Romans 12:9-11
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
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 case you didn’t know this already, I really, really, REALLY love my little great-niece and nephews, Zola, Timothy and Nathan. I would do just about anything for them. Yes, I shower them with “things” – clothes, toys, and treats, to name a few. But I also try to show genuine affection as often as I can… hugs, kisses, snuggles, applause for accomplishments, praise for good behavior… and lots and lots of time spent together doing all sorts of things. I’ve cooked their meals, changed their diapers, bathed them, rocked them to sleep… and most importantly, I have prayed for them. Even though they are toddlers and small children, I respect them, so I try to listen to their opinions about which foods they like, their protests at naptime or bedtime, and even their choice of the toys with which they would like to play.
But because I love these children so much, I have rules they must follow. I want them to learn to be strong, morally upright, independent people who respect others… and themselves. So I insist that they at least help clean up the messes they make… that they don’t splash water out of the tub and all over me… that they don’t spit or throw food…that they use an “inside voice” and don’t yell and scream when we are inside… that they mind me and their Uncle Greg when we ask them to do something…and that they treat others with kindness and respect. They know that when they disobey these rules, there are consequences… and they are discovering that the consequences are no fun!
If I didn’t love and care for Timothy, Zola and Nathan so much, I might ditch the rules and let them have a free-for-all. Or I might just say, “Call me when you are a grown-up” and go my merry way for the next 18 years or so. I could telephone and send cards occasionally… see them on holidays for an hour or two… and tell everyone how much I love them. But this would be neither good, nor right. Real love involves action as much as words… maybe more! Real love involves respect and reverence for the other guy… and a demonstration of this through genuine affection and honor. And real love requires effort!
Our love and respect for God is no different. We can say we love Him… we can go through the motions and give Him lip service. But if we don’t show Him genuine affection… if we disrespect and dishonor Him… if we disobey His laws and try to have it our way… we have not really loved Him. Furthermore, when we treat others in this manner, we have not loved God… because to dishonor, disrespect, and mistreat one of God’s creatures is to do the same to Him. And the consequences of mistreating God are no fun, either. When we fail to show God real love, we form a separation between us and Him… we block His blessings and short-change everyone involved.
I encourage you to take a long hard look at your life. Who do you really love…and who do you pretend to love? Who do you shower with genuine affection and honor… and who do you disrespect and disobey? Where are you lazy in your efforts to love others? Where do you need to work harder to demonstrate real love? Isn’t it time you figured all of this out and started making better choices? Are you holding tightly to what is good and hating what is wrong...in your relationships with God - and with others? Do you really love God… and others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label laziness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laziness. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 12, 2013
Proverbs 6:6-11
You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!
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 awoke to a thunderstorm and a dreary, rainy Saturday morning… perfect for hanging out in your pajamas or “sweats” and lounging with an extra cup of coffee. And there is nothing wrong with taking an occasional “day off” and being lazy. The problem is that many of us have made this a habit – if not our daily routine. There is every possibility that we did not intend to become this way… but as this passage indicates, we let a nap here and a day off there turn into a regular routine. And soon, we were not even making the effort to appear active and engaged. Our room/apartment/house is a wreck… we haven’t done laundry or mowed the yard in a month or better… dishes are piled high in the sink and there is little food in the fridge – and what is there has ruined. We rummage through the drawers and closets to find something clean enough for school or work… and we hurry home to put on our pjs or “sweats” and crawl back onto the couch or into bed.
I know this sounds extreme, but I am afraid that a lot of people truly live this way! And if you don’t feel that you fit into this description, let me ask you about your life as a Christian disciple. How is your relationship with God? Are you talking to Him every day and seeking ways to honor Him? Are you actually doing anything to serve God… to exercise your “faith muscle” and grow in Christian wisdom and strength? Or are you counting on others to do the work… depending on them to pray for you and those around you…expecting them to do the volunteering, teach the classes, study the Bible, and reach out to others in Jesus’ name? Are you essentially snuggled under the covers in your pjs, taking it easy…and expecting God to continue to bless you?
Here’s the thing… #1) this is not how God operates. He didn’t call you to be a disciple of Christ so you could sit on your duff all day and take Him – and the gift of salvation and its promise of eternity in heaven – for granted; and #2) why would you want this kind of existence in the first place? Spending your life on the sidelines is not truly living! Not only are you missing out on the wonderful gifts that God wants to bestow upon you in this earthly lifetime while you are lazing around… you are forfeiting the amazing blessings that He wishes to share with you as you grow in His wisdom and learn more about His grace, mercy, forgiveness and unconditional love.
I don’t know where you fit in this picture. I certainly don’t know how or when you got where you are. But if you find yourself in some state of laziness… physically, mentally or spiritually, I encourage you to make the conscious decision to change. Ask God to show you how to do this. Let Him guide you as you “get off the couch” and get going again. You will be amazed at how much better you feel… and you will be truly astounded at what awaits you as you develop new habits. You can still spend an occasional Saturday morning on the couch in your pjs… but I’m betting you’ll find far more exciting things to fill most of your time. With God’s help… I’m quite sure of it! Are you ready to get up and get going?
©2013 Debbie Robus
You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!
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 awoke to a thunderstorm and a dreary, rainy Saturday morning… perfect for hanging out in your pajamas or “sweats” and lounging with an extra cup of coffee. And there is nothing wrong with taking an occasional “day off” and being lazy. The problem is that many of us have made this a habit – if not our daily routine. There is every possibility that we did not intend to become this way… but as this passage indicates, we let a nap here and a day off there turn into a regular routine. And soon, we were not even making the effort to appear active and engaged. Our room/apartment/house is a wreck… we haven’t done laundry or mowed the yard in a month or better… dishes are piled high in the sink and there is little food in the fridge – and what is there has ruined. We rummage through the drawers and closets to find something clean enough for school or work… and we hurry home to put on our pjs or “sweats” and crawl back onto the couch or into bed.
I know this sounds extreme, but I am afraid that a lot of people truly live this way! And if you don’t feel that you fit into this description, let me ask you about your life as a Christian disciple. How is your relationship with God? Are you talking to Him every day and seeking ways to honor Him? Are you actually doing anything to serve God… to exercise your “faith muscle” and grow in Christian wisdom and strength? Or are you counting on others to do the work… depending on them to pray for you and those around you…expecting them to do the volunteering, teach the classes, study the Bible, and reach out to others in Jesus’ name? Are you essentially snuggled under the covers in your pjs, taking it easy…and expecting God to continue to bless you?
Here’s the thing… #1) this is not how God operates. He didn’t call you to be a disciple of Christ so you could sit on your duff all day and take Him – and the gift of salvation and its promise of eternity in heaven – for granted; and #2) why would you want this kind of existence in the first place? Spending your life on the sidelines is not truly living! Not only are you missing out on the wonderful gifts that God wants to bestow upon you in this earthly lifetime while you are lazing around… you are forfeiting the amazing blessings that He wishes to share with you as you grow in His wisdom and learn more about His grace, mercy, forgiveness and unconditional love.
I don’t know where you fit in this picture. I certainly don’t know how or when you got where you are. But if you find yourself in some state of laziness… physically, mentally or spiritually, I encourage you to make the conscious decision to change. Ask God to show you how to do this. Let Him guide you as you “get off the couch” and get going again. You will be amazed at how much better you feel… and you will be truly astounded at what awaits you as you develop new habits. You can still spend an occasional Saturday morning on the couch in your pjs… but I’m betting you’ll find far more exciting things to fill most of your time. With God’s help… I’m quite sure of it! Are you ready to get up and get going?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 27, 2012
Nehemiah 8:2
On the first day of the seventh month, the people came together in the open area in front of the Water Gate. Then they asked Ezra, who was a teacher of the Law of Moses, to read to them from this Law that the LORD had given his people. Ezra the priest came with the Law and stood before the crowd of men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.
Philippians 1:1-7
From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all of God's people who belong to Christ Jesus at Philippi and to all of your church officials and officers. I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.
You have a special place in my heart. So it is only natural for me to feel the way I do. All of you have helped in the work that God has given me, as I defend the good news and tell about it here in jail.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In my grandmother’s journal, she talks of getting together with other women who lived in her neck of the woods to make mattresses out of heavy fabric and cotton provided by the Red Cross. She writes… “We didn’t have mattresses, but we had straw beds and feather beds, until the Red Cross stepped in and started to furnish cotton to make mattresses and comforters. That was lots of fun. We made them in our front yard. Neighbors came in and we would make two or three a day till everyone had some good beds.” With today’s technology, we can order our “Sleep Number” bed online and have it delivered to our doorstep.
A few years ago, a local news reporter conducted an experiment. She rented an empty apartment, and with the aide of only a laptop and an Internet connection, she successfully purchased everything she needed – food, clothing, furnishings, and more – and had it all delivered directly to her. With a few keypad strokes, we can now order movies, concerts, sporting events, and more – and see them instantly on our TVs. We can ship and receive packages worldwide from our doorstep. Many of us can attend school online – or work from home via computer. We can socialize with our friends - and even worship - from the comforts of our easy chair. Think about this… it is entirely possible to go days, weeks – or even longer – without ever leaving home or physically “seeing” another person!
As a result, many of us have no clue how to really interact with others. We do not fully understand the meaning of true partnership and ministry… and how important this is to the body of Christ. Many of us get complacent and lazy as we retreat within ourselves and let our responsibilities as partakers in God’s anointing and favor fall by the wayside. We become self-absorbed and fail to look around at those directly in our path who need to hear from us... to know that we care – and more importantly - that God cares.
Now don’t misunderstand me… there are plenty of ways to serve God from your desk and the comfort of your own home. There are many who are unable to get out and make face-to-face contact with others for a number of reasons. These Disciples can be highly effective servants through prayer, sending notes and e-mail messages of encouragement, making phone calls, and more… doing their part as God directs them. But for many of us, serving God means getting up – and out – and working shoulder-to-shoulder with others.
We are all called to be partners in the ministry of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don’t know if God’s plan for you is to develop an e-mail prayer chain or to gather your friends to stuff mattresses for those who have no place to lay their head. I believe that God allowed us to create the technological advances that shape today’s world in great part to further His kingdom – and to enhance the ministries that involve actual physical interaction and labor. Our job is to figure out how to use all of the tools God has given us correctly to create partnerships with others… to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ… and to continue the good work He began in each of us. How successful is your partnership with God – and others - these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
On the first day of the seventh month, the people came together in the open area in front of the Water Gate. Then they asked Ezra, who was a teacher of the Law of Moses, to read to them from this Law that the LORD had given his people. Ezra the priest came with the Law and stood before the crowd of men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.
Philippians 1:1-7
From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all of God's people who belong to Christ Jesus at Philippi and to all of your church officials and officers. I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.
You have a special place in my heart. So it is only natural for me to feel the way I do. All of you have helped in the work that God has given me, as I defend the good news and tell about it here in jail.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In my grandmother’s journal, she talks of getting together with other women who lived in her neck of the woods to make mattresses out of heavy fabric and cotton provided by the Red Cross. She writes… “We didn’t have mattresses, but we had straw beds and feather beds, until the Red Cross stepped in and started to furnish cotton to make mattresses and comforters. That was lots of fun. We made them in our front yard. Neighbors came in and we would make two or three a day till everyone had some good beds.” With today’s technology, we can order our “Sleep Number” bed online and have it delivered to our doorstep.
A few years ago, a local news reporter conducted an experiment. She rented an empty apartment, and with the aide of only a laptop and an Internet connection, she successfully purchased everything she needed – food, clothing, furnishings, and more – and had it all delivered directly to her. With a few keypad strokes, we can now order movies, concerts, sporting events, and more – and see them instantly on our TVs. We can ship and receive packages worldwide from our doorstep. Many of us can attend school online – or work from home via computer. We can socialize with our friends - and even worship - from the comforts of our easy chair. Think about this… it is entirely possible to go days, weeks – or even longer – without ever leaving home or physically “seeing” another person!
As a result, many of us have no clue how to really interact with others. We do not fully understand the meaning of true partnership and ministry… and how important this is to the body of Christ. Many of us get complacent and lazy as we retreat within ourselves and let our responsibilities as partakers in God’s anointing and favor fall by the wayside. We become self-absorbed and fail to look around at those directly in our path who need to hear from us... to know that we care – and more importantly - that God cares.
Now don’t misunderstand me… there are plenty of ways to serve God from your desk and the comfort of your own home. There are many who are unable to get out and make face-to-face contact with others for a number of reasons. These Disciples can be highly effective servants through prayer, sending notes and e-mail messages of encouragement, making phone calls, and more… doing their part as God directs them. But for many of us, serving God means getting up – and out – and working shoulder-to-shoulder with others.
We are all called to be partners in the ministry of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don’t know if God’s plan for you is to develop an e-mail prayer chain or to gather your friends to stuff mattresses for those who have no place to lay their head. I believe that God allowed us to create the technological advances that shape today’s world in great part to further His kingdom – and to enhance the ministries that involve actual physical interaction and labor. Our job is to figure out how to use all of the tools God has given us correctly to create partnerships with others… to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ… and to continue the good work He began in each of us. How successful is your partnership with God – and others - these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 25, 2011
Proverbs 20:4
If you are too lazy to plow, don't expect a harvest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The other day I caught part of a commercial for yet another fat-burning solution that comes in a little capsule. No exercise is necessary… no dietary changes are needed. All we have to do is take these little capsules, and they will miraculously attach to our belly fat and burn it into oblivion for us! Yippee!!! As my “personal trainer” Jillian Michaels says, this is a message of lethargy and laziness… and it won’t work. She also says that so many people truly do not show up their own lives. In other words, they don’t take responsibility for their actions… or the outcomes. And she is right! We want the harvest, but we don’t want to plow!
We see this in every arena of life. Some students never study and barely get by then wonder why their GPA is so poor and they can’t get into good graduate schools - or potential employers are less than impressed. People apply for job after job and wonder why nobody will hire them... yet they fail to realize they present a lazy, “I-could-care-less” attitude and a sloppy appearance. We all know someone who has been on one diet after another, joined every gym in town and has a cabinet full of workout videos – right next to the treadmill/clothes rack. Every Monday is going to be the first day of a diet… until Monday actually arrives.
We also see this in the lives of many Christians. We make excuses with comments like, “I have nothing to offer. I’m not smart/capable/talented/outgoing… and more. I don’t have time. I don’t want to be a pest.” Sometimes, these are code for “I’m too lazy to get involved.” We often hear God nudging us into service and witness, but we either tune Him out or turn away. Some of us are so out of step with God that we really, truly don’t recognize His voice when He speaks and gives us an assignment!
The time has come for us to show up… to be truly present in our own lives… and as Christians and Disciples of Christ. We need to get up and get going… to clean up our act, polish our appearance, and get in line to accept whatever challenges we are presented… with all of the enthusiasm and energy we can muster. If you are really ready for a harvest, are you ready to plow?
©2011 Debbie Robus
If you are too lazy to plow, don't expect a harvest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The other day I caught part of a commercial for yet another fat-burning solution that comes in a little capsule. No exercise is necessary… no dietary changes are needed. All we have to do is take these little capsules, and they will miraculously attach to our belly fat and burn it into oblivion for us! Yippee!!! As my “personal trainer” Jillian Michaels says, this is a message of lethargy and laziness… and it won’t work. She also says that so many people truly do not show up their own lives. In other words, they don’t take responsibility for their actions… or the outcomes. And she is right! We want the harvest, but we don’t want to plow!
We see this in every arena of life. Some students never study and barely get by then wonder why their GPA is so poor and they can’t get into good graduate schools - or potential employers are less than impressed. People apply for job after job and wonder why nobody will hire them... yet they fail to realize they present a lazy, “I-could-care-less” attitude and a sloppy appearance. We all know someone who has been on one diet after another, joined every gym in town and has a cabinet full of workout videos – right next to the treadmill/clothes rack. Every Monday is going to be the first day of a diet… until Monday actually arrives.
We also see this in the lives of many Christians. We make excuses with comments like, “I have nothing to offer. I’m not smart/capable/talented/outgoing… and more. I don’t have time. I don’t want to be a pest.” Sometimes, these are code for “I’m too lazy to get involved.” We often hear God nudging us into service and witness, but we either tune Him out or turn away. Some of us are so out of step with God that we really, truly don’t recognize His voice when He speaks and gives us an assignment!
The time has come for us to show up… to be truly present in our own lives… and as Christians and Disciples of Christ. We need to get up and get going… to clean up our act, polish our appearance, and get in line to accept whatever challenges we are presented… with all of the enthusiasm and energy we can muster. If you are really ready for a harvest, are you ready to plow?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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