James 1:9-11
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
You can learn a lot from a three-year-old boy. He could generally care less whether he has on a fancy shirt or a plain shirt – or no shirt at all. He is more amused as much by a rolled up sock being tossed above his head in a game of “keep-away” as he is by an expensive electronic gadget. He prefers a bowl of Cheerios®, dried fruit and chocolate chips to something more “gourmet”… and “swimming” in a bathtub filled with plastic toys is just as fun as going to play in an actual pool.
I know that this will change. In a couple of years, these things will not be as satisfying. We teach our children to consume… and to want more… to desire to be wealthy and famous and aspire to drive fancy cars and live in big houses. All three-year-old boys want is to play and be loved… for someone to pay attention to them. And all we should desire of God is HIS love and attention.
Recently, I accompanied my husband on his daily walk down a nearby trail. In one particular stretch, we wound down a hill into a ravine. This has become one of my favorite places in any season. But this time of year, it is incredibly shady and peaceful. As we passed under the crown-canopy of this tranquil forest, I thought, “If Heaven is anything like this, I’ll be a happy camper. This is quite enough!”
I know the Bible promises that when we get to heaven, we will have a mansion. I believe that the streets are paved with gold and the opulence is more than we can imagine. And I guess all of that will be nice… I mean, I’m certainly not going to turn it down – are you?! But what I really want is to be in the physical presence of Jesus… to sit at His feet and feel His arms wrapped around me… to snuggle into His chest and truly rest there in His love.
The point of this passage is that being rich is not the goal. Wealth and possessions don’t matter. As Christians, we need to become like three-year-old boys… content with the love and attention of our Heavenly Father and unimpressed by frills and distractions. We need to focus on what is truly important. And more often than not, riches and “stuff” get in the way of this.
Regardless of what you have… your current position in life… your aspirations for more… make the central focus of your life your relationship with God. The only way to truly be content – rich or poor – is to operate in the confidence that you are pleasing God in everything. Allow Him to show you what is truly important. Learn to find joy in serving Him well with all that you have. Recognize the blessings of God’s “shady ravine” …and if He gives you more than this, consider it a bonus!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label learning to live within our means. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning to live within our means. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 6, 2012
Ecclesiastes 2:24
There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
Scripture taken from the The King James Version present on BibleGateway.com, which matches the 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States.
This morning I cooked a big breakfast. Then I cleaned the kitchen and even ran the vacuum. The kitchen floor felt a little sticky, so I ran the steam mop. Not wanting to step across the freshly steamed floor (in other words, I was in a hurry!), I jerked the plug from the outlet, and as the cord hung on something, I gave it another tug. I also pulled a Pyrex measuring pitcher off the counter in the bargain and broke it into smithereens on the freshly cleaned floor! Then I had to vacuum and mop again!
I could easily have gotten upset about this… and at one time, I would have had a really good pity party over it. But today, I looked around at my house that I love and thought of how blessed I am. I thanked God for a good vacuum, bright light to see the tiniest slivers of glass, and the fact that I am healthy, well, and have such a rich, full life. Sure, this delayed my plans to spend the afternoon sewing, but so what?! I vowed to be happy in the meantime.
In my prayer journal/sermon notes, I have written the following quotes alongside this verse. I believe they were from Joyce Meyer.
Are you “happy in the meantime?” Are you embracing every part of your life’s journey – the feasts AND the dirt? Do your actions reflect a trust in God? Who – and what – are you trying to change by your own power? Isn’t it time relinquish our self-appointed title of “Holy Ghost, Jr.” and truly recognize the hand of God in every aspect of our lives? Is this the day we will begin to make our souls enjoy good in His labor? Shouldn’t we?
©2012 Debbie Robus
There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
Scripture taken from the The King James Version present on BibleGateway.com, which matches the 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States.
This morning I cooked a big breakfast. Then I cleaned the kitchen and even ran the vacuum. The kitchen floor felt a little sticky, so I ran the steam mop. Not wanting to step across the freshly steamed floor (in other words, I was in a hurry!), I jerked the plug from the outlet, and as the cord hung on something, I gave it another tug. I also pulled a Pyrex measuring pitcher off the counter in the bargain and broke it into smithereens on the freshly cleaned floor! Then I had to vacuum and mop again!
I could easily have gotten upset about this… and at one time, I would have had a really good pity party over it. But today, I looked around at my house that I love and thought of how blessed I am. I thanked God for a good vacuum, bright light to see the tiniest slivers of glass, and the fact that I am healthy, well, and have such a rich, full life. Sure, this delayed my plans to spend the afternoon sewing, but so what?! I vowed to be happy in the meantime.
In my prayer journal/sermon notes, I have written the following quotes alongside this verse. I believe they were from Joyce Meyer.
- “God didn’t put you with the person you are with so you could put them on the Potter’s wheel every day and try to rework them.” In other words, other people are not going to make us happy every minute of the day… but that isn’t their job – and it’s not ours to try to “fix” them!
- “Examine what you’re doing, and if it’s not working… don’t keep doing it!” I think this one explains itself!
- “Show by our actions that we trust God… not just in our words.” This is a tough one for some of us, but a good start is not letting the “broken glasses” of our world ruin our day!
- “Being content doesn’t mean we don’t seek change… it just means we are happy in the meantime. It’s about the journey. Learn to love the dirt! Stop trying to be ‘Holy Ghost, Jr.!”
Are you “happy in the meantime?” Are you embracing every part of your life’s journey – the feasts AND the dirt? Do your actions reflect a trust in God? Who – and what – are you trying to change by your own power? Isn’t it time relinquish our self-appointed title of “Holy Ghost, Jr.” and truly recognize the hand of God in every aspect of our lives? Is this the day we will begin to make our souls enjoy good in His labor? Shouldn’t we?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 21, 2012
Proverbs 23:1-3
When you are invited to eat with a king, use your best manners. Don't go and stuff yourself! That would be just the same as cutting your throat. Don't be greedy for all of that fancy food! It may not be so tasty.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was in high school, my parents scraped together enough money to buy me a used car. My parents both worked, and my mom also commuted nearly every day to UCA to attend classes toward her degree in education, so their vehicles were always in use. We needed a way for me to get myself and my sister and brother to school and back – and anywhere else we needed to go. So my dad found a little pale green Dodge Lancer that he thought would fill the bill.
I can’t recall the exact year of my Lancer, but it was probably between 1962 and 1965… and it was in sad shape. We talked about how to fix it up… a new coat of paint would surely help wonders. So I began dreaming of the paint color… a nice blue, or maybe even white. I went to band camp for two weeks, and when I returned, my dad had painted the car… the same ugly pale green as the original color. I was crushed. His reasoning was that it was cheaper to repaint the same color than to choose a new one. So for the next year or so until I married and went off to college, I was stuck with what we dubbed, “The Green Weenie.”
That awful car got us back and forth to school. It carried me over the roads and back to UCA the summer I married, so that I could get a jump start on college. It had a “three on the tree” (for you youngsters, that means it had a manual transmission, and I shifted three forward gears with a gear stick on the steering column), and some days it didn’t want to start. But it got good gas mileage and served as fairly reliable transportation.
Today, I could probably buy virtually any car I want (within reason)… yet my vehicle of choice is now ten years old and has very few miles. Every time I think about buying a nice, new, shiny vehicle, I think of those who would give anything just to have a “Green Weenie,” and I can’t bring myself to do it. I have good, safe, reliable transportation. I’ve owned a sports car – and rarely drove it. Just as it is with lots of thing, the “new” wore off. Getting the car I’d dreamed of owning was almost as exciting as actually owning it.
What does this mean for us as Christians? So often, we are struck by the flash and sizzle of “things.” It’s like going to an all-you-can-eat-buffet and being so enamored of the beautiful array of food that we pile our plate completely full before we get past the salad options. We went into the restaurant needing to feed our body and satisfy our hunger, but we ended up stuffing ourselves miserable. A “Green Weenie” soup and sandwich would have fully nourished us, but we thought we had to have more.
And so it is with God. Often we overlook the wonderful – and more than ample – gift He has given us in salvation through Jesus and our daily blessings and abundance. We want more. We want “stuff” – and lots of it! We want big houses, high-paying jobs, fame and fortune and a chance to “run with the big dogs.” We even want to grow our churches to a membership of thousands… and we don’t have a clue how to handle such wealth. We come away full and miserable… confused and frustrated.
Today, I challenge you to settle in and sit for a while. Consider what you have… the richness in which you already live. Ask yourself, “Are my basic needs met? Do I have more than enough? What am I doing with the excess? How am I serving God out of my abundance? Will more of anything really satisfy me or make life better – for me and others?” Humbly ask God to show you where you already have enough… and how to use what is left over for His glory. If He blesses you with a “buffet” in any area of your life… ask Him to help you handle the riches according to His will. Know when to say “When!”… and how to manage whatever God gives you.
©2012 Debbie Robus
When you are invited to eat with a king, use your best manners. Don't go and stuff yourself! That would be just the same as cutting your throat. Don't be greedy for all of that fancy food! It may not be so tasty.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was in high school, my parents scraped together enough money to buy me a used car. My parents both worked, and my mom also commuted nearly every day to UCA to attend classes toward her degree in education, so their vehicles were always in use. We needed a way for me to get myself and my sister and brother to school and back – and anywhere else we needed to go. So my dad found a little pale green Dodge Lancer that he thought would fill the bill.
I can’t recall the exact year of my Lancer, but it was probably between 1962 and 1965… and it was in sad shape. We talked about how to fix it up… a new coat of paint would surely help wonders. So I began dreaming of the paint color… a nice blue, or maybe even white. I went to band camp for two weeks, and when I returned, my dad had painted the car… the same ugly pale green as the original color. I was crushed. His reasoning was that it was cheaper to repaint the same color than to choose a new one. So for the next year or so until I married and went off to college, I was stuck with what we dubbed, “The Green Weenie.”
That awful car got us back and forth to school. It carried me over the roads and back to UCA the summer I married, so that I could get a jump start on college. It had a “three on the tree” (for you youngsters, that means it had a manual transmission, and I shifted three forward gears with a gear stick on the steering column), and some days it didn’t want to start. But it got good gas mileage and served as fairly reliable transportation.
Today, I could probably buy virtually any car I want (within reason)… yet my vehicle of choice is now ten years old and has very few miles. Every time I think about buying a nice, new, shiny vehicle, I think of those who would give anything just to have a “Green Weenie,” and I can’t bring myself to do it. I have good, safe, reliable transportation. I’ve owned a sports car – and rarely drove it. Just as it is with lots of thing, the “new” wore off. Getting the car I’d dreamed of owning was almost as exciting as actually owning it.
What does this mean for us as Christians? So often, we are struck by the flash and sizzle of “things.” It’s like going to an all-you-can-eat-buffet and being so enamored of the beautiful array of food that we pile our plate completely full before we get past the salad options. We went into the restaurant needing to feed our body and satisfy our hunger, but we ended up stuffing ourselves miserable. A “Green Weenie” soup and sandwich would have fully nourished us, but we thought we had to have more.
And so it is with God. Often we overlook the wonderful – and more than ample – gift He has given us in salvation through Jesus and our daily blessings and abundance. We want more. We want “stuff” – and lots of it! We want big houses, high-paying jobs, fame and fortune and a chance to “run with the big dogs.” We even want to grow our churches to a membership of thousands… and we don’t have a clue how to handle such wealth. We come away full and miserable… confused and frustrated.
Today, I challenge you to settle in and sit for a while. Consider what you have… the richness in which you already live. Ask yourself, “Are my basic needs met? Do I have more than enough? What am I doing with the excess? How am I serving God out of my abundance? Will more of anything really satisfy me or make life better – for me and others?” Humbly ask God to show you where you already have enough… and how to use what is left over for His glory. If He blesses you with a “buffet” in any area of your life… ask Him to help you handle the riches according to His will. Know when to say “When!”… and how to manage whatever God gives you.
©2012 Debbie Robus
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