Daily Devotional for December 29, 2016

1 Corinthians 1:2-9
To: The Christians in Corinth, invited by God to be his people and made acceptable to him by Christ Jesus. And to: All Christians everywhere—whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs.

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you all of his blessings, and great peace of heart and mind.

I can never stop thanking God for all the wonderful gifts he has given you, now that you are Christ’s: he has enriched your whole life. He has helped you speak out for him and has given you a full understanding of the truth; what I told you Christ could do for you has happened! Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he guarantees right up to the end that you will be counted free from all sin and guilt on that day when he returns. God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord.

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

For months, our 4-year-old nephew, Nathan, has been talking about a toy he wanted for Christmas…a Batbot. This remote-controlled toy transforms from a robot into an “armored” tank.  Nathan never wavered.  This was what he wanted…and he was certain that it was waiting for him under the Christmas tree.  Every box that even remotely looked like it could be the right size, he would say, “That’s probably a Batbot!”  Christmas Eve, as his mother helped him open a box of assorted colors of Play-doh®, he asked her, “Is that my Batbot?”

Nathan DID get the Batbot on Christmas morning…and I am sure he has spent countless happy hours playing with it since then.  Now, can you imagine if his parents told him that he had to give it back to them?  I cannot even think about what would happen if they told him that he had to take his prized toy back to the store. He would be devastated…and his entire vision of Christmas and the hope and excitement that surround this season would probably be destroyed.  Thankfully, I don’t know anyone who rescinds their child’s Christmas gifts…or any other gifts for that matter.

I cannot imagine living with the idea that Jesus could revoke my salvation at any moment…that my “friendship” with Him teetered so precariously and could vanish in a heartbeat. One of the great joys of Christian faith is living with the childlike hope and confidence that Jesus truly will deliver the grace, blessings, gifts and power that He promised…and we get to keep them forever!

While I don’t have to consciously think about this night and day, I also cannot grow complacent or take Jesus’ gifts for granted.  If you stop and think about it, we tell our children that they have to…“be good, or Santa won’t come and bring you what you asked for.”  Jesus does NOT operate like Santa Claus...efforts on our part to “be good” do not have a direct correlation to His gift of Salvation and Eternal Life.

But we should want to do everything we can to honor Jesus’ gifts and blessings - precisely because we cannot earn them. We are offered Salvation and all of the benefits of a life in Christ – forever and ever – in spite of our ugly, egotistical, sinful selves.  Jesus knows that we are undeserving…but He loves us and generously lavishes these gifts upon us anyway.  There is no “naughty or nice list”…at least not in the way we envision with Santa Claus.  And aren’t we glad?!

I thank God every day for Jesus…for the grace, blessings, gifts, and power that are mine because HE is my Redeemer. I thank God that many people I know and love share in these same blessings and gifts…though NONE of us deserves them or can ever “earn” them. Because I know that Salvation and the abundance of a life in Christ are available to any and all who will accept His invitation, I am doing all I can to lead as many people into this relationship as I possibly can…and I hope you are with me!

If you have not accepted Jesus’ invitation, please do so today.  If you are living in His abundance and blessings already, what are you doing to show your gratitude and respect – and give others a reason to accept this invitation for themselves?  Will this be the day that you begin to answer this question?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 4, 2016

James 1:16-18
Don’t be fooled, my dear friends. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.

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

In a typical 7-year-old whine, Timothy lamented this weekend that “I don’t think I can wait three more weeks for Christmas!”  I told him to enjoy this month…to think of Christmas as a whole season - and Christmas Day as the culmination when many more gifts arrive. I have reminded myself to do this – especially in recent years.  I try to find joy in the events that lead up to December 25th.  Decorating, writing cards, baking, wrapping gifts…all of this is part and parcel of what “Christmas” is all about – or in my opinion, it should be.

These activities should not be thought of as “chores” to be accomplished…but rather, gifts to others – and to ourselves.  When Timothy and Nathan examined our holiday decorations this weekend and their faces lit up with joy and wonder, I felt like I had received a gift.  When I enjoy a holiday cookie or two and a cup of spiced tea, I feel as if God is saying, “Celebrate the season…every bit of it.”

When Greg, “Grandma E”, and I meet up with the children and their parents at the annual city Christmas parade – and watch the expressions on their faces as they review the entries, I feel as if God has blessed me with a gift of time spent creating happy memories. When we watch the children open gifts on Christmas Eve and hear them say, “It’s just what I wanted!”…I feel as if God is saying, “Now you know how *I* feel when I give you something that you really appreciate.”

My point is this…God’s gifts are all around us. Yes, we acknowledge the gift of Jesus during this holiday season.  But do we truly recognize all of the “good and perfect” little gifts that God is continually bestowing upon us?  Do we see the daily “gifts” of the Christmas season…or are we so narrowly focused on THE DAY that we miss everything else?  If all we can think about is December 24th and 25th, we will miss the true gifts of the “Christmas Season.”  And if we get tunnel vision about God’s gifts in general, we will miss more than a few of them.

Stop and “smell the roses” in the next few weeks. Give yourself the gift of an attitude adjustment, and acknowledge every single event and activity that culminates in “Christmas Day.”  Recognize – and appreciate – all of God’s good and perfect gifts…even shopping for Aunt Mary and untangling that aggravatingly twisted bundle of twinkling lights!  Take time to thank God…for Jesus – and for the amazing opportunities we have to serve and celebrate Him. All too soon, it will be a new year, and “Christmas” will have come and gone again.  We will look back and wish it hadn’t all flown by so quickly.  But will we have truly relished and respected God and his “good and perfect” gifts?  Isn’t it time we did?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 28, 2016

1 Chronicles 29:1-5    
David told the crowd: God chose my son Solomon to build the temple, but Solomon is young and has no experience. This is not just any building—this is the temple for the Lord God! That’s why I have done my best to get everything Solomon will need to build it—gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, turquoise, colored gems, all kinds of precious stones, and marble.

Besides doing all that, I have promised to give part of my own gold and silver as a way of showing my love for God’s temple. Almost one hundred twenty tons of my finest gold and over two hundred fifty tons of my silver will be used to decorate its walls and to make the gold and silver objects. Now, who else will show their dedication to the Lord by giving gifts for building his temple?

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

Last year, several events culminated in the lack of a leader for our church’s annual children’s Christmas program.  I told our Director of Music that I would gladly help…but I could not take on the role of leader, because of my mother’s illness.  If necessary, I wanted to be able to step aside at a moment’s notice - and not leave the children in limbo.  So my friend, Chris, who already leads the youth choir, agreed to take charge of this program. Chris and I make a pretty good team…and since I knew most of the children from Sunday school, my role as assistant was the perfect fit.

As time approached to begin practices this year, Chris and I once again agreed to handle the Christmas program.  However, shortly before the first rehearsal, Chris’s dad passed away. I let her know that I was willing to do more and “cover” for her, if needed. But Chris never missed a beat.  She says that having this program to command her focus has been helpful. A woman in our church who has experience with acting and public speaking stepped up to work with our children who have speaking parts. Once again, we are all working as a team to produce a program that is going to bless everyone involved. We are using our talents and abilities to give back to God.

In 1 Chronicles 29:1-5, David is telling the people of Israel that he has done his part to build this temple to glorify God.  Now he is asking them to do theirs by giving what they can.  Here is the important thing to note…David was rich, and plenty able to provide the finest gold and silver for decoration of the temple. A few others might have been equally rich…but many were not wealthy at all. Still, each one had something that he/she could contribute.  And this is the point for us.

Your greatest gift to God may not be money. It may not even be time or talent.  Your gift may be to pray for others and encourage them.  It may be to make phone calls, work in the kitchen, visit shut-ins, or text friends to ask, “How are you doing today?”  The point is that we ALL have SOMETHING to give to glorify God.  We just have to figure out what it is…and then start giving!

Last night at our children’s program practice, Timmy got out of his seat, came to me and gave me a big hug.  Later, my cousin messaged me to say that her little boy, Owen, had looked at a Christmas shirt I made him and said, “Debbie gives good stuff!”  These are two seven-year-olds who give some pretty good stuff themselves! And if little children can give what they are able to make life better for someone else and glorify God, don’t you think we ought to be able to do this?

Are you giving what you can – when and where you are able?  In this season of “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” - and picking out the perfect gift for Aunt Sue or that special someone in your life - shouldn’t we pause and consider our gifts to God?  After all, He gave US the perfect Gift in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ!

Are you doing your part…and giving “good stuff” for the glory of God?  Isn’t this the perfect time to begin?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 18, 2016

James 1:16-18
So don’t be misled, dear brothers.

But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow. And it was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family.

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

The last time Timothy and Nathan visited for the day, we had a surprise for them…an odd assortment of Lego® pieces and accessories to add to their collection.  There was an anchor…a “police” car hood, some cool tubes and extensions, and much more.  The boys were thrilled with this surprise…and Greg and I delighted in THEIR joy and excitement.

More than once, Timothy has asked Greg and me, “WHY are you so nice to me?”  This usually comes on the heels of getting something he really wants…like a new Lego® set.  But sometimes it is the result of extra attention or praise.  There are also times when things are not quite going their way and one of the children will say to us…”You NEVER do anything nice for me!”  Yes, kids can be quite fickle!

Thankfully, God is never inconsistent…and He loves to give us gifts and blessings.  I can just imagine the joy He finds in watching us revel in the wonder of an unexpected gift…everything from a friendly word or gesture from another person to some kind of “windfall” that we were not anticipating.  My mother called such surprise blessings “silver boxes.”  I would tell her about something wonderful that happened out of the blue, and she would say, “There’s your ‘silver box’ for today!”

God loves to give us “silver boxes.” These are the “Lego® sets” of His universe.  “Shadows” do come into our lives from time to time…and like little children, we often question God about them.  But these are not His doing.  God is never fickle...His light never falters.  The “clouds” that occasionally block our awareness of His presence come from our own sin - and are the devil’s doing.  But God is still there…loving us…blessing us…caring about our every breath!

“Silver boxes” are all around us.  We never know when we will receive one…but God has an unending stash of them just waiting to be shared.  As we grow in our faith, let’s learn to recognize these more readily…to stomp down any notions that God would withhold His gifts from us or ever mistreat us in any way.  Let’s understand that God is in the business of giving His children all that they need…and then some!

When God gives you a “silver box,” will you recognize that it came from Him?  Do you fully appreciate ALL of God’s good gifts…and have you told Him so lately?  Isn’t this the perfect day to get your “attitude of gratitude” right, once and for all?  What will God give you today? Are you really ready to for His light to shine?
      
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 4, 2016

Ephesians 4:7, 11-13
However, Christ has given each of us special abilities—whatever he wants us to have out of his rich storehouse of gifts.

Some of us have been given special ability as apostles; to others he has given the gift of being able to preach well; some have special ability in winning people to Christ, helping them to trust him as their Savior; still others have a gift for caring for God’s people as a shepherd does his sheep, leading and teaching them in the ways of God.

Why is it that he gives us these special abilities to do certain things best? It is that God’s people will be equipped to do better work for him, building up the Church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity; until finally we all believe alike about our salvation and about our Savior, God’s Son, and all become full-grown in the Lord—yes, to the point of being filled full with Christ.
 
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

In recent days, a video appeared on Facebook of a group of school-aged children who were standing against the wall of a light-colored brick building.  Someone opened the spray nozzle on a water hose and totally soaked the children as they stood completely still against the wall.  When everyone moved away from the wall, the outline of their little bodies remained…in a variety of poses and positions that were perfectly captured as they “froze” in place for this soaking.

You could almost “see” their little personalities coming through…imagine what sort of child stood where.  Each was unique - and precious. You could also get a sense for the group at large.  The individuals made up a collective story…and it was momentarily told on a wall of wet bricks.

I thought of this video as I read these verses from Ephesians 4.  We are all unique and precious to God.  He thinks enough of each of us to give us special gifts…to entrust us with skills and abilities that will in some way further His Kingdom.  As the scripture points out, God does this to build up His church.  He knows that when we all “stand against the wall together,” we make a unified picture of what it means to become “full-grown in the Lord.”

If God were to line you up along a wall with a group of your friends and family members and douse you, what sort of image would emerge?  What would others see…particularly un-believers?  Would the love of Jesus Christ shine through?  Would onlookers find an encourager…preacher…confidante…shepherd…leader and teacher among those outlines?  Would there be prayer warriors…behind-the-scenes “worker bees”…and healers in the mix?  Would the spirit of grace, mercy, forgiveness, hope, peace and promise be evident?  Would each person be using his/her God-given gifts in the best possible manner…including you?

God has given each of us gifts that equip us to fulfill our role in His earthly mission.  It is up to you to figure out where you excel…and what God wants you to do.  How are well are you managing your gifts these days?  If you moved away from God’s “wall,” what would your lingering outline tell others about your relationship with Him?  Isn’t it time you knew?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for July 23, 2016

1 Peter 3:13-15
Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good.  But even if they should, you are to be envied, for God will reward you for it. Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
 
Our three little ones LOVE Play-doh®.  Because Play-doh® is not cheap, I am a big meanie about “mixing the colors.”  The kids ask nearly every day if they can put two or more colors together to create the animals and objects pictured on the box…and as long as the clay is pliable, I resist saying “Yes.”  I remind them that once the colors are mixed, we cannot undo it!

This week, I picked up a package of Play-doh® at the store that was designed to be used as party favors. There were 15 mini cans of the clay in a variety of colors. I set the bag on the counter, where the kids readily spotted it.  I told them that each child could have several cans, and they could “mix” to their heart’s content!  Timothy was over-the-moon excited and asked, “WHY are you so nice to us?!”  Greg and I both told him that we love them…and we enjoy doing nice things for them.

Later in the day, the children and I went swimming.  As we drove home afterward, Timothy asked, “Debbie…why are y’all always so joyful and happy?”  I was touched that this is how he thinks of Greg and me.  I responded that because God has been so good, we have every reason to be happy…that even when unpleasant things happen, we don’t stay sad very long, because God helps us through them. Timothy wanted to know if God could help anyone be happy?  I told him that I believe that God can indeed do this…that God can do ANYTHING…and when we ask Him to help us – with anything - He surely will.

There are probably some who think that we do too much for our little ones…that we spoil them or lavish too much time and attention on them. And for the record, we do not give “prizes” every day.  But when I hear one of these children ask me why we are so happy…when I see that they notice our “joy in the LORD”…I know that we are on the right track.

I also know that there are days when my 59-year-old self asks, “What were you thinking?” as I try to physically keep up with these little balls of energy.  But I am aware that the time is short…that before we can blink, these children will be grown…and what we do for them now matters greatly.  Every opportunity we have to love them and show them how significant our relationship with Jesus is - in our lives and theirs - will be critical.

Here I go again…but as much as our three little ones are watching us, others are watching, too. They are looking to see how we conduct “daily business”…what we say and do in every arena - from our homes to our jobs to our church and other public venues…on social media…and even in how we look at others we pass in the grocery aisles or at the gas pumps!  When someone sees us operating with joy and a positive attitude – especially if we claim to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus – they take notice of what God is doing for us.  To the contrary, when we operate with a glum demeanor or a negative attitude…others are left to wonder where the joy of a relationship with the LORD is – or if it even truly exists!

My questions for us to ponder today are…“What are we showing others?  Do they see someone who lives in the joy of Jesus and the confidence that He can help them through any and all situations?  Or do we let “life” drag us down?  When people look at us, do they see someone whose mood is dictated by the events of the day…or do we remain relatively solid and steadfast through all circumstances?

Are we busy doing good and trusting God to direct our words and actions, or are we worried about the opinions and ideas of others?  Who is really running our lives?  Are we joyful and happy most of the time…or do we sway with the wind?

We all have our “moments,” but for the most part, we have every reason to be joyful – and to demonstrate this to others.  I realize that I have at least three sets of little eyes on me, so I have got to bring my “A-game!”  How are you sharing Jesus these days?   Are you so filled with the joy and goodness of Jesus that even a little child would take notice?  Isn’t it time you were?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 30, 2016

Matthew 7:6
“Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.

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.
 
My brother had a little rat terrier named Frisker, who lived with my grandparents on their farm.  My grandparents fed Frisker table scraps after each meal…and let me tell you, that dog ate well! Later on, my sister’s white Labrador retriever, Otis, ended up living with my parents, and my dad fed him food from the table…namely ice cream that Otis licked from a spoon.  But Daddy bragged one day that Otis also liked shrimp and steak.  Yes, my dad shared shrimp and steak from his own plate with the family dog!

It probably wasn’t the healthiest idea to feed Frisker the table scraps, but to my grandparents, these were literally the scraps…bits of leftover food that was of no value to anyone else, so the dog just as well eat it.  This was his “dog food.”  But Otis did NOT need shrimp and steak!  If my parents were not going to eat all of the food that was on their plate, they could have served smaller portions and saved the rest to create another meal…or they could have invited someone to join them at their table and enjoy the delicious bounty!  Yes, Otis enjoyed these treats and was “impressed” by them, but honestly, steak and shrimp were pretty well wasted on him.  He was just as happy with what my mother called “crunchies” dog food!

In many ways, this is what you and I do with God’s gifts.  We waste them in ways that do not truly glorify Him or further His kingdom.  We place emphasis on developing catchy phrases and “mission statements”…and we neglect the actual mission.  We’re often more concerned with what it says on our t-shirts than what we are actually doing for others in Jesus’ name.  We’re all about the “production value” of our worship services, while we neglect the heartache that hangs out on every pew.  We surely looked great as we worshipped…but did we really say anything that shared the Good News of Jesus or let anyone know how much He cares about us?

In many translations of this verse, there is a reference to throwing “pearls before swine.”  Our gifts and blessings from God are the pearls…and we often waste them on those who do not see Jesus in our efforts – and/or don’t care!  We “preach to the choir” and neglect those who really need to hear from God.  We give the “good stuff” to the dogs, so to speak, while some who could really use it are left hungry.  We spend our time and energy on “looking Godly” and trying to impress our friends and fellow believers, while those who need us to be the hands and feet of Jesus are left in the shadows - glad to get as much as a scrap of our attention or ministry.

We really need to shift our focus and start paying attention to the mission that God has given us.  We need to be good stewards of His gifts and apply them where He sends us…not where it feels good or makes a big splash.  We need to figure out who is hungry for God’s word or ministry…and feed this desire with all that He has given us.  And we need to start today.  Are you with me?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for May 31, 2016

Romans 12:1-2
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

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 know about three people on the planet who actually like to iron…myself, my friend Jo-Ann, and my niece Cindy.  I probably don’t iron as much as these two women, but I do my fair share.  I like the sharp, crisp appearance of neatly-pressed clothing.  I like how it feels to wear something that has been starched and ironed.  And this does add life to the garments, helps to prevent stains, and prolongs the number of “wears” you can get between washings!

As a rule, I don’t iron underwear…but anything that needs a little pressing is up for discussion in my laundry room!  One time, my husband asked me why I was spending time ironing his “permanent press” shirts.  I told him I didn’t want him to walk into the bank or another public venue and have someone we know see him in a wrinkled, rumpled shirt and think, “His wife doesn’t care about how he looks!”  I didn’t want someone to look at his less-than-polished appearance and decide that HE didn’t care about the details…because I know that he does!  In essence, details matter!

So I iron…lots of things that most folks wouldn’t.  Does this make me a better person?  Absolutely not.  But it speaks to what I have deemed to be my determination to embrace God even in little things. I have taken ordinary, mundane chores like scrubbing a bathroom, grocery shopping and prepping fruits and vegetables for consumption afterward, keeping the laundry done and the clothes neatly pressed…and I’ve made them offerings to God.

When I clean our house to keep my family healthy and everything in order, I am honoring the gifts that God has given me – my family and a beautiful, comfortable home.  When I go the extra mile to make sure my family’s clothing is presentable - or that we have healthy food to eat - I am demonstrating gratitude that we have plenty of clothing to wear and regular meals on our table.  When I take time to read an extra book to one of the children before a nap…or to sit and snuggle them for a few minutes…I am sowing my love – and the love of Christ – into their little hearts…and letting them know how precious they are to us.

Even when I stop for a few minutes to talk with our cat, Mabel, and scratch her ears or stroke her fur, I am demonstrating gratitude to God for this little furball who has filled our lives with joy for more than 17 years.  It seems to follow with me that when I am faithful and joyful in the little, everyday things, I am more cognizant of the bigger things…the blessings - and the responsibilities – that God has given me. I find that when I focus on honoring God in these seemingly insignificant things, I am automatically more aware that I must keep my words, thoughts and actions “clean and neatly pressed,” also.

Don’t misunderstand me…I’ve had plenty of days where I acted immaturely.  I sometimes get caught up in the pull and tug to fit in with the culture…and I’ve gossiped, disparaged, and shown out with the best of them…if only to sit on my duff and say, “That’s not my problem,” or “I’ll clean that up NEXT week!”  But I know better…and so do you!  The more I fall in love with Jesus and understand just how much He did for me…the more I want to give Him glory and honor in EVERYTHING I do…even ironing our clothing!

Ironing and housekeeping may not be your “thing,” but something is! Find out what brings you into closer harmony with God…and get busy doing it to the best of your ability!  Separate yourself from the culture around you and be the YOU that God has created and called.  Honor and glorify Him in everything you do…from the biggest, most visible acts to the small and mundane ones.  Let God bring out the best in you…and let others see His glory - and maybe a neatly pressed shirt or two - in the process!

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for May 22, 2016

May 22 ~ Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

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 Sao Paulo, Brazil, a wealthy businessman dug a hole in his back yard and made a big media “splash” as he claimed he would bury his $500,000 Bentley there.  His excuse was that he had studied the burial practices of Egyptian Pharaohs and wanted to ensure that he had a luxurious ride to the next life.  People were stunned that this man was actually going to bury this expensive car…and as it turned out, this was all a publicity stunt. 

The man had survived a serious illness, and he was trying to make a point that people bury something more valuable than this half-million-dollar car every day – their body organs.  He claimed that he was trying to raise awareness for organ donations.  Okay…I guess that’s one way to do it!

The point is that we really can’t take it with us…and an expensive car in the ground will not transport us to Heaven in luxury!  But there IS treasure we can store for Heaven…love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, faithful obedience to God’s will, empathy, kindness, service to others, and more.  When our treasure is the kind that demonstrates Christian faith and discipleship, God will exchange this for blessings and abundance when He calls us to Heaven.  Material wealth is not heavenly currency!

So think about what matters most to you.  Are you more interested in accumulating “things”…or blessings?  Is it more important to you what others think of you…or are you more concerned with serving – and pleasing – God?  Is your time better spent making yourself feel good and important in the “here and now”…or in helping to build God’s Kingdom for all Eternity? 

What really matters to you…and what will matter when you get to Heaven?  If the two do not line up, something is out of whack somewhere.  It’s up to us to figure it out and make necessary adjustments.  What are YOU storing these days?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for January 7, 2014

Deuteronomy 16:17
The bigger the harvest the Lord gives you, the bigger your gift should be.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
As a child, I thought my paternal grandparents were rich.  What I did not realize until adulthood was that they were anything BUT rich in terms of money… they simply managed well. My grandparents lived from paycheck to paycheck, grew their own food and lived very frugally, in comparison to others. Mam-ma Polly made virtually everything she wore… and much of what my sister and I wore, as well.  She worked at least two jobs on top of her household duties.  In my lifetime, my Pap-pa worked long hours as part of the county road crew…and shouldered that job with time spent each morning and evening tending to black angus cattle and row crops that helped put food on our tables – both literally and via the cash he earned from selling his cows and yields from the earth.
 
I never realized how hard my grandparents were working to provide things for us – in part because they were so generous to my family and everyone else. For decades, I heard my grandmother recant stories of this person or that who helped her family when she was a child.  One man gave her and my Aunt Babe a job picking up potatoes and limbs/twigs for firewood… and allowed them to take home the excess.  An older aunt and her husband took in my grandmother, aunt and great-grandmother when they needed a place to live.  As Greg and I drove Mam-ma to a nearby town for medical appointments in later years, she would point to one field or homestead after another and comment about who had lived there… how that person helped her family with one thing and the next…and how “good” life was because of these blessings.
 
When we moved Mam-ma to the Assisted Living Facility, I found a journal she had kept, in which she chronicled how hard life was for her, my grandfather and my dad - especially in the early years of their marriage.  She documented all of this with joy rather than malice or self-pity.  Her entries were peppered with “Oh, but we had fun!”  Even gathering with other ladies in the area to create feather mattresses or to can the excess bounty of their gardens for off-season consumption was a cause for celebration.  And always, my grandmother was generous… with her possessions, her time and her talents.  When I think of my Mam-ma Polly, one of the first words that come to mind is “time”… she always had room for others in her day.
 
As we look at this verse from Deuteronomy, a lot of people let their thoughts go straight to money.  This passage has been used to illustrate that those who have been blessed with “plenty” should give more.  But if we stop there, we miss the bigger message.  Regardless of our income level… our “station” in life… the circumstances of our daily existence… we have all been blessed in some way.  And God is calling us to reach out to others above and beyond what has been given to us.  In other words, if someone has given you an hour of their time to listen to your problems… give two hours to someone else.
 
If a person shares a meal with you, offers you a coat or sweater that no longer fits them, or spends their last dollar to buy you a cup of coffee, pay it forward.  Look for ways to bless that person… but also seek ways to bless others because of what was given to you.  If someone sends you a birthday greeting or a get-well card, find a way to send good wishes or encouragement to at least two other people!  Be grateful…say “Thank you”… and more importantly, express your gratitude in the form of blessings that you extend to others.  Your “gifts” do not have to be lavish or expensive.  All you have to do is recognize opportunities to show kindness, grace, mercy and compassion… and then do this to the fullest of your ability.
 
I am just now beginning to fully realize how much my grandparents sacrificed for others…how they honed making room for one more at their table (literally and figuratively) to a fine art.  And I am hoping that I can be half as successful at this as they were.  God has blessed me in tremendous ways…and my “gifts” to Him for the harvest must be grand as a result. I know that He has blessed you, also.  I encourage you to give some thought and consideration to how and where you have received a “harvest” in your life.  Ask God to reveal His desires for you to give to others out of your “abundance”… and make sure these “gifts” are the biggest and best you can assemble.
 
“The bigger the harvest the Lord gives you, the bigger your gift should be.”  What are you giving to God – and to others – these days?
 
©2014 Debbie Robus