Proverbs 16:19
You are better off to be humble and poor than to get rich from what you take by force.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have spent most of the day trying to figure out what to share with you in this devotional. This was not an especially busy day for me. When I awoke this morning, I knew that I had plenty of time to do a few household chores, write this devotional – and even squeeze in a workout before dinner time. This morning, two friends telephoned to visit with me – one delivered some sad news, and the other was checking on a mutual acquaintance. Both calls were important. Then another friend called to discuss a sewing project on which she was working and to seek some advice. That was important also. AND…I phoned my mother to share the sad news that one of the friends had delivered earlier…per her request.
In all, a lot of my morning was spent on the telephone. I decided to “park” this scripture and get in a workout. Greg was delivering Meals on Wheels, as he does each Monday. He returned before I finished exercising and said, “It’s such a beautiful day… I was hoping we could go for a bike ride.” My friend with the sewing project was due to visit later in the afternoon so that I could help her. I told Greg that it shouldn’t take long to do the sewing, and we could ride afterward… and we did. What a beautiful afternoon we shared… bright, sunny skies and cool, crisp fall air. We returned home just before time for dinner.
After we ate, Greg went to his office to watch a ballgame, and I was going to work on this devotional. My friend called… her sewing project was not going well. She had difficulties that I could not “talk her through” over the phone, so I insisted she drive back to our house, so that I could help her finish the project. As she drove away from our house, I thought… “Here’s my devotional!”
See, the “richest” part of my day was not what I was able to check off my list. It was the people with whom I spent time. Dishes can wait… that television show I might have wanted to watch can be recorded and viewed later (or skipped altogether)…the little “projects” I had hoped to work on today will still be there tomorrow – or next week – but my friends and family wanted and/or needed me today. Had I stomped my foot or made excuses and said, “I’m not answering the phone again!” or “I will not do another thing with someone else until I check XYZ off of my own list,” I might have missed out on some wonderful blessings.
The point is that we are missing out on the riches found in the little things of life, because we are focused on getting ahead or accomplishing as much as possible in as little time as possible. We truly would be “better off humble and poor” than to have trampled over the feelings of others to get what we want. To make another feel like your priorities and preferences are more important than his/hers… in even small matters… is the same as getting rich – or getting ahead – by force. When we choose to stop focusing on our own desires more than the needs of others, we have truly begun to understand what it is to be a disciple of Christ.
On any given day, our plans don’t go as we hoped. Sometimes that is our own doing… other times God is showing us opportunities to serve in His name… or even to receive a blessing that He wants to bestow. Whether we tap into what God is offering or not is totally up to us. It’s our choice. We start by being attuned to His will for our lives…and learning to ask Him, “What do YOU think I should do in this situation?” When we listen to His lead, we always make the right choice in the end. The question is… are you listening? Isn’t it time you were?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label finding Gods purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finding Gods purpose. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 23, 2013
March 23 – Proverbs 2:20-22
So—join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths. It’s the men who walk straight who will settle this land, the women with integrity who will last here. The corrupt will lose their lives; the dishonest will be gone for good.
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.
This morning, I read “The Three Little Bears” to my almost-two-year-old niece, Zola. You know the story… Momma Bear makes porridge for herself, Poppa Bear and Baby Bear, and while it cools, they take a walk. A little girl named Goldilocks comes along while out for a walk in the woods. She knocks on the door, and when no one answers… she goes right in and helps herself to food, seating, and a bed for a nap! She even breaks Baby Bear’s chair when she sits in it.
When the bears return, they discover the intruder. Goldilocks wakes up, sees the bears, lets out a yell and runs out of the house… and the story says she was gone for good, because she never went for a walk in the woods again.
Clearly, nobody explained integrity to Goldilocks! She thought nothing of entering someone else’s home, eating their food, sitting in their chairs, or sleeping in their beds. And a lot of us are very much like her! We do what we please… when we please… and take whatever we want as if we are entitled. We say things we shouldn’t. We step off the “straight-and-narrow path” and dance to the beat of our own drummer… or that of the devil himself. And ultimately, our dishonesty and brazenness catch up with us, and we are “gone for good.” Nobody wants anything to do with us… and who could blame them?!
Too many of us have our sights fixed on instant gratification… a “what’s-in-it-for-me-now” mentality. We need to focus on the things of God… His will for our lives and what He wants us to accomplish in His name for the long haul. We need to think more about eternity and how we get there than on a temporary gratification… a warm bowl of porridge, a chair and a comfortable bed, so to speak!
What about you? Are you sticking to a path that leads to lasting rewards and eternity with Jesus… or are you living as if you are on a walk through the woods – hoping to find momentary pleasure in the things of this world? Are you treating others with respect and dignity… do you value their property and their feelings? Have you asked God to show you the path you should take in order to fulfill His purpose for your life? Have you prayed for moral character and integrity… have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life? Isn’t today a great day to do all of this?
Even if you started down another path, there is still time to turn back and regroup. You don’t have to be like Goldilocks and never take a walk in the woods again. You just have to stay on the right trail and let God lead the way. Who is guiding your steps these days? Whose path are you following… and where are you ultimately headed?
©2013 Debbie Robus
So—join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths. It’s the men who walk straight who will settle this land, the women with integrity who will last here. The corrupt will lose their lives; the dishonest will be gone for good.
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.
This morning, I read “The Three Little Bears” to my almost-two-year-old niece, Zola. You know the story… Momma Bear makes porridge for herself, Poppa Bear and Baby Bear, and while it cools, they take a walk. A little girl named Goldilocks comes along while out for a walk in the woods. She knocks on the door, and when no one answers… she goes right in and helps herself to food, seating, and a bed for a nap! She even breaks Baby Bear’s chair when she sits in it.
When the bears return, they discover the intruder. Goldilocks wakes up, sees the bears, lets out a yell and runs out of the house… and the story says she was gone for good, because she never went for a walk in the woods again.
Clearly, nobody explained integrity to Goldilocks! She thought nothing of entering someone else’s home, eating their food, sitting in their chairs, or sleeping in their beds. And a lot of us are very much like her! We do what we please… when we please… and take whatever we want as if we are entitled. We say things we shouldn’t. We step off the “straight-and-narrow path” and dance to the beat of our own drummer… or that of the devil himself. And ultimately, our dishonesty and brazenness catch up with us, and we are “gone for good.” Nobody wants anything to do with us… and who could blame them?!
Too many of us have our sights fixed on instant gratification… a “what’s-in-it-for-me-now” mentality. We need to focus on the things of God… His will for our lives and what He wants us to accomplish in His name for the long haul. We need to think more about eternity and how we get there than on a temporary gratification… a warm bowl of porridge, a chair and a comfortable bed, so to speak!
What about you? Are you sticking to a path that leads to lasting rewards and eternity with Jesus… or are you living as if you are on a walk through the woods – hoping to find momentary pleasure in the things of this world? Are you treating others with respect and dignity… do you value their property and their feelings? Have you asked God to show you the path you should take in order to fulfill His purpose for your life? Have you prayed for moral character and integrity… have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life? Isn’t today a great day to do all of this?
Even if you started down another path, there is still time to turn back and regroup. You don’t have to be like Goldilocks and never take a walk in the woods again. You just have to stay on the right trail and let God lead the way. Who is guiding your steps these days? Whose path are you following… and where are you ultimately headed?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 16, 2013
March 16 ~ Job 2:9
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
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.
In his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, author Harold S. Kushner tells the story of Martin Gray, who survived the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Holocaust. He married, built a successful life, and raised a family. One day his wife and children were killed in a forest fire that destroyed their home in the south of France. Some demanded an inquiry as to whether there was negligence or someone was at fault. But Gray refused. He said that accusing others for your misery only makes you lonelier. He maintained that life has to be lived for something, not against it.
An awful lot of us are living our lives against something. We are seeking blame or making excuses. Basically, we are ready to “curse God and die.” I once knew someone who turned her back on God after her father’s death. In her words, “What kind of God would allow my daddy to suffer like that?!” Indeed, it does often seem hard to comprehend the hardships some face. But giving situations a purpose and meaning often makes them more bearable Kushner points out that soldiers who lose a limb fighting for something have a better outlook than those who suffered the same in jury in a car or boating accident.
It often seems that in order to maintain our integrity, we must find the purpose for everything… and it had better be a good one! In other words, when troubles come, we give up on God and take whatever means necessary to survive and/or feel good. We are easily persuaded to “curse God and die” – inwardly, at least, if not literally.
My prayer for each of us today is that we would not sit back and wait on God to show us His purpose for our lives in each situation… but that we would endeavor to find it and to create good outcomes out of even seemingly bad situations. THIS is the mark of integrity… to consistently maintain our values, principles, and expectations… to never waiver in our faith - even when things are crumbling around us. The person of integrity doesn’t ask, “Why me, LORD?” He/she asks, “Where do I go from here? What are You showing me?”
These are the questions for today… “What is God showing you? And what are you doing with it?” Will you give meaning to the things that happen in your life - with God’s help - or are you ready to curse Him and die? Are you living your life for something… or against it? The choice is yours. Our reactions to people, situations and circumstances gives them meaning – either positive or negative. What are yours saying about you… and your faith in God to handle all things?
©2013 Debbie Robus
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
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.
In his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, author Harold S. Kushner tells the story of Martin Gray, who survived the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Holocaust. He married, built a successful life, and raised a family. One day his wife and children were killed in a forest fire that destroyed their home in the south of France. Some demanded an inquiry as to whether there was negligence or someone was at fault. But Gray refused. He said that accusing others for your misery only makes you lonelier. He maintained that life has to be lived for something, not against it.
An awful lot of us are living our lives against something. We are seeking blame or making excuses. Basically, we are ready to “curse God and die.” I once knew someone who turned her back on God after her father’s death. In her words, “What kind of God would allow my daddy to suffer like that?!” Indeed, it does often seem hard to comprehend the hardships some face. But giving situations a purpose and meaning often makes them more bearable Kushner points out that soldiers who lose a limb fighting for something have a better outlook than those who suffered the same in jury in a car or boating accident.
It often seems that in order to maintain our integrity, we must find the purpose for everything… and it had better be a good one! In other words, when troubles come, we give up on God and take whatever means necessary to survive and/or feel good. We are easily persuaded to “curse God and die” – inwardly, at least, if not literally.
My prayer for each of us today is that we would not sit back and wait on God to show us His purpose for our lives in each situation… but that we would endeavor to find it and to create good outcomes out of even seemingly bad situations. THIS is the mark of integrity… to consistently maintain our values, principles, and expectations… to never waiver in our faith - even when things are crumbling around us. The person of integrity doesn’t ask, “Why me, LORD?” He/she asks, “Where do I go from here? What are You showing me?”
These are the questions for today… “What is God showing you? And what are you doing with it?” Will you give meaning to the things that happen in your life - with God’s help - or are you ready to curse Him and die? Are you living your life for something… or against it? The choice is yours. Our reactions to people, situations and circumstances gives them meaning – either positive or negative. What are yours saying about you… and your faith in God to handle all things?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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