John 14:5-7
Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t even know where you are going! How can we know the way?”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This week, 78-year-old Christian author Henry Blackaby was reported missing in Atlanta, Georgia. Blackaby is the author of Experiencing God, a best-selling workbook for Christian discipleship that was published in the 1990s. The author’s family reported that he was a diabetic, and he did not have his medication with him. Volunteers combed the Atlanta area in an attempt to assist police in locating Blackaby. Some 29 hours later, he was found.
This updated information was posted on the website for Blackaby Ministries International (www.henryblackaby.com)...
On Thursday, September 19, Henry Blackaby drove his car to pick up his wife Marilynn from an appointment. Henry apparently suffered a heart attack while driving. He became disoriented and unable to find his way back home. He drove for the next 29 hours until finally being found in a small town south of Atlanta. He did not have his cell phone with him nor insulin for his diabetes. As a result, his blood sugar rose and his kidneys began to struggle as well. The family was able to track his movements as he used a credit card to make occasional purchases. He is currently in a hospital undergoing extensive tests. He seems to be in good spirits and lucid. We appreciate your prayers. With Henry disoriented, suffering from a heart attack, and driving for 29 hours throughout the night all over Atlanta, it is clear that GOD HEARD AND ANSWERED THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE! Thank you to everyone who prayed and helped in the search.
Any time someone is missing, there is confusion and uncertainty. Where do you begin the search for them? How do you make sure that someone will recognize them? There are choices to make… when to truly declare a person missing… who are the proper authorities are to which this should be reported… how the search should be handled – and who should be involved. In this case, it all came down to a credit card. By tracing Henry Blackaby’s credit card transactions, searchers could figure out where he was and follow him. You may not find it a stretch that someone thought to check his credit card activity… but that a man in his physical and mental condition actually used said card in his condition is nothing short of miraculous in my mind!
I saw several e-mail reports about this situation throughout the day. While we live over 500 miles from the Atlanta area, we were asked to pray for this family and those who were searching for Henry. Information was given in each update, including a description of his car and the license plate number and the fact that he was a diabetic without his medication - indicating that he might need immediate medical attention, if found. I can’t help but believe that God answered the prayers of many by providing clues such as the credit card purchases, so that Henry could be found.
I know you are wondering… has she lost her mind? What does this have to do with John 14? More than you might think! See, Jesus’ disciples were questioning Him. They wanted physical proof of His true identity… that what He told them was true. It wasn’t enough that He said, “If you have seen me, you have seen my Father!” They wanted Him to show them. Moreover, they seemed clueless about how to follow Him… how to get to Heaven. He kept telling them, “I am the way”… but they wanted a map – or at least some pretty good directions…and maybe more than a few clues and hints.
And here’s the thing… God’s “clues” are all around us. Some are subtle and easily missed… that “still, small voice” you sometimes get…a scripture verse that keeps popping up and you wonder, “Why do I keep seeing this?”…a passing comment from a friend that keeps running through your head. Others are smack-you-in-the-face obvious, like when an elderly friend of mine said that three times in one morning she had an encounter with another driver who pulled in front of her. She told me, “I think God’s trying to get my attention and telling me I need to stop driving!”
The trouble with us is that we’re stubborn! We don’t pay attention. We walk right past God’s equivalent of flashing neon signs and choose to look the other direction. Now maybe we don’t do this deliberately, but in essence, we make choices every day with regard to whether we will pay attention to what God is telling and showing us… or not. God shows us how to follow Him… the direct path to true discipleship and an eternity spent with Him in Heaven… and we are so busy doing what we choose that it often doesn’t even register. I’m not saying that we necessarily make a conscious effort to ignore God. But by choosing to allow ourselves to be preoccupied with other things… or to serve our own interests… we essentially do exactly that!
I don’t know what clues and signals God is sending you today. But I know that we can either choose to pay attention – to look and listen for God’s messages and guidance… or we can choose to ignore the signs and “wing it.” If you ask me, the latter choice is the surest way to end up in your own equivalent of driving aimlessly around Atlanta for twenty-nine hours. Mr. Blackaby’s outcome could have been far more serious… and so could ours, if we don’t figure out who God really is and start following Him. Is this a chance you are willing to take?
What choices have you made that need rethinking? The “search party” is out on your behalf. God wants you found and returned to Him… restored and placed back on the right path. Won’t you recognize His presence and choose to follow His lead?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Ezekiel 37:7-10
I did what the Lord said, but before I finished speaking, I heard a rattling noise. The bones were coming together! I saw muscles and skin cover the bones, but they had no life in them.
The Lord said: Ezekiel, now say to the wind, “The Lord God commands you to blow from every direction and to breathe life into these dead bodies, so they can live again.”
As soon as I said this, the wind blew among the bodies, and they came back to life! They all stood up, and there were enough to make a large army.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Ellen DeGeneres is well-known for her hidden camera pranks. For instance, she once sent one of her writers, Amy, to a supermarket disguised as a produce manager. She told Amy what to say to customers, and Amy had to say and do whatever Ellen told her. At one point, Ellen told Amy to ask a customer what she was buying, and then to ask her, “Do you have any cats?” Then she told Amy to yell out, “I have two cats!” Ellen got more ridiculous with the prank, and Amy the writer had people looking at her like she was insane.
It was all in good fun… and Amy was a good sport. She said and did everything Ellen commanded. At one point, a customer pushed her cart past Amy. Ellen told Amy to yell "TURNIP!” and then start tap dancing. Amy did exactly this! Finally, Amy was allowed to tell the customer that she was with the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and they were on hidden camera… and everything ended well.
There were a few tense moments when Ellen told Amy to do something, and Amy looked somewhat shocked and reluctant… as in, “Are you kidding me?!” And I have a feeling this is how we often react when God speaks to us – if we even recognize His voice in the first place! Unlike Ellen’s writer Amy, I’d be willing to bet that we have ignored God more than a few times… or disobeyed Him. And unlike the harmless prank that Ellen DeGeneres was pulling for her television show, the consequences of ignoring God can be life changing!
Just look at what happened to Ezekiel. Imagine if he had ignored God’s commands about the dry bones. What if he had failed to command the winds on God’s behalf? I must tell you, our failure to do what God commands us is every bit as critical! We must be awake, alert, and completely in tune with God and His will, so that when He speaks to us, we answer swiftly and obediently.
If God told you to yell “TURNIP!” and start tap dancing in a grocery store, would you do it? Would you hear His voice, recognize HE was speaking, and obey His command? I doubt seriously that God will ever tell any of us to do this. But we must be ready, willing and able to answer when He does speak… and to do whatever He tells us. Are you prepared to answer obediently? When God speaks to you, how do you respond?
©2012 Debbie Robus
John 20:11-16
Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down and saw two angels inside. They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One was at the head and the other was at the foot. The angels asked Mary, "Why are you crying?" She answered, "They have taken away my Lord's body! I don't know where they have put him."
As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know who he was. Jesus asked her, "Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener and said, "Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him." Then Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him, "Rabboni." The Aramaic word "Rabboni" means "Teacher."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, my grandmother’s friend told me about losing her car keys one morning. She looked for them frantically for over an hour. Finally, she called her son to come and get her, saying, “I simply cannot find my car keys.” She was wearing a “field jacket” – a type of hooded coat with lots of pockets and zippers, - and someone nearby asked, “Did you check your pockets?” She had looked in some of the pockets, but not two zippered compartments that were located about waist level. When she reached into one of these… there were her car keys. She said, “I’ve had this coat for over twenty years, and I never knew there were pockets there!”
I’m afraid a lot of us have had some sort of relationship with Jesus for a long time – if not more than twenty years – and we still don’t readily recognize Him. We don’t see the angels He sends to minister to us in all sorts of situations. We don’t hear His voice or feel His presence. If Jesus walked right up to us today and spoke, many of us would not readily recognize Him. It’s as if we have worn the “coat of Christianity” for many years and never known where all of the “pockets” were located. And unless we find all of the “pockets”, we will miss out on some of the richest experiences with Jesus Christ.
To a person, we would probably all agree that we want a vibrant, full relationship with Jesus. But we would probably all have to also admit that we don’t do enough to get to know Him… to keep Him at the forefront of our lives… and to fully recognize His presence or the work of angels on His behalf in each and every moment of our existence.
As we look toward the close of this year, I can’t think of a better time to resolve to become more familiar with Jesus. Let’s make every effort to put Him first… to communicate with Him continually… to know His voice and recognize His handiwork. Let this be the year when you don’t have to look for Jesus any longer, because you always see Him standing next to you. It’s time to find all of the “pockets” in our coat of faith… have you found yours?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Psalm 121:1-4
I look to the hills! Where will I find help? It will come from the LORD, who created the heavens and the earth. The LORD is your protector, and he won't go to sleep or let you stumble. The protector of Israel doesn't doze or ever get drowsy.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a little girl, one of my favorite stories was The Elves and the Shoemaker by the Brothers Grimm. In this story, elves visited the shop of a very poor shoemaker and his wife each night and created beautiful shoes for them to sell. In return, the shoemaker and his wife made beautiful clothes for the little elves.
Haven’t we all wished we had elves to come in at night and do our work for us and make everything beautiful by morning? When I awoke today and looked across the fiery hillside below our house, I thought, “God was surely up all night!” It was as if He spent the entire evening with a brush and a palette of oranges, reds, yellows and more… painting away on the trees outside our back door!
But God is no magical elf! While He often works in the background…making things better for us as the elves did for the shoemaker and his wife… the wonderful gifts and blessings that God bestows on us create riches far beyond money and material things. And the power and might of our Heavenly Father are far above and beyond mere magic!
As I looked at the hillside and valley this morning, I thought of the first verse of this passage… I considered the strength and protection God bestows on me every day… and how He never sleeps (which reminded me of the little Grimm fairy tale!). I was humbled, and blessed, to see that God not only blesses us and cares for our every need… He does it with astounding beauty and finesse!
Today, I hope your “take away” from this passage is that God cares for us beyond what we could ever imagine. I hope you remember that He never sleeps. And one more thing… as the shoemakers gave the elves new clothing, we should give back to God as much as we can - to the best of our abilities. We should be so grateful for His abundance that we are eager to do all we can for Him in return. We can never repay God – and that’s not the point! But we can do our best to show Him how much we appreciate His amazing generosity.
Look around today – look “to the hills” and up at the beautiful trees and the colors of fall – and remember Who is up all night and day caring for each of us. Take time to thank God for His love and care… go about your day with confidence that He is in complete control… and know that all will be well.
©2011 Debbie Robus
October 22 ~ John 14:8-14
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need." Jesus replied: Philip, I have been with you for a long time. Don't you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father? Don't you believe that I am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me? What I say isn't said on my own. The Father who lives in me does these things.
Have faith in me when I say that the Father is one with me and that I am one with the Father. Or else have faith in me simply because of the things I do. I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. I will do whatever you ask me to do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Time means nothing to a toddler. Explaining to Timothy that “I will come and get you in two ‘night-nights’” doesn’t mean a thing to him. He now recognizes our voices on the telephone, but the nebulous concept that we are at our own home and not physically in his presence is almost too much for him. But take him out for a ride and drive past certain intersections, and he knows that this corner is where you turn to go to our house… or that building is where his great-great grandmother lives… or this is the street on which we turn to go to his daycare! He has seen those places… he is familiar with them. And I assure you, if you turn left when he wants to turn right, he will let you know about it!
Gosh… getting the concept of WHO Jesus really is boggles our minds, doesn’t it? For so many, the pervading question is… “But how do you KNOW He is real?” What makes us so sure that Jesus is doing all of the wonderful things in our lives, rescuing us when we are in need, healing us and keeping us steeped in blessings? Couldn’t it simply be good luck or “fate?” And I will admit… this has been a hard question for me to answer at times… at least in a manner I felt was convincing.
I will have to say, by allowing me to go through some pretty big challenges, Jesus has shown me WHO He really is. By allowing my faith to be tested… and delivering BIG TIME on His promises, I have become one of His major cheerleaders! I won’t say that I don’t ever get down or feel overwhelmed, because I do… more often than I care to admit! But I know Who has my back. I know what God can do… because I have seen Him do it! I know that more times than I can count, I have crept back with my head down in embarrassment that I allowed my faith to waver so much… and God delivered and blessed me anyway.
I’ve seen God use “little ole me” in ways I didn’t think were possible. I’ve felt the blessings of showing up at the right time with the right message… and knowing beyond a doubt that I had absolutely nothing to do with it!
Look around. Evidence of just how real God is can be seen in abundance! If you don’t see Jesus in people and places everywhere you look, you’re probably hanging with the wrong crowd… and your communication with God could use a little spit and polish! Ask Jesus to forgive your doubts and fill you with courage and confidence. Take everything to Him… your joys, sorrows, trials, and triumphs… and let Him sort them and work in and through you. Then step back and be amazed at how much He can do with the least of us. I know I am!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Psalm 115:1-8
Not for our sake, GOD, no, not for our sake, but for your name's sake, show your glory. Do it on account of your merciful love, do it on account of your faithful ways. Do it so none of the nations can say, "Where now, oh where is their God?"
Our God is in heaven doing whatever he wants to do. Their gods are metal and wood, handmade in a basement shop: Carved mouths that can't talk, painted eyes that can't see, tin ears that can't hear, molded noses that can't smell, hands that can't grasp, feet that can't walk or run, throats that never utter a sound. Those who make them have become just like them, have become just like the gods they trust.
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 known someone who had a collection of things… coins, stamps, memorabilia, and more… and the items in the collection became so important to the collector that he/she talked about them as if they were precious children? Whatever the person focused on became an obsession… and the objects of his/her affection became almost like a god. It is very hard to talk to someone who is so focused on such things, and a lot of people would say this fixation made this person strange at best… and downright frustrating to try to relate with for certain!
Yet we do the very same thing, in a lot of ways. We become so obsessed with a sport, video games, hobbies, and more - or even another person - and we make this our god and devote all of our time and attention toward cultivating this relationship. If we were half as devoted to God as we are some of the people and things that consume us, we would accomplish unbelievable things in His name and for His glory. And we can’t begin to imagine the blessings that would flow in our direction!
I don’t know about you, but I want to serve a God who can talk to me – and hear me when I speak to Him! I want to serve the God of Heaven who loves me faithfully and mercifully… and holds me in the palm of His hand. I want to serve a God who I can trust to always have perfect plans for my life… answers to my problems… and protection for me 24/7. Do you serve the God of Heaven… or a god (or gods) you have made for yourself? Have you seen the glory of the One True God in your own life and the lives of those around you lately? Isn’t it time you did?
©2011 Debbie Robus
John 1:14-18
The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us. John spoke about him and shouted, "This is the one I told you would come! He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born."
Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another. The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I was visiting with a dear friend recently, and the conversation turned to my uncle… my grandfather’s brother. Late in life, this confirmed bachelor married my friend’s great-aunt. Pretty much all I ever knew of my uncle was a gruff, bitter, unpleasant “old cuss” who muttered and grumbled and wasn’t much fun to be around. My grandmother always said, “The War (meaning WWII) changed him. He wasn’t always like that, and I don’t know what happened ‘over there,’ but when he came back, he was different.”
The funny thing was… my friend said, “I just loved Uncle Noel… he was so kind and sweet… he was great!” My jaw literally dropped. I knew that he doted on his wife (my friend’s aunt) and that we snickered and giggled about this gruff old man who “made goo-goo eyes” over this woman. But still, we never saw the gentle, pleasant, loving man my friend saw… we certainly never saw “sweetness!” And don’t misunderstand… I was glad to hear that he exhibited these qualities toward her and her sister. I’m glad to know he had it in him… even if we didn’t see it!
A lot of what we know about someone is what we are told. Unless we really get to know them for ourselves, all of our impressions and opinions regarding this person are merely hearsay or judgments based on distant observances. And it’s no different with Jesus. The Bible tells us of His greatness… His love and compassion… His mercy. Prophets spoke of Him before His coming… and those who served with Him wrote about their experiences. But until we experience Jesus for ourselves, people can tell us all day long about Him, and we may still have the wrong opinion at best… or totally miss experiencing a genuine, intimate relationship with Him completely. There is a difference between knowing Jesus and truly experiencing Him.
Had my friend not experienced such a loving relationship with my uncle for herself, she might have only known him through my eyes… and my experiences with him. Through Jesus, we get a huge glimpse into what God is truly like. When we experience Jesus, we experience our Heavenly Father. The best is yet to be, when we meet face-to-face in Heaven. But for now, I encourage you to study, pray, fellowship, and communicate with Jesus. Get to know him and experience for yourself His love, grace, mercy and power as He works in your life – here and now.
The “endorsement” of others isn’t a bad thing… our witness to others, based on our own experience with Jesus, is important – and part of being a Disciple of Christ. But nothing beats the real thing – the true personal experience that comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus on a continual basis. Unless we develop this for ourselves – and encourage others to do the same – we’ve not gotten to really know Jesus… and our experience in Him is less than complete. Don’t know Jesus only through the eyes of others… get to know Him for yourself and see how incredible a relationship with Him can truly be.
©2011 Debbie Robus
John 1:9-13
The true light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. The Word was in the world, but no one knew him, though God had made the world with his Word. He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him. Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. They were not God's children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law recently celebrated another birthday. My husband and his brothers planned to meet their mom for dinner at a local restaurant. The day before, I made a birthday cake and put it in the refrigerator to keep the icing fresh. I wrapped a gift and set it on the counter, and my husband’s brothers and their wives bought gifts and cards, too. The day of the birthday, we met for dinner. Then everyone came to our house afterward. We got out the cake and ice cream, and my mother-in-law opened her cards and gifts. Some of her relatives and friends… grandchildren, her sister, and nieces… called or sent Facebook messages to wish her a Happy Birthday.
Now, suppose we had left the cake in the refrigerator. What if we had left our gifts and cards on the counter… sat around and visited … and merely looked at each other? Or what if we had failed to even mention to my mother-in-law that it was her birthday… much less honor the date in any way? Would it still have been my mother-in-law’s birthday? Certainly! Would we have celebrated to the fullest of our ability and with a 100% effort? Absolutely not! Just because the calendar said it was her birthday and she turned a year older didn’t mean that the event was fully recognized and hailed with complete enthusiasm and gusto! In order for this to happen, we had to do something… we had to become engaged and fully involved… and we had to acknowledge – and celebrate the day!
Some people do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. They think He was just a very good man who lived a good life and did many great things. If you ask most people if they believe in God, they will say, “Yes.” If you ask most Christians to explain their relationship with Jesus, they may tell you, “He died on the cross for my sins.” But what does this really mean for most folks?
Who is Jesus, really? Is the depth of most relationships with Jesus Christ the fact that He died for our sins? Do most people understand that acknowledging this fact is not enough? Is their faith in Jesus akin to leaving a birthday cake in the refrigerator? The cake is there… and maybe by making the cake, we feel we acknowledged the special day. By the same token, we may feel we have done enough to become Christians by acknowledging that Jesus died for our sins.
Until we take the next step – until we not only acknowledge what Jesus did on the cross, but ask Him to forgive us for our part in it… until we “cut the cake,” the deal is not done! The birthday still happened… and God still gave us life… but until we fully celebrate… until we fully develop our relationship with Him… we cannot truly claim victory. We can’t say we are Disciples of Christ… faith-filled Christians, until we acknowledge Jesus, ask Him to forgive us for our sins, and begin to walk in His light and share His Good News with others.
A birthday rolls around for every living person once a year. But not all birthdays are celebrated and shared with others. God created all of us, but not all of us become “Children of God” in the context of salvation and Eternal Life through Jesus Christ. And not all Children of God truly live in the light of Christ and daily walk by faith… not all Christians truly “get it.” Do you?
How will you celebrate… both your earthly life and your life in Christ? Will you know Jesus, or will you truly KNOW Him? There is a difference… can you see it?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Psalm 90:14
When morning comes, let your love satisfy all our needs. Then we can celebrate and be glad for what time we have left.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you are like me – and most people – you probably are in the habit of using three products to do a task, when one would have been sufficient. I used to have a whole basket of cleaning products – scrub for the shower tile, disinfectant for surfaces, window cleaner for the windows and mirrors, furniture polish for the wood, and many more products that commercials and advertisements told me we simply could not stay clean unless we purchased them!
But then I stumbled onto a recipe at my grandmother’s for a cleaning solution she called “Glass Plus.” I’m not talking about the commercial brand by the same name… this was a concoction of 2 tablespoons ammonia, 1 teaspoon of dish detergent, and 2 cups of rubbing alcohol. You put all of this in a clean plastic gallon milk jug, and fill it with water. Not only does this solution clean mirrors and windows beautifully… it also disinfects surfaces at the same time.
When I fill a spray bottle with this solution, I don’t need a bottle of disinfectant AND a bottle of window cleaner. I can use this solution on all sorts of spills… in virtually every room of the house, and even on outside surfaces… and it’s far cheaper than those store brands! One spray bottle of this concoction satisfies virtually all of my household cleaning needs!
Do you see the correlation with our Spiritual life? We run around trying to get all of these “aids” that we think we need to make us more Spiritual, when God has already given us all that we need. We have Jesus… we have the Bible… we can go to God in prayer any time of the night or day. The Holy Spirit is always with us, ready to give us wisdom, courage, and comfort. God has given us an “all-in-One” product!
Most of us will still try other products from time to time. We’ll be lured in by the commercials and ads, and we will wonder… is this “glass plus” cleaner really enough to get the job done? And honestly, a lot of us will get caught up in external things Spiritually, too. We’ll become fascinated with a particular set of Bible study aids or a certain speaker. We’ll listen non-stop to the music of a favorite Christian musical artist or group… or we’ll decide that hymns are old school, and we need Contemporary Christian music to really “feel the Holy Spirit” in our lives. We’ll become so absorbed in this or that ministry in our church or community and fail to recognize that God is at work all around us – in people and ministries of all sizes, shapes and colors.
The bottom line is that we need to remind ourselves that God truly is an “All-in-One” solution Who satisfies every single one of our needs. If we wake each morning and give our day – and our needs to Him, think of how much extra time and energy we will have… and how much better things will go. Are you still trying extra products and gadgets? Or have you settled in for the long haul with God and let Him handle things for you? Isn’t it time you simplified your life and put Him in charge? Are you ready to let go… and let God?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Proverbs 16:9
We plan the way we want to live, but only GOD makes us able to live it.
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 cannot tell you how many older adults I have encountered in the last few years who have made absolutely no plans for “old age.” And if you are a younger person reading this, you are probably thinking, “I have plenty of time for such thinking.” I’m sure that’s what my cousin thought, too… yet she fell over dead at age 46 while sitting on a patio, visiting with friends. She had plans to marry her companion of eleven years on 11-11-2011. You could say she had “planned the way she wanted to live” – but God surely had other plans.
Some of my dear friends are dealing with the care of aging relatives who have suddenly become unable to live alone and/or care for themselves. Another family that is close friends of ours is maintaining a hospital vigil over a loved one in his mid-sixties who suffered a sudden brain bleed and subsequent aneurysm. He was just working in his yard – minding his own business. He had plans for Easter weekend with his family and a concert with his daughters the following week, and now he is fighting to recover.
Some of you are just graduating from high school or college – and you have grand plans for the next chapter of your life… a career, marriage, children, and more. And God wants us to make plans and look forward to these seasons. But He also wants us to remember that all of our plans are subject to change. Nothing is set in stone, and because we cannot possibly know the plans that God has for us, what we humanly decide will be our course in life may not be what God delivers or allows to unfold.
The point is that we must be aware of Who is in control. We must ask Him to guide our steps and lead us in the direction that pleases Him and fits His plans. And when something unexpected happens… when He takes us in a different direction… we must be prepared to ask, “How would you have me handle this, Father?” and follow His lead at all times.
Remember, God’s plans are perfect – meant to bless us and to be for our good… not to hurt us in any way. Look for the goodness in every situation… the hidden blessings… the generous outcomes you might not have otherwise experienced if things had gone YOUR way! Thank God for always looking out for your best interest… and for being with you every step of the way.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Deuteronomy 10:16-18
Remember your agreement with the LORD and stop being so stubborn. The LORD your God is more powerful than all other gods and lords, and his tremendous power is to be feared. His decisions are always fair, and you cannot bribe him to change his mind. The LORD defends the rights of orphans and widows. He cares for foreigners and gives them food and clothing.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In our country, we elect politicians to office, and they promise to do all sorts of things for us as their constituents. But then lobbyists start working on them to support this project or that cause… and other outside influences come into play… and sadly, some are swayed by bribes and big talk… and our best interests are not served after all. Not all politicians are easily influenced, but it happens enough that we have to ask ourselves what is really going on! Didn’t they say they cared about us? Didn’t they choose to go into public office and work on our behalf?
Thankfully, God is not a politician! He chose us to be His children… and He always has our best interests at heart. God cannot be bribed… and even when we feel His decisions are not fair… they truly are. We just don’t understand the big picture… we can’t see what God sees or know all that He knows.
So we must trust that God is always working on our behalf. And we have plenty of proof of this. All we have to do is look around us. God has been taking care of His children for centuries. He is on the clock, meeting our needs every second of the day. And all He asks in return is that we love Him and trust Him… to respect His power and stop being so stubborn. We must stop being “Burger King Christians” and demanding to “have it our way.” Simply put, we are not GOD, and we do not know what is best.
Verses 14-15 of this chapter of Deuteronomy tell us to look around – everything we see belongs to God… and He chose US to be His precious children. Hasn’t His “record” proven that we can trust Him? Isn’t it time we did just that?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Psalm 68:19-20
We praise you, Lord God! You treat us with kindness day after day, and you rescue us. You always protect us and save us from death.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few years ago, friends of ours purchased a house we were selling. Aside from needing more space, the couple told us that their present home was located on a busy city street, and their young 2½-year-old-son – then just a little older than our Timothy is now – was apt to dash out into the street to chase a ball or toy… or simply running with abandon. In order to keep their children safe… to protect them and save them from death… this couple made the necessary efforts to take measures to ensure their safety. The health, safety and well-being of their children was (and is) their chief concern day after day.
This is what good parents do. They put the needs of their children first… and they love them unconditionally with kindness… and protection. And as our Heavenly Father, this is what God does for each of us. He treats us with more kindness than we could ever deserve… and He protects us and keeps us safe from death. I’m not talking about physical death… although there are certainly instances where God rescues us from that, as well. But God puts obstacles… people, wisdom, discernment… angels… in our path to protect us from Spiritual death. For all of the sins we commit… for every mess we get ourselves into… God steers us away from the chance for dozens more out of His kindness and protection.
So if God is our protector, why do bad things happen? We’ve been over this! Tests and challenges lead to growth and deeper faith. They build the relationship as we learn to rely more on God’s strength and power and less upon our own. But God NEVER stops loving us… and He never stops looking out for our best interests. And for this He deserves our utmost praise.
Have you thanked God lately for all He does in your life?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Deuteronomy 8:1-5
Keep and live out the entire commandment that I'm commanding you today so that you'll live and prosper and enter and own the land that GOD promised to your ancestors. Remember every road that GOD led you on for those forty years in the wilderness, pushing you to your limits, testing you so that he would know what you were made of, whether you would keep his commandments or not. He put you through hard times. He made you go hungry. Then he fed you with manna, something neither you nor your parents knew anything about, so you would learn that men and women don't live by bread only; we live by every word that comes from GOD's mouth. Your clothes didn't wear out and your feet didn't blister those forty years. You learned deep in your heart that GOD disciplines you in the same ways a father disciplines his child.
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.
We’re probably at or near mid-term for a lot of students… and that means one thing – tests. Why do we have tests anyway? What purpose do they serve? Tests are a means for the instructor to determine whether or not we have learned the lessons that were given. If your experience is anything like mine, there will be tests that push your limits… times you felt poorly prepared… and maybe some near failures. But hopefully you will muster the courage and determination to keep going… to forge ahead… to try again. And in the end… you will learn many things.
The age old question for many of us is, “Why must God test me?” We wonder… “Why we are allowed to suffer, to falter, and sometimes to fail?” We ask each other – and ourselves – why relationships don’t work out… why plans don’t materialize… why we don’t get this job or that scholarship…why people have to get sick and/or die…and we ask God, “Why did You let this happen?”
The answer is pretty clear. God tests us to strengthen us. He wants to see if we are really walking in faith… or if we are just playing along and giving Him lip service. He wants to ensure that we have what it takes to depend on Him alone… and not our own strength and abilities. If God never tested us, we would never grow in our relationship with Him. If everything ran along smoothly – as God could certainly accomplish – we would become so arrogant and sure of our own capabilities that we would not fully trust in God to give us what we need.
So the tests come… to all of us. Somehow, knowing WHY we are being tested helps me to stay confident and optimistic. Knowing that God is using my challenges to help me grow more in my relationship with Him gives me courage… and a desire to say, “Bring it on, LORD! I know You won’t give me more than I can handle!”
I’m like most people… I’ve never liked tests… and I am sure I won’t like all of the “exams” that God presents to me in my lifetime. If I stay faithful and persevere… if I call on God to help me through each challenge and truly believe in Him to do so… I have no doubt that someday He will reward me with a passing grade. God’s grace is sufficient for all of my needs… and He will meet all of yours as well.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Deuteronomy 4:39-40
Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: GOD is in Heaven above; GOD is on Earth below. He's the only God there is. Obediently live by his rules and commands which I'm giving you today so that you'll live well and your children after you—oh, you'll live a long time in the land that GOD, your God, is giving 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.
There really isn’t a whole lot to add to this. Wherever we go… God is there. Isn’t this a comforting thought? Begin today to rest in this promise. Whatever comes your way – whatever challenges you face – remember that God is with you. When you encounter a difficult person or situation, remind yourself… “God is in Heaven above, and here on earth with me, in the land He gave me.”
We know the commandments… we’ve read them and heard them over and over again. We know what God expects of us… and what He has promised us in return. Now it’s time to start living like we believe this! It’s time to start standing in God’s promises, and recognizing His presence. It’s time to be confident, cool and collected… and take heart in knowing that our God… the only God… is everywhere.
Know this well… remind yourself of it often… and make this a great day in the name of the LORD!
©2011 Debbie Robus
