September 9 ~ John 3:27-30
John answered, “It’s not possible
for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without
heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I
was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things
ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And
the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side
where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be
jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is
off to a good start?
“That’s why my cup is running over. This is
the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to
the sidelines.
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.
During the Sunday
school lesson last week for second and third graders, I mentioned my
brother Tim, who died almost 18 years ago. It was like a light bulb
went on in Timothy’s head, and he said, “OH! So Uncle Tim was named for
ME?” I smiled and explained that it was the other way around…that
Uncle Tim was here first. This was logical thinking for a
seven-year-old. Little children tend to believe that the world revolves
around them. And I will have to say that most of the time, Timothy is
unusually empathetic for his age. Still…every child has his/her moments.
You
and I are no longer children. We cannot afford the “luxury” of selfish
thinking…much less the assumption that “we’ve got this” by ourselves.
There is no way that we can navigate “life” on our own for even the
shortest amount of time. And if you believe differently, you are in for
some pretty big heartaches and disappointments.
A friend shared a
post on Facebook that started off, “Imagine getting to heaven and
hearing God say”…and then “God” described how thought of us before we
were born…laid out plans for us and prepared the way. “God” noted how He
gave us time to accomplish these goals and supplied us with the Holy
Spirit to guide and protect us…and provided us with missions and
opportunities to fulfill them. And then it ends with “Let’s talk about
how that all went.”
Too many of us want to have Jesus and the
Holy Spirit in our hip pocket…but we still want the spotlight. We want
it to be all about us…about our needs and desires. We spend our lives
asking, “Is it fun? Will I enjoy this? Will it make me happy? What
about ME?” And the truth is…it’s not about us at all. There’s an old
hymn – “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” - that says, “Thou are the potter, I
am the clay.” Jesus is the bridegroom…you and I are just the
“bridesmaids and groomsmen.” Our job is to support Him…to fulfill His
plans and missions…to step aside and bask in the rays of His limelight.
A
little self-absorption is cute when you are a child…but it is in no way
an attractive quality in adults…especially people who are supposed to
represent Jesus. Humility, servitude, and the desire to keep Christ
front and center are hallmarks of a faithful Christian disciple. It may
never be “your turn” or “about you”…and that’s okay. When Jesus is
given top priority, all other things fall into place as He designed.
THIS is what truly matters!
When God has the talk with you
about “how things went,” what will you have to say for yourself? Have
you stepped aside and given Jesus the spotlight? Or are you still
fighting to get off the sidelines and take center stage? How you answer
makes all the difference…both now and for all eternity. Where are you standing today?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label focusing on Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label focusing on Jesus. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 5, 2016
Exodus 20:5
You must never bow or worship it in any way; for I, the Lord your God, am very possessive. I will not share your affection with any other god!
“And when I punish people for their sins, the punishment continues upon the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who hate me;
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Greg and I have been in “purge mode” of late…sorting through closets and cleaning out the clutter. There is nothing like the death of a loved one – and the necessity to sort through THEIR belongings and decide what to keep – to motivate one to clean out his/her own “stuff!” So as I have been spending a good deal of time sorting through my mother’s things and deciding what is important to me to keep – and what to pass on for someone else to sort – I have come to some (for me) stark realizations.
Here’s the first one…anything can become an idol…including our “stuff!” We hang onto all sorts of things and place far too much importance on them for what are sometimes irrational reasons. Realizing this has helped me to let go of Valentines and birthday cards from my toddler years…old newspaper clippings…and more. Innovations like scanners and digital cameras that can preserve an image of some of the more historical and sentimental pieces has revolutionized this process – and helped me to let go of a lot of things I would otherwise cling to as a “treasure” with which I could not part.
Additionally, I’ve had to ask myself…”Will I really use this? Will I read this book, or will it collect dust on my shelf? Could someone else enjoy this sheet music that I have no interest in – other than the fact that it belonged to my family?” If the answer is negative in any way, the items have to go! A dear friend who has “inherited” in recent years made the comment that [paraphrased] “My house is filled with the past rather than the future.” And the past – or relics from it – can also become our “idol.”
We are not to worship the belongings of others…and as I am learning, the memories such items evoke are still there, even when the “treasure” has been discarded. This is not disrespectful to the person who cherished or accumulated these things. And if the truth be told…many of the items I have sorted through lately were buried like a time capsule for 50 years or more – and nobody had given them a second thought! So why are they suddenly so important again? Let’s enjoy the memory…snap a photo or two – or make a scanned image – then let it go!
I come from a long line of certified pack rats! If you could have seen my maternal grandfather’s desk (and I literally mean, if you could have SEEN it!) – then my mother’s office – you would understand why Mother always said that my messy desk “is so neat and organized!” (It’s not!) So I totally get the part of this passage about “curses” continuing to future generations!
What does this mean for us in a Spiritual context? Again, I must say…ANYTHING can become an idol. It can be money, possessions, work, another person, our hobby…or even our STUFF and that of other people who are/were significant to us! We get so caught up in all of these things – and the “idol worship” – that we lose focus on God. My Jesus Calling* entry for today talked about seeking Jesus – and how He runs after those who run after Him. Let’s be honest…if we are busy pursuing other “idols,” there won’t be time and energy – much less a desire – to run after God.
When we put our relationship with Jesus Christ first – and seek His will and word for our lives, other things fall into place. The priorities tend to order themselves properly – and we have time for work, relationships, hobbies, and even relaxation. It becomes apparent what clutter and “junk” are necessary and significant – and what needs to find a new home (maybe even the dumpster!).
As you go about your day, seek Jesus at every turn. Talk to Him…ask Him if you are on the right course. Make your conversation/relationship with Jesus the most important part of your day, and everything else will come into focus with amazing clarity. Figure out what you have made into an idol…and ask God to help you re-align your priorities. Jesus seeks those who seek Him and worship HIM above all else. Are YOU one of those? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*www.JesusCalling.com
You must never bow or worship it in any way; for I, the Lord your God, am very possessive. I will not share your affection with any other god!
“And when I punish people for their sins, the punishment continues upon the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who hate me;
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Greg and I have been in “purge mode” of late…sorting through closets and cleaning out the clutter. There is nothing like the death of a loved one – and the necessity to sort through THEIR belongings and decide what to keep – to motivate one to clean out his/her own “stuff!” So as I have been spending a good deal of time sorting through my mother’s things and deciding what is important to me to keep – and what to pass on for someone else to sort – I have come to some (for me) stark realizations.
Here’s the first one…anything can become an idol…including our “stuff!” We hang onto all sorts of things and place far too much importance on them for what are sometimes irrational reasons. Realizing this has helped me to let go of Valentines and birthday cards from my toddler years…old newspaper clippings…and more. Innovations like scanners and digital cameras that can preserve an image of some of the more historical and sentimental pieces has revolutionized this process – and helped me to let go of a lot of things I would otherwise cling to as a “treasure” with which I could not part.
Additionally, I’ve had to ask myself…”Will I really use this? Will I read this book, or will it collect dust on my shelf? Could someone else enjoy this sheet music that I have no interest in – other than the fact that it belonged to my family?” If the answer is negative in any way, the items have to go! A dear friend who has “inherited” in recent years made the comment that [paraphrased] “My house is filled with the past rather than the future.” And the past – or relics from it – can also become our “idol.”
We are not to worship the belongings of others…and as I am learning, the memories such items evoke are still there, even when the “treasure” has been discarded. This is not disrespectful to the person who cherished or accumulated these things. And if the truth be told…many of the items I have sorted through lately were buried like a time capsule for 50 years or more – and nobody had given them a second thought! So why are they suddenly so important again? Let’s enjoy the memory…snap a photo or two – or make a scanned image – then let it go!
I come from a long line of certified pack rats! If you could have seen my maternal grandfather’s desk (and I literally mean, if you could have SEEN it!) – then my mother’s office – you would understand why Mother always said that my messy desk “is so neat and organized!” (It’s not!) So I totally get the part of this passage about “curses” continuing to future generations!
What does this mean for us in a Spiritual context? Again, I must say…ANYTHING can become an idol. It can be money, possessions, work, another person, our hobby…or even our STUFF and that of other people who are/were significant to us! We get so caught up in all of these things – and the “idol worship” – that we lose focus on God. My Jesus Calling* entry for today talked about seeking Jesus – and how He runs after those who run after Him. Let’s be honest…if we are busy pursuing other “idols,” there won’t be time and energy – much less a desire – to run after God.
When we put our relationship with Jesus Christ first – and seek His will and word for our lives, other things fall into place. The priorities tend to order themselves properly – and we have time for work, relationships, hobbies, and even relaxation. It becomes apparent what clutter and “junk” are necessary and significant – and what needs to find a new home (maybe even the dumpster!).
As you go about your day, seek Jesus at every turn. Talk to Him…ask Him if you are on the right course. Make your conversation/relationship with Jesus the most important part of your day, and everything else will come into focus with amazing clarity. Figure out what you have made into an idol…and ask God to help you re-align your priorities. Jesus seeks those who seek Him and worship HIM above all else. Are YOU one of those? Isn’t it time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*www.JesusCalling.com
Daily Devotional for December 16, 2015
Isaiah 66:2
I have made everything;
that’s how it all came to be.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The people I treasure most
are the humble—
they depend only on me
and tremble when I speak.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever gone into a room and forgotten why you were there? I know I have. I will stop and stand still and say to myself, “Now, I know I came in here for something!” In my case, it might be a bit of simple forgetfulness that comes with age! But often, the problem is that we are trying to do too much at once.
I know it sounds cliché, but this is one of the busiest times of the year. We are consumed with decorations, parties, gifts and festivities…musical programs and parades…food galore and opportunities at every turn for revelry. And in the midst of all of this, we find it very easy to forget “why we came into the room.” In other words, we get so caught up in the merriment and celebration that we forget WHO we are celebrating.
This scripture passage from Isaiah reminds us that God treasures most those who are humble…the ones who depend on Him and “tremble when I speak.” In other words, God treasures the ones who maintain focus…listen for His voice…and pay attention to His message. God treasures those who are more interested in what He thinks and has to say than what the world says…the ones who care more about seeking Him in the everyday, ordinary things of life than making sure everything is just perfect in their holiday celebrations and décor. He values those who care more about meeting the physical, mental and spiritual needs of others than buying the perfect gift for Aunt Sue.
At the end of the day…we need to stop, take a breath, and refocus. Two weeks from Friday (if not sooner) a lot of people will pack away the decorations, undress the tree, and close the book on Christmas for another eleven months. And more than a few will pack away their relationship with Jesus, too.
Let’s promise right now that we won’t do this! Let’s get our priorities straight now…today…December 16th. Let’s humble ourselves before God and thank Him for all that He has made…for everything that He has given us. And let’s ask Him to show us what is most important…”why we came into the room” in the first place!
I want to be among those whom God treasures most…don’t you? Are you taking the necessary steps to make it so? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
© Debbie Robus
I have made everything;
that’s how it all came to be.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The people I treasure most
are the humble—
they depend only on me
and tremble when I speak.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever gone into a room and forgotten why you were there? I know I have. I will stop and stand still and say to myself, “Now, I know I came in here for something!” In my case, it might be a bit of simple forgetfulness that comes with age! But often, the problem is that we are trying to do too much at once.
I know it sounds cliché, but this is one of the busiest times of the year. We are consumed with decorations, parties, gifts and festivities…musical programs and parades…food galore and opportunities at every turn for revelry. And in the midst of all of this, we find it very easy to forget “why we came into the room.” In other words, we get so caught up in the merriment and celebration that we forget WHO we are celebrating.
This scripture passage from Isaiah reminds us that God treasures most those who are humble…the ones who depend on Him and “tremble when I speak.” In other words, God treasures the ones who maintain focus…listen for His voice…and pay attention to His message. God treasures those who are more interested in what He thinks and has to say than what the world says…the ones who care more about seeking Him in the everyday, ordinary things of life than making sure everything is just perfect in their holiday celebrations and décor. He values those who care more about meeting the physical, mental and spiritual needs of others than buying the perfect gift for Aunt Sue.
At the end of the day…we need to stop, take a breath, and refocus. Two weeks from Friday (if not sooner) a lot of people will pack away the decorations, undress the tree, and close the book on Christmas for another eleven months. And more than a few will pack away their relationship with Jesus, too.
Let’s promise right now that we won’t do this! Let’s get our priorities straight now…today…December 16th. Let’s humble ourselves before God and thank Him for all that He has made…for everything that He has given us. And let’s ask Him to show us what is most important…”why we came into the room” in the first place!
I want to be among those whom God treasures most…don’t you? Are you taking the necessary steps to make it so? Don’t you think it’s time you did?
© Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 27, 2015
Matthew 10:34-39
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me."
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.
Regional sections of our state newspaper carried a front-page article about young man from El Paso/Vilonia, Arkansas, who is beginning his freshman year of college. He is pictured wearing a green jacket and shirt, and the headline is “4-H is My Life.” Now I don’t know this young man, so I have no idea what he truly thinks or feels.
I don’t know if he really said these exact words…and if he did, I’m not sure that he meant them literally.
But I know several people who truly have made something or someone the most important focus of their lives. They have put this interest or person above everything else…even Jesus. I know people who are obsessed with work or a hobby…their own self-interests…or a significant other. There are people who live and breathe for their children or another family member…to the detriment of others around them. There are people who are obsessed with a particular sport or hobby – either as a spectator or a participant. Some people are so focused on their physical diet, exercise, and appearance that everything else is secondary.
I know people who have been told by their family members…it’s me or Jesus. I know spouses and children who have had to make this difficult decision…knowing that to choose Jesus might end their marriage or family relationship. And sadly, there are some people who are so focused on “church” or the activities and causes that they think define their Christian faith that they have totally left Jesus out of the mix.
Some or all of these situations – and countless others – could describe you and me on any given day. And in each instance, we have failed to keep the main thing the main thing! So look at the first verse of this passage again…the one where Jesus says “Don’t think I’ve come to make things cozy.” In other translations, it says, “I came to bring trouble, not peace.”(CEV)
Why would Jesus come to bring trouble? Let’s realize that this is not the typical “trouble” we envision. Jesus wants to “shake things up” a bit…to “rattle our cages” and make us think about Who He truly is…and where our priorities lie. He wants us to discover the depths of His love…and our loyalty. He wants us to be so devoted to Him that we are willing to strip away everything and everyone else…even parents, children, siblings, significant others, careers, possessions, hobbies, and personal desires of every kind.
We must be willing to put aside those things that we think define our Christian faith…the campaigns we wage to make a point about this commandment or that one…our efforts to sway lawmakers and the general public to “put God back” into XYZ…and focus on truly putting God back into our lives – at the very center of our every breath!
This is HARD STUFF! But it is critical. What – or who – is your “life” today? If we are not willing to let go of our own agendas and desires in order to focus totally on Jesus, then He is exactly right – we don’t deserve Him! And that’s just not an option for me…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me."
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.
Regional sections of our state newspaper carried a front-page article about young man from El Paso/Vilonia, Arkansas, who is beginning his freshman year of college. He is pictured wearing a green jacket and shirt, and the headline is “4-H is My Life.” Now I don’t know this young man, so I have no idea what he truly thinks or feels.
I don’t know if he really said these exact words…and if he did, I’m not sure that he meant them literally.
But I know several people who truly have made something or someone the most important focus of their lives. They have put this interest or person above everything else…even Jesus. I know people who are obsessed with work or a hobby…their own self-interests…or a significant other. There are people who live and breathe for their children or another family member…to the detriment of others around them. There are people who are obsessed with a particular sport or hobby – either as a spectator or a participant. Some people are so focused on their physical diet, exercise, and appearance that everything else is secondary.
I know people who have been told by their family members…it’s me or Jesus. I know spouses and children who have had to make this difficult decision…knowing that to choose Jesus might end their marriage or family relationship. And sadly, there are some people who are so focused on “church” or the activities and causes that they think define their Christian faith that they have totally left Jesus out of the mix.
Some or all of these situations – and countless others – could describe you and me on any given day. And in each instance, we have failed to keep the main thing the main thing! So look at the first verse of this passage again…the one where Jesus says “Don’t think I’ve come to make things cozy.” In other translations, it says, “I came to bring trouble, not peace.”(CEV)
Why would Jesus come to bring trouble? Let’s realize that this is not the typical “trouble” we envision. Jesus wants to “shake things up” a bit…to “rattle our cages” and make us think about Who He truly is…and where our priorities lie. He wants us to discover the depths of His love…and our loyalty. He wants us to be so devoted to Him that we are willing to strip away everything and everyone else…even parents, children, siblings, significant others, careers, possessions, hobbies, and personal desires of every kind.
We must be willing to put aside those things that we think define our Christian faith…the campaigns we wage to make a point about this commandment or that one…our efforts to sway lawmakers and the general public to “put God back” into XYZ…and focus on truly putting God back into our lives – at the very center of our every breath!
This is HARD STUFF! But it is critical. What – or who – is your “life” today? If we are not willing to let go of our own agendas and desires in order to focus totally on Jesus, then He is exactly right – we don’t deserve Him! And that’s just not an option for me…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 4, 2015
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.
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 wrote a post for one of my blogs in which I used the analogy of a mole that sits atop my left foot. The “birth mark” is about a quarter inch in diameter…but for my entire childhood, it was an embarrassment to me…something I made conscious efforts to hide as much as possible. I know…it was ridiculous…but not all that uncommon. I would venture to say that we all have things about ourselves that we do not like and/or wish did not exist or were not part of our “makeup.”
My brother had a much larger birthmark…on his backside. I honestly cannot remember which "cheek"…and of course, his “mole” was easy to conceal! But it was there, all the same. And my point is that we all have something…whether others see it and/or know about it or not. To every sinner who has asked Jesus to forgive them and dwell in their heart, this merciful gift of Salvation has been granted. And as this scripture translation states, we’re all in the same boat!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus died for each of us, so that we could all be in HIS boat. If you could take every person in Jesus’ boat, strip him/her down, x-ray inside and examine the mind and heart, you would find all sizes, shapes and colors of “moles and warts!” The only One in the boat who is blemish free would be Jesus…and yet, He welcomes each of us to share His “boat!”
This is amazing, incredible fact should be the impetus for us to get over ourselves and live for Jesus! And it’s exactly what Paul calls us to do in this passage. When we are “in Jesus’ boat” and make Him the central focus of our lives, our “moles and warts” disappear for all intents and purposes. We are free to live, love, and serve in the name of Jesus. We are unencumbered by the frustrations – and even the shame or embarrassment – of our own imperfections…because the attention is no longer on us.
Live in Jesus – and FOR Him – a “far better life” than you can ever live on your own. Make Him the focus, and take the spotlight off of yourself. Let His love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy cover your sins, warts, moles, and blemishes. Don’t wait another minute! Jump over into Jesus’ boat…He has a spot there with your name on it!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.
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 wrote a post for one of my blogs in which I used the analogy of a mole that sits atop my left foot. The “birth mark” is about a quarter inch in diameter…but for my entire childhood, it was an embarrassment to me…something I made conscious efforts to hide as much as possible. I know…it was ridiculous…but not all that uncommon. I would venture to say that we all have things about ourselves that we do not like and/or wish did not exist or were not part of our “makeup.”
My brother had a much larger birthmark…on his backside. I honestly cannot remember which "cheek"…and of course, his “mole” was easy to conceal! But it was there, all the same. And my point is that we all have something…whether others see it and/or know about it or not. To every sinner who has asked Jesus to forgive them and dwell in their heart, this merciful gift of Salvation has been granted. And as this scripture translation states, we’re all in the same boat!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus died for each of us, so that we could all be in HIS boat. If you could take every person in Jesus’ boat, strip him/her down, x-ray inside and examine the mind and heart, you would find all sizes, shapes and colors of “moles and warts!” The only One in the boat who is blemish free would be Jesus…and yet, He welcomes each of us to share His “boat!”
This is amazing, incredible fact should be the impetus for us to get over ourselves and live for Jesus! And it’s exactly what Paul calls us to do in this passage. When we are “in Jesus’ boat” and make Him the central focus of our lives, our “moles and warts” disappear for all intents and purposes. We are free to live, love, and serve in the name of Jesus. We are unencumbered by the frustrations – and even the shame or embarrassment – of our own imperfections…because the attention is no longer on us.
Live in Jesus – and FOR Him – a “far better life” than you can ever live on your own. Make Him the focus, and take the spotlight off of yourself. Let His love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy cover your sins, warts, moles, and blemishes. Don’t wait another minute! Jump over into Jesus’ boat…He has a spot there with your name on it!
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2015
Philippians 3:12-14
I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
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.
On January 15, 2015, climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson reached the summit of The Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. At an elevation of 3,000 feet, this smooth sheer granite mountainside is considered to be the most difficult free climb in the world. Somewhere around 70 people greeted the climbers atop the summit and celebrated with champagne.
This was not the first time these two had attempted the climb. In 2010, Jorgeson broke his ankle early in an ascent and could not continue...while Caldwell got to the most difficult pitch and could not finish. The two climbers subsequently worked on the areas of the mountain that gave them the most trouble…before attempting the full climb again in December 2014.
I watched footage of the climb on television news reports...and even from the safety of my own home, I sometimes felt like I could not “look down”. There was coverage of the men lounging in "tents" that were somehow tethered to the side of the mountain. I marveled at how calmly they lay reading, texting, eating...as if they were perfectly secure on level ground.
Our journey as Christians is something like the free climb of El Capitan's Dawn Wall...fraught with potential for danger and disaster, yet so worth the struggle. It is reported that these climbers…Caldwell in particular…were focused on accomplishing this ascent with something akin to single-minded obsession. They “kept their eye on the goal” and trusted in the safety measures they had set in place – and the coaching and encouragement from each other, family members and friends – and they forged onward and upward. And this is what we are called to do with Christ.
There will be days when we will be tempted to “look down”…there will be “injuries” and setbacks along the way. But if we stay focused…if we keep on looking toward heaven and working toward the goal of standing before Jesus someday in celebration of a “good climb”…we will get there. God will make it so.
Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t let “life” beat you down and discourage you to the point that you cannot continue the “climb” with Christ. Hear God’s voice encouraging you to reach higher…to dig deeper…to stick with Him for the long haul. Feel His hands supporting you in safety…His arms surrounding you in love…His spirit filling your heart. Know that you can do this…that with God, all things truly are possible. Keep looking upward toward Heaven and working toward the goal that God has set for you in Jesus. Now…don’t you have some climbing to do?
©2015 Debbie Robus
I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
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.
On January 15, 2015, climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson reached the summit of The Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. At an elevation of 3,000 feet, this smooth sheer granite mountainside is considered to be the most difficult free climb in the world. Somewhere around 70 people greeted the climbers atop the summit and celebrated with champagne.
This was not the first time these two had attempted the climb. In 2010, Jorgeson broke his ankle early in an ascent and could not continue...while Caldwell got to the most difficult pitch and could not finish. The two climbers subsequently worked on the areas of the mountain that gave them the most trouble…before attempting the full climb again in December 2014.
I watched footage of the climb on television news reports...and even from the safety of my own home, I sometimes felt like I could not “look down”. There was coverage of the men lounging in "tents" that were somehow tethered to the side of the mountain. I marveled at how calmly they lay reading, texting, eating...as if they were perfectly secure on level ground.
Our journey as Christians is something like the free climb of El Capitan's Dawn Wall...fraught with potential for danger and disaster, yet so worth the struggle. It is reported that these climbers…Caldwell in particular…were focused on accomplishing this ascent with something akin to single-minded obsession. They “kept their eye on the goal” and trusted in the safety measures they had set in place – and the coaching and encouragement from each other, family members and friends – and they forged onward and upward. And this is what we are called to do with Christ.
There will be days when we will be tempted to “look down”…there will be “injuries” and setbacks along the way. But if we stay focused…if we keep on looking toward heaven and working toward the goal of standing before Jesus someday in celebration of a “good climb”…we will get there. God will make it so.
Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t let “life” beat you down and discourage you to the point that you cannot continue the “climb” with Christ. Hear God’s voice encouraging you to reach higher…to dig deeper…to stick with Him for the long haul. Feel His hands supporting you in safety…His arms surrounding you in love…His spirit filling your heart. Know that you can do this…that with God, all things truly are possible. Keep looking upward toward Heaven and working toward the goal that God has set for you in Jesus. Now…don’t you have some climbing to do?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 18, 2014
Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
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.
Have you ever been so tired that you could barely put one foot in front of the other? Maybe you stayed up all night studying…or sitting with a child who was sick, fussy, or simply would not sleep. Maybe you were so worried about something that you could not sleep – or eat – and then you were not only worried, but exhausted as well. Perhaps you were traveling for an extended time…trying to get somewhere to someone or to an important event. Maybe you had a project due at school or work, so you pulled an “all-nighter” to get it done.
MAYBE you are mentally tired. You have wrestled with personal issues and the worries and concerns of others – in your immediate circle, your community and the world at large – and everywhere you turn, there seem to be problems, hurts, burdens and heartaches. Just thinking and praying about all of this has left you bone weary and totally drained.
Or maybe you are exhausted by all of the talk about how you should live out your Christian faith. Do this…don’t do that…believe this…don’t believe that…give more…serve more…love more…join a Bible study and sing in the choir…serve on this committee or in this ministry…come to church every time the doors are open…if you say “No!”, you’re turning your back on Jesus…be kind and generous to everyone…never have a “bad day”! It is enough to make our heads spin and cause us to “burn out on religion”!
These thoughts did not come from our gracious, loving God! They are man-made concepts and pressures that have nothing to do with true Christian faith. God sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins…to take our burdens and teach us His gentle, graceful rhythms of unconditional love and care for others. The last thing He wants is for us to run around like chickens with our heads cut off…to wear ourselves out with worry and “busyness”, pressures and guilt over how much we have or have not done.
It’s really very simple…all we have to focus on is Jesus. We may still have to sit up all night with a sick child or loved one…there may be times when we are physically taxed for a while and must operate without adequate sleep. But when we focus on Jesus, He gives us supernatural strength in these moments. And when we “walk with Him and watch how He does it,” all of those “woulda, coulda, shouldas” that play over and over in our head disappear.
Hallelujah! Praise Jesus! He is ready, willing, and able to lighten our load…to show us how to live more freely! He will give us rest of the most important kind and teach us how to live every day for Him - with grace and joy! It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you are in life, how long you have been a Christian – or even if you ARE a Christian yet! This can be the day that things begin to change. This can be the start of the best “rest” you will ever enjoy!
Won’t you shift your focus to Jesus today? Will you spend some time in prayer and conversation with Him and lay whatever exhausts you at His feet? Will you exchange your “yokes and burdens” for His and start to walk in the freedoms and lightness of His unforced rhythms and grace? Aren’t you grateful for God's gift of Jesus? Will this be the day you truly start to show it? Will this be the start of the “best rest” you ever had? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
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.
Have you ever been so tired that you could barely put one foot in front of the other? Maybe you stayed up all night studying…or sitting with a child who was sick, fussy, or simply would not sleep. Maybe you were so worried about something that you could not sleep – or eat – and then you were not only worried, but exhausted as well. Perhaps you were traveling for an extended time…trying to get somewhere to someone or to an important event. Maybe you had a project due at school or work, so you pulled an “all-nighter” to get it done.
MAYBE you are mentally tired. You have wrestled with personal issues and the worries and concerns of others – in your immediate circle, your community and the world at large – and everywhere you turn, there seem to be problems, hurts, burdens and heartaches. Just thinking and praying about all of this has left you bone weary and totally drained.
Or maybe you are exhausted by all of the talk about how you should live out your Christian faith. Do this…don’t do that…believe this…don’t believe that…give more…serve more…love more…join a Bible study and sing in the choir…serve on this committee or in this ministry…come to church every time the doors are open…if you say “No!”, you’re turning your back on Jesus…be kind and generous to everyone…never have a “bad day”! It is enough to make our heads spin and cause us to “burn out on religion”!
These thoughts did not come from our gracious, loving God! They are man-made concepts and pressures that have nothing to do with true Christian faith. God sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins…to take our burdens and teach us His gentle, graceful rhythms of unconditional love and care for others. The last thing He wants is for us to run around like chickens with our heads cut off…to wear ourselves out with worry and “busyness”, pressures and guilt over how much we have or have not done.
It’s really very simple…all we have to focus on is Jesus. We may still have to sit up all night with a sick child or loved one…there may be times when we are physically taxed for a while and must operate without adequate sleep. But when we focus on Jesus, He gives us supernatural strength in these moments. And when we “walk with Him and watch how He does it,” all of those “woulda, coulda, shouldas” that play over and over in our head disappear.
Hallelujah! Praise Jesus! He is ready, willing, and able to lighten our load…to show us how to live more freely! He will give us rest of the most important kind and teach us how to live every day for Him - with grace and joy! It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you are in life, how long you have been a Christian – or even if you ARE a Christian yet! This can be the day that things begin to change. This can be the start of the best “rest” you will ever enjoy!
Won’t you shift your focus to Jesus today? Will you spend some time in prayer and conversation with Him and lay whatever exhausts you at His feet? Will you exchange your “yokes and burdens” for His and start to walk in the freedoms and lightness of His unforced rhythms and grace? Aren’t you grateful for God's gift of Jesus? Will this be the day you truly start to show it? Will this be the start of the “best rest” you ever had? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 4, 2014
Jeremiah 17:14-18
You, Lord, are the one I praise.
So heal me and rescue me!
Then I will be completely well
and perfectly safe.
The people of Judah say to me,
“Jeremiah, you claimed to tell us
what the Lord has said.
So why hasn’t it come true?”
Our Lord, you chose me
to care for your people,
and that’s what I have done.
You know everything I have said,
and I have never once
asked you to punish them.
I trust you for protection
in times of trouble,
so don’t frighten me.
Keep me from failure
and disgrace,
but make my enemies fail
and be disgraced.
Send destruction to make
their worst fears come true.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the closing paragraphs of her book, Just Give Me Jesus*, Anne Graham Lotz talks about how Peter responds to Jesus in the 21st chapter of the Book of John. Jesus has questioned Peter and asked him more than once, “Do you really love Me?” Peter is exasperated and finally points to another beloved disciple and asks, “What about him?” In verse 22, we read...”Jesus answered, ‘What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.’”
Lotz makes the point that how Jesus works in the lives of other people – and how they respond to Him – is basically none of our business. We are not to compare ourselves with others. We are to focus on Jesus – and Jesus alone. And other people are to do the same.
This is hard. We are all about comparing ourselves to others. Are we as successful, attractive, popular, intelligent, or talented as the other guy? Surely we are healthier...our “lifestyle habits” are not as bad as his/hers...right? Clearly we are more faith-filled...a better servant...more “Christ-like”! And OBVIOUSLY, we are more humble!
Pay close attention to the words of Jeremiah - and the admonition of Anne Graham Lotz...focus solely on Jesus. Worship and adore only Him. Listen for His voice and do what He commands of you. Forget about the other guy and what he/she is doing – or not. Quit comparing yourself to everyone else, because Jesus has told us plainly in John 1:22 that whatever and however He chooses to work with others – and how they respond – is between the two of them and does not involve us. It has nothing to do with our own relationship with Jesus.
Focus on your connection with Jesus. Worship Him with every fiber of your being, and expect him to keep you “completely well and perfectly safe”, according to His will. Trust that you are operating within His will, and that He most certainly will care for you – flawlessly and entirely.
Lotz closes with an interesting question...”Have you been deeply disturbed and discouraged – even depressed – as you have looked at the lives of those who say they are disciples...and the community that calls itself the church yet not seen Jesus?” She concludes that if Jesus can’t be seen anywhere else, let Him surely be seen in your life – and mine. Jeremiah asked GOD to punish those who had criticized him and behaved poorly. Lotz is suggesting that we concentrate on ourselves and our own bond with Jesus, the healer of everyone and everything.
Where is your focus today? Are you busy comparing yourself with others and hoping you “fare pretty well”? Or are you fixated on praising and pleasing Jesus – and living in His perfect healing and the safety of His protection? Is time you for a shift of emphasis? Wouldn’t this be a good day to begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Just Give Me Jesus - ©2000 Anne Graham Lotz – Word Publishing, a Thomas Nelson Company
You, Lord, are the one I praise.
So heal me and rescue me!
Then I will be completely well
and perfectly safe.
The people of Judah say to me,
“Jeremiah, you claimed to tell us
what the Lord has said.
So why hasn’t it come true?”
Our Lord, you chose me
to care for your people,
and that’s what I have done.
You know everything I have said,
and I have never once
asked you to punish them.
I trust you for protection
in times of trouble,
so don’t frighten me.
Keep me from failure
and disgrace,
but make my enemies fail
and be disgraced.
Send destruction to make
their worst fears come true.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the closing paragraphs of her book, Just Give Me Jesus*, Anne Graham Lotz talks about how Peter responds to Jesus in the 21st chapter of the Book of John. Jesus has questioned Peter and asked him more than once, “Do you really love Me?” Peter is exasperated and finally points to another beloved disciple and asks, “What about him?” In verse 22, we read...”Jesus answered, ‘What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.’”
Lotz makes the point that how Jesus works in the lives of other people – and how they respond to Him – is basically none of our business. We are not to compare ourselves with others. We are to focus on Jesus – and Jesus alone. And other people are to do the same.
This is hard. We are all about comparing ourselves to others. Are we as successful, attractive, popular, intelligent, or talented as the other guy? Surely we are healthier...our “lifestyle habits” are not as bad as his/hers...right? Clearly we are more faith-filled...a better servant...more “Christ-like”! And OBVIOUSLY, we are more humble!
Pay close attention to the words of Jeremiah - and the admonition of Anne Graham Lotz...focus solely on Jesus. Worship and adore only Him. Listen for His voice and do what He commands of you. Forget about the other guy and what he/she is doing – or not. Quit comparing yourself to everyone else, because Jesus has told us plainly in John 1:22 that whatever and however He chooses to work with others – and how they respond – is between the two of them and does not involve us. It has nothing to do with our own relationship with Jesus.
Focus on your connection with Jesus. Worship Him with every fiber of your being, and expect him to keep you “completely well and perfectly safe”, according to His will. Trust that you are operating within His will, and that He most certainly will care for you – flawlessly and entirely.
Lotz closes with an interesting question...”Have you been deeply disturbed and discouraged – even depressed – as you have looked at the lives of those who say they are disciples...and the community that calls itself the church yet not seen Jesus?” She concludes that if Jesus can’t be seen anywhere else, let Him surely be seen in your life – and mine. Jeremiah asked GOD to punish those who had criticized him and behaved poorly. Lotz is suggesting that we concentrate on ourselves and our own bond with Jesus, the healer of everyone and everything.
Where is your focus today? Are you busy comparing yourself with others and hoping you “fare pretty well”? Or are you fixated on praising and pleasing Jesus – and living in His perfect healing and the safety of His protection? Is time you for a shift of emphasis? Wouldn’t this be a good day to begin?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Just Give Me Jesus - ©2000 Anne Graham Lotz – Word Publishing, a Thomas Nelson Company
Daily Devotional for September 24, 2014
Exodus 23:25-26
Worship only me, the Lord your God! I will bless you with plenty of food and water and keep you strong. Your women will give birth to healthy children, and everyone will live a long life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law has been going through old photo albums and journals...many that belonged to her mother and her aunts and uncles. In some of these, there are accounts of the 1918-1919 flu pandemic and its effects. Greg’s family hails from Iowa. I have heard about the 1918 Flu Pandemic most of my life...ancestors of mine succumbed to it in rural Arkansas communities just east of where I live today, including four people in one family alone who died over the course of a couple of days.
I had not realized that this was such a widespread “event”, but information at http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/index.html explains that this deadly outbreak covered not only much of the United States – but Europe, as well, since soldiers were traveling back and forth to fight in the war, and they carried the flu with them. I’ve heard my grandparents and other relatives share recollections (a few firsthand!) of how no one dared to even try to go to a home and care for the sick, for fear that they would also become ill with the virus. Burying the dead was a challenge...many people were too sick to even dig the graves for those who had perished.
I share this as a way of way of demonstrating that hardships are nothing new. If you think you or your family has it rough...if you think you have been given “too much to handle”...consider that you probably don’t have a corner on that market! So why do your problems seem bigger than those of others? It may have more to do with where your focus and your worship lie than what is actually happening to you.
In a crazy twist of events that can only be described as a “God thing,” I became friends with Veronica Squef, a young woman who lives in Massapequa, New York – a community on Long Island. Veronica’s husband, Keith Glascoe, was a firefighter who lost his life on 9-11-2001. Veronica and Keith had two boys, Nolan (age 2), and Owen (age 1). She was pregnant with their third child – Keith, Jr. – who was born in April 2002. I have never met Veronica and her boys in person, but we correspond frequently through the mail and via Facebook. I asked her one day...”What is your secret? How have you survived this all?” She replied that her boys were her focus...that every day she reminded herself that “you have three boys who are counting on you”...and this motivated her to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Now I ask you...Who do you think whispers this encouragement to her each day and undergirds her efforts?
Focus is the key. We can focus on God and trust Him to bless us...to feed us...to keep us healthy and strong...to give us the courage and energy to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Or we can wallow in our struggles and sorrows – and we ALL have them – and have a giant pity party. We can pretend that we are the most persecuted person on the planet, wring our hands and cry, “Why ME, Lord?!”...and flounder in the “wilderness” of misery and defeat.
Like so many things in life...this is our choice. But it doesn’t have to be so. Regardless of what we face today, God can help us handle things. We need to stop and fully recognize how incredibly – and abundantly – we are loved and nurtured by God. We need to start focusing on His tremendous gifts and the amazing power of His care and blessings. We need to shift our focus from our own selfishness and pity to the compassionate, merciful sacrifices of Jesus for each of us – and how we can glorify His ransom and shower Him with our praises and service.
Choosing life in Christ...and an emphasis on worshipping God in all things and at all times...will not guarantee that every day will be a bed of roses and all of your problems and challenges will disappear. But this shift in attention and motivation invites God to share the burden... to heal your heart, mind and soul...and to carry you when you cannot walk on your own. Don’t you want this? Isn’t He worth it? Where will you choose to direct your focus? Who do you truly worship?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Worship only me, the Lord your God! I will bless you with plenty of food and water and keep you strong. Your women will give birth to healthy children, and everyone will live a long life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law has been going through old photo albums and journals...many that belonged to her mother and her aunts and uncles. In some of these, there are accounts of the 1918-1919 flu pandemic and its effects. Greg’s family hails from Iowa. I have heard about the 1918 Flu Pandemic most of my life...ancestors of mine succumbed to it in rural Arkansas communities just east of where I live today, including four people in one family alone who died over the course of a couple of days.
I had not realized that this was such a widespread “event”, but information at http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/index.html explains that this deadly outbreak covered not only much of the United States – but Europe, as well, since soldiers were traveling back and forth to fight in the war, and they carried the flu with them. I’ve heard my grandparents and other relatives share recollections (a few firsthand!) of how no one dared to even try to go to a home and care for the sick, for fear that they would also become ill with the virus. Burying the dead was a challenge...many people were too sick to even dig the graves for those who had perished.
I share this as a way of way of demonstrating that hardships are nothing new. If you think you or your family has it rough...if you think you have been given “too much to handle”...consider that you probably don’t have a corner on that market! So why do your problems seem bigger than those of others? It may have more to do with where your focus and your worship lie than what is actually happening to you.
In a crazy twist of events that can only be described as a “God thing,” I became friends with Veronica Squef, a young woman who lives in Massapequa, New York – a community on Long Island. Veronica’s husband, Keith Glascoe, was a firefighter who lost his life on 9-11-2001. Veronica and Keith had two boys, Nolan (age 2), and Owen (age 1). She was pregnant with their third child – Keith, Jr. – who was born in April 2002. I have never met Veronica and her boys in person, but we correspond frequently through the mail and via Facebook. I asked her one day...”What is your secret? How have you survived this all?” She replied that her boys were her focus...that every day she reminded herself that “you have three boys who are counting on you”...and this motivated her to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Now I ask you...Who do you think whispers this encouragement to her each day and undergirds her efforts?
Focus is the key. We can focus on God and trust Him to bless us...to feed us...to keep us healthy and strong...to give us the courage and energy to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Or we can wallow in our struggles and sorrows – and we ALL have them – and have a giant pity party. We can pretend that we are the most persecuted person on the planet, wring our hands and cry, “Why ME, Lord?!”...and flounder in the “wilderness” of misery and defeat.
Like so many things in life...this is our choice. But it doesn’t have to be so. Regardless of what we face today, God can help us handle things. We need to stop and fully recognize how incredibly – and abundantly – we are loved and nurtured by God. We need to start focusing on His tremendous gifts and the amazing power of His care and blessings. We need to shift our focus from our own selfishness and pity to the compassionate, merciful sacrifices of Jesus for each of us – and how we can glorify His ransom and shower Him with our praises and service.
Choosing life in Christ...and an emphasis on worshipping God in all things and at all times...will not guarantee that every day will be a bed of roses and all of your problems and challenges will disappear. But this shift in attention and motivation invites God to share the burden... to heal your heart, mind and soul...and to carry you when you cannot walk on your own. Don’t you want this? Isn’t He worth it? Where will you choose to direct your focus? Who do you truly worship?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 19, 2013
Psalm 27:4-5
The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
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.
“All I want for Christmas…” is a phrase that is uttered countless times by children of ALL ages every year. This is the first year that Timothy has really understood about Santa Claus. And he has a list – a Spiderman pillow pal, cars and trucks, and “other stuff”!
Isn’t that how we are so much of the time? We have a list of specific things that we want from God… and a lot of “other stuff”. We are anything but single-minded, when in fact, all we need is to seek the house of the LORD all the days of our life… to delight in His perfections and meditate in His temple. If we focus on God, He truly will conceal us in the sanctuary of His love, grace, wisdom and mercy when the troubles come…and they will come in this earthly lifetime!
In this season when our focus is scattered in a zillion different directions, let’s stop and take a minute to reel things in… to pull back on the festivities and plans and wishes and expectations and focus on God’s gift of Jesus Christ… the real reason for Christmas and so much more. If we pin our hopes on Jesus… if we concentrate on living with Him as the center of our very being… everything else truly is “other stuff”… as it should be.
What are you asking for this Christmas? Who are you seeking? Are you hoping for – and expecting – to receive your heart’s desires… because they line up with those of God Almighty through His Son, Jesus Christ? Will this be the season that you begin to seek the One Thing that matters and forget the “other stuff”? Are you ready to rest in the safety of His love and care? Will this be the day you start to make it happen?
©2013 Debbie Robus
The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
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.
“All I want for Christmas…” is a phrase that is uttered countless times by children of ALL ages every year. This is the first year that Timothy has really understood about Santa Claus. And he has a list – a Spiderman pillow pal, cars and trucks, and “other stuff”!
Isn’t that how we are so much of the time? We have a list of specific things that we want from God… and a lot of “other stuff”. We are anything but single-minded, when in fact, all we need is to seek the house of the LORD all the days of our life… to delight in His perfections and meditate in His temple. If we focus on God, He truly will conceal us in the sanctuary of His love, grace, wisdom and mercy when the troubles come…and they will come in this earthly lifetime!
In this season when our focus is scattered in a zillion different directions, let’s stop and take a minute to reel things in… to pull back on the festivities and plans and wishes and expectations and focus on God’s gift of Jesus Christ… the real reason for Christmas and so much more. If we pin our hopes on Jesus… if we concentrate on living with Him as the center of our very being… everything else truly is “other stuff”… as it should be.
What are you asking for this Christmas? Who are you seeking? Are you hoping for – and expecting – to receive your heart’s desires… because they line up with those of God Almighty through His Son, Jesus Christ? Will this be the season that you begin to seek the One Thing that matters and forget the “other stuff”? Are you ready to rest in the safety of His love and care? Will this be the day you start to make it happen?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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