Psalm 37:7-9
Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act. Don’t be envious of evil men who prosper.
Stop
your anger! Turn off your wrath. Don’t fret and worry—it only leads to
harm. For the wicked shall be destroyed, but those who trust the Lord
shall be given every blessing.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
I am sad to report to you
that I know more than a few people who claim to be faith-filled
Christians…yet they are some of the angriest, most worrisome people I
have ever met! It’s would almost be a joke…were it not so
disheartening. Others who know these people well practically wager on
what will set them off…or how long it will take them to mention that
something has made them mad - or that they are troubled about a
particular thing. Gloom and doom are their constant companions, and
they are generally one crisis or aggravation away from some sort of
meltdown or outburst. And yet they sprinkle their conversations with
references to God, their “faith,” church, Bible study, and Christian
fellowship!
Now I ask you, does this sound like a person who has
something you want? Would you be interested in serving their God if
doing so made you feel so miserable and anxious? I didn’t think so…and I
don’t blame you.
I hope I have been vague enough in my
description that no one has said, “Hey! She’s talking about ME!” If
you do feel that way, perhaps it is time to check your thoughts, words
and actions…and see where you need to “stop your anger” and “turn off
your wrath.” Maybe it’s time for you to fret and worry less…and trust
God more.
It’s probably a good idea for each one of us to pause
and give ourselves a good examination…to see whether we are lining up
with God and really surrendering to Him – and especially to determine
whether we are demonstrating this level of trust to the world at large.
If we are going rest in the Lord, we must wait patiently for
Him to act. We must trust Him for outcomes that bless us and serve our
best interests. In turn, we must serve God by representing His
steadfastness and perfection to those with whom we interact. And they
cannot see this confidence if we are always worried, defeated, upset or
angry.
When others think of you, what words come to mind? Do
they see a person of peace and calm who trusts God in all things? Or do
they see someone who is directly affected by each and every
circumstance of the day – and reacts accordingly? Our attitudes matter
greatly – to us, to others, and to God. What does your attitude say about your Christian faith these days?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label modeling Christian behavior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label modeling Christian behavior. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for May 3, 2015
Romans 5:6-8
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to 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 while I was working out in the pool, a mother arrived with two toddlers. The oldest was about 2½, and I am guessing his little sister was just past one. Both children were wearing “puddle jumpers” – a type of flotation device that secures around the middle of the body and has additional flotation bands for each arm. Our kids have them, and they work great!
The older brother got right into the water and began paddling around. Soon he got out and talked with his mother and baby sister, and then he moved to the edge of the pool and positioned himself to jump back into the water. Except he didn’t jump. He counted…”1…2…” His mother counted…”1…2…3…JUMP!” I watched this little guy as he tried so hard to make the leap. He wanted to so badly, but there was a part of him that just wasn’t ready. He even trembled a little. And there was no one in the water to catch him. I was positioned quite a distance away, and his mom and sister were sitting on the pool deck.
After a few seconds, the child did jump. And everyone applauded. Subsequently, he jumped in several times…demonstrating a little fear and trepidation each time. But with every successive leap, he went a little farther a little sooner – and made a bigger splash.
As I read this passage today, I thought of the little boy. Whether we will admit it or not, some of us have made up our minds to jump fully into a life with Christ – but something holds us back. Let’s be honest…a lot of times, our sins are fun – or feel pretty good! It’s tough to make that final leap and give it all up – even to the One who gave up EVERYTHING for us. For whatever reason, we are quite often simply “not ready” – or “not ready enough”!
It is indeed a great thing that Jesus didn’t wait on us to make up our minds…that He didn’t say, “When Debbie…(or you…or that other guy) decides that she/he is ready to go all in for Me and surrender fully from sin, I will be ready to allow the soldiers to nail me to a cross.” Jesus knew that this would never happen. He knows how weak we humans are. But the bigger thing is that our salvation is not based on when, where and how we are ready to live for Jesus. He has always been ready to live – and die - for us!
This is what makes Salvation in Jesus Christ so special and amazing…that He has been ready to sacrifice so much for us whether we were ready to live for Him and serve Him or not. Because you see, we do have a choice…and sadly, there will be some who are never ready. I cannot understand this…and you probably can’t either. We must do all we can to demonstrate how glorious a life in Christ is…how amazing it is to love and serve a Risen Savior…how He makes every aspect of our lives better and more hopeful. We must give others a reason to choose Jesus by living in a way that causes them to say, “I want what he/she has!”
I completely identify with the toddler learning to jump. There are a lot of things in this big ole world that can be pretty scary! And fully surrendering your life to Christ Jesus can be one of them. But oh, the rewards are so amazing! There may not be visible or audible applause and cheering – but I assure you that there is some clapping going on in heaven. And as we learn to give God control and walk in His ways instead of our own, the “jumps” get easier…and the “splashes” get bigger!
My question for you today is…”Have you let go of the edge and ‘jumped in’ with Jesus?” Whether you are “ready” or not…the time to take this leap is now! Don’t look back…just jump! Jesus will be waiting to catch you.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to 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 while I was working out in the pool, a mother arrived with two toddlers. The oldest was about 2½, and I am guessing his little sister was just past one. Both children were wearing “puddle jumpers” – a type of flotation device that secures around the middle of the body and has additional flotation bands for each arm. Our kids have them, and they work great!
The older brother got right into the water and began paddling around. Soon he got out and talked with his mother and baby sister, and then he moved to the edge of the pool and positioned himself to jump back into the water. Except he didn’t jump. He counted…”1…2…” His mother counted…”1…2…3…JUMP!” I watched this little guy as he tried so hard to make the leap. He wanted to so badly, but there was a part of him that just wasn’t ready. He even trembled a little. And there was no one in the water to catch him. I was positioned quite a distance away, and his mom and sister were sitting on the pool deck.
After a few seconds, the child did jump. And everyone applauded. Subsequently, he jumped in several times…demonstrating a little fear and trepidation each time. But with every successive leap, he went a little farther a little sooner – and made a bigger splash.
As I read this passage today, I thought of the little boy. Whether we will admit it or not, some of us have made up our minds to jump fully into a life with Christ – but something holds us back. Let’s be honest…a lot of times, our sins are fun – or feel pretty good! It’s tough to make that final leap and give it all up – even to the One who gave up EVERYTHING for us. For whatever reason, we are quite often simply “not ready” – or “not ready enough”!
It is indeed a great thing that Jesus didn’t wait on us to make up our minds…that He didn’t say, “When Debbie…(or you…or that other guy) decides that she/he is ready to go all in for Me and surrender fully from sin, I will be ready to allow the soldiers to nail me to a cross.” Jesus knew that this would never happen. He knows how weak we humans are. But the bigger thing is that our salvation is not based on when, where and how we are ready to live for Jesus. He has always been ready to live – and die - for us!
This is what makes Salvation in Jesus Christ so special and amazing…that He has been ready to sacrifice so much for us whether we were ready to live for Him and serve Him or not. Because you see, we do have a choice…and sadly, there will be some who are never ready. I cannot understand this…and you probably can’t either. We must do all we can to demonstrate how glorious a life in Christ is…how amazing it is to love and serve a Risen Savior…how He makes every aspect of our lives better and more hopeful. We must give others a reason to choose Jesus by living in a way that causes them to say, “I want what he/she has!”
I completely identify with the toddler learning to jump. There are a lot of things in this big ole world that can be pretty scary! And fully surrendering your life to Christ Jesus can be one of them. But oh, the rewards are so amazing! There may not be visible or audible applause and cheering – but I assure you that there is some clapping going on in heaven. And as we learn to give God control and walk in His ways instead of our own, the “jumps” get easier…and the “splashes” get bigger!
My question for you today is…”Have you let go of the edge and ‘jumped in’ with Jesus?” Whether you are “ready” or not…the time to take this leap is now! Don’t look back…just jump! Jesus will be waiting to catch you.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 15, 2014
3 John 1:2
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This morning as I left the pool at our local Aquatic Center, I met my Mam-ma Polly’s best friend, Ruby. She was just getting into the therapy pool for a morning exercise class. Ruby has a number of health issues, including diabetes and neuropathy. She is also 95 years young, still lives in her own home, and drives her own car...even to the community Aquatic Center on a rainy Monday morning! If Ruby misses a church service or Sunday school, you know that she is more than a little under the weather!
Ruby is like my Mam-ma Polly – she comes from “good stock!” She has endured a number of challenges and heartaches in her life, including the deaths of two husbands and her daughter. Ruby took it hard when Mam-ma Polly had to move to the Assisted Living Facility – and even harder when she went to heaven. Mam-ma Polly was Ruby’s “partner in crime” in many things for a number of years! You hardly saw one without the other, so I know she has been lonely without her friend.
Still, Ruby is one of the most upbeat and cheerful women I know...and she reminds me of the “Engergizer® Bunny”! Her soul is incredibly healthy, even as her body ages and declines...and I don’t think this is any accident. I’ve known quite a few remarkable men and women who lived well into their 90s...and some to nearly 100. And when I say “lived well”...I mean, they lived well! If you take a good look at these amazing role models, you can see a common thread...they all have/had healthy souls! Their hearts belong to Jesus...they trust Him to meet their needs and keep them upright and moving forward...and they eagerly and joyfully anticipate spending eternity in His presence!
There are “Rubys” and “Pollys” in our midst...and we would do well to watch and learn from their extraordinary examples of faith and Christian service. Look around you and see who demonstrates a healthy soul – even when their body may not be serving them so well. Pay attention to how they persevere...what keeps them motivated and encouraged. Learn from their “spiritual fitness regimen”... and incorporate their methods into your own life.
Many of us have a role model for physical fitness...and/or someone to whom we look for guidance in business and personal matters. And our “health” in these areas is important to God. But fewer of us have found a role model for a healthy “faith walk,” and it’s time we made this a priority. There are people around us who are, for the most part, getting it right! Ask God to reveal their presence...then pay attention to how they serve Him! Thank God for examples of “good stock” who trust Him for their health and well-being in every area of their lives...and take a page from their book for your own circumstances.
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with YOU this day, and that your body - AND your soul - are both very well and healthy.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This morning as I left the pool at our local Aquatic Center, I met my Mam-ma Polly’s best friend, Ruby. She was just getting into the therapy pool for a morning exercise class. Ruby has a number of health issues, including diabetes and neuropathy. She is also 95 years young, still lives in her own home, and drives her own car...even to the community Aquatic Center on a rainy Monday morning! If Ruby misses a church service or Sunday school, you know that she is more than a little under the weather!
Ruby is like my Mam-ma Polly – she comes from “good stock!” She has endured a number of challenges and heartaches in her life, including the deaths of two husbands and her daughter. Ruby took it hard when Mam-ma Polly had to move to the Assisted Living Facility – and even harder when she went to heaven. Mam-ma Polly was Ruby’s “partner in crime” in many things for a number of years! You hardly saw one without the other, so I know she has been lonely without her friend.
Still, Ruby is one of the most upbeat and cheerful women I know...and she reminds me of the “Engergizer® Bunny”! Her soul is incredibly healthy, even as her body ages and declines...and I don’t think this is any accident. I’ve known quite a few remarkable men and women who lived well into their 90s...and some to nearly 100. And when I say “lived well”...I mean, they lived well! If you take a good look at these amazing role models, you can see a common thread...they all have/had healthy souls! Their hearts belong to Jesus...they trust Him to meet their needs and keep them upright and moving forward...and they eagerly and joyfully anticipate spending eternity in His presence!
There are “Rubys” and “Pollys” in our midst...and we would do well to watch and learn from their extraordinary examples of faith and Christian service. Look around you and see who demonstrates a healthy soul – even when their body may not be serving them so well. Pay attention to how they persevere...what keeps them motivated and encouraged. Learn from their “spiritual fitness regimen”... and incorporate their methods into your own life.
Many of us have a role model for physical fitness...and/or someone to whom we look for guidance in business and personal matters. And our “health” in these areas is important to God. But fewer of us have found a role model for a healthy “faith walk,” and it’s time we made this a priority. There are people around us who are, for the most part, getting it right! Ask God to reveal their presence...then pay attention to how they serve Him! Thank God for examples of “good stock” who trust Him for their health and well-being in every area of their lives...and take a page from their book for your own circumstances.
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with YOU this day, and that your body - AND your soul - are both very well and healthy.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 5, 2014
John 12:37-40
Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn’t get it, still wouldn’t trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:
God, who believed what we preached?
Who recognized God’s arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn’t believe, then they couldn’t—again, just as Isaiah said:
Our bishop for the Arkansas United Methodists, Gary Mueller, posts a daily “GodNMe” devotional on Facebook. He focused today on how – and why – some people seem to be turning away from God. He cited several reasons, including how our culture seems to encourage this on some levels…and how technology and advances have given us a sense that we can do so many more things for ourselves, so we feel that we really don’t need God’s help. But what struck me the most was the sentence where he said that sadly…”people of faith make it hard for others to believe because of the way we behave.” He conceded that this was a hard fact to admit…but I really think he is on to something.
Dare I remind you again…people.are.watching. Like it or not, they judge us by how we behave. When we throw up our hands and blame God for our troubles, they notice. When we gossip…they see someone who either doesn’t truly love one another – or loves “selectively”. When we judge others, we do not demonstrate God’s unconditional love. When we are negative, wallow in self-pity, and criticize…they wonder, “Will they do the same to me? Is this what it means to walk with God?” If we mistreat or disrespect our family…our teachers…our coworkers and bosses…our friends…our leaders…and even our pets, others will question just how tender our hearts truly are – and whether we’ve made room there for God.
In short, I am afraid that we are often God’s worst enemy. We offer a “faith” that causes others to say, “If that is what it means to find God, I’m not up for it!” And who would blame them?!
We can’t have it both ways. And honestly, if you have really found God and made Him an integral part of your life, you won’t want to act this way. If you start every day seeking God and inviting Him to guide your steps, you will check your words AND your body language. You will bite your tongue, smile and look for the positives in every person and situation. If you trust God to meet your every need, you will look at the darkest, most desperate situation and ask, “Where are you in this, LORD?” – and then you will wait and watch for Him - because He will appear! This might not happen immediately…but your demonstration of faith and perseverance will be its own testimony. If you are kind and loving…friendly and approachable - even toward those who are unlovely and at times unlovable – others will notice. And they will want what you have…WHO you have!
Don’t be the reason that others turn away from God. Do not make it hard for them to believe. Being a Christian is challenging enough at times without fellow believers raising doubts and causing confusion. Truly seek God for yourself…make Him an integral part of your daily living…and honor His presence with your outward behavior. Soften your heart and let the healing begin – both within you and toward those around you. Do you really get it with God? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn’t get it, still wouldn’t trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:
God, who believed what we preached?
Who recognized God’s arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn’t believe, then they couldn’t—again, just as Isaiah said:
Their eyes are blinded,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.
their hearts are hardened,
So that they wouldn’t see with their eyes
and perceive with their hearts,
And turn to me, God,
so I could heal them.
Our bishop for the Arkansas United Methodists, Gary Mueller, posts a daily “GodNMe” devotional on Facebook. He focused today on how – and why – some people seem to be turning away from God. He cited several reasons, including how our culture seems to encourage this on some levels…and how technology and advances have given us a sense that we can do so many more things for ourselves, so we feel that we really don’t need God’s help. But what struck me the most was the sentence where he said that sadly…”people of faith make it hard for others to believe because of the way we behave.” He conceded that this was a hard fact to admit…but I really think he is on to something.
Dare I remind you again…people.are.watching. Like it or not, they judge us by how we behave. When we throw up our hands and blame God for our troubles, they notice. When we gossip…they see someone who either doesn’t truly love one another – or loves “selectively”. When we judge others, we do not demonstrate God’s unconditional love. When we are negative, wallow in self-pity, and criticize…they wonder, “Will they do the same to me? Is this what it means to walk with God?” If we mistreat or disrespect our family…our teachers…our coworkers and bosses…our friends…our leaders…and even our pets, others will question just how tender our hearts truly are – and whether we’ve made room there for God.
In short, I am afraid that we are often God’s worst enemy. We offer a “faith” that causes others to say, “If that is what it means to find God, I’m not up for it!” And who would blame them?!
We can’t have it both ways. And honestly, if you have really found God and made Him an integral part of your life, you won’t want to act this way. If you start every day seeking God and inviting Him to guide your steps, you will check your words AND your body language. You will bite your tongue, smile and look for the positives in every person and situation. If you trust God to meet your every need, you will look at the darkest, most desperate situation and ask, “Where are you in this, LORD?” – and then you will wait and watch for Him - because He will appear! This might not happen immediately…but your demonstration of faith and perseverance will be its own testimony. If you are kind and loving…friendly and approachable - even toward those who are unlovely and at times unlovable – others will notice. And they will want what you have…WHO you have!
Don’t be the reason that others turn away from God. Do not make it hard for them to believe. Being a Christian is challenging enough at times without fellow believers raising doubts and causing confusion. Truly seek God for yourself…make Him an integral part of your daily living…and honor His presence with your outward behavior. Soften your heart and let the healing begin – both within you and toward those around you. Do you really get it with God? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 12, 2014
Ephesians 5:5-7
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God.
Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don’t even hang around people like that.
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 saw an interview with actor/director/screenwriter Tyler Perry (creator of the “Madea” films), and he was asked about a picture he tweeted of himself shopping at the grocery store – for the first time in 15 years. He said, “I have people who do that for me now.” He explained that he spent his time on other pursuits, and he hired someone to do things for him like shopping, cooking, and more. He also noted that there was a time when he was homeless and lived in his car, so he makes no apologies for now being able to afford to hire personal shoppers and assistants.
I happen to like Tyler Perry. From what I can see, he is a decent person who has done well – and helped a lot of other people along the way. From everything I’ve observed, Perry strives to honor God with all of his endeavors…and he appears to credit God for all of his blessings and success.
Here’s the thing…a lot of us were essentially “homeless and living in our cars”…lost without God…living in a world of sin and the devil’s tricks. Then we found Jesus…we invited Him into our hearts…and He saved us. And more than a few of us went right back to the “car”. We didn’t truly grow and learn. We are content to let others do the work of Jesus’ ministry while we claim His salvation and “ride his coat-tails” – and those of others who obediently serve Him. Oh, we’re quick to “talk the good talk”. When asked, we will say that we are Christians…we will talk about the power of prayer and how “the LORD will provide”. But we’re not eager to do the hard work…we’re too busy to reach out to others and truly share how God has worked in our lives. Our talk about the power of prayer is just that – talk! We don’t really have the time or inclination to stop and pray for others.
Sadly, a lot of Christians trot out their faith when it’s convenient, serves them well, or makes them look good. But the truly earnest work of loving others in Jesus’ name and sharing His Good News with them is not on our radar. We’re first in line to expect a blessing from God – or an accolade from others for our goodness…but it’s pretty much a mask behind which we hide. Pastor Rick Warren talks in The Purpose Driven Life about the word “worship” and how we throw that word around and misuse it. Warren says that many of us claim, “I didn’t get anything out of ‘worship’ on Sunday,” when true “worship” is not designed for us…it is designed for GOD. We’re not supposed to get something out of authentic “worship” – we are to offer worship to God!
By the same token, I believe we are not to sit back on our laurels and rest in the salvation of Jesus Christ. We are not to wait expectantly for God to bless us or “fix” things for us. We are to get busy emulating Jesus…demonstrating His teachings to others…and showing them grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and unconditional love in His name. Talk is cheap. Others will know us (and our true character) by our genuine love for Jesus Christ – and how we demonstrate it (John 13:35).
Where are you today? Are you making the most of your new life in Christ? Are you sharing His message with others in everything from your physical actions to your talk and your body language? Are you busy taking God’s blessings over your own life and multiplying them in your daily living? Or are you still stuck “living in your car”? Are you expecting your salvation to be your “ticket” into heaven…and carrying on as usual in your old ways with the same people and situations that held you captive in the past? Are you hiding behind cheap talk and pretending that you are a faithful disciple to impress others? Are you content to let other Christians do the work of the LORD for you…regardless of how viable your excuses may seem?
Isn’t it time to do a “gut check”…to see where you really stand as a Christian disciple? Are you willing to risk the discovery that your discipleship needs a little work in order to become a more genuine servant of Jesus? Will this be the day you take inventory and make necessary changes? Don’t you think you should?
©2014 Debbie Robus
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God.
Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don’t even hang around people like that.
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 saw an interview with actor/director/screenwriter Tyler Perry (creator of the “Madea” films), and he was asked about a picture he tweeted of himself shopping at the grocery store – for the first time in 15 years. He said, “I have people who do that for me now.” He explained that he spent his time on other pursuits, and he hired someone to do things for him like shopping, cooking, and more. He also noted that there was a time when he was homeless and lived in his car, so he makes no apologies for now being able to afford to hire personal shoppers and assistants.
I happen to like Tyler Perry. From what I can see, he is a decent person who has done well – and helped a lot of other people along the way. From everything I’ve observed, Perry strives to honor God with all of his endeavors…and he appears to credit God for all of his blessings and success.
Here’s the thing…a lot of us were essentially “homeless and living in our cars”…lost without God…living in a world of sin and the devil’s tricks. Then we found Jesus…we invited Him into our hearts…and He saved us. And more than a few of us went right back to the “car”. We didn’t truly grow and learn. We are content to let others do the work of Jesus’ ministry while we claim His salvation and “ride his coat-tails” – and those of others who obediently serve Him. Oh, we’re quick to “talk the good talk”. When asked, we will say that we are Christians…we will talk about the power of prayer and how “the LORD will provide”. But we’re not eager to do the hard work…we’re too busy to reach out to others and truly share how God has worked in our lives. Our talk about the power of prayer is just that – talk! We don’t really have the time or inclination to stop and pray for others.
Sadly, a lot of Christians trot out their faith when it’s convenient, serves them well, or makes them look good. But the truly earnest work of loving others in Jesus’ name and sharing His Good News with them is not on our radar. We’re first in line to expect a blessing from God – or an accolade from others for our goodness…but it’s pretty much a mask behind which we hide. Pastor Rick Warren talks in The Purpose Driven Life about the word “worship” and how we throw that word around and misuse it. Warren says that many of us claim, “I didn’t get anything out of ‘worship’ on Sunday,” when true “worship” is not designed for us…it is designed for GOD. We’re not supposed to get something out of authentic “worship” – we are to offer worship to God!
By the same token, I believe we are not to sit back on our laurels and rest in the salvation of Jesus Christ. We are not to wait expectantly for God to bless us or “fix” things for us. We are to get busy emulating Jesus…demonstrating His teachings to others…and showing them grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and unconditional love in His name. Talk is cheap. Others will know us (and our true character) by our genuine love for Jesus Christ – and how we demonstrate it (John 13:35).
Where are you today? Are you making the most of your new life in Christ? Are you sharing His message with others in everything from your physical actions to your talk and your body language? Are you busy taking God’s blessings over your own life and multiplying them in your daily living? Or are you still stuck “living in your car”? Are you expecting your salvation to be your “ticket” into heaven…and carrying on as usual in your old ways with the same people and situations that held you captive in the past? Are you hiding behind cheap talk and pretending that you are a faithful disciple to impress others? Are you content to let other Christians do the work of the LORD for you…regardless of how viable your excuses may seem?
Isn’t it time to do a “gut check”…to see where you really stand as a Christian disciple? Are you willing to risk the discovery that your discipleship needs a little work in order to become a more genuine servant of Jesus? Will this be the day you take inventory and make necessary changes? Don’t you think you should?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 4, 2014
Hebrews 1:1-3
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
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.
Thirty-three-year-old actor Diogo Morgado, who was born in Portugal, portrayed Jesus in the television mini-series “The Bible”…and will also represent him in the upcoming full-length movie “Son of God”. I found Morgado’s performance incredibly moving and compelling.
During an interview with YAHOO!TV*, Morgado said, “[Overall] I tried to bring out the humanity in Jesus … he knew who he was. He knew what he had to do, but he didn't know how or when it was going to happen. I would try to go to the source…I tried to go to what would be the energy and the feeling that would come up with [the] words, you know? Sometimes I [thought it would] play more strongly in what I didn't say than what I did say, because for me, what Jesus said was a consequence of who he was. So the words don't define Jesus. It's Jesus that defines the words.”
In my opinion, Morgado was successful in his efforts. One of the things that struck me was the tenderness with which Morgado’s “Jesus” character approached others. He cupped their faces…kissed their foreheads…gently cradled lepers and cripples in his arms…embraced children with obvious affection…and more. And in many scenes, it truly was not about what Jesus said…but all about what He did and how He reacted. I remember thinking…”This really is how Jesus loves us.” The endearment and compassion were profound...and unforgettable.
In the same interview, co-producer Mark Burnett noted…"We made a conscious choice that on television, people don't want to be told how to feel. You have to present the story and allow them to feel. And so we did that. Our hope was that people would start conversations and seek more. Had we been proselytizing on the series, I think it would have had the opposite effect. I think the fact that we have just shown the stories, and people get to make up their own opinions…it's a great discussion point."
As we read these scripture verses from Hebrews, we are reminded that God sent Jesus to earth for one purpose… to radiate His glory and cleanse us of our sins so that we could share Him with others. And we have indeed received salvation through Jesus Christ…as well as His perfect example of how to love one another and present God’s glory and hope to others. Yes…Jesus angrily overturned the money-changer’s tables in the temple. Yes, He sometimes spoke frankly to those who challenged His authority or His teachings. But Jesus was never unkind or unloving…He never gossiped to His disciples about others…He never cheated anyone or succumbed to temptation…He never took the easy way out to spare His own feelings – or those of anyone else. Jesus never deliberately harmed another human being.
Just as importantly, Jesus knew when to let His actions speak louder than words. If you go back and read the Gospels again, you will see how calmly and rationally Jesus went about His day…whether fishing with the Disciples, healing the sick and lame - or making two fish and five loaves feed a crowd of thousands. And this is the message for us…this is our model for serving God as Christ’s disciples. We are to love others…to share the glory and promise of living as God’s children…to demonstrate the power – and unconditional care – of Jesus Christ…and to offer others an opportunity to receive His salvation. We are also called to know when our actions speak louder than words. If we truly model Jesus to others, we will set the stage for them to seek more. We will offer them “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”…and allow God to do the rest.
How are you sharing Jesus with others? Does your daily living demonstrate the love of Christ and God’s glory? Is your discipleship quiet, tender, and compelling…or boisterous, sometimes harsh, and off-putting? Are you expressing the very character of God to others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*http://tv.yahoo.com/news/-the-bible--crucifixion-scenes-brought-48-snakes-and-a-life-changing-experience-for-diogo-morgado-211712546.html
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
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.
Thirty-three-year-old actor Diogo Morgado, who was born in Portugal, portrayed Jesus in the television mini-series “The Bible”…and will also represent him in the upcoming full-length movie “Son of God”. I found Morgado’s performance incredibly moving and compelling.
During an interview with YAHOO!TV*, Morgado said, “[Overall] I tried to bring out the humanity in Jesus … he knew who he was. He knew what he had to do, but he didn't know how or when it was going to happen. I would try to go to the source…I tried to go to what would be the energy and the feeling that would come up with [the] words, you know? Sometimes I [thought it would] play more strongly in what I didn't say than what I did say, because for me, what Jesus said was a consequence of who he was. So the words don't define Jesus. It's Jesus that defines the words.”
In my opinion, Morgado was successful in his efforts. One of the things that struck me was the tenderness with which Morgado’s “Jesus” character approached others. He cupped their faces…kissed their foreheads…gently cradled lepers and cripples in his arms…embraced children with obvious affection…and more. And in many scenes, it truly was not about what Jesus said…but all about what He did and how He reacted. I remember thinking…”This really is how Jesus loves us.” The endearment and compassion were profound...and unforgettable.
In the same interview, co-producer Mark Burnett noted…"We made a conscious choice that on television, people don't want to be told how to feel. You have to present the story and allow them to feel. And so we did that. Our hope was that people would start conversations and seek more. Had we been proselytizing on the series, I think it would have had the opposite effect. I think the fact that we have just shown the stories, and people get to make up their own opinions…it's a great discussion point."
As we read these scripture verses from Hebrews, we are reminded that God sent Jesus to earth for one purpose… to radiate His glory and cleanse us of our sins so that we could share Him with others. And we have indeed received salvation through Jesus Christ…as well as His perfect example of how to love one another and present God’s glory and hope to others. Yes…Jesus angrily overturned the money-changer’s tables in the temple. Yes, He sometimes spoke frankly to those who challenged His authority or His teachings. But Jesus was never unkind or unloving…He never gossiped to His disciples about others…He never cheated anyone or succumbed to temptation…He never took the easy way out to spare His own feelings – or those of anyone else. Jesus never deliberately harmed another human being.
Just as importantly, Jesus knew when to let His actions speak louder than words. If you go back and read the Gospels again, you will see how calmly and rationally Jesus went about His day…whether fishing with the Disciples, healing the sick and lame - or making two fish and five loaves feed a crowd of thousands. And this is the message for us…this is our model for serving God as Christ’s disciples. We are to love others…to share the glory and promise of living as God’s children…to demonstrate the power – and unconditional care – of Jesus Christ…and to offer others an opportunity to receive His salvation. We are also called to know when our actions speak louder than words. If we truly model Jesus to others, we will set the stage for them to seek more. We will offer them “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”…and allow God to do the rest.
How are you sharing Jesus with others? Does your daily living demonstrate the love of Christ and God’s glory? Is your discipleship quiet, tender, and compelling…or boisterous, sometimes harsh, and off-putting? Are you expressing the very character of God to others? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*http://tv.yahoo.com/news/-the-bible--crucifixion-scenes-brought-48-snakes-and-a-life-changing-experience-for-diogo-morgado-211712546.html
Daily Devotional for February 20, 2014
Galatians 2:6-10
And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.
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 The Glass Castle, author Jeanette Walls talks a lot about being poor. It’s not that her parents weren’t capable of earning a decent living and providing for Walls and her three siblings. But both were poor managers - and a little unstable mentally and/or emotionally – and they pretty much chose not to work. Their theory was that “allowing” the children to fend for themselves would build character and develop lifelong survival skills. You probably cannot imagine your parents doing this…but I’ve worked with enough children and families to know that a somewhat “subconscious” form of this mindset exists more often than we want to believe.
Whether children learn survival skills as a result of this upbringing or not isn’t as important as how this treatment affects them psychologically. Walls describes how she and her siblings ate out of the garbage cans at the school cafeteria when no one was looking. They had no lunch money - and their mother absolutely forbade them to accept “free lunch” – so they would pretend they were not hungry. Then they would secretly steal away to the garbage cans and pilfer leftovers. Their clothes were ratty, and they even painted their skin to try to camouflage the holes in their garments. They were frequently cold… Walls’ brother, Brian, once turned a boat upside-down over his “bed” to keep the rain that dipped through holes in the roof from hitting him while he slept.
Like countless children throughout the world, these children simply wanted to be accepted…to fit in…to feel loved and nurtured. A college professor once accused Walls of not understanding the plight of the homeless, and she did not respond out of a fear that her own situation would be uncovered. Today, Walls is a successful author. She is married…and quite wealthy. Her father died from the ravages of alcoholism. Despite Wall’s efforts to provide her with a home and what most would consider “creature comforts”, Walls’ mother is homeless – by choice – on the streets of New York City.
What does this have to do with Paul’s words to the Galatians…and what is the message in this passage and illustration for us? If you read the verses again, you will see that God used Paul to preach to the Gentiles…and Peter reached out to the Jews. Both were serving God, but they were doing so out of their respective backgrounds. Sometimes, we can put ourselves in the other guy’s shoes…and sometimes, “it takes one to know one.” Does this mean that we cannot minister to the poor if we have never done without? Absolutely not! To the contrary, we must ask God to give us compassion for others, regardless of who they are. I’m not talking about pity…I’m talking about a true love and caring for others that transcends race, creed, color, sexual orientation, addictions, income levels, intellect, and more.
But there will also be instances where we can help others because of personal knowledge and insights. If you have gone through a divorce or nasty breakup…you can reach out to someone else who is experiencing this - and share how God got you through it. If you are battling an illness, you can offer support to someone else going through the same thing. If you struggled with college Algebra, you can help someone else in the same boat. Who can better counsel and comfort someone who is grieving a loss than those who have experienced this in their own lives? If you have overcome financial troubles and become debt-free (or close to it), you are in the perfect position to offer concrete, first-hand wisdom and encouragement to someone else who is struggling with this.
In addition, we need to stop and realize that none of us truly knows what is going on behind the scenes. Countless families like Jeanette Wall’s make every effort to “put on a good front”. We have no clue that there are problems at home…that kids are cold and hungry…that parents are suffering from illnesses and addictions…that there are relationship conflicts, abuses, and financial troubles. Sometimes, the cover-ups are “successful” – and no one is the wiser. Sometimes, things blow up at some point…and the results are devastating and ugly. OUR JOB as Disciples of Christ is to be awake and alert…to be loving, full of grace and mercy, kind and compassionate…and to offer others a safe “soft place to fall” if they decide to seek help.
How you demonstrate the love of Jesus in your daily living may make the difference between a child who suffers in silence – and one who feels comfortable enough to say, “I am in trouble, and I need your help.” Your kindness to someone who is disheveled and dirty or cold and hungry may allow him/her to stick around long enough to discover the love of Christ – and His power to create lifelong changes and improvements. Your willingness to listen to someone who has opinions and ideas that are different, at best – and maybe downright preposterous in your estimate – might be the catalyst for this person’s willingness to consider an alternative mindset. If we are quick to judge and suggest that it’s “our way or the highway”…we may permanently alienate the very people who desperately need to see and hear Jesus through us.
We need to smile more…to exude an air of kindness, grace, mercy, and acceptance…to honestly emulate Jesus Christ and His unconditional love for others. I saw the photo of a T-shirt on Facebook that said, “Love Thy Neighbor…thy homeless neighbor…thy Muslim neighbor…thy black neighbor…thy gay neighbor…thy white neighbor…thy Jewish neighbor…thy Christian neighbor…thy atheist neighbor…thy racist neighbor…thy addicted neighbor”.
What if we really did this? Paul tells us in this passage from Galatians 2 that God has equipped each of us to do this. He has tailored our individual “skillsets” to reach specific people. Have you determined yours? Do you know who – and how – God is calling you to share the love of Jesus with others? Are you selective in your witness, or do you genuinely desire to serve wherever God sends you – and to whomever He chooses – even the poor? Just how serious are you about your faith and discipleship? How willing – and eager - are you to share God’s love and the message of Jesus Christ with others? Don’t you think it’s time you knew?
©2014 Debbie Robus
And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.
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 The Glass Castle, author Jeanette Walls talks a lot about being poor. It’s not that her parents weren’t capable of earning a decent living and providing for Walls and her three siblings. But both were poor managers - and a little unstable mentally and/or emotionally – and they pretty much chose not to work. Their theory was that “allowing” the children to fend for themselves would build character and develop lifelong survival skills. You probably cannot imagine your parents doing this…but I’ve worked with enough children and families to know that a somewhat “subconscious” form of this mindset exists more often than we want to believe.
Whether children learn survival skills as a result of this upbringing or not isn’t as important as how this treatment affects them psychologically. Walls describes how she and her siblings ate out of the garbage cans at the school cafeteria when no one was looking. They had no lunch money - and their mother absolutely forbade them to accept “free lunch” – so they would pretend they were not hungry. Then they would secretly steal away to the garbage cans and pilfer leftovers. Their clothes were ratty, and they even painted their skin to try to camouflage the holes in their garments. They were frequently cold… Walls’ brother, Brian, once turned a boat upside-down over his “bed” to keep the rain that dipped through holes in the roof from hitting him while he slept.
Like countless children throughout the world, these children simply wanted to be accepted…to fit in…to feel loved and nurtured. A college professor once accused Walls of not understanding the plight of the homeless, and she did not respond out of a fear that her own situation would be uncovered. Today, Walls is a successful author. She is married…and quite wealthy. Her father died from the ravages of alcoholism. Despite Wall’s efforts to provide her with a home and what most would consider “creature comforts”, Walls’ mother is homeless – by choice – on the streets of New York City.
What does this have to do with Paul’s words to the Galatians…and what is the message in this passage and illustration for us? If you read the verses again, you will see that God used Paul to preach to the Gentiles…and Peter reached out to the Jews. Both were serving God, but they were doing so out of their respective backgrounds. Sometimes, we can put ourselves in the other guy’s shoes…and sometimes, “it takes one to know one.” Does this mean that we cannot minister to the poor if we have never done without? Absolutely not! To the contrary, we must ask God to give us compassion for others, regardless of who they are. I’m not talking about pity…I’m talking about a true love and caring for others that transcends race, creed, color, sexual orientation, addictions, income levels, intellect, and more.
But there will also be instances where we can help others because of personal knowledge and insights. If you have gone through a divorce or nasty breakup…you can reach out to someone else who is experiencing this - and share how God got you through it. If you are battling an illness, you can offer support to someone else going through the same thing. If you struggled with college Algebra, you can help someone else in the same boat. Who can better counsel and comfort someone who is grieving a loss than those who have experienced this in their own lives? If you have overcome financial troubles and become debt-free (or close to it), you are in the perfect position to offer concrete, first-hand wisdom and encouragement to someone else who is struggling with this.
In addition, we need to stop and realize that none of us truly knows what is going on behind the scenes. Countless families like Jeanette Wall’s make every effort to “put on a good front”. We have no clue that there are problems at home…that kids are cold and hungry…that parents are suffering from illnesses and addictions…that there are relationship conflicts, abuses, and financial troubles. Sometimes, the cover-ups are “successful” – and no one is the wiser. Sometimes, things blow up at some point…and the results are devastating and ugly. OUR JOB as Disciples of Christ is to be awake and alert…to be loving, full of grace and mercy, kind and compassionate…and to offer others a safe “soft place to fall” if they decide to seek help.
How you demonstrate the love of Jesus in your daily living may make the difference between a child who suffers in silence – and one who feels comfortable enough to say, “I am in trouble, and I need your help.” Your kindness to someone who is disheveled and dirty or cold and hungry may allow him/her to stick around long enough to discover the love of Christ – and His power to create lifelong changes and improvements. Your willingness to listen to someone who has opinions and ideas that are different, at best – and maybe downright preposterous in your estimate – might be the catalyst for this person’s willingness to consider an alternative mindset. If we are quick to judge and suggest that it’s “our way or the highway”…we may permanently alienate the very people who desperately need to see and hear Jesus through us.
We need to smile more…to exude an air of kindness, grace, mercy, and acceptance…to honestly emulate Jesus Christ and His unconditional love for others. I saw the photo of a T-shirt on Facebook that said, “Love Thy Neighbor…thy homeless neighbor…thy Muslim neighbor…thy black neighbor…thy gay neighbor…thy white neighbor…thy Jewish neighbor…thy Christian neighbor…thy atheist neighbor…thy racist neighbor…thy addicted neighbor”.
What if we really did this? Paul tells us in this passage from Galatians 2 that God has equipped each of us to do this. He has tailored our individual “skillsets” to reach specific people. Have you determined yours? Do you know who – and how – God is calling you to share the love of Jesus with others? Are you selective in your witness, or do you genuinely desire to serve wherever God sends you – and to whomever He chooses – even the poor? Just how serious are you about your faith and discipleship? How willing – and eager - are you to share God’s love and the message of Jesus Christ with others? Don’t you think it’s time you knew?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 17, 2014
1 Peter 2:13-17
Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.
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.
In recent days, two friends of mine who are in law enforcement have both announced that they are stepping aside. One is our current county sheriff, who says he will not seek another term. The other, who has been involved in law enforcement off and on for decades, announced that he would seek the office of sheriff…then announced that he was halting his campaign. Both cited the ugliness of politics…and the toll it took – or could take – on their families. To me, this is a real shame, because I know both of these men to be conscientious, caring, Christian men who take their job very seriously and truly care about the people with whom they are involved. I have to wonder who will actually seek this position…and what type of law enforcement we can expect in our county in the coming years.
Let’s be clear… I know that there are “bad apples” in every organization…including governmental offices and law enforcement. And I really had a little bit of a discussion with God about using this scripture passage today. I honestly didn’t want to tackle this topic, because I’ll admit…we don’t always agree with every elected official. There are those who are not happy with certain law enforcement officers, for one reason or another. Maybe there is “talk” in your community that this officer or that one has no tolerance for those who exceed the speed limit…or that he/she is “hard-nosed” when it comes to kids who break the law. Maybe you passionately disagree with the platform and actions of your local government officials…your legislators or governor – or even the President and his cabinet. Perhaps you have had an unpleasant personal encounter with one of these officials - or a representative of his/her office.
I encourage you to read today’s scripture passage again. Nowhere does it say that we must like those in office. But we are told to be good citizens, to obey the law…and in doing so – to avoid confrontation with law enforcement! So maybe we should worry more about not speeding…and less about the ticket-happy officer who might pull us over!
We are admonished to treat everyone with dignity and respect the government. And we are reminded that these people are God’s creations – just like we are! They are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. They have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews…and friends. They are human, and they experience the same daily events – and accompanying emotions – that you and I do. They have joys, sorrows, illnesses and injuries, bills to pay, and a myriad of responsibilities. So while you may not agree with all politicians, it does not please God when we verbally attack them or speak disrespectfully about them, call them names, and encourage their unkind treatment – or even make them the butt of our jokes.
We must keep these thoughts foremost in our minds and hearts. Law enforcement officers and elected leaders truly are no different than anyone else we encounter. We don’t have to agree with them…we don’t have to like them and make them our personal friends. But we must respect those in authority. We must behave in a way that honors God…and in doing so, respects the laws and those who make them. We must let God serve as the judge of all others…while we “keep our noses clean” and behave as true disciples of Christ.
And while we’re at it, I believe that God is calling on us to pray for these leaders. When the scriptures say “Love your spiritual family” and “respect God,” it seems to me that this would include asking God to guide these people in their positions of leadership and authority. I believe that we are called to show compassion and concern for them, just as we would to anyone else. I know this may be asking a lot. But if we want to truly love and serve God – and honor Him – we will make every effort to show respect and care for others…without exclusion.
Let’s examine our “citizenship”…and our attitudes and behaviors toward those who are in authority. Let’s ask God to give us a sense of respect, tolerance, and understanding for each of them…especially those who rub us the wrong way. Let’s live in a way that glorifies and pleases God…even if/when we don’t feel like it! Let’s exercise our freedom by serving God…and trust Him to handle the rest.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.
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.
In recent days, two friends of mine who are in law enforcement have both announced that they are stepping aside. One is our current county sheriff, who says he will not seek another term. The other, who has been involved in law enforcement off and on for decades, announced that he would seek the office of sheriff…then announced that he was halting his campaign. Both cited the ugliness of politics…and the toll it took – or could take – on their families. To me, this is a real shame, because I know both of these men to be conscientious, caring, Christian men who take their job very seriously and truly care about the people with whom they are involved. I have to wonder who will actually seek this position…and what type of law enforcement we can expect in our county in the coming years.
Let’s be clear… I know that there are “bad apples” in every organization…including governmental offices and law enforcement. And I really had a little bit of a discussion with God about using this scripture passage today. I honestly didn’t want to tackle this topic, because I’ll admit…we don’t always agree with every elected official. There are those who are not happy with certain law enforcement officers, for one reason or another. Maybe there is “talk” in your community that this officer or that one has no tolerance for those who exceed the speed limit…or that he/she is “hard-nosed” when it comes to kids who break the law. Maybe you passionately disagree with the platform and actions of your local government officials…your legislators or governor – or even the President and his cabinet. Perhaps you have had an unpleasant personal encounter with one of these officials - or a representative of his/her office.
I encourage you to read today’s scripture passage again. Nowhere does it say that we must like those in office. But we are told to be good citizens, to obey the law…and in doing so – to avoid confrontation with law enforcement! So maybe we should worry more about not speeding…and less about the ticket-happy officer who might pull us over!
We are admonished to treat everyone with dignity and respect the government. And we are reminded that these people are God’s creations – just like we are! They are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. They have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews…and friends. They are human, and they experience the same daily events – and accompanying emotions – that you and I do. They have joys, sorrows, illnesses and injuries, bills to pay, and a myriad of responsibilities. So while you may not agree with all politicians, it does not please God when we verbally attack them or speak disrespectfully about them, call them names, and encourage their unkind treatment – or even make them the butt of our jokes.
We must keep these thoughts foremost in our minds and hearts. Law enforcement officers and elected leaders truly are no different than anyone else we encounter. We don’t have to agree with them…we don’t have to like them and make them our personal friends. But we must respect those in authority. We must behave in a way that honors God…and in doing so, respects the laws and those who make them. We must let God serve as the judge of all others…while we “keep our noses clean” and behave as true disciples of Christ.
And while we’re at it, I believe that God is calling on us to pray for these leaders. When the scriptures say “Love your spiritual family” and “respect God,” it seems to me that this would include asking God to guide these people in their positions of leadership and authority. I believe that we are called to show compassion and concern for them, just as we would to anyone else. I know this may be asking a lot. But if we want to truly love and serve God – and honor Him – we will make every effort to show respect and care for others…without exclusion.
Let’s examine our “citizenship”…and our attitudes and behaviors toward those who are in authority. Let’s ask God to give us a sense of respect, tolerance, and understanding for each of them…especially those who rub us the wrong way. Let’s live in a way that glorifies and pleases God…even if/when we don’t feel like it! Let’s exercise our freedom by serving God…and trust Him to handle the rest.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 17, 2014
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
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 still cannot get over the news story this week about the young father of a three-year-old who was allegedly killed by a retired police officer in a movie theater. During the movie previews, this man refused to stop texting a message to his young daughter via the child’s babysitter. The former policeman sitting behind him apparently instigated an argument over this that escalated to his pulling out a gun and shooting this man, who later died. The man’s wife was also shot and received a non-life-threatening wound to her hand. The theater’s website lists prohibited items and actions…among them, any use of a cell phone inside the theater’s auditorium (including texting) - and possession of any weapons.
We rarely go to see a movie in the theater, because we inevitably are distracted by someone who is talking, eating too loudly, or otherwise creating a distraction. However, we would never let things escalate to this level. After all, it is just a movie. And while a theater experience isn’t cheap these days…I cannot imagine any disruption that could present a cause for “war” – much less murder! Yet these days, this seems to be where we have come to in the world as we know it. To quote this scripture passage, “It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair.”
The next sentence of this passage is incredibly profound and important: “But we don’t live or fight our battles that way – never have and never will.” As Christians, we are equipped with what this scripture passage refers to as “God-tools.” Just what are some of our God-tools? These include love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, acceptance, encouragement, and responsive obedience. Does this mean that we sit back and let “the world” walk all over us? Not at all! But we are commanded to demonstrate a better way of solving problems and dealing with conflict.
We recently watched a documentary on our local PBS station about Woodruff Elementary School… a neighborhood institution of learning that was once part of the Little Rock School district. Woodruff was located in a truly dangerous part of the city…the principal and guidance counselor claimed that the “Crips” gang actually “met” on school grounds. Violence and murder were familiar to the fabric of life in this neighborhood…even among the young children who were brought up in this culture. The principal, Pat Higginbotham, and counselor Shirley Davis, developed a “plan” to challenge the children to go a set number of days without a single fight occurring at school. At the end of this time period, there would be a reward.
It took a lot of setbacks and restarts, but the children finally made it twenty days without a fight…and they were rewarded with a huge “play day”. From there, the school staff started again…and the time frame extended – eventually reaching 300 days without a single fight at school. Along the way, victories were rewarded with field trips, play days, and more. These administrators, and a subsequent principal, Janice Wilson, credited the children and teachers with making this concept work. They claimed that as new children came into the school, the others would teach them that “we don’t behave like that here.” Daily mantras were recited to remind the children to solve problems with words and cool-headed thinking…not heated actions and reactions.
Other educators repeatedly came to study the school and its success… and to “get a copy of the program.” They were all told, “There is no ‘program’…we are simply instilling a sense of personal worth and values into these children and showing them that fighting is not the answer.” Key in their approach was to emphasize to the children that the school was a “family”…and that families take care of each other, do not solve problems with fighting, and genuinely regard each other with respect.
Do you realize that we are a family in Christ Jesus? As such, don’t you think we owe it to each other to get along without violence, unkindness, and disrespect? How handy are your “God-tools”…and do you use them often? Do you treat others with love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, acceptance, and encouragement? Do you practice “responsive obedience” by putting God’s commands and the teachings of Jesus into practice in your daily living? Are you quick to “fly off the handle” and make snap judgments about others…or worse yet, react in a way that belies your Christian faith and witness? Do you let the little things in life get to you in such a way that you are ready to “pull the trigger and shoot somebody”… if only figuratively?
Does it make sense to you that we can use these “God-tools” (with the backing strength of God Almighty) to bring the thoughts and actions of others around without the senseless “spilling of blood”? How long can YOU go without a fight…literally and figuratively? Are you truly operating within the structure of a life shaped by Christ? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
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 still cannot get over the news story this week about the young father of a three-year-old who was allegedly killed by a retired police officer in a movie theater. During the movie previews, this man refused to stop texting a message to his young daughter via the child’s babysitter. The former policeman sitting behind him apparently instigated an argument over this that escalated to his pulling out a gun and shooting this man, who later died. The man’s wife was also shot and received a non-life-threatening wound to her hand. The theater’s website lists prohibited items and actions…among them, any use of a cell phone inside the theater’s auditorium (including texting) - and possession of any weapons.
We rarely go to see a movie in the theater, because we inevitably are distracted by someone who is talking, eating too loudly, or otherwise creating a distraction. However, we would never let things escalate to this level. After all, it is just a movie. And while a theater experience isn’t cheap these days…I cannot imagine any disruption that could present a cause for “war” – much less murder! Yet these days, this seems to be where we have come to in the world as we know it. To quote this scripture passage, “It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair.”
The next sentence of this passage is incredibly profound and important: “But we don’t live or fight our battles that way – never have and never will.” As Christians, we are equipped with what this scripture passage refers to as “God-tools.” Just what are some of our God-tools? These include love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, acceptance, encouragement, and responsive obedience. Does this mean that we sit back and let “the world” walk all over us? Not at all! But we are commanded to demonstrate a better way of solving problems and dealing with conflict.
We recently watched a documentary on our local PBS station about Woodruff Elementary School… a neighborhood institution of learning that was once part of the Little Rock School district. Woodruff was located in a truly dangerous part of the city…the principal and guidance counselor claimed that the “Crips” gang actually “met” on school grounds. Violence and murder were familiar to the fabric of life in this neighborhood…even among the young children who were brought up in this culture. The principal, Pat Higginbotham, and counselor Shirley Davis, developed a “plan” to challenge the children to go a set number of days without a single fight occurring at school. At the end of this time period, there would be a reward.
It took a lot of setbacks and restarts, but the children finally made it twenty days without a fight…and they were rewarded with a huge “play day”. From there, the school staff started again…and the time frame extended – eventually reaching 300 days without a single fight at school. Along the way, victories were rewarded with field trips, play days, and more. These administrators, and a subsequent principal, Janice Wilson, credited the children and teachers with making this concept work. They claimed that as new children came into the school, the others would teach them that “we don’t behave like that here.” Daily mantras were recited to remind the children to solve problems with words and cool-headed thinking…not heated actions and reactions.
Other educators repeatedly came to study the school and its success… and to “get a copy of the program.” They were all told, “There is no ‘program’…we are simply instilling a sense of personal worth and values into these children and showing them that fighting is not the answer.” Key in their approach was to emphasize to the children that the school was a “family”…and that families take care of each other, do not solve problems with fighting, and genuinely regard each other with respect.
Do you realize that we are a family in Christ Jesus? As such, don’t you think we owe it to each other to get along without violence, unkindness, and disrespect? How handy are your “God-tools”…and do you use them often? Do you treat others with love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, acceptance, and encouragement? Do you practice “responsive obedience” by putting God’s commands and the teachings of Jesus into practice in your daily living? Are you quick to “fly off the handle” and make snap judgments about others…or worse yet, react in a way that belies your Christian faith and witness? Do you let the little things in life get to you in such a way that you are ready to “pull the trigger and shoot somebody”… if only figuratively?
Does it make sense to you that we can use these “God-tools” (with the backing strength of God Almighty) to bring the thoughts and actions of others around without the senseless “spilling of blood”? How long can YOU go without a fight…literally and figuratively? Are you truly operating within the structure of a life shaped by Christ? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 9, 2014
John 14:9
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?
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.
My sister shared with me yesterday that the last time Timothy’s mother took him and his siblings for “booster” shots, Timothy did not know that he was going to receive an injection. He and his sister Zola got the nasal mist vaccine for flu…but he also got a “booster” injection of vaccine for something else. Afterward, he cried to his mother and said, “Why did you let them do that? You let them hurt me!” Of course, this tugged at his mother’s heartstrings (as he knew it would) to think that her firstborn felt she had betrayed him and allowed him to suffer. Timothy thought he knew his mother… he thought surely she would never let any harm or pain come to him! So when she allowed this momentary “stick”, he questioned who she really was!
Perhaps you have had a relationship with someone that didn’t turn out so well… you thought you truly knew this person, only to discover that he/she was not who you believed them to be… that there were aspects of this person’s life that you found surprising…even unbelievable. I felt this way when a fellow teacher was strangled to death by her husband - a police sergeant, no less! I would never have dreamed that my friend was being abused. I trusted her husband implicitly. I was with this couple a lot over the course of almost eight years, and I still did not truly know who they were.
Let’s be honest…we humans often listen to Satan - who is the ultimate master of deception - and we become expert at this iniquity in our own lives. People often have no clue who we really are. Sometimes, it’s because we cover well and have truly honed the craft of deception. At other times, this is due to a lack of focus…and perhaps even a touch of apathy on our part.
Here’s another way to explain this…there are people who “appear” to be amazingly faith-filled servants of God. They show up at every church function, are front and center for service projects and “talk a good game”… but it’s all for show. Behind closed doors, they become a totally different person. There are others who quietly go about God’s work…who serve Him by serving others...maintain a close communication with Him at all times…and earnestly seek His will for their lives. They aren’t flashy or obvious…but friends and acquaintances know that God has captured their heart - that they live to serve Him.
Then there is a group of Christians who are “on the fence”. They are not out in the forefront creating a scene or drawing attention to their actions...but there is nothing about their daily living that tells you they are a Disciple of Christ, either. These people “fly under the radar”, so to speak. The average person cannot tell who they are – or what they truly believe. How many times have you heard it said of someone, “He is a really nice guy!”? I hope you understand that not all “nice guys” are representing our Heavenly Father. Not all “nice guys” are Disciples of Christ…and sadly, not all Disciples of Christ are “nice guys”!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus is the real deal! If you have “seen” Him - if you know Him for yourself - you know God Almighty. What you “see” truly is what you get with Jesus…it’s not a façade or a gimmick. Jesus isn’t “in your face”…but He isn’t hiding in the shadows, either. In Jesus, we have the perfect example of sharing love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, strength, hope and more. All we have to do is open our Bibles and read about His teachings and demonstrations to learn how we are to conduct our own lives. We must maintain an open dialog with God to make sure that our words, thoughts and actions line up each and every day with His plans…that others truly know who we are…and that we are sharing the love of Christ with each of them.
Like Timothy’s mother, there are occasions when God allows a momentary “stick” or “sting” in our lives. But He will never truly betray us…or be Someone we do not know. Can we say the same in our own daily living? Are we always the “real deal” for Jesus? Do others truly know who we are…can they say that they have seen the Father in you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?
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.
My sister shared with me yesterday that the last time Timothy’s mother took him and his siblings for “booster” shots, Timothy did not know that he was going to receive an injection. He and his sister Zola got the nasal mist vaccine for flu…but he also got a “booster” injection of vaccine for something else. Afterward, he cried to his mother and said, “Why did you let them do that? You let them hurt me!” Of course, this tugged at his mother’s heartstrings (as he knew it would) to think that her firstborn felt she had betrayed him and allowed him to suffer. Timothy thought he knew his mother… he thought surely she would never let any harm or pain come to him! So when she allowed this momentary “stick”, he questioned who she really was!
Perhaps you have had a relationship with someone that didn’t turn out so well… you thought you truly knew this person, only to discover that he/she was not who you believed them to be… that there were aspects of this person’s life that you found surprising…even unbelievable. I felt this way when a fellow teacher was strangled to death by her husband - a police sergeant, no less! I would never have dreamed that my friend was being abused. I trusted her husband implicitly. I was with this couple a lot over the course of almost eight years, and I still did not truly know who they were.
Let’s be honest…we humans often listen to Satan - who is the ultimate master of deception - and we become expert at this iniquity in our own lives. People often have no clue who we really are. Sometimes, it’s because we cover well and have truly honed the craft of deception. At other times, this is due to a lack of focus…and perhaps even a touch of apathy on our part.
Here’s another way to explain this…there are people who “appear” to be amazingly faith-filled servants of God. They show up at every church function, are front and center for service projects and “talk a good game”… but it’s all for show. Behind closed doors, they become a totally different person. There are others who quietly go about God’s work…who serve Him by serving others...maintain a close communication with Him at all times…and earnestly seek His will for their lives. They aren’t flashy or obvious…but friends and acquaintances know that God has captured their heart - that they live to serve Him.
Then there is a group of Christians who are “on the fence”. They are not out in the forefront creating a scene or drawing attention to their actions...but there is nothing about their daily living that tells you they are a Disciple of Christ, either. These people “fly under the radar”, so to speak. The average person cannot tell who they are – or what they truly believe. How many times have you heard it said of someone, “He is a really nice guy!”? I hope you understand that not all “nice guys” are representing our Heavenly Father. Not all “nice guys” are Disciples of Christ…and sadly, not all Disciples of Christ are “nice guys”!
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus is the real deal! If you have “seen” Him - if you know Him for yourself - you know God Almighty. What you “see” truly is what you get with Jesus…it’s not a façade or a gimmick. Jesus isn’t “in your face”…but He isn’t hiding in the shadows, either. In Jesus, we have the perfect example of sharing love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, strength, hope and more. All we have to do is open our Bibles and read about His teachings and demonstrations to learn how we are to conduct our own lives. We must maintain an open dialog with God to make sure that our words, thoughts and actions line up each and every day with His plans…that others truly know who we are…and that we are sharing the love of Christ with each of them.
Like Timothy’s mother, there are occasions when God allows a momentary “stick” or “sting” in our lives. But He will never truly betray us…or be Someone we do not know. Can we say the same in our own daily living? Are we always the “real deal” for Jesus? Do others truly know who we are…can they say that they have seen the Father in you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 24, 2013
Psalm 71:12-16
Come closer, God!
Please hurry and help.
Embarrass and destroy
all who want me dead;
disgrace and confuse
all who want to hurt me.
I will never give up hope.
All day long I will tell
the wonderful things you do
to save your people.
But you have done much more
than I could possibly know.
I will praise you, Lord God,
for your mighty deeds
and your power to save.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a child, a family who attended our church had three daughters. The youngest was afflicted with cerebral palsy. In the late 1950s and the 1960s, many children who had a “birth defect” were either kept at home behind closed doors… or placed in an institution where a professional staff cared for them. But not Mary. Her parents and sisters treated her as normally as any other person. She did attend a school in a nearby community for a while, but her mother brought her home on weekends. Eventually, she had live-in care to help the family meet her needs… and she was a frequent attendee at church and community events.
Mary was confined to a wheelchair. Her atrophied arms and legs did not work right. She communicated with her eyes and facial gestures. As a child, I often heard adults criticizing this family for treating Mary so normally. They scoffed at the notion that Mary could communicate. When the family claimed that Mary played a mean game of bridge, people secretly rolled their eyes and laughed… and I’m sure there were plenty who were bold enough to actually voice their opinions to this family.
Mary’s mother, Geraldine (whom I called MawMac), shared my birthday…and over the years, we exchanged birthday cake, cards and phone calls. I considered MawMac my mentor and hero until her dying day. For all of her 94 years, she fought through illnesses and injuries… criticisms, personal hardships and heartaches… so that she could care for Mary. When the day came that MawMac was too old to physically care for Mary at home - even with the assistance of other caregivers - she reluctantly agreed to allow Mary to move to a skilled-care facility in a community some 40 miles away. Until she had to give up driving because of her age and health (somewhere in her late 80s!), MawMac made the trip to visit Mary at least once a week. Her end-of-life goal was to live longer than Mary. She said, "The only person I want to outlive is Mary. I'm her mother, and I must be here to be sure she is always cared for."
MawMac was one of the Godliest women I ever knew. If the church doors were open… she was there. She gave great advice! Her faith and hope were an inspiration to many. Eventually, she moved to an Assisted Living facility and became very ill. One August day, her daughters visited Mary (who was just recovering from an illness of her own). They told Mary how sick MawMac was…how hard it was for her to move and breathe. And that night, Mary went to sleep… and woke up in heaven. Less than 24 hours later, MawMac followed her. These two ladies lived and breathed their hope in Jesus… they “walked” their faith in God to see them through anything and everything. They looked past criticisms and ridicule - and what was probably outright hatred and disgust from some… and saw the love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. And this is where they placed their focus.
I wonder if you and I can say the same thing in our own lives? Surely there are times when we are snubbed… hurt… insulted… demeaned. Maybe you are ridiculed for your faith…or judged unfairly because you choose to conduct yourself in a particular way. If you are steadfast in your faith and your love for Jesus, there will always be those who groan and roll their eyes behind your back. I’ve noticed these are also some of the same people who are front and center to ask for help and prayers when the chips are down! The conclusion I have drawn is that consistent, enduring hope and faith in God rubs off on others… and pays dividends!
And so we come to Christmas Eve and narrow our focus to that night over 2000 years ago when God sent a baby to earth to live and breathe among us as human flesh. Let’s remind ourselves that He has done much more than we could possibly know. Jesus has given us hope where ours was lost… He quiets the offenses and attacks of those who judge and belittle us (if only behind our backs)… and He will never leave us or cease in His efforts on our behalf! This is truly GOOD NEWS… and God is surely worthy of our praise… and our unending hope!
One of MawMac’s daughters shared these thoughts with me, and I would like to pass them on to you…
While MawMac may very well have said that you can tell Santa Claus is up there… I’d be willing to bet she also reminded her children that GOD is up there, too. MawMac’s hope was in God, who makes everything possible. And so is mine! So tonight, go outside and look up in the sky and “feel the night.” Revel in God’s presence…receive His gift of Jesus… and embrace all of the hope that comes with it. I dare you to "give it a whirl"! Merry Christmas Eve… and may God bless and keep you!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Come closer, God!
Please hurry and help.
Embarrass and destroy
all who want me dead;
disgrace and confuse
all who want to hurt me.
I will never give up hope.
All day long I will tell
the wonderful things you do
to save your people.
But you have done much more
than I could possibly know.
I will praise you, Lord God,
for your mighty deeds
and your power to save.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a child, a family who attended our church had three daughters. The youngest was afflicted with cerebral palsy. In the late 1950s and the 1960s, many children who had a “birth defect” were either kept at home behind closed doors… or placed in an institution where a professional staff cared for them. But not Mary. Her parents and sisters treated her as normally as any other person. She did attend a school in a nearby community for a while, but her mother brought her home on weekends. Eventually, she had live-in care to help the family meet her needs… and she was a frequent attendee at church and community events.
Mary was confined to a wheelchair. Her atrophied arms and legs did not work right. She communicated with her eyes and facial gestures. As a child, I often heard adults criticizing this family for treating Mary so normally. They scoffed at the notion that Mary could communicate. When the family claimed that Mary played a mean game of bridge, people secretly rolled their eyes and laughed… and I’m sure there were plenty who were bold enough to actually voice their opinions to this family.
Mary’s mother, Geraldine (whom I called MawMac), shared my birthday…and over the years, we exchanged birthday cake, cards and phone calls. I considered MawMac my mentor and hero until her dying day. For all of her 94 years, she fought through illnesses and injuries… criticisms, personal hardships and heartaches… so that she could care for Mary. When the day came that MawMac was too old to physically care for Mary at home - even with the assistance of other caregivers - she reluctantly agreed to allow Mary to move to a skilled-care facility in a community some 40 miles away. Until she had to give up driving because of her age and health (somewhere in her late 80s!), MawMac made the trip to visit Mary at least once a week. Her end-of-life goal was to live longer than Mary. She said, "The only person I want to outlive is Mary. I'm her mother, and I must be here to be sure she is always cared for."
MawMac was one of the Godliest women I ever knew. If the church doors were open… she was there. She gave great advice! Her faith and hope were an inspiration to many. Eventually, she moved to an Assisted Living facility and became very ill. One August day, her daughters visited Mary (who was just recovering from an illness of her own). They told Mary how sick MawMac was…how hard it was for her to move and breathe. And that night, Mary went to sleep… and woke up in heaven. Less than 24 hours later, MawMac followed her. These two ladies lived and breathed their hope in Jesus… they “walked” their faith in God to see them through anything and everything. They looked past criticisms and ridicule - and what was probably outright hatred and disgust from some… and saw the love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. And this is where they placed their focus.
I wonder if you and I can say the same thing in our own lives? Surely there are times when we are snubbed… hurt… insulted… demeaned. Maybe you are ridiculed for your faith…or judged unfairly because you choose to conduct yourself in a particular way. If you are steadfast in your faith and your love for Jesus, there will always be those who groan and roll their eyes behind your back. I’ve noticed these are also some of the same people who are front and center to ask for help and prayers when the chips are down! The conclusion I have drawn is that consistent, enduring hope and faith in God rubs off on others… and pays dividends!
And so we come to Christmas Eve and narrow our focus to that night over 2000 years ago when God sent a baby to earth to live and breathe among us as human flesh. Let’s remind ourselves that He has done much more than we could possibly know. Jesus has given us hope where ours was lost… He quiets the offenses and attacks of those who judge and belittle us (if only behind our backs)… and He will never leave us or cease in His efforts on our behalf! This is truly GOOD NEWS… and God is surely worthy of our praise… and our unending hope!
One of MawMac’s daughters shared these thoughts with me, and I would like to pass them on to you…
“Something my mother used to do every Christmas Eve was take us outside before bedtime. She'd say, ‘Now, look up in the sky and just feel the night. You can tell Santa Claus is up there.’ She said this in her most dramatic voice and it really impressed us. She continued until we were grown. I did the same with my children. I also continued after they were grown up. I suspect that this Christmas Eve, I will be out there looking up at the sky, feeling the night and Santa. The faith and excitement of all those millions of children makes it real and palpable. Give it a whirl!”
While MawMac may very well have said that you can tell Santa Claus is up there… I’d be willing to bet she also reminded her children that GOD is up there, too. MawMac’s hope was in God, who makes everything possible. And so is mine! So tonight, go outside and look up in the sky and “feel the night.” Revel in God’s presence…receive His gift of Jesus… and embrace all of the hope that comes with it. I dare you to "give it a whirl"! Merry Christmas Eve… and may God bless and keep you!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 20, 2013
Titus 2:7
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
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.
A fellow church member phoned me this week and asked if I would help with a sewing project for one of our local ministries. I questioned her about the details to make sure this was something I could handle. It involved recovering some chair cushions. My friend asked, “Couldn’t we just wrap the new fabric around the cushions and staple them?” I told her we could do this… but 1) it would not look nice, and 2) it would not hold up to the wear and tear these cushions will receive. When she brought me the cushions and fabric, she stressed that… “This does not have to look good.” Her words said one thing, but I also knew that she and the others working on redecorating a room for this ministry were anxious for everything to have a pretty appearance.
I won’t say that I am particularly proud of the finished result… but I know I did my very best to make the cushions look nice. I am a “details person,” and yes, I can be picky. But I also know that anything worth doing is worth doing right… as “old-fashioned” and trite as that may sound. So I try to always be respectful of whatever task I have been given… even those that seem mundane or insignificant. By the same token, I always try to be respectful of others, regardless of who they are or how they have treated me in return.
Consider this…suppose that God did not show respect for you. Certainly He would be justified. We are not worthy of God’s respect. When it comes to caring for us when we are in need, He might just as well “throw a piece of fabric over us and staple us together”! We truly don’t deserve more meticulous attention! And as for how He treats us in general… by all rights, He should do everything possible to embarrass, demean and disgrace us. We are in no way/shape/form worthy of God’s respect. And yet, He offers us this with love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. He treats us like precious jewels… even when we act like a dirty pile of trash.
Today, I want you to think about how God treats you… and how you treat Him in return. More than this, I want you to think about how you treat others… and how you handle your words and actions – and your daily activities. Are you respectful toward others? Do you treat even the most mundane activities with care and give them the attention that you should? Do your words demonstrate respect – for God and for all He has created? Do you realize that others are watching – and noticing – how you treat your relationships with God and those around you? Do you fully get it that others notice whether you give a task 100% of your effort… or treat it with disregard and contempt? Does it compute with you that everything you say and do is a reflection of your true bond with God… and it could make the difference not only in how you are treated, but whether or not the other guy wants a relationship with God for himself?
So many things in life are “only a chair cushion”… but how we handle them is immeasurably significant. Are you respectful of God and the life with which He has blessed you? What sort of example are you setting for His Kingdom? Is there seriousness in your model of Christian discipleship? Are you “teaching” others anything that they would truly want to experience for themselves? Isn’t this a good day to start making any necessary adjustments?
©2013 Debbie Robus
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
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.
A fellow church member phoned me this week and asked if I would help with a sewing project for one of our local ministries. I questioned her about the details to make sure this was something I could handle. It involved recovering some chair cushions. My friend asked, “Couldn’t we just wrap the new fabric around the cushions and staple them?” I told her we could do this… but 1) it would not look nice, and 2) it would not hold up to the wear and tear these cushions will receive. When she brought me the cushions and fabric, she stressed that… “This does not have to look good.” Her words said one thing, but I also knew that she and the others working on redecorating a room for this ministry were anxious for everything to have a pretty appearance.
I won’t say that I am particularly proud of the finished result… but I know I did my very best to make the cushions look nice. I am a “details person,” and yes, I can be picky. But I also know that anything worth doing is worth doing right… as “old-fashioned” and trite as that may sound. So I try to always be respectful of whatever task I have been given… even those that seem mundane or insignificant. By the same token, I always try to be respectful of others, regardless of who they are or how they have treated me in return.
Consider this…suppose that God did not show respect for you. Certainly He would be justified. We are not worthy of God’s respect. When it comes to caring for us when we are in need, He might just as well “throw a piece of fabric over us and staple us together”! We truly don’t deserve more meticulous attention! And as for how He treats us in general… by all rights, He should do everything possible to embarrass, demean and disgrace us. We are in no way/shape/form worthy of God’s respect. And yet, He offers us this with love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. He treats us like precious jewels… even when we act like a dirty pile of trash.
Today, I want you to think about how God treats you… and how you treat Him in return. More than this, I want you to think about how you treat others… and how you handle your words and actions – and your daily activities. Are you respectful toward others? Do you treat even the most mundane activities with care and give them the attention that you should? Do your words demonstrate respect – for God and for all He has created? Do you realize that others are watching – and noticing – how you treat your relationships with God and those around you? Do you fully get it that others notice whether you give a task 100% of your effort… or treat it with disregard and contempt? Does it compute with you that everything you say and do is a reflection of your true bond with God… and it could make the difference not only in how you are treated, but whether or not the other guy wants a relationship with God for himself?
So many things in life are “only a chair cushion”… but how we handle them is immeasurably significant. Are you respectful of God and the life with which He has blessed you? What sort of example are you setting for His Kingdom? Is there seriousness in your model of Christian discipleship? Are you “teaching” others anything that they would truly want to experience for themselves? Isn’t this a good day to start making any necessary adjustments?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 28, 2013
Mark 9:38-41
John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn’t one of us, and we told him to stop.”
Jesus said to his disciples: Don’t stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. Anyone who isn’t against us is for us. And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“You’re either with us or against us!” I bet you’ve heard this adage more than once. Many politicians have used this phrase – or some form of it – to illustrate that we cannot accept support from our enemies and continue to declare that they are our adversaries. In the words of former President George W. Bush as he addressed Congress in 2001, “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed similar sentiments that same year…”Every nation has to either be with us, or against us. Those who harbor terrorists, or who finance them, are going to pay a price.” Few would find it difficult to argue with these statements.
But Christians seem to take this concept to a whole other level at times. Many tend to believe that those who support another political party…accept people who practice alternative lifestyles…and those who embrace people of all races, creeds, and colors are at the very least “less Christian” than they are. How do we miss the mark so badly? How do we figure that feeding starving, disease-ridden children in a foreign nation – or in our own backyard – somehow endorses and encourages bad politics? How can we justify belittling those whose skin is not the same color as ours? How in the world can we look Jesus in the eye and say we serve Him while we shun and humiliate anyone we consider to be different from us in any way? How can we claim to follow Jesus’ commands to love one another… then behave in such an unloving manner?
Jesus is telling us in this passage that true Christian discipleship has no room for “us” versus “them.” This is not a social “club” where some are in and some are out. Just because another believer’s politics, lifestyle, skin color - or even their broad view of scripture and discipleship - is different from yours doesn’t emphatically mean they are less a Christian than you!
Each Sunday morning as our pastor offers corporate prayer during worship, he asks God to bless and care for our President, his cabinet, and all world leaders. This is scriptural… we are to respect and obey our leaders (Romans 13:1). Still, I am certain there are more than a few who dislike this prayer… those who would declare our pastor “not one of us” and would like for him to stop. Some have probably even ceased to attend worship because of this. Our pastor’s obedience to scripture may be unpopular with some, but it does not negate his Christian witness.
By the same token, I have read posts on Facebook from “friends” who claim to be Christian disciples… yet they take advantage of this public forum to spew political venom… to call names… to share jokes and cartoons about those whose opinions and lifestyles differ from theirs… to ridicule and berate other races, and more. They may very well have moments when they truly serve Jesus well and lead others to Him… but in this case, they negate it all with these ungodly actions.
Do you see where I’m headed? We are passing judgment at every turn… and it’s not ours to pass. We are so hung up on our own agendas… on people conforming to our own ways of thinking… that we have totally taken the focus off of Jesus. Many of us are so busy pushing our opinions, principles and politics on others that we don’t even see Jesus any more. Quite frankly, this thing of “us versus them” is really more of “us” instead of Jesus! We’ve totally taken Him out of the equation. Oh, we claim we haven’t, but this is exactly what we have done! If you read the next few verses of Mark 9, Jesus is very clear about what will happen if we do anything to steer another in the wrong direction… if we cause them to sin in any way. By “drawing lines in the sand” in our daily living – and making these lines abundantly clear to others – we could very well be paving the way for others to sin.
So where do you need to take a long hard look at your life? Where have you “drawn lines in the sand” and created a “club” where a chosen few are allowed to participate? Where have you chosen to alienate those who would dare to behave differently – or worse yet… to disagree with you?! How have your actions set the stage for others to sin? How are you actively representing the name of Jesus Christ and bringing others into a relationship with Him?
It’s all about choices. Jesus’ own words say “anyone who isn’t against us is for us.” Where do you stand? How have you chosen, if even inadvertently? Is it time for you to re-tool your Christian discipleship? Is it time for you to change your mind? Isn’t this the perfect day to get started?
©2013 Debbie Robus
John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn’t one of us, and we told him to stop.”
Jesus said to his disciples: Don’t stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. Anyone who isn’t against us is for us. And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“You’re either with us or against us!” I bet you’ve heard this adage more than once. Many politicians have used this phrase – or some form of it – to illustrate that we cannot accept support from our enemies and continue to declare that they are our adversaries. In the words of former President George W. Bush as he addressed Congress in 2001, “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed similar sentiments that same year…”Every nation has to either be with us, or against us. Those who harbor terrorists, or who finance them, are going to pay a price.” Few would find it difficult to argue with these statements.
But Christians seem to take this concept to a whole other level at times. Many tend to believe that those who support another political party…accept people who practice alternative lifestyles…and those who embrace people of all races, creeds, and colors are at the very least “less Christian” than they are. How do we miss the mark so badly? How do we figure that feeding starving, disease-ridden children in a foreign nation – or in our own backyard – somehow endorses and encourages bad politics? How can we justify belittling those whose skin is not the same color as ours? How in the world can we look Jesus in the eye and say we serve Him while we shun and humiliate anyone we consider to be different from us in any way? How can we claim to follow Jesus’ commands to love one another… then behave in such an unloving manner?
Jesus is telling us in this passage that true Christian discipleship has no room for “us” versus “them.” This is not a social “club” where some are in and some are out. Just because another believer’s politics, lifestyle, skin color - or even their broad view of scripture and discipleship - is different from yours doesn’t emphatically mean they are less a Christian than you!
Each Sunday morning as our pastor offers corporate prayer during worship, he asks God to bless and care for our President, his cabinet, and all world leaders. This is scriptural… we are to respect and obey our leaders (Romans 13:1). Still, I am certain there are more than a few who dislike this prayer… those who would declare our pastor “not one of us” and would like for him to stop. Some have probably even ceased to attend worship because of this. Our pastor’s obedience to scripture may be unpopular with some, but it does not negate his Christian witness.
By the same token, I have read posts on Facebook from “friends” who claim to be Christian disciples… yet they take advantage of this public forum to spew political venom… to call names… to share jokes and cartoons about those whose opinions and lifestyles differ from theirs… to ridicule and berate other races, and more. They may very well have moments when they truly serve Jesus well and lead others to Him… but in this case, they negate it all with these ungodly actions.
Do you see where I’m headed? We are passing judgment at every turn… and it’s not ours to pass. We are so hung up on our own agendas… on people conforming to our own ways of thinking… that we have totally taken the focus off of Jesus. Many of us are so busy pushing our opinions, principles and politics on others that we don’t even see Jesus any more. Quite frankly, this thing of “us versus them” is really more of “us” instead of Jesus! We’ve totally taken Him out of the equation. Oh, we claim we haven’t, but this is exactly what we have done! If you read the next few verses of Mark 9, Jesus is very clear about what will happen if we do anything to steer another in the wrong direction… if we cause them to sin in any way. By “drawing lines in the sand” in our daily living – and making these lines abundantly clear to others – we could very well be paving the way for others to sin.
So where do you need to take a long hard look at your life? Where have you “drawn lines in the sand” and created a “club” where a chosen few are allowed to participate? Where have you chosen to alienate those who would dare to behave differently – or worse yet… to disagree with you?! How have your actions set the stage for others to sin? How are you actively representing the name of Jesus Christ and bringing others into a relationship with Him?
It’s all about choices. Jesus’ own words say “anyone who isn’t against us is for us.” Where do you stand? How have you chosen, if even inadvertently? Is it time for you to re-tool your Christian discipleship? Is it time for you to change your mind? Isn’t this the perfect day to get started?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 6, 2013
Philippians 4:9
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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.
Today, my nine-year-old cousin Olivia spent the day with us. Olivia’s mom is a kindergarten teacher who has already returned to work for the new school year. So I invited Olivia to come have a “sewing/craft” day with me. When I picked her up at 9:00 a.m., she told me that what she really wanted to do today was cook! I asked, “What would you like to cook?” She decided we should bake cupcakes. So bake cupcakes we did… and Olivia carefully watched every step in the process. I put flour into the sifter… she sifted. I mixed buttermilk and cocoa powder, and she stirred. She scooped the batter into the cupcake papers. We both checked them for doneness as they baked! I told her I was not any good at frosting cakes, and she said, “Don’t worry… I’m great at it…I’ll teach you!” And she truly did show me a few tricks!
We also sewed… I helped her make a little felt purse for her American Girl doll, and she helped me cut out some fabric flowers to enhance a dress that we made for her. Things move quickly with a nine-year-old, so you try a lot of different projects in one day! We even drew a flower and worked with pastels, and I showed Olivia how to blend the colors and smooth them… something she learned to do quickly and really enjoyed. And she taught me how to be a “shark” when playing Monopoly!
I know that at least a few of the things we did today will stick with Olivia. We looked at several of my cooking utensils, and I told her some had come from her great-great-grandmother (my great-aunt). We talked a lot about cooking, and I told her about the women in my life who taught me to cook… especially my grandmother and her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She also told me, “I won’t taste the cupcake batter, because it has raw eggs in it.” She is listening and watching… and putting into practice what she learns and receives from the “teachers” in her own life.
It gets better…Olivia’s mother shared with me that last night at bedtime Olivia prayed for me and for our time together. Now that is the perfect example of putting into practice what one has learned! When we reach a point in our faith where we deem it important to pray about something as seemingly trivial as a “play-date” with a friend or relative, we have successfully put into practice what we have learned and received from God and faithful parents and “teachers”. And for such attentiveness and obedience, God gives us His abiding peace.
I often say that we could learn a lot from our children… and Olivia is a great example of this. Before her tenth birthday, she has learned to pay attention to the “lessons” that surround her… and she is busy putting her knowledge into action. Sadly, at some point many of us seem to “catalog” our lessons rather than incorporate them… especially when it comes to Christian discipleship and how we share Jesus with others. You don’t have to look very far to see that often this directly correlates to a spirit of discontentment, fear, disappointment and chaos in our lives.
Wouldn’t you rather operate in God’s peace? Don’t you see that God has given us perfect instruction and models for this through His Holy Word and the discipleship of many in our midst? Are you paying attention and learning from these examples? Are you practicing what you receive and putting this information into action in your daily living? Do you know that it’s never too late to learn something new? Won’t you make this the day you start acting like a true Disciple? Are you ready to experience the peace of God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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.
Today, my nine-year-old cousin Olivia spent the day with us. Olivia’s mom is a kindergarten teacher who has already returned to work for the new school year. So I invited Olivia to come have a “sewing/craft” day with me. When I picked her up at 9:00 a.m., she told me that what she really wanted to do today was cook! I asked, “What would you like to cook?” She decided we should bake cupcakes. So bake cupcakes we did… and Olivia carefully watched every step in the process. I put flour into the sifter… she sifted. I mixed buttermilk and cocoa powder, and she stirred. She scooped the batter into the cupcake papers. We both checked them for doneness as they baked! I told her I was not any good at frosting cakes, and she said, “Don’t worry… I’m great at it…I’ll teach you!” And she truly did show me a few tricks!
We also sewed… I helped her make a little felt purse for her American Girl doll, and she helped me cut out some fabric flowers to enhance a dress that we made for her. Things move quickly with a nine-year-old, so you try a lot of different projects in one day! We even drew a flower and worked with pastels, and I showed Olivia how to blend the colors and smooth them… something she learned to do quickly and really enjoyed. And she taught me how to be a “shark” when playing Monopoly!
I know that at least a few of the things we did today will stick with Olivia. We looked at several of my cooking utensils, and I told her some had come from her great-great-grandmother (my great-aunt). We talked a lot about cooking, and I told her about the women in my life who taught me to cook… especially my grandmother and her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She also told me, “I won’t taste the cupcake batter, because it has raw eggs in it.” She is listening and watching… and putting into practice what she learns and receives from the “teachers” in her own life.
It gets better…Olivia’s mother shared with me that last night at bedtime Olivia prayed for me and for our time together. Now that is the perfect example of putting into practice what one has learned! When we reach a point in our faith where we deem it important to pray about something as seemingly trivial as a “play-date” with a friend or relative, we have successfully put into practice what we have learned and received from God and faithful parents and “teachers”. And for such attentiveness and obedience, God gives us His abiding peace.
I often say that we could learn a lot from our children… and Olivia is a great example of this. Before her tenth birthday, she has learned to pay attention to the “lessons” that surround her… and she is busy putting her knowledge into action. Sadly, at some point many of us seem to “catalog” our lessons rather than incorporate them… especially when it comes to Christian discipleship and how we share Jesus with others. You don’t have to look very far to see that often this directly correlates to a spirit of discontentment, fear, disappointment and chaos in our lives.
Wouldn’t you rather operate in God’s peace? Don’t you see that God has given us perfect instruction and models for this through His Holy Word and the discipleship of many in our midst? Are you paying attention and learning from these examples? Are you practicing what you receive and putting this information into action in your daily living? Do you know that it’s never too late to learn something new? Won’t you make this the day you start acting like a true Disciple? Are you ready to experience the peace of God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 28, 2013
Numbers 14:17-18
Show us your great power, Lord. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong—not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last night, a cousin posted a photo on Facebook that I had never seen of my paternal great-grandfather, my great-grandmother, and five of their nine children. The photo was probably taken in 1906. I had never seen a picture of my great-grandfather Chandler… and none of my great-grandmother at such a young age (26). I studied the photo and looked at their features… could I see any of my own in their faces? My great-grandfather’s face reminded me of my uncle (his son - my grandfather’s brother). If I looked carefully, I could see that my grandfather more closely resembled his own mother… and I probably have some of her features, as well.
I was discussing this picture with one of my cousins, and she said, “Now we know where we came from!” Indeed, we are largely a compilation of our ancestors, from physical characteristics to mannerisms… and possibly even talents and abilities. We may belong to a “musical family,” or one that has a rich history of athleticism. Our family may have a lineage of scholars who achieved great success in business and were respected in their roles as pillars of the community. At the same time, we sometimes carry genes that make us prone to such things as heart disease, obesity, diabetes… and even alcoholism. And all too sadly, some of us carry the “gene” or “family curse” for afflictions such as depression or mental illness, a variety of addictions, or even a propensity for physical abuse and more.
As I study my family’s photographs, I wonder… who do I resemble – both physically, and in other ways? What was handed down to me? It’s daunting to think that the things you and I do today could have such a powerful impact on the lives of our children, grandchildren and even our great-grandchildren and beyond. But in some ways, I believe they do.
Am I saying that God looks at us and says, “I don’t like what Tom is doing, but I’m going to wait and punish his great-grand-daughter for it!”? Not exactly. But I believe very strongly that people are watching… especially our children… and they pick up our little peculiarities and habits, even when we don’t realize this is happening. This is why someone develops a sharp tongue just like his/her father or a “worry wart” attitude like Grandmother’s. This is how families develop a mindset of bigotry and racism… how some become known collectively for such things as laziness, negativity, elitism… or even general sinfulness. And this is how we pass these things on to future generations.
Inclinations toward certain attitudes and/or vices are often instigated by the adults in our circle, and the devil takes great delight in fanning the flames to cause a firestorm. God allows us free will and the option to act and think whatever we choose. How many times have you heard someone say, “If it was good enough for Mom or Dad, it’s good enough for me!” or “I can’t help it… I’m just like my Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Uncle Joe…” (you fill in the names)? God is patient with us and gives us the freedom to decide whether to be like Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa… or to be like Him. The ultimate decision is totally ours. He allows us to choose… even when we elect poorly or follow the wrong examples. But the stakes are high… the consequences can be costly… and the devil is ready to take even the smallest spark and ignite it for his own advantage.
What if we started making a concerted effort today to live differently… to polish and perfect the good characteristics we inherited... to combine them with God’s strength and power in order to combat the not-so-good traits? What if we vowed to break the curses of past sins… and never to perpetuate them to future generations? What if you and I lived – and served – in such a manner that we didn’t have to fear God’s retribution? I don’t know about you, but if any of my “children” say, “Oh, I got that from my Aunt Debbie,” I want it to be something that pleases God rather than something of the devil!
What “curses” from your past do you struggle with even today? Are there areas in which you need to say, “LORD, I know you have patiently waited for me to surrender this to you… and today is that day!”? Wouldn’t this be a great time to wipe the slate clean… to allow God to have control over your past, present and future? What are you waiting for? Make this the day you more closely resemble Jesus Christ than anyone else. Let this be the start of a brand new chapter… and a whole other story - for you and future generations.
What will you decide? Who will you look like today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Show us your great power, Lord. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong—not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last night, a cousin posted a photo on Facebook that I had never seen of my paternal great-grandfather, my great-grandmother, and five of their nine children. The photo was probably taken in 1906. I had never seen a picture of my great-grandfather Chandler… and none of my great-grandmother at such a young age (26). I studied the photo and looked at their features… could I see any of my own in their faces? My great-grandfather’s face reminded me of my uncle (his son - my grandfather’s brother). If I looked carefully, I could see that my grandfather more closely resembled his own mother… and I probably have some of her features, as well.
I was discussing this picture with one of my cousins, and she said, “Now we know where we came from!” Indeed, we are largely a compilation of our ancestors, from physical characteristics to mannerisms… and possibly even talents and abilities. We may belong to a “musical family,” or one that has a rich history of athleticism. Our family may have a lineage of scholars who achieved great success in business and were respected in their roles as pillars of the community. At the same time, we sometimes carry genes that make us prone to such things as heart disease, obesity, diabetes… and even alcoholism. And all too sadly, some of us carry the “gene” or “family curse” for afflictions such as depression or mental illness, a variety of addictions, or even a propensity for physical abuse and more.
As I study my family’s photographs, I wonder… who do I resemble – both physically, and in other ways? What was handed down to me? It’s daunting to think that the things you and I do today could have such a powerful impact on the lives of our children, grandchildren and even our great-grandchildren and beyond. But in some ways, I believe they do.
Am I saying that God looks at us and says, “I don’t like what Tom is doing, but I’m going to wait and punish his great-grand-daughter for it!”? Not exactly. But I believe very strongly that people are watching… especially our children… and they pick up our little peculiarities and habits, even when we don’t realize this is happening. This is why someone develops a sharp tongue just like his/her father or a “worry wart” attitude like Grandmother’s. This is how families develop a mindset of bigotry and racism… how some become known collectively for such things as laziness, negativity, elitism… or even general sinfulness. And this is how we pass these things on to future generations.
Inclinations toward certain attitudes and/or vices are often instigated by the adults in our circle, and the devil takes great delight in fanning the flames to cause a firestorm. God allows us free will and the option to act and think whatever we choose. How many times have you heard someone say, “If it was good enough for Mom or Dad, it’s good enough for me!” or “I can’t help it… I’m just like my Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Uncle Joe…” (you fill in the names)? God is patient with us and gives us the freedom to decide whether to be like Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa… or to be like Him. The ultimate decision is totally ours. He allows us to choose… even when we elect poorly or follow the wrong examples. But the stakes are high… the consequences can be costly… and the devil is ready to take even the smallest spark and ignite it for his own advantage.
What if we started making a concerted effort today to live differently… to polish and perfect the good characteristics we inherited... to combine them with God’s strength and power in order to combat the not-so-good traits? What if we vowed to break the curses of past sins… and never to perpetuate them to future generations? What if you and I lived – and served – in such a manner that we didn’t have to fear God’s retribution? I don’t know about you, but if any of my “children” say, “Oh, I got that from my Aunt Debbie,” I want it to be something that pleases God rather than something of the devil!
What “curses” from your past do you struggle with even today? Are there areas in which you need to say, “LORD, I know you have patiently waited for me to surrender this to you… and today is that day!”? Wouldn’t this be a great time to wipe the slate clean… to allow God to have control over your past, present and future? What are you waiting for? Make this the day you more closely resemble Jesus Christ than anyone else. Let this be the start of a brand new chapter… and a whole other story - for you and future generations.
What will you decide? Who will you look like today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 25, 2013
Luke 16:19-31
There was once a rich man who wore expensive clothes and every day ate the best food. But a poor beggar named Lazarus was brought to the gate of the rich man’s house. He was happy just to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. His body was covered with sores, and dogs kept coming up to lick them. The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honor next to Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried. He went to hell and was suffering terribly. When he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, he said to Abraham, “Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I’m suffering terribly in this fire.”
Abraham answered, “My friend, remember that while you lived, you had everything good, and Lazarus had everything bad. Now he is happy, and you are in pain. And besides, there is a deep ditch between us, and no one from either side can cross over.”
But the rich man said, “Abraham, then please send Lazarus to my father’s home. Let him warn my five brothers, so they won’t come to this horrible place.”
Abraham answered, “Your brothers can read what Moses and the prophets wrote. They should pay attention to that.”
Then the rich man said, “No, that’s not enough! If only someone from the dead would go to them, they would listen and turn to God.”
So Abraham said, “If they won’t pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even to someone who comes back from the dead.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
For someone my age, the point of reference that comes to mind for this scripture passage is the decision we made with my grandmother to move her to an assisted living facility. My grandmother knew she needed to make the move… but actually committing to doing so was another story. Over and over I hear friends say, “I’ve tried to talk to Mom/Dad about giving up their home and moving into a retirement center, but they won’t even talk about it.” This is one of those things that pretty well has to be the idea of that particular individual. The relatives may say, “You talk to him/her.” Maybe if YOU say something, it will make a difference. But the truth is… this person knows all of the “pros and cons”… he/she has just not made the decision to move – or he/she may no longer be mentally capable of such a rational decision.
For younger people, the decision may be something like choosing to quit smoking. You know it’s bad for your health, expensive, and more and more unacceptable socially… but it’s a tough habit to kick. No matter how many people talk to you about this, you are not swayed. My grandfather fell over dead from a stroke one morning. He rolled his own “Prince Albert’s” and smoked like a haystack. After he died, I looked around my grandmother’s living room, and there sat no less than half a dozen relatives – including my dad, my sister and brother, and a great aunt… all smoking one cigarette after the other. All the talk in the world was not going to make them quit smoking… they had to want to do so for themselves.
What resonated with me about this scripture today is that there are many circumstances and situations in which I have done all I can humanly do to affect the outcome. The people involved know the right choice to make… now it is up to them to make it. I can continue to pray for them… love and encourage them…and serve as a Godly example in my own daily living. But the time for talk, begging and pleading is over. If they have not responded to my appeals already, it’s pretty clear that any further petitions would be a waste of good breath.
I am not suggesting you desert people… or give up on them. I am merely pointing out that sometimes the time for talking comes to an end. Often, the best thing we can do is sit back and let God work. In my grandmother’s case, she came to the decision on her own that she was no longer able to make it work by herself… she needed constant care and the security of an apartment in an Assisted Living Facility. For many others in her shoes, the decision becomes all too evident in short order… or an injury or illness facilitates a more sudden conclusion.
As for smoking and other addictive behaviors… all the talk in the world is not going to change those who are afflicted. We cannot make another person give up a bad habit… we can’t force a student to study hard and make good grades… we can’t coerce a young adult to grow up and behave responsibly… and we cannot impose our faith in God on another person. If you are like me, these are hard realizations. I am a person of action… a “fixer.” I want to do something to make things better. And God is telling me to step aside and let Him drive the car. I think it’s time I did exactly that. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
There was once a rich man who wore expensive clothes and every day ate the best food. But a poor beggar named Lazarus was brought to the gate of the rich man’s house. He was happy just to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. His body was covered with sores, and dogs kept coming up to lick them. The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honor next to Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried. He went to hell and was suffering terribly. When he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, he said to Abraham, “Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I’m suffering terribly in this fire.”
Abraham answered, “My friend, remember that while you lived, you had everything good, and Lazarus had everything bad. Now he is happy, and you are in pain. And besides, there is a deep ditch between us, and no one from either side can cross over.”
But the rich man said, “Abraham, then please send Lazarus to my father’s home. Let him warn my five brothers, so they won’t come to this horrible place.”
Abraham answered, “Your brothers can read what Moses and the prophets wrote. They should pay attention to that.”
Then the rich man said, “No, that’s not enough! If only someone from the dead would go to them, they would listen and turn to God.”
So Abraham said, “If they won’t pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even to someone who comes back from the dead.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
For someone my age, the point of reference that comes to mind for this scripture passage is the decision we made with my grandmother to move her to an assisted living facility. My grandmother knew she needed to make the move… but actually committing to doing so was another story. Over and over I hear friends say, “I’ve tried to talk to Mom/Dad about giving up their home and moving into a retirement center, but they won’t even talk about it.” This is one of those things that pretty well has to be the idea of that particular individual. The relatives may say, “You talk to him/her.” Maybe if YOU say something, it will make a difference. But the truth is… this person knows all of the “pros and cons”… he/she has just not made the decision to move – or he/she may no longer be mentally capable of such a rational decision.
For younger people, the decision may be something like choosing to quit smoking. You know it’s bad for your health, expensive, and more and more unacceptable socially… but it’s a tough habit to kick. No matter how many people talk to you about this, you are not swayed. My grandfather fell over dead from a stroke one morning. He rolled his own “Prince Albert’s” and smoked like a haystack. After he died, I looked around my grandmother’s living room, and there sat no less than half a dozen relatives – including my dad, my sister and brother, and a great aunt… all smoking one cigarette after the other. All the talk in the world was not going to make them quit smoking… they had to want to do so for themselves.
What resonated with me about this scripture today is that there are many circumstances and situations in which I have done all I can humanly do to affect the outcome. The people involved know the right choice to make… now it is up to them to make it. I can continue to pray for them… love and encourage them…and serve as a Godly example in my own daily living. But the time for talk, begging and pleading is over. If they have not responded to my appeals already, it’s pretty clear that any further petitions would be a waste of good breath.
I am not suggesting you desert people… or give up on them. I am merely pointing out that sometimes the time for talking comes to an end. Often, the best thing we can do is sit back and let God work. In my grandmother’s case, she came to the decision on her own that she was no longer able to make it work by herself… she needed constant care and the security of an apartment in an Assisted Living Facility. For many others in her shoes, the decision becomes all too evident in short order… or an injury or illness facilitates a more sudden conclusion.
As for smoking and other addictive behaviors… all the talk in the world is not going to change those who are afflicted. We cannot make another person give up a bad habit… we can’t force a student to study hard and make good grades… we can’t coerce a young adult to grow up and behave responsibly… and we cannot impose our faith in God on another person. If you are like me, these are hard realizations. I am a person of action… a “fixer.” I want to do something to make things better. And God is telling me to step aside and let Him drive the car. I think it’s time I did exactly that. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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