supplement this tiny budget…and I asked each child to bring one item on the list. One child brought potting soil…another brought tissues…another brought some construction paper, and so on. One little girl was asked to bring plastic cups. I planned to use these for things like planting beans as a science experiment (hence the potting soil I had requested!).
One morning, this child arrived with a big brown paper sack and a smile that covered her face. “Here are the cups,” she said proudly. “My mom got married, and they were left over from her wedding.” Inside were more than two dozen plastic wine glasses with snap-on “stems”. You can’t make this stuff up! I thanked her for the contribution and put them on the shelf with the other supplies. Some almost-40 years later, I cannot recall what we did with the cups, but I know we used them for something. We had to…it meant too much to this little girl.
Never mind that a lot of the other parents would be less than thrilled for their child to bring home a bean growing out of a stemmed wine “goblet”…forget that this was not really a suitable “planter” for the science project. To have tossed these aside as less than acceptable would have been the same as telling this darling little brown-eyed girl that she was not worthy – that her contribution was no good. And yet, we do this to people every single day in some form or another.
We make snap judgments and criticize…we blame others for things that there is no way they could have controlled…we lift ourselves by trying to make other people look small…we “cast stones” and pretend that we are sinless. We know better…but somehow, we cannot seem to do better!
I wonder just how long Jesus will continue to draw and dig in the sand and be patient with us. He’s already shown us more mercy and tolerance than any of us could ever deserve. Isn’t it time we started checking ourselves a little more closely? Shouldn’t we be asking that proverbial question, “What would Jesus do?” a little more often…and then making our thoughts, words and actions line up with His? Aren’t you ready to drop the stones…and have others drop the ones they have lined up for you? Wouldn’t this be a good day to begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 7, 2015
Amos 3:1-2
Listen to this, Israel. God is calling you to account—and I mean all of you, everyone connected with the family that he delivered out of Egypt. Listen!
“Out of all the families on earth, I picked you.
Therefore, because of your special calling,
I’m holding you responsible for all your 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.
“Great gifts mean great responsibilities…” (Luke 12:48)
Probably all of us got at least ONE gift for Christmas. And I would venture to say that the person who gave us that gift put some time and effort into selecting something that was just right for us. This person most likely anticipated that we would take care of said gift…that we would treat it with respect and care. The same can be said for God and His precious reward of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
God gave us His most thoughtful, most loving, most carefully planned gift. He chose us to be His children…His beloved…His redeemed. Like all presents, nothing is required in return once the offering is accepted. However, the “giver” does anticipate that we will honor and respect the bequest.
How do we do this with God’s gift of Jesus? We strive to honor and emulate Him in everything we say and do. We stay away from gossip, intolerance, discrimination and disagreement. We distance ourselves from dishonesty and deceit. We strive to love others as He loves us…and we pay attention to the needs of those around us – and do our best to meet them in His name. Does this sound like a lot in return for one gift? You bet it is! But consider the GIFT!
Hear God’s words again…”I picked YOU!” Such an amazing endowment deserves our utmost care and respect…and God will hold you responsible for how you treat Him and His endowment. So…how well are you doing these days?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Listen to this, Israel. God is calling you to account—and I mean all of you, everyone connected with the family that he delivered out of Egypt. Listen!
“Out of all the families on earth, I picked you.
Therefore, because of your special calling,
I’m holding you responsible for all your 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.
“Great gifts mean great responsibilities…” (Luke 12:48)
Probably all of us got at least ONE gift for Christmas. And I would venture to say that the person who gave us that gift put some time and effort into selecting something that was just right for us. This person most likely anticipated that we would take care of said gift…that we would treat it with respect and care. The same can be said for God and His precious reward of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
God gave us His most thoughtful, most loving, most carefully planned gift. He chose us to be His children…His beloved…His redeemed. Like all presents, nothing is required in return once the offering is accepted. However, the “giver” does anticipate that we will honor and respect the bequest.
How do we do this with God’s gift of Jesus? We strive to honor and emulate Him in everything we say and do. We stay away from gossip, intolerance, discrimination and disagreement. We distance ourselves from dishonesty and deceit. We strive to love others as He loves us…and we pay attention to the needs of those around us – and do our best to meet them in His name. Does this sound like a lot in return for one gift? You bet it is! But consider the GIFT!
Hear God’s words again…”I picked YOU!” Such an amazing endowment deserves our utmost care and respect…and God will hold you responsible for how you treat Him and His endowment. So…how well are you doing these days?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 1, 2015
2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets, too, in those days, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly tell their lies about God, turning against even their Master who bought them; but theirs will be a swift and terrible end.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Happy New Year! Today, we start with a “clean slate” as we welcome a new year…365 days of endless possibilities! Try as some might, no one can truly predict what will happen in the coming year. We really cannot accurately predict what type of weather we will have…how the economy will do or what the price of gas will be at the pump…or who will win the Final Four, the World Series, or the BCS Championship! But that will not stop many from trying. And sadly, more than a few will try to tell us that “the end is near”…that Jesus is returning and that there are “signs and symbols” which we must heed.
Here’s how I see it. When I leave this earth, I know where I am headed. I am not in any hurry to depart…but I am also not the least bit afraid of dying. I understand that there is work to be done…that there are souls yet to be saved…and that “the clock is ticking.” But the Bible clearly tells us we do not know the hour when Jesus will return. Even clearer is our mission in the meantime. We have been charged with telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ …and with emulating Him as much as we possibly can. If we are doing these two things, God will handle the rest.
Let’s make this the year that we stop listening to those false prophets and the people who want to scare us half to death…about death AND the return of Jesus. Let’s live every day like it may be our last (because that is very much a possibility)…and let’s fully represent Jesus in every breath we take.
Let’s make 2015 a year in which we can say that we served God with faith and fullness of heart, mind, body and soul. It’s a new day…and a new year…a gift that God has given each of us. What will you do with yours?
©2015 Debbie Robus
But there were false prophets, too, in those days, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly tell their lies about God, turning against even their Master who bought them; but theirs will be a swift and terrible end.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Happy New Year! Today, we start with a “clean slate” as we welcome a new year…365 days of endless possibilities! Try as some might, no one can truly predict what will happen in the coming year. We really cannot accurately predict what type of weather we will have…how the economy will do or what the price of gas will be at the pump…or who will win the Final Four, the World Series, or the BCS Championship! But that will not stop many from trying. And sadly, more than a few will try to tell us that “the end is near”…that Jesus is returning and that there are “signs and symbols” which we must heed.
Here’s how I see it. When I leave this earth, I know where I am headed. I am not in any hurry to depart…but I am also not the least bit afraid of dying. I understand that there is work to be done…that there are souls yet to be saved…and that “the clock is ticking.” But the Bible clearly tells us we do not know the hour when Jesus will return. Even clearer is our mission in the meantime. We have been charged with telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ …and with emulating Him as much as we possibly can. If we are doing these two things, God will handle the rest.
Let’s make this the year that we stop listening to those false prophets and the people who want to scare us half to death…about death AND the return of Jesus. Let’s live every day like it may be our last (because that is very much a possibility)…and let’s fully represent Jesus in every breath we take.
Let’s make 2015 a year in which we can say that we served God with faith and fullness of heart, mind, body and soul. It’s a new day…and a new year…a gift that God has given each of us. What will you do with yours?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 3, 2014
1 Peter 2:21-25
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
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 April 2014, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was giving a speech on recycling in Las Vegas, Nevada, when someone in the audience hurled a shoe in her direction. Clinton quipped, "Is that somebody throwing something at me? Is that part of Cirque de Soleil?” Then she added, “My goodness, I didn't know that solid waste management was so controversial. Thank goodness she didn't play softball like I did!"
In December 2008, during a surprise visit to Iraq, then-President George W. Bush ducked and evaded two shoes that were thrown at him by a journalist who shouted, "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.” With his second shoe, the journalist said, “"This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq." After he was wrestled to the ground by Secret Service agents, President Bush reacted..."So what if the guy threw a shoe at me? It is one way to gain attention. It's like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It's a way for people to draw attention...I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it. These journalists here were very apologetic...they said 'this doesn't represent the Iraqi people"...but that's what happens in free society ...people try to draw attention to themselves...and so, I guess he was effective..." Bush later quipped, ""If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw."
In Arab culture, it is an insult to show someone the soles of your shoes. So throwing shoes at President Bush as an effort to insult him. The woman who hurled the shoe at Mrs. Clinton did not explain her motives...but one can assume she meant the gesture to be insulting, if not harmful.
In both instances, the “intended targets” acted with dignity...and possibly even grace and mercy toward their assailants. I’m not sure you or I would have behaved as calmly. We over-react to all sorts of things every day...from the slightest comment to an obscene gesture from an angry driver to all sorts of things that simply do not go our way. We engage our mouths without our brains...we insult...we cause others emotional pain and sadness...we mistreat people physically, mentally and emotionally – and often, we never even bat an eyelash.
Our three-year-old niece has started this thing lately of sometimes doing something she knows she shouldn’t...and when she is corrected, she looks at us with adorable big brown eyes, shrugs her shoulders and says, “Sorry!” We’re trying to teach her that “sorry” only works when you truly are sorry. But let’s be honest – you and I are no longer three years old and cute as all get-out. That “adorable innocence factor” has long since passed for us, and it’s time we took responsibility for our words and actions!
I love how this translation depicts Jesus...
©2014 Debbie Robus
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
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 April 2014, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was giving a speech on recycling in Las Vegas, Nevada, when someone in the audience hurled a shoe in her direction. Clinton quipped, "Is that somebody throwing something at me? Is that part of Cirque de Soleil?” Then she added, “My goodness, I didn't know that solid waste management was so controversial. Thank goodness she didn't play softball like I did!"
In December 2008, during a surprise visit to Iraq, then-President George W. Bush ducked and evaded two shoes that were thrown at him by a journalist who shouted, "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog.” With his second shoe, the journalist said, “"This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq." After he was wrestled to the ground by Secret Service agents, President Bush reacted..."So what if the guy threw a shoe at me? It is one way to gain attention. It's like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It's a way for people to draw attention...I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it. These journalists here were very apologetic...they said 'this doesn't represent the Iraqi people"...but that's what happens in free society ...people try to draw attention to themselves...and so, I guess he was effective..." Bush later quipped, ""If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw."
In Arab culture, it is an insult to show someone the soles of your shoes. So throwing shoes at President Bush as an effort to insult him. The woman who hurled the shoe at Mrs. Clinton did not explain her motives...but one can assume she meant the gesture to be insulting, if not harmful.
In both instances, the “intended targets” acted with dignity...and possibly even grace and mercy toward their assailants. I’m not sure you or I would have behaved as calmly. We over-react to all sorts of things every day...from the slightest comment to an obscene gesture from an angry driver to all sorts of things that simply do not go our way. We engage our mouths without our brains...we insult...we cause others emotional pain and sadness...we mistreat people physically, mentally and emotionally – and often, we never even bat an eyelash.
Our three-year-old niece has started this thing lately of sometimes doing something she knows she shouldn’t...and when she is corrected, she looks at us with adorable big brown eyes, shrugs her shoulders and says, “Sorry!” We’re trying to teach her that “sorry” only works when you truly are sorry. But let’s be honest – you and I are no longer three years old and cute as all get-out. That “adorable innocence factor” has long since passed for us, and it’s time we took responsibility for our words and actions!
I love how this translation depicts Jesus...
- He never did one thing wrong...not once said anything amiss.
- They called him every name in the book and He said nothing back.
- He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right.
- He used His servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way.
- His wounds became your healing.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 2, 2014
John 3:18-20
My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.
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 her newly revised book, Interrupted*, Christian author/speaker Jen Hatmaker says of the ministry that she and her husband, Brandon, began...”We accepted that the first reaction we should anticipate was skepticism, and the only bridge through that chasm was through sustained, genuine relationships. Care of our fellow man, locally and globally, was our best hope to attract people to our Jesus, far more effective than cool music or impersonal hang-outs. As missionaries have always understood, the key is to study the culture you are passionate about reaching and submerge into that space with respect and love.” Hatmaker describes some of the “postmodern gospel standards” she is noticing...characteristics that many of us might not readily equate with Christian love and ministry in action:
"Talk is cheap." We’ve all heard this phrase...yet we continue to throw words at others and hope they stick. Too many of us are all talk and no action. In the South, we say “Bless your heart” and hope that this conveys our empathy and compassion for the other guy. This phrase is clean, easy, multi-purpose - and relatively painless. And quite frankly, these words are also pretty much worthless. The same goes for “I’m praying for you”...because, often, we’re not...and “I wish there was something I could do to help”...because we really don’t wish this at all!
My cousin Janette told me recently that she is trying to “live with intention”...meaning that she is focusing her time and energy on doing things with purpose. She is making an effort to be keenly aware of what she is doing...and why. And this ties in perfectly with the message of John 3:18-20 and Jen Hatmaker’s book, Interrupted. We have pretty well mastered “talking the talk”...but how many of us are “walking the walk”?
Are we practicing the real love of Jesus...or are we merely giving Him lip service? Do we truly care about the people in our neighborhoods...at work, school, and in the community/world at large? Or are we content to say, “Bless their hearts” and move on with our lives? There IS a difference – and it is HUGE...game changing...KINGDOM changing for all involved!
I’ve quoted the phrase many times that “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” If we do this “love in Christ” thing right, no words will even be necessary (although it’s always nice to hear “I love you”!). When you tell someone you love them...do they know this already? Will your actions toward them back up your claim? Don’t you think they should?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Interrupted... When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity ~ ©2014 Jen Hatmaker
http://www.navpress.com/Interrupted-Jesus-Wrecks-Comfortable-Christianity/dp/1631463535#sthash.5x2ghUnb.dpbs
My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.
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 her newly revised book, Interrupted*, Christian author/speaker Jen Hatmaker says of the ministry that she and her husband, Brandon, began...”We accepted that the first reaction we should anticipate was skepticism, and the only bridge through that chasm was through sustained, genuine relationships. Care of our fellow man, locally and globally, was our best hope to attract people to our Jesus, far more effective than cool music or impersonal hang-outs. As missionaries have always understood, the key is to study the culture you are passionate about reaching and submerge into that space with respect and love.” Hatmaker describes some of the “postmodern gospel standards” she is noticing...characteristics that many of us might not readily equate with Christian love and ministry in action:
- A sense of global community and care for suffering humanity
- Respect for our earth and its resources
- Authenticity valued over appearance
- A passion for community and honest relationships
- Responsibility and the rejection of consumerism
"Talk is cheap." We’ve all heard this phrase...yet we continue to throw words at others and hope they stick. Too many of us are all talk and no action. In the South, we say “Bless your heart” and hope that this conveys our empathy and compassion for the other guy. This phrase is clean, easy, multi-purpose - and relatively painless. And quite frankly, these words are also pretty much worthless. The same goes for “I’m praying for you”...because, often, we’re not...and “I wish there was something I could do to help”...because we really don’t wish this at all!
My cousin Janette told me recently that she is trying to “live with intention”...meaning that she is focusing her time and energy on doing things with purpose. She is making an effort to be keenly aware of what she is doing...and why. And this ties in perfectly with the message of John 3:18-20 and Jen Hatmaker’s book, Interrupted. We have pretty well mastered “talking the talk”...but how many of us are “walking the walk”?
Are we practicing the real love of Jesus...or are we merely giving Him lip service? Do we truly care about the people in our neighborhoods...at work, school, and in the community/world at large? Or are we content to say, “Bless their hearts” and move on with our lives? There IS a difference – and it is HUGE...game changing...KINGDOM changing for all involved!
I’ve quoted the phrase many times that “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” If we do this “love in Christ” thing right, no words will even be necessary (although it’s always nice to hear “I love you”!). When you tell someone you love them...do they know this already? Will your actions toward them back up your claim? Don’t you think they should?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Interrupted... When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity ~ ©2014 Jen Hatmaker
http://www.navpress.com/Interrupted-Jesus-Wrecks-Comfortable-Christianity/dp/1631463535#sthash.5x2ghUnb.dpbs
Daily Devotional for August 1, 2014
1 John 3:14-15
The way we know we’ve been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn’t love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don’t go together.
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 hate when that happens” used to be a phrase that I used frequently...and I still do say this occasionally. But now, I stop short whenever this comes out of my mouth, because I have come to understand in recent months just how powerful the word “hate” really is...regardless of the context. There truly is no room for “hate” in the Christian vocabulary...much less in the heart of a genuine believer. If we honestly want to be like Jesus, we must start paying closer attention to how He conducted Himself...and emulating His character in our own daily living. Jesus didn’t have a hateful bone in His body...toward anyone or anything.
I’m a work in progress...and you probably are, too. And I’ll admit that there are individuals and situations toward which I am genuinely striving to change my attitude. But I don’t hate - these people or circumstances. Even the ravages of the wars in the Middle East, the indignities that are imposed on people around the globe, and the human suffering that plagues every corner of the world cannot bring me to such a serious extreme. I am saddened...I have empathy for those involved and disgust for the actions of the perpetrators. But I know in my heart that Jesus does not hate these people...and I’m not supposed to, either.
The actions of many grieve Jesus...they cause Him great sadness and disappointment. But so do many of my actions and words. And to Jesus, there is no difference in my sin and that of another. All of these break His heart...and His grace, mercy and forgiveness are available to anyone who will call on Him.
So I am trying very hard not to use the word “hate”...or to feel such an extreme animosity and/or disdain toward another person. I am trying to look at them as sinners just like me...and react toward them as Jesus would – with love and compassion, even as I disapprove of their words or actions. Before you polish my halo, understand that I fail miserably at this much of the time! But I keep trying...because that’s what God calls us to do as Disciples of Christ.
It’s very hard to love all people at all times. We humans do some pretty despicable, nasty things...and we are often quite unlovable. But that’s what makes Jesus so amazing. He loves us anyway...in spite of our maliciousness and offenses. And if we want to be like Him, we have to be like Him. How well are you doing these days?
©2014 Debbie Robus
The way we know we’ve been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn’t love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don’t go together.
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 hate when that happens” used to be a phrase that I used frequently...and I still do say this occasionally. But now, I stop short whenever this comes out of my mouth, because I have come to understand in recent months just how powerful the word “hate” really is...regardless of the context. There truly is no room for “hate” in the Christian vocabulary...much less in the heart of a genuine believer. If we honestly want to be like Jesus, we must start paying closer attention to how He conducted Himself...and emulating His character in our own daily living. Jesus didn’t have a hateful bone in His body...toward anyone or anything.
I’m a work in progress...and you probably are, too. And I’ll admit that there are individuals and situations toward which I am genuinely striving to change my attitude. But I don’t hate - these people or circumstances. Even the ravages of the wars in the Middle East, the indignities that are imposed on people around the globe, and the human suffering that plagues every corner of the world cannot bring me to such a serious extreme. I am saddened...I have empathy for those involved and disgust for the actions of the perpetrators. But I know in my heart that Jesus does not hate these people...and I’m not supposed to, either.
The actions of many grieve Jesus...they cause Him great sadness and disappointment. But so do many of my actions and words. And to Jesus, there is no difference in my sin and that of another. All of these break His heart...and His grace, mercy and forgiveness are available to anyone who will call on Him.
So I am trying very hard not to use the word “hate”...or to feel such an extreme animosity and/or disdain toward another person. I am trying to look at them as sinners just like me...and react toward them as Jesus would – with love and compassion, even as I disapprove of their words or actions. Before you polish my halo, understand that I fail miserably at this much of the time! But I keep trying...because that’s what God calls us to do as Disciples of Christ.
It’s very hard to love all people at all times. We humans do some pretty despicable, nasty things...and we are often quite unlovable. But that’s what makes Jesus so amazing. He loves us anyway...in spite of our maliciousness and offenses. And if we want to be like Him, we have to be like Him. How well are you doing these days?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 30, 2014
Psalms 86:1-7
Please listen, Lord,
and answer my prayer!
I am poor and helpless.
Protect me and save me
because you are my God.
I am your faithful servant,
and I trust you.
Be kind to me!
I pray to you all day.
Make my heart glad!
I serve you,
and my prayer is sincere.
You willingly forgive,
and your love is always there
for those who pray to you.
Please listen, Lord!
Answer my prayer for help.
When I am in trouble, I pray,
knowing you will listen.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The “theme” of our morning worship service today centered on the woman “with the issue of blood” who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was made well. This story comes from Mark 5:25-34, which says,
Is this the Jesus you know? Do you follow the One who can make you well simply because you dared to touch the hem of His robe? Obviously I am not talking about us literally touching Jesus’ robe…clearly we cannot do this. But do we believe so deeply that Jesus cares for us…that He has unending compassion for us…that His deepest desire is to make us “healthy” and “whole” in every way…that we never hesitate to call on Him to do so? Do we operate in the confidence that…”When I am in trouble, I pray, knowing You will listen”?
Consider the courage and faith of this woman. To push through the crowd just for the chance to touch the hem of a robe - believing that this would be sufficient for Jesus to know you needed His help - seems extraordinary. And yet, what Jesus did for her…He stands ready, willing, and able to gladly do for each of us. Do we have as much faith as this woman? Do we truly believe that Jesus cares for us so deeply that simply calling on Him for help – and believing He will deliver it – is enough?
None of us contains the supernatural power of Jesus. We cannot instantly heal someone who touches our clothes and believes. But we can be there for others when they call on us. When others ask for our help, we can give it. When we see people in need, we can operate in compassion, kindness, grace and mercy toward them. Each of us can become a person who others know to be someone with integrity, honor, and reliability. We can be known as someone who shows the love of Jesus for others…someone whose love is always there for others, in His name.
So where does this leave you? Do you have faith in the love and compassion of Jesus that rivals that of the woman in Mark’s Gospel? Do you call on Jesus to meet your every need…and trust Him to do so? Are you known by others as a person who offers kindness, compassion, love, grace and mercy? Can others count on you to share the love of Jesus with them?
How you answer these questions matters greatly! If God is your GOD…and you truly are His faithful servant, you must be filled with faith and confidence in His power and ability to meet your needs. And you must be willing to demonstrate Jesus’ love to others. Have you “touched the hem of Jesus’ garment” lately? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Please listen, Lord,
and answer my prayer!
I am poor and helpless.
Protect me and save me
because you are my God.
I am your faithful servant,
and I trust you.
Be kind to me!
I pray to you all day.
Make my heart glad!
I serve you,
and my prayer is sincere.
You willingly forgive,
and your love is always there
for those who pray to you.
Please listen, Lord!
Answer my prayer for help.
When I am in trouble, I pray,
knowing you will listen.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The “theme” of our morning worship service today centered on the woman “with the issue of blood” who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was made well. This story comes from Mark 5:25-34, which says,
“In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had gone to many doctors, and they had not done anything except cause her a lot of pain. She had paid them all the money she had. But instead of getting better, she only got worse.
The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes. She had said to herself, ‘If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well.’ As soon as she touched them, her bleeding stopped, and she knew she was well.
At that moment Jesus felt power go out from him. He turned to the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’”
Is this the Jesus you know? Do you follow the One who can make you well simply because you dared to touch the hem of His robe? Obviously I am not talking about us literally touching Jesus’ robe…clearly we cannot do this. But do we believe so deeply that Jesus cares for us…that He has unending compassion for us…that His deepest desire is to make us “healthy” and “whole” in every way…that we never hesitate to call on Him to do so? Do we operate in the confidence that…”When I am in trouble, I pray, knowing You will listen”?
Consider the courage and faith of this woman. To push through the crowd just for the chance to touch the hem of a robe - believing that this would be sufficient for Jesus to know you needed His help - seems extraordinary. And yet, what Jesus did for her…He stands ready, willing, and able to gladly do for each of us. Do we have as much faith as this woman? Do we truly believe that Jesus cares for us so deeply that simply calling on Him for help – and believing He will deliver it – is enough?
None of us contains the supernatural power of Jesus. We cannot instantly heal someone who touches our clothes and believes. But we can be there for others when they call on us. When others ask for our help, we can give it. When we see people in need, we can operate in compassion, kindness, grace and mercy toward them. Each of us can become a person who others know to be someone with integrity, honor, and reliability. We can be known as someone who shows the love of Jesus for others…someone whose love is always there for others, in His name.
So where does this leave you? Do you have faith in the love and compassion of Jesus that rivals that of the woman in Mark’s Gospel? Do you call on Jesus to meet your every need…and trust Him to do so? Are you known by others as a person who offers kindness, compassion, love, grace and mercy? Can others count on you to share the love of Jesus with them?
How you answer these questions matters greatly! If God is your GOD…and you truly are His faithful servant, you must be filled with faith and confidence in His power and ability to meet your needs. And you must be willing to demonstrate Jesus’ love to others. Have you “touched the hem of Jesus’ garment” lately? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 22, 2014
Titus 2:1-6
Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.
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 shared a video on Facebook of what appeared to be a “tween-age” boy standing on a covered sidewalk at a middle school or junior high. This boy, who was fairly hefty in size, was approached by another young man – a somewhat scrawny and certainly smaller kid – who began to bully him. In fact, he punched the larger boy in the face as other children looked on and encouraged him. Then the larger boy lifted the bully – almost over his head - and slammed him into the concrete sidewalk. The bully slowly rose and literally limped away – clearly injured…hopefully not permanently.
I have to tell you, I was sorry I clicked on this video. I cannot erase this image from my mind. While I will be the first to say that there is no place for bullying – ever – I cannot agree that this retaliation was acceptable. It does not represent a disciplined life or solid doctrine in my book. What bothers me as much is that this video is being shared and presented in a somewhat “he-had-it-coming” light. I found myself feeling sorry for pint-sized aggressor.
Bullying is never acceptable or appropriate. But I believe that bullies act out of insecurity more than aggression. And this is where I feel that these verses from Titus are appropriate. What are we teaching our children? Are we building them up – or tearing them down – with our own behavior? What sort of example are we setting for each other? How are we relating to one another on a daily basis? Are we operating with dignity, temperance, patience and reverence? Do we strive to be good role models for children? Or do we gossip, cheat, lie, steal, and look down on others? Do we perpetuate the concept of bullying by our talk? Are we quick to criticize, belittle, and taunt others – if only in the privacy of our homes or vehicles?
Do we laugh at videos such as this one, pat each other on the shoulder and say, “That’ll teach him!”? Do others see us as someone who has a kind heart and a healthy respect for each person…or as someone who endorses undisciplined, ungodly behavior? Where exactly do you draw the line?
I believe these are all valid questions. And I believe that God has given us clear instructions on how we are to conduct our lives each day. We need to ask God to fill us with solid doctrine (i.e. a healthy understanding – and practice – of Jesus’ teachings)…and to guide us as we demonstrate this to others in our behavior, our speech, and our personal interactions. People are watching! When they look at you…who – and what – do they see?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.
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 shared a video on Facebook of what appeared to be a “tween-age” boy standing on a covered sidewalk at a middle school or junior high. This boy, who was fairly hefty in size, was approached by another young man – a somewhat scrawny and certainly smaller kid – who began to bully him. In fact, he punched the larger boy in the face as other children looked on and encouraged him. Then the larger boy lifted the bully – almost over his head - and slammed him into the concrete sidewalk. The bully slowly rose and literally limped away – clearly injured…hopefully not permanently.
I have to tell you, I was sorry I clicked on this video. I cannot erase this image from my mind. While I will be the first to say that there is no place for bullying – ever – I cannot agree that this retaliation was acceptable. It does not represent a disciplined life or solid doctrine in my book. What bothers me as much is that this video is being shared and presented in a somewhat “he-had-it-coming” light. I found myself feeling sorry for pint-sized aggressor.
Bullying is never acceptable or appropriate. But I believe that bullies act out of insecurity more than aggression. And this is where I feel that these verses from Titus are appropriate. What are we teaching our children? Are we building them up – or tearing them down – with our own behavior? What sort of example are we setting for each other? How are we relating to one another on a daily basis? Are we operating with dignity, temperance, patience and reverence? Do we strive to be good role models for children? Or do we gossip, cheat, lie, steal, and look down on others? Do we perpetuate the concept of bullying by our talk? Are we quick to criticize, belittle, and taunt others – if only in the privacy of our homes or vehicles?
Do we laugh at videos such as this one, pat each other on the shoulder and say, “That’ll teach him!”? Do others see us as someone who has a kind heart and a healthy respect for each person…or as someone who endorses undisciplined, ungodly behavior? Where exactly do you draw the line?
I believe these are all valid questions. And I believe that God has given us clear instructions on how we are to conduct our lives each day. We need to ask God to fill us with solid doctrine (i.e. a healthy understanding – and practice – of Jesus’ teachings)…and to guide us as we demonstrate this to others in our behavior, our speech, and our personal interactions. People are watching! When they look at you…who – and what – do they see?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 21, 2014
Philippians 2:5-8
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
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 13th season of the reality TV competition American Idol is underway, and two Arkansans were included in this year’s group of contestants who “made it through to Hollywood”. Malcolm Allen of Wrightsville, and Spencer Lloyd, who hails from Bryant, made it through the first rounds and competed as part of the “top 13” as the field narrowed to 10 contestants. Neither continued beyond this point, although Lloyd was given a chance to “sing for your life” - as contest judge Jennifer Lopez put it. The judges all found Lloyd’s song selection and performance to be lackluster and not truly “star quality”, although they commended him for his talent and making it as far in the competition as he did.
So the aspirations of these two young men – and countless other young people who auditioned and participated in this competition – have been somewhat dashed. While a few eliminated contestants have gone on to reach some pinnacle of stardom, most returned home to a “regular life” among their family and friends. Some will perform at local venues, while others will sing in a church choir – or in the shower! Hopefully, this experience will not define these young people…at least not in the way one might think.
Consider Spencer Lloyd…a youth minister and worship leader at Family Life Church in Bryant, Arkansas. Perhaps God is calling him to focus on this ministry instead of a bigger stage. Maybe this is a harsh – even humbling – reminder that God decides how, when and where we are to use the talents and abilities that He gives us. Perhaps God is whispering to Spencer, “I need you to reach people for Me on a more basic, intimate level.” Yes, some are called to share Jesus on a world-wide stage. There is a place for the Chris Tomlins, Michael W. Smiths, and Natalie Grants…Beth Moores, Jen Hatmakers and Max Lucados. But not all of us are called to serve on such a high-profile stage.
Quite honestly, this notoriety can be a slippery slope. The devil loves to take men and women of God, fill them with a powerful ego, and watch them fall – and take others along with them for the ride. Because of his appearance on American Idol, Spencer Lloyd’s name recognition has grown…so essentially, he has expanded his audience. But you and I are no less important to God. Our ministries and witness are every bit as vital. And because of our “simplicity”, we might just be able to reach those who would never listen to someone with celebrity status. They might perceive such people as “unapproachable” or out of touch with the realities of their “regular” lives. We - plain, ordinary people that we are - have a critical role to play as Disciples of Christ!
We can relate to the person who struggles to trust God when bills are piling up and there don’t seem to be enough work hours in the day to earn enough to cover them. We can offer first-hand compassion and empathy to someone who is going through a rough time…illness, relationship problems, work challenges – or the lack of a job, the challenges of child-rearing – or aging, and so much more. We can share out of the plainness of our own lives in a way that is real and plausible to others.
This is why Jesus came to earth as a humble human being. He certainly is anything but plain and ordinary. But God knew that people would not accept another egotistical, arrogant king. He knew that we needed someone who was one of us…a real, honest-to-goodness person…even though Jesus is truly so much more! Only a Supernatural King in a commonplace, familiar form could speak to us at our very core. Jesus could only reach the “average Joe” as a humble servant touched by the hand of God. And this is who we are called to be…the regular guy…the plain and simple, humble servant who loves God and shares His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional devotion with others.
Spencer Lloyd is perfectly positioned to reach countless people for Jesus Christ…but so are you and I. God has called us to humbly serve others in Jesus’ name…to be one of them – relatable, sympathetic, and “human”. We might not be the next American Idol, but if we serve with a respectful and unpretentious heart, we’ll be true rock stars in the eyes of God. We will become “celebrities” of a heavenly kind…with blessings and dividends far beyond anything Hollywood could ever hope to offer.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
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 13th season of the reality TV competition American Idol is underway, and two Arkansans were included in this year’s group of contestants who “made it through to Hollywood”. Malcolm Allen of Wrightsville, and Spencer Lloyd, who hails from Bryant, made it through the first rounds and competed as part of the “top 13” as the field narrowed to 10 contestants. Neither continued beyond this point, although Lloyd was given a chance to “sing for your life” - as contest judge Jennifer Lopez put it. The judges all found Lloyd’s song selection and performance to be lackluster and not truly “star quality”, although they commended him for his talent and making it as far in the competition as he did.
So the aspirations of these two young men – and countless other young people who auditioned and participated in this competition – have been somewhat dashed. While a few eliminated contestants have gone on to reach some pinnacle of stardom, most returned home to a “regular life” among their family and friends. Some will perform at local venues, while others will sing in a church choir – or in the shower! Hopefully, this experience will not define these young people…at least not in the way one might think.
Consider Spencer Lloyd…a youth minister and worship leader at Family Life Church in Bryant, Arkansas. Perhaps God is calling him to focus on this ministry instead of a bigger stage. Maybe this is a harsh – even humbling – reminder that God decides how, when and where we are to use the talents and abilities that He gives us. Perhaps God is whispering to Spencer, “I need you to reach people for Me on a more basic, intimate level.” Yes, some are called to share Jesus on a world-wide stage. There is a place for the Chris Tomlins, Michael W. Smiths, and Natalie Grants…Beth Moores, Jen Hatmakers and Max Lucados. But not all of us are called to serve on such a high-profile stage.
Quite honestly, this notoriety can be a slippery slope. The devil loves to take men and women of God, fill them with a powerful ego, and watch them fall – and take others along with them for the ride. Because of his appearance on American Idol, Spencer Lloyd’s name recognition has grown…so essentially, he has expanded his audience. But you and I are no less important to God. Our ministries and witness are every bit as vital. And because of our “simplicity”, we might just be able to reach those who would never listen to someone with celebrity status. They might perceive such people as “unapproachable” or out of touch with the realities of their “regular” lives. We - plain, ordinary people that we are - have a critical role to play as Disciples of Christ!
We can relate to the person who struggles to trust God when bills are piling up and there don’t seem to be enough work hours in the day to earn enough to cover them. We can offer first-hand compassion and empathy to someone who is going through a rough time…illness, relationship problems, work challenges – or the lack of a job, the challenges of child-rearing – or aging, and so much more. We can share out of the plainness of our own lives in a way that is real and plausible to others.
This is why Jesus came to earth as a humble human being. He certainly is anything but plain and ordinary. But God knew that people would not accept another egotistical, arrogant king. He knew that we needed someone who was one of us…a real, honest-to-goodness person…even though Jesus is truly so much more! Only a Supernatural King in a commonplace, familiar form could speak to us at our very core. Jesus could only reach the “average Joe” as a humble servant touched by the hand of God. And this is who we are called to be…the regular guy…the plain and simple, humble servant who loves God and shares His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional devotion with others.
Spencer Lloyd is perfectly positioned to reach countless people for Jesus Christ…but so are you and I. God has called us to humbly serve others in Jesus’ name…to be one of them – relatable, sympathetic, and “human”. We might not be the next American Idol, but if we serve with a respectful and unpretentious heart, we’ll be true rock stars in the eyes of God. We will become “celebrities” of a heavenly kind…with blessings and dividends far beyond anything Hollywood could ever hope to offer.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 16, 2014
Hebrews 2:18
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.
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.
Yesterday, a schoolmate named Carol messaged me and asked if I would post a prayer request for her on Facebook. She was distraught over recent events involving her mother, an Alzheimer’s patient who lives in a nursing home and has experienced several falls and a broken hip in recent weeks. Carol lives 800 miles away in another state and is unable to be with her mother right now, and she was feeling incredibly frustrated, worried, and alone. I posted a prayer request for her and spelled out her needs, as well as those of Carol’s mother – and her brother who lives close by and serves as his mother’s guardian.
In no time at all, dozens of comments were posted. Many “tagged” Carol on Facebook and gave her words of encouragement and advice. Some had “been there, done that” with their own parents, and they were able to offer tremendous comfort to Carol because of their own “suffering and testing”. One person in particular described how she had cared for her own mother as she suffered from dementia. She made some constructive suggestions for how to handle this situation – and the accompanying emotions. It was a blessing to be able to petition prayers for this family…and even more so to read the responses and see how so many people stepped up to offer compassion and support.
This is what we are supposed to do. I was listening to a sermon recently by Pastor Joel Osteen, and he reminded us that God uses our trials and tribulations for His purposes. When He allows us to experience something that is difficult or unpleasant, we often question why these things happened. Many times we cannot see that God has plans to use these circumstances in some manner. It may happen 3 days from now…or 30 years down the road. But God will not waste these events. And it might just be that He is setting us up to help someone else.
So while you wonder why you are facing so many challenges with your aging parents, God might be planning to put you in a position to someday support and encourage someone else who is going through the same thing. If you struggled to get through a course in biology, God might put others in your path who face the same struggle, so that you can reassure them that they can handle this. If someone stole your credit card and racked up a huge bill, God might show you a way to warn others…or to share with someone what you did to recover – and how he/she can, also.
The bottom line is that God never wastes an opportunity to show us His love and compassion…and He expects us to do the same for others. Look around you. Who needs your compassion, encouragement, and reassurance? Where can you share a personal experience and give something that may have seemed truly horrible a positive spin…while helping someone else who is going through the same thing? How can you share God’s love and compassion with others and emulate Jesus Christ?
Are you ready to reach out to the people around you…to allow God to work in and through you and turn your suffering and testing into opportunities to minister to others? In the words of Pastor Osteen, will this be the day you become a “victor” in Christ instead of a “victim” of circumstances? Will you truly demonstrate the love of Jesus to others by sharing in their burdens? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.
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.
Yesterday, a schoolmate named Carol messaged me and asked if I would post a prayer request for her on Facebook. She was distraught over recent events involving her mother, an Alzheimer’s patient who lives in a nursing home and has experienced several falls and a broken hip in recent weeks. Carol lives 800 miles away in another state and is unable to be with her mother right now, and she was feeling incredibly frustrated, worried, and alone. I posted a prayer request for her and spelled out her needs, as well as those of Carol’s mother – and her brother who lives close by and serves as his mother’s guardian.
In no time at all, dozens of comments were posted. Many “tagged” Carol on Facebook and gave her words of encouragement and advice. Some had “been there, done that” with their own parents, and they were able to offer tremendous comfort to Carol because of their own “suffering and testing”. One person in particular described how she had cared for her own mother as she suffered from dementia. She made some constructive suggestions for how to handle this situation – and the accompanying emotions. It was a blessing to be able to petition prayers for this family…and even more so to read the responses and see how so many people stepped up to offer compassion and support.
This is what we are supposed to do. I was listening to a sermon recently by Pastor Joel Osteen, and he reminded us that God uses our trials and tribulations for His purposes. When He allows us to experience something that is difficult or unpleasant, we often question why these things happened. Many times we cannot see that God has plans to use these circumstances in some manner. It may happen 3 days from now…or 30 years down the road. But God will not waste these events. And it might just be that He is setting us up to help someone else.
So while you wonder why you are facing so many challenges with your aging parents, God might be planning to put you in a position to someday support and encourage someone else who is going through the same thing. If you struggled to get through a course in biology, God might put others in your path who face the same struggle, so that you can reassure them that they can handle this. If someone stole your credit card and racked up a huge bill, God might show you a way to warn others…or to share with someone what you did to recover – and how he/she can, also.
The bottom line is that God never wastes an opportunity to show us His love and compassion…and He expects us to do the same for others. Look around you. Who needs your compassion, encouragement, and reassurance? Where can you share a personal experience and give something that may have seemed truly horrible a positive spin…while helping someone else who is going through the same thing? How can you share God’s love and compassion with others and emulate Jesus Christ?
Are you ready to reach out to the people around you…to allow God to work in and through you and turn your suffering and testing into opportunities to minister to others? In the words of Pastor Osteen, will this be the day you become a “victor” in Christ instead of a “victim” of circumstances? Will you truly demonstrate the love of Jesus to others by sharing in their burdens? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 1, 2014
Luke 23:34-35
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When Greg and I were in college, we used to sit in our car nearly every day and share a sandwich/potato chip lunch while listening to radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. There was something charming and compelling about Harvey’s delivery. His “hook” was to tell part of an interesting story, then break for a commercial… and then he would return to finish his tale. At the end he would say, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Harvey became famous for “the rest of the story!” and even wrote a book by this title.
So often in life, there is a “rest of the story”… and many times, we react without getting it! Our thoughts, comments and judgments are erroneous, harsh – even cruel at times – because we have failed to consider that there may be more going on with the other guy. We might not have the full picture. Even more importantly, we neglect to recognize that GOD is the only true judge…that this is not our place to draw conclusions. We are to act – and react – with compassion…to offer the same grace, mercy, forgiveness and understanding to others that Jesus offered his abusers - even on the cross and as they gambled for his clothing.
Tall order? Maybe! But when you consider what Jesus did for us… how HE responded to his assailants…any leniency and benefit of the doubt that we offer to others pales by comparison.
I know that people say and do ugly and hurtful things. I know that we are all judged unfairly and treated unkindly at one time or another. I know that it sometimes seems like “life” knocks us down and drags us through the mud. But if Jesus can hang naked and disfigured on a cross and ask God to forgive those who have desolated Him, can’t we surely offer compassion and charity to those who mistreat us?
Today we begin a new year… we turn the page on the calendar and start with a “clean slate”. Isn’t this the perfect day to resolve to be more empathetic… to show more compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness to others? I’m ready to stop giving the devil a victory by holding grudges, harboring insults and judging others…I’m ready to be more like Jesus and operate in a spirit of kindheartedness and tolerance of others. I’m ready to recognize that there might very well be a “rest of the story” and offer others a hefty dose of the same mercy Jesus offers to each of us. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When Greg and I were in college, we used to sit in our car nearly every day and share a sandwich/potato chip lunch while listening to radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. There was something charming and compelling about Harvey’s delivery. His “hook” was to tell part of an interesting story, then break for a commercial… and then he would return to finish his tale. At the end he would say, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Harvey became famous for “the rest of the story!” and even wrote a book by this title.
So often in life, there is a “rest of the story”… and many times, we react without getting it! Our thoughts, comments and judgments are erroneous, harsh – even cruel at times – because we have failed to consider that there may be more going on with the other guy. We might not have the full picture. Even more importantly, we neglect to recognize that GOD is the only true judge…that this is not our place to draw conclusions. We are to act – and react – with compassion…to offer the same grace, mercy, forgiveness and understanding to others that Jesus offered his abusers - even on the cross and as they gambled for his clothing.
Tall order? Maybe! But when you consider what Jesus did for us… how HE responded to his assailants…any leniency and benefit of the doubt that we offer to others pales by comparison.
I know that people say and do ugly and hurtful things. I know that we are all judged unfairly and treated unkindly at one time or another. I know that it sometimes seems like “life” knocks us down and drags us through the mud. But if Jesus can hang naked and disfigured on a cross and ask God to forgive those who have desolated Him, can’t we surely offer compassion and charity to those who mistreat us?
Today we begin a new year… we turn the page on the calendar and start with a “clean slate”. Isn’t this the perfect day to resolve to be more empathetic… to show more compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness to others? I’m ready to stop giving the devil a victory by holding grudges, harboring insults and judging others…I’m ready to be more like Jesus and operate in a spirit of kindheartedness and tolerance of others. I’m ready to recognize that there might very well be a “rest of the story” and offer others a hefty dose of the same mercy Jesus offers to each of us. What about you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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