Daily Devotional for October 9, 2016

Psalm 46:10

Our God says, “Calm down,
    and learn that I am God!
    All nations on earth
    will honor me.”

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
    
There are so many things happening in our world today – especially in our own country – that have a lot of us feeling like the earth has spun off its axis.  And yet, this morning I shared with ten 5-and-6-year-olds the story of Moses and how he made excuses to God.  I encouraged them to learn to listen to God and follow His plans for their lives. I assured them that God DOES have a plan for each of them, and that over time, He will reveal His mission for them through such things as prayer and Bible study…and He will help them implement this plan. They will be tempted to make excuses, just as Moses was – and as we often are - but they should learn to trust God and carry forward with His commands.

It’s hard to convince children that this is true…especially in light of what is going on all around us these days.  But I am confident that God is still in charge…that His plans are still perfect…that all nations WILL honor Him.  So I am not going to make excuses – for others – or to God.   I am going to stay calm…to trust and believe…to “be still and know” that He is GOD.  What about you?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 22, 2014

Matthew 8:24
Suddenly a terrible storm came up, with waves higher than the boat. But Jesus was asleep.

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 other day I looked outside the windows at our local Aquatic Center and watched summer storm clouds grow on the horizon. There is a rule at the Aquatic Center that when thunder is heard, everyone must get out until the storm passes and no thunder is heard for 30 minutes.  The cloud formations got larger and seemed to work into a “slow boil” that was ripe with the ingredients for a hefty summertime thundershower.

Timothy was taking a swimming lesson.  When he finished, we quickly changed clothes and gather our things. Just as we got to our car, big raindrops began to pelt us.  By the time we pulled away from the Aquatic Center, there were loud claps of thunder…followed soon after by a torrential rain, lightning, thunder – and even a little hail.  The storm lasted about an hour and netted a 1” rainfall – at least in our yard!

I knew that “scattered thunderstorms” were forecast.  I was somewhat prepared to have to cut the swimming lesson short and leave early.  In fact, when a precursory rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, a couple of us looked at each other and grimaced…and hoped that maybe we were “hearing things”.  But we all knew that these clouds were rapidly coursing toward a full-blown, all-out storm…and that’s exactly what we got.

The good news is that it didn’t stick around for very long.  Later in the afternoon, the sun was out, and the storms had passed…and we were none the worse for the wear.  In fact, our lawns and foliage were in need of some rainfall…so the “storm” brought hidden blessings and benefits.

I can see potential “storm clouds” on the horizon in certain areas of my own life.  Let’s get real here…I bet you do, too!  My “brewing storm” may not be the same as yours…but I am pretty sure that there is something about your life that is less than perfect – and conditions may be ripe for a hefty, all-out “thunderstorm”.  If you are like me, you can somewhat see the handwriting on the wall…the inevitable “storm” that is headed your way.  And yes, I’ve prayed about my situation until my knees are raw (figuratively) – as I’m sure you have.  Still, the “storm clouds” keep growing and heading right toward me.  This may “blow over” and be nothing…or it may be a “terrible storm”.  Right now I am not sure how things will go, and this uncertainty heightens my prayer time!

The craziest part of all is that while we can see these “storms” building on the horizon…we can hear the “rumbling thunder” in the distance…God often seems to be sound asleep.  We are saying, “Hey, LORD!!!  Can’t you stop this?  Don’t you see what is happening?  Didn’t you notice that everything is about to fall down around me?”…and God is quietly and calmly “napping in the bottom of the boat”.  I don’t know about you, but this is a frustrating, almost helpless feeling for me.  And yet, as I look backward and review other “storms” in my life, I see how God handled them on my behalf…how He was always at work (even when I thought He had abandoned me)…how He brought blessings even in the “rain”.  As our pastor reminded us in this week’s sermon, I have sometimes mistaken God’s silence for abandonment…and forgotten that God will never leave me.

Now I will be the first to tell you that I am probably going to continue to stew and fret over my current “storm”…because I’m human and that’s just how I roll.  I’m not the least bit proud of the fact that I do some hand-wringing…but I cannot seem to stop myself nonetheless.  However, I am going to do my dead-level best to stay calm, avoid over-reacting, and trust that even as God “naps”, He is aware of – and working on – my situation.  Rather than add the needless worry and confusion of wondering where God has gone to my list of anxieties and qualms, I’m going to trust that He is right here with me…making a clear path where I cannot see one.

I’m going to actually believe that God is “patting the bottom of the boat” and saying, “Come on over and lie down beside me.  Rest a while.  This storm will pass soon enough.  I’m in complete control…I’ve got this!”  As believers, we’re all “riding in the same boat”, so to speak.  My question for you is…where do you plan to sit?

©2014 Debbie Robus