May 9 ~ 1 Timothy 1:16
But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
In her book, Just Give Me Jesus, Anne Graham Lotz shares the story from John 2:1-11 of a wedding party attended by Jesus, His mother Mary, and other family members and friends. During the party, the servers ran out of wine… a situation that could have shamed the bride and groom forever – and possibly even ruined their marriage. Mary went to Jesus and told Him that the wine had run out. She didn’t ask Him to do anything… she merely stated this fact. Jesus informed her that it was not His time – meaning, it was not time for Him to reveal to a crowd that He was the Son of God with Supernatural powers!
Lotz goes on to make the observation that Jesus probably saw a hidden agenda in Mary’s comment. Perhaps she wanted everyone else to know who Jesus really was as a matter of pride. Maybe it was the wedding of another son or close relative… and Mary was trying to “save face.” Regardless, Jesus could have been irritated by His mother’s ulterior motives… and her impatience. Mary’s implication may have been… “The wine has run out… fix it now!”
As I read this and thought about my own relationship with Jesus, I wondered how often my prayers really contain a hidden agenda or ulterior motive? When I pray for someone else to develop a stronger connection with Him… am I really saying, “If he/she had a deeper faith, then I wouldn’t have to pick up their slack.”? When I ask God to work in a situation where someone is sick, is it because I’m tired of having to care for them? When I call on Jesus to work in any particular instance, am I subconsciously tapping my foot and asking Him to hurry up about it? Anne Graham Lotz points out that in many cases the “wine” ran out “one glass at a time”… but we expect Jesus to refill us in an instant!
Does Jesus grow impatient with my impatience? Surely He must! How many times have I dragged my feet about doing what He asks of me? And yet, I expect Him to be front and center with “more wine.” This is what the Apostle Paul was talking about in this letter to Timothy… that Jesus exercised tremendous patience with a sinner such as he – and He will do the same for each of us.
Frankly, I’m a little embarrassed to think that God would use me as an example of impatience. But if Jesus’ example of grace, mercy, and forgiveness extended to me helps another person to draw closer to Him… count me in! Meanwhile, I am going to examine my prayers a little more closely. I’m going to work on waiting on the LORD to answer… and asking for His will – and not my hidden motives. It’s a tall order… and I doubt God will fix me overnight. But I’m learning to be patient… are you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label impatience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label impatience. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 4, 2013
April 4 ~ 1 Samuel 13:6-14
When the Israelites saw that they were way outnumbered and in deep trouble, they ran for cover, hiding in caves and pits, ravines and brambles and cisterns—wherever. They retreated across the Jordan River, refugees fleeing to the country of Gad and Gilead. But Saul held his ground in Gilgal, his soldiers still with him but scared to death.
He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel. Samuel failed to show up at Gilgal, and the soldiers were slipping away, right and left.
So Saul took charge: “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” He went ahead and sacrificed the burnt offering. No sooner had he done it than Samuel showed up! Saul greeted him. Samuel said, “What on earth are you doing?”
Saul answered, “When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn’t come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, ‘The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven’t yet come before God asking for his help.’ So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering.”
“That was a fool thing to do,” Samuel said to Saul. “If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing. When he finds him, he’ll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn’t keep your appointment with God!”
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 Mam-ma Polly had many virtues… patience was not one of them! When I was growing up, she would call my parents and say, “The peas need to be picked,” or “We’ve got beans to snap,” or “The corn is ready to shuck.” My parents would gather all of us together after work and head for my grandparents’ farm… and the peas would be picked, shelled and bagged for the freezer… the beans would be snapped and ready to can, and the corn would all be laid out nicely… ready to be frozen on the cob or scraped off for soups, stews and eating “cream-style.” And a nice hot supper with some of these delectable fresh veggies would be simmering on the stove!
In later life, it was things like light bulbs that needed changing or a gutter that needed cleaning. My grandmother would call and ask for my husband or me, and before we could get to her house, she would have had the chore completed by her deacon or another church member, a neighbor, or even a friend who stopped by for a visit! Her “excuse” was always, “Well, I decided you weren’t coming!” Not only did her impatience keep us from truly helping her… it often made for unnecessary hard feelings on both sides – and blocked the blessing!
We try to hurry up all sorts of things, and like Saul, we often do a “fool thing” and block a blessing. Does this mean that God will punish us for our impatience and/or excuses? Maybe not in the way you think. See, when we get in God’s way and try to handle things on our own, we often throw a kink in His plans and force Him to move in another direction. So the person that God was grooming to witness to someone for whom you were praying may never get this opportunity, because you stepped in and tried to orchestrate things yourself. God might give the joy that you would derive from seeing His perfect timing in action to someone else. Your reputation for faithfulness and “waiting faithfully on the LORD” might change to that of a person who “jumps the gun” and is impulsive – and your true faithfulness might be questionable.
We all have our own excuses… we were trying to help… we didn’t think anyone was coming…we thought this was what God wanted us to do. But the truth is that we often fail to keep our appointments with God. We ask for His help and guidance… and then we go right ahead and do as we please. Not all of God’s answers and instructions are instantaneous. Some take days/weeks/years. And in that waiting period, we often become impatient and try to take control. This is never a good idea!
Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about the situations and circumstances in your life… and in the lives of those for whom you pray. Ask Him where – and how – you should be proceeding. Call on Him to clearly reveal to you where you should be waiting on Him. Don’t block a blessing… or miss an assignment! Don’t try to hurry God… or to take matters into your own hands. There really is no good excuse for either.
©2013 Debbie Robus
When the Israelites saw that they were way outnumbered and in deep trouble, they ran for cover, hiding in caves and pits, ravines and brambles and cisterns—wherever. They retreated across the Jordan River, refugees fleeing to the country of Gad and Gilead. But Saul held his ground in Gilgal, his soldiers still with him but scared to death.
He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel. Samuel failed to show up at Gilgal, and the soldiers were slipping away, right and left.
So Saul took charge: “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” He went ahead and sacrificed the burnt offering. No sooner had he done it than Samuel showed up! Saul greeted him. Samuel said, “What on earth are you doing?”
Saul answered, “When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn’t come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, ‘The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven’t yet come before God asking for his help.’ So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering.”
“That was a fool thing to do,” Samuel said to Saul. “If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing. When he finds him, he’ll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn’t keep your appointment with God!”
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 Mam-ma Polly had many virtues… patience was not one of them! When I was growing up, she would call my parents and say, “The peas need to be picked,” or “We’ve got beans to snap,” or “The corn is ready to shuck.” My parents would gather all of us together after work and head for my grandparents’ farm… and the peas would be picked, shelled and bagged for the freezer… the beans would be snapped and ready to can, and the corn would all be laid out nicely… ready to be frozen on the cob or scraped off for soups, stews and eating “cream-style.” And a nice hot supper with some of these delectable fresh veggies would be simmering on the stove!
In later life, it was things like light bulbs that needed changing or a gutter that needed cleaning. My grandmother would call and ask for my husband or me, and before we could get to her house, she would have had the chore completed by her deacon or another church member, a neighbor, or even a friend who stopped by for a visit! Her “excuse” was always, “Well, I decided you weren’t coming!” Not only did her impatience keep us from truly helping her… it often made for unnecessary hard feelings on both sides – and blocked the blessing!
We try to hurry up all sorts of things, and like Saul, we often do a “fool thing” and block a blessing. Does this mean that God will punish us for our impatience and/or excuses? Maybe not in the way you think. See, when we get in God’s way and try to handle things on our own, we often throw a kink in His plans and force Him to move in another direction. So the person that God was grooming to witness to someone for whom you were praying may never get this opportunity, because you stepped in and tried to orchestrate things yourself. God might give the joy that you would derive from seeing His perfect timing in action to someone else. Your reputation for faithfulness and “waiting faithfully on the LORD” might change to that of a person who “jumps the gun” and is impulsive – and your true faithfulness might be questionable.
We all have our own excuses… we were trying to help… we didn’t think anyone was coming…we thought this was what God wanted us to do. But the truth is that we often fail to keep our appointments with God. We ask for His help and guidance… and then we go right ahead and do as we please. Not all of God’s answers and instructions are instantaneous. Some take days/weeks/years. And in that waiting period, we often become impatient and try to take control. This is never a good idea!
Spend some time today with God and talk to Him about the situations and circumstances in your life… and in the lives of those for whom you pray. Ask Him where – and how – you should be proceeding. Call on Him to clearly reveal to you where you should be waiting on Him. Don’t block a blessing… or miss an assignment! Don’t try to hurry God… or to take matters into your own hands. There really is no good excuse for either.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 28, 2012
Isaiah 30:15, 18
God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: "Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me — the very thing you've been unwilling to do.
But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you. He's gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
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.
When I visit my grandmother at her Assisted Living Facility during mealtime, I often have to laugh. The pervading topic of conversation at her table is how long she and her friends have to wait to be served their meal. There are probably 80 residents in this dining hall. Three or four nurse’s aides busily move from table to table, serving the meal… often a plate of hot food, and an extra dish or two with salads and dessert. This doesn’t count the aide who may circle the dining room serving coffee, iced tea, water, buttermilk… and often offering an extra dish of pudding, fruit, or maybe some sort of salad.
The point is… these residents are served a sit-down meal three times a day in a retirement center. Seldom, if ever, do these folks have a pressing appointment. While they sit and wait for the meal (perhaps as much as 30 minues), they have plenty to drink… and often the “appetizer” on which to snack. Yet it never fails… the residents in my grandmother’s area of the dining room, which is usually the last to be served, grow impatient.
I remember how frustrated Timothy used to grow when he was hungry. He would sometimes bang his high chair tray and cry while I prepared his meals… and once or twice, he tried to climb out! I would often occupy him with a snack of cheese, “goldfish” or cereal to satisfy him while he waited for the main event. The difference was… he was a baby who didn’t know any better. The residents at my grandmother’s facility should understand how this works by now!
Do you see where I am headed? Some of us are so young in our faith that maybe we have an excuse. We may not be mature enough to understand that we can rest in the LORD and let Him handle things for us. Others of us have been at this for a while… so we ought to know by now that God’s timing is perfect… He can handle what we cannot… and we need to calm down and rest in Him!
In God, we find the perfect example of patience in action. Do you think God gripes and grumbles and says to Himself, “I wish Tom would hurry up and get this! I wish Jane would figure out that I’ve got her back and quit running around like a chicken with its head cut off!”? No! God waits! He settles in and holds our treasures and blessings in store for us, so that when we finally DO calm down and turn to Him, He has plenty to share with us… grace, mercy, love, and an abundance of miracles.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to settle in, relax and give my cares to God. I often tell my grandmother that after all of the meals she has cooked and served – and cleaned up afterward – this is her reward… her time to be blessed by others. She should sit back and enjoy it! And while I’m not calling for us to become lazy in our faith… it IS time for us to get comfortable with trusting God and letting Him have control.
We need to be patient and stop wasting time trying to do God’s job for Him, so that we can enjoy the blessings and “good stuff” that comes with being His faithful servant. I know I don’t want to miss anything He has in store for me… do you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: "Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me — the very thing you've been unwilling to do.
But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you. He's gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
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.
When I visit my grandmother at her Assisted Living Facility during mealtime, I often have to laugh. The pervading topic of conversation at her table is how long she and her friends have to wait to be served their meal. There are probably 80 residents in this dining hall. Three or four nurse’s aides busily move from table to table, serving the meal… often a plate of hot food, and an extra dish or two with salads and dessert. This doesn’t count the aide who may circle the dining room serving coffee, iced tea, water, buttermilk… and often offering an extra dish of pudding, fruit, or maybe some sort of salad.
The point is… these residents are served a sit-down meal three times a day in a retirement center. Seldom, if ever, do these folks have a pressing appointment. While they sit and wait for the meal (perhaps as much as 30 minues), they have plenty to drink… and often the “appetizer” on which to snack. Yet it never fails… the residents in my grandmother’s area of the dining room, which is usually the last to be served, grow impatient.
I remember how frustrated Timothy used to grow when he was hungry. He would sometimes bang his high chair tray and cry while I prepared his meals… and once or twice, he tried to climb out! I would often occupy him with a snack of cheese, “goldfish” or cereal to satisfy him while he waited for the main event. The difference was… he was a baby who didn’t know any better. The residents at my grandmother’s facility should understand how this works by now!
Do you see where I am headed? Some of us are so young in our faith that maybe we have an excuse. We may not be mature enough to understand that we can rest in the LORD and let Him handle things for us. Others of us have been at this for a while… so we ought to know by now that God’s timing is perfect… He can handle what we cannot… and we need to calm down and rest in Him!
In God, we find the perfect example of patience in action. Do you think God gripes and grumbles and says to Himself, “I wish Tom would hurry up and get this! I wish Jane would figure out that I’ve got her back and quit running around like a chicken with its head cut off!”? No! God waits! He settles in and holds our treasures and blessings in store for us, so that when we finally DO calm down and turn to Him, He has plenty to share with us… grace, mercy, love, and an abundance of miracles.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to settle in, relax and give my cares to God. I often tell my grandmother that after all of the meals she has cooked and served – and cleaned up afterward – this is her reward… her time to be blessed by others. She should sit back and enjoy it! And while I’m not calling for us to become lazy in our faith… it IS time for us to get comfortable with trusting God and letting Him have control.
We need to be patient and stop wasting time trying to do God’s job for Him, so that we can enjoy the blessings and “good stuff” that comes with being His faithful servant. I know I don’t want to miss anything He has in store for me… do you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 15, 2012
Luke 11:9-13
"Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open. Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"
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.
Yesterday, my husband and I went to an estate auction. My husband’s mother went with us. She is a veteran antiques dealer who has been to countless auctions in her life. There was a treadle sewing machine that she was interested in purchasing. When it comes to bidding at auctions, my mother-in-law is shrewd – and seasoned – and she started the bidding fairly low, hoping to score a real bargain. She bid $10, and some man behind her shouted “$110!” My mother-in-law shot the man a startled look, as the bidding closed and he won the sewing machine. He then asked her, “Just how high were you willing to bid?” She shot back, “Oh… probably $15.” Everyone laughed. The man had jumped the gun – and probably paid far more than he had to for this vintage piece.
The lesson for auction-goers is that you don’t know until you ask… and making an outrageous offer or bidding too high too quickly can be quite costly! You may think the item is worth what you are offering – and that you know better than the other bidders… but you can also get stuck with something you don’t want or pay far too much. It’s better to be specific… and to be patient!
When we ask God for things, we often want to play games, bargain, or jump the gun. We often think we know better than He what is needed… for ourselves and for others. We frequently act as if we have everything figured out on our own and really don’t need the Holy Spirit to intervene. And most of the time, we are terribly impatient… with sometimes disastrous results!
You may be asking why God wants us to be specific and ask Him for what we need – even the presence of His Holy Spirit – when He is supposed to know all of this already. The answer is - humility. God wants us to acknowledge Him as the author and creator of our lives and the daily turn of events. As I told you earlier, God is a gentleman and will not send His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts uninvited. We must demonstrate a level of faith and trust… a commitment and devotion to Him… and then He will gladly fill us and grant us what we need.
Are you still playing games and bargaining with God? Do you still think you can manage your life on your own terms? Isn’t it time to surrender your ego and bask in the glory and goodness of God and His amazing gifts? Will you keep jumping the gun and making a mess of things… or will you “let go and let God?” Isn’t this a great day for a change?
©2012 Debbie Robus
"Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open. Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"
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.
Yesterday, my husband and I went to an estate auction. My husband’s mother went with us. She is a veteran antiques dealer who has been to countless auctions in her life. There was a treadle sewing machine that she was interested in purchasing. When it comes to bidding at auctions, my mother-in-law is shrewd – and seasoned – and she started the bidding fairly low, hoping to score a real bargain. She bid $10, and some man behind her shouted “$110!” My mother-in-law shot the man a startled look, as the bidding closed and he won the sewing machine. He then asked her, “Just how high were you willing to bid?” She shot back, “Oh… probably $15.” Everyone laughed. The man had jumped the gun – and probably paid far more than he had to for this vintage piece.
The lesson for auction-goers is that you don’t know until you ask… and making an outrageous offer or bidding too high too quickly can be quite costly! You may think the item is worth what you are offering – and that you know better than the other bidders… but you can also get stuck with something you don’t want or pay far too much. It’s better to be specific… and to be patient!
When we ask God for things, we often want to play games, bargain, or jump the gun. We often think we know better than He what is needed… for ourselves and for others. We frequently act as if we have everything figured out on our own and really don’t need the Holy Spirit to intervene. And most of the time, we are terribly impatient… with sometimes disastrous results!
You may be asking why God wants us to be specific and ask Him for what we need – even the presence of His Holy Spirit – when He is supposed to know all of this already. The answer is - humility. God wants us to acknowledge Him as the author and creator of our lives and the daily turn of events. As I told you earlier, God is a gentleman and will not send His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts uninvited. We must demonstrate a level of faith and trust… a commitment and devotion to Him… and then He will gladly fill us and grant us what we need.
Are you still playing games and bargaining with God? Do you still think you can manage your life on your own terms? Isn’t it time to surrender your ego and bask in the glory and goodness of God and His amazing gifts? Will you keep jumping the gun and making a mess of things… or will you “let go and let God?” Isn’t this a great day for a change?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 20, 2011
Psalm 111:5-9
The LORD God is famous for his wonderful deeds, and he is kind and merciful. He gives food to his worshipers and always keeps his agreement with them. He has shown his mighty power to his people and has given them the lands of other nations. God is always honest and fair, and his laws can be trusted. They are true and right and will stand forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We recently decided our two twelve-year-old cats, Mabel and Lucy, could use a little boost to their digestive systems, so we started giving them a small saucer of skim milk each night, and just a couple of teaspoons of moist cat food in the morning to supplement the dry chow they have eaten all their lives. Lucy turned up her nose at the milk, but Mabel laps it up each night. However, in the mornings, Lucy has become obsessed with her canned food. She starts a “dance” about an hour before we arise, as if to say, “Hey, you! Remember my breakfast!” Then she stands under my feet while I prepare the bowls… sometimes quite literally causing me to stumble to the mat where they are fed.
If I go into the kitchen during the day, Lucy comes right away and begs for more food. We have stuck to our guns and only fed them this moist treat in the mornings… but that doesn’t stop Lucy from begging. She stands up on the back of my legs and does a dance. She cries and whines and glares at me. She hopes I will be merciful and relent. But I’m sticking to the rules and doing what I know is right and fair – and in her best interest!
So often, we are the “Mabel and Lucy”. We stand at God’s feet and beg and plead… just get us out of one more mess, LORD. Just look the other way this once and pretend we didn’t commit this sin. Let us have our way and make it right for us. We want the mercy and kindness of God… but we also want Him to bend the rules in our favor.
Our cats cannot truly comprehend that we have their best interests at heart. But we humans know better about God. We know that He is right and fair… kind and merciful… and still we beg, plead and try to “fudge” – or outright cheat – and hope God will rule as we wish.
We need to start recognizing God’s sovereignty. We must fully acknowledge that He knows best… that His laws are perfect for us… fully trustworthy… and right on target. We must operate in the assurance that God will show us kindness and mercy… but He will also do what is fair and right – and at times we may not totally like His response.
The mark of spiritual maturity is developing a trust in God for His answers and plans… and accepting them, whether we like them or not. Are you trusting God completely and operating under His laws? Or are you dancing at His feet, whining and complaining… hoping He will bend to your will instead? How mature are you in your faith these days? God will never stumble in His steadfast devotion to you… can you say the same in return?
©2011 Debbie Robus
The LORD God is famous for his wonderful deeds, and he is kind and merciful. He gives food to his worshipers and always keeps his agreement with them. He has shown his mighty power to his people and has given them the lands of other nations. God is always honest and fair, and his laws can be trusted. They are true and right and will stand forever.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We recently decided our two twelve-year-old cats, Mabel and Lucy, could use a little boost to their digestive systems, so we started giving them a small saucer of skim milk each night, and just a couple of teaspoons of moist cat food in the morning to supplement the dry chow they have eaten all their lives. Lucy turned up her nose at the milk, but Mabel laps it up each night. However, in the mornings, Lucy has become obsessed with her canned food. She starts a “dance” about an hour before we arise, as if to say, “Hey, you! Remember my breakfast!” Then she stands under my feet while I prepare the bowls… sometimes quite literally causing me to stumble to the mat where they are fed.
If I go into the kitchen during the day, Lucy comes right away and begs for more food. We have stuck to our guns and only fed them this moist treat in the mornings… but that doesn’t stop Lucy from begging. She stands up on the back of my legs and does a dance. She cries and whines and glares at me. She hopes I will be merciful and relent. But I’m sticking to the rules and doing what I know is right and fair – and in her best interest!
So often, we are the “Mabel and Lucy”. We stand at God’s feet and beg and plead… just get us out of one more mess, LORD. Just look the other way this once and pretend we didn’t commit this sin. Let us have our way and make it right for us. We want the mercy and kindness of God… but we also want Him to bend the rules in our favor.
Our cats cannot truly comprehend that we have their best interests at heart. But we humans know better about God. We know that He is right and fair… kind and merciful… and still we beg, plead and try to “fudge” – or outright cheat – and hope God will rule as we wish.
We need to start recognizing God’s sovereignty. We must fully acknowledge that He knows best… that His laws are perfect for us… fully trustworthy… and right on target. We must operate in the assurance that God will show us kindness and mercy… but He will also do what is fair and right – and at times we may not totally like His response.
The mark of spiritual maturity is developing a trust in God for His answers and plans… and accepting them, whether we like them or not. Are you trusting God completely and operating under His laws? Or are you dancing at His feet, whining and complaining… hoping He will bend to your will instead? How mature are you in your faith these days? God will never stumble in His steadfast devotion to you… can you say the same in return?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 25, 2010
Psalm 119:9
Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve been reading in Oswald Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest about human impulse. We humans love to act impulsively. Even on the most basic level, if your hands get dirty, your first impulse may be to wash them. When your clothes are stained or you’ve worn them for a while, you feel the urge to wash them.
When something goes wrong in your life, is your first impulse often to run to God and pray? Is one of your immediate thoughts…”Lord, I need you to fix this… to ‘clean’ up this mess!”? Often, our next “impulse” is that we have to correct this situation as fast as possible… we are embarrassed, ashamed, panicked, and fearful… all tools that Satan loves to wield in our direction.
Chambers says that God doesn’t pay any attention to our impulses. In fact, He ignores them. God doesn’t want us to act impulsively in our relationship with Him. He is waiting for us to get so deeply ingrained in His word… to develop such a constant, abiding relationship with Him… that He is not even “second nature” to us – but rather, first nature. God wants us to relate to Him so deeply that living a clean life is a no-brainer, because we are totally immersed in obeying His word and teaching, and we don’t know how to act otherwise.
In order to keep our clothes clean, we would have to sit perfectly still and never move. Even sitting still would not prevent our bodies from becoming dirty over time. But we can keep our spiritual body clean and remove any need for impulse… or desperation. In our relationship with God, we can grow beyond the human confines of such emotions and behaviors as impulse… and in doing so, remove the need to operate in the realm of Satan’s fear, guilt and shame.
No matter what age you are, it’s not too late to start digging deeper into God’s word. It’s never too late to start cultivating a more intimate relationship with Him – one where His presence is as vital and constant as the air you breathe. Young people of all ages can “come clean” today and begin to remove the opportunity for impulsiveness, as you grow closer to God. Are you ready to clean up your act?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve been reading in Oswald Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest about human impulse. We humans love to act impulsively. Even on the most basic level, if your hands get dirty, your first impulse may be to wash them. When your clothes are stained or you’ve worn them for a while, you feel the urge to wash them.
When something goes wrong in your life, is your first impulse often to run to God and pray? Is one of your immediate thoughts…”Lord, I need you to fix this… to ‘clean’ up this mess!”? Often, our next “impulse” is that we have to correct this situation as fast as possible… we are embarrassed, ashamed, panicked, and fearful… all tools that Satan loves to wield in our direction.
Chambers says that God doesn’t pay any attention to our impulses. In fact, He ignores them. God doesn’t want us to act impulsively in our relationship with Him. He is waiting for us to get so deeply ingrained in His word… to develop such a constant, abiding relationship with Him… that He is not even “second nature” to us – but rather, first nature. God wants us to relate to Him so deeply that living a clean life is a no-brainer, because we are totally immersed in obeying His word and teaching, and we don’t know how to act otherwise.
In order to keep our clothes clean, we would have to sit perfectly still and never move. Even sitting still would not prevent our bodies from becoming dirty over time. But we can keep our spiritual body clean and remove any need for impulse… or desperation. In our relationship with God, we can grow beyond the human confines of such emotions and behaviors as impulse… and in doing so, remove the need to operate in the realm of Satan’s fear, guilt and shame.
No matter what age you are, it’s not too late to start digging deeper into God’s word. It’s never too late to start cultivating a more intimate relationship with Him – one where His presence is as vital and constant as the air you breathe. Young people of all ages can “come clean” today and begin to remove the opportunity for impulsiveness, as you grow closer to God. Are you ready to clean up your act?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 23, 2010
Proverbs 10:11
Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble, and God's servants must not be troublemakers. They must be kind to everyone, and they must be good teachers and very patient.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Lately, it seems like I’ve had one stupid and senseless argument after another with my grandmother. And I admit, many of them are a direct result of my impatience. At almost 98 years of age, things in her world are changing rapidly, and everything I say is viewed as a direct challenge. But knowing when I should speak and when to keep quiet has been quite difficult… especially in recent years.
A few weeks ago, I was driving her to the beauty shop, and she was upset with me over something I had said. She told me, “Y’all never come to see me, so you don’t know anything about how I operate.” I began to remind her that someone – I, my husband, my sister … SOMEONE had been to visit her every day that week except one. She retorted, “No you haven’t!” As we got out of the car at the beauty shop, she said, “I’m frustrated,” and I told her, “I’m frustrated, too.” But I realized that arguing about this situation was not helping. Getting her to admit that someone – and often several “someones” - visits her every day was not going to make either of us feel any better.
It’s a lot like repeatedly telling Timothy he can’t touch the “pretties” that are his Aunt DebDeb’s… at some point, it is easier to put them in the closet or cabinet where he cannot reach them than to repeatedly argue over his touching them. And much the same can be said for our relationships with friends, family members and acquaintances. We have to “pick our battles,” and many of us often pick them poorly.
So we end up arguing or disagreeing over trivial, silly things that don’t matter. We get our feelings hurt over something that shouldn’t have been on our radar screen. We take things the wrong way and “make mountains out of molehills.” And all of this dishonors our role as God’s servants.
I know that my grandmother “pushes my buttons,” and she’s gotten really good at it. But I also know that I have to do better at exercising patience and holding my tongue. I must make prayerful decisions about when to speak up, and when to let something slide.
And this might be a good time for us to take stock of our lives and ask God to show us where to incorporate a lot of the lessons of these recent devos in order to serve Him better. Where and how do we need to distance ourselves from “friends” and acquaintances – and even family members – who “push our buttons?” If you can’t seem to keep from arguing with someone, then maybe you need to evaluate the time you spend with that person and see if you can make adjustments that help limit opportunities for conflict.
How can you incorporate prayer and communion with God to help diffuse troublesome situations before they even begin? Are you calling on God to guard your comments for you – to give you the right words (and the right tone of voice) to speak to others? Are you asking Him to hold your tongue when unpleasant, or argument-provoking thoughts dare to spill out in the form of a sentence? Who can mentor you in these situations? Have you asked God to direct you to wise, experienced counsel who can help you diffuse troublesome relationships – or those that have the potential for such trouble?
This is a very hard scripture passage for me to discuss, because I know I often act out of impatience… especially with my grandmother. I don’t mean to be unkind – or to argue. And sometimes, a confrontation over something like asking her to give up cooking on her stove, so that she is safe and doesn’t get burned, is inevitably going to lead to a heated discussion, at best. But there are plenty of times when I could let things go and avoid the argument… and I am working on doing so. As I’ve said many times, “I am a work in progress,” and I am grateful that we serve such a patient God will not give up on me – or any of us, if we seek His help.
Where do you need help today? Who – or what – is “pushing your buttons” and causing you to instigate needless trouble? Let’s be honest… all of this is the work of the devil, and it makes me furious to think he gets even a second of satisfaction out of my actions. So let’s agree today to keep in constant contact with God… and ask Him to guide our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. Let’s ask God to help us learn when the argument is worth it… and when we’re being stupid and senseless. Let’s pray for HUGE doses of patience and kindness… and the wisdom to be honorable servants who avoid stirring up trouble. And let’s be smart and sensible in our daily living.
©2010 Debbie Robus
Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble, and God's servants must not be troublemakers. They must be kind to everyone, and they must be good teachers and very patient.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Lately, it seems like I’ve had one stupid and senseless argument after another with my grandmother. And I admit, many of them are a direct result of my impatience. At almost 98 years of age, things in her world are changing rapidly, and everything I say is viewed as a direct challenge. But knowing when I should speak and when to keep quiet has been quite difficult… especially in recent years.
A few weeks ago, I was driving her to the beauty shop, and she was upset with me over something I had said. She told me, “Y’all never come to see me, so you don’t know anything about how I operate.” I began to remind her that someone – I, my husband, my sister … SOMEONE had been to visit her every day that week except one. She retorted, “No you haven’t!” As we got out of the car at the beauty shop, she said, “I’m frustrated,” and I told her, “I’m frustrated, too.” But I realized that arguing about this situation was not helping. Getting her to admit that someone – and often several “someones” - visits her every day was not going to make either of us feel any better.
It’s a lot like repeatedly telling Timothy he can’t touch the “pretties” that are his Aunt DebDeb’s… at some point, it is easier to put them in the closet or cabinet where he cannot reach them than to repeatedly argue over his touching them. And much the same can be said for our relationships with friends, family members and acquaintances. We have to “pick our battles,” and many of us often pick them poorly.
So we end up arguing or disagreeing over trivial, silly things that don’t matter. We get our feelings hurt over something that shouldn’t have been on our radar screen. We take things the wrong way and “make mountains out of molehills.” And all of this dishonors our role as God’s servants.
I know that my grandmother “pushes my buttons,” and she’s gotten really good at it. But I also know that I have to do better at exercising patience and holding my tongue. I must make prayerful decisions about when to speak up, and when to let something slide.
And this might be a good time for us to take stock of our lives and ask God to show us where to incorporate a lot of the lessons of these recent devos in order to serve Him better. Where and how do we need to distance ourselves from “friends” and acquaintances – and even family members – who “push our buttons?” If you can’t seem to keep from arguing with someone, then maybe you need to evaluate the time you spend with that person and see if you can make adjustments that help limit opportunities for conflict.
How can you incorporate prayer and communion with God to help diffuse troublesome situations before they even begin? Are you calling on God to guard your comments for you – to give you the right words (and the right tone of voice) to speak to others? Are you asking Him to hold your tongue when unpleasant, or argument-provoking thoughts dare to spill out in the form of a sentence? Who can mentor you in these situations? Have you asked God to direct you to wise, experienced counsel who can help you diffuse troublesome relationships – or those that have the potential for such trouble?
This is a very hard scripture passage for me to discuss, because I know I often act out of impatience… especially with my grandmother. I don’t mean to be unkind – or to argue. And sometimes, a confrontation over something like asking her to give up cooking on her stove, so that she is safe and doesn’t get burned, is inevitably going to lead to a heated discussion, at best. But there are plenty of times when I could let things go and avoid the argument… and I am working on doing so. As I’ve said many times, “I am a work in progress,” and I am grateful that we serve such a patient God will not give up on me – or any of us, if we seek His help.
Where do you need help today? Who – or what – is “pushing your buttons” and causing you to instigate needless trouble? Let’s be honest… all of this is the work of the devil, and it makes me furious to think he gets even a second of satisfaction out of my actions. So let’s agree today to keep in constant contact with God… and ask Him to guide our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. Let’s ask God to help us learn when the argument is worth it… and when we’re being stupid and senseless. Let’s pray for HUGE doses of patience and kindness… and the wisdom to be honorable servants who avoid stirring up trouble. And let’s be smart and sensible in our daily living.
©2010 Debbie Robus
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