John 3:16-17
“This is how much God loved the
world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that
no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole
and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son
merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He
came to help, to put the world right again.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
There are countless examples
in the news media of people who go to great lengths to expose a wrong…to
point a finger at someone who is misbehaving or to spotlight how bad a
situation has become. But one of the most ridiculous cases of this
lately has been the Michigan state representative who sent out a fake
e-mail in which he accused himself of having an encounter with a male
prostitute. Why on earth would he do this? He said he was
trying to cover up an actual affair that he was having with a fellow
state representative (female). The representative also alleged that
some of his co-workers were conspiring to expose his affair, so he
created this elaborate – and ridiculous – ruse to divert attention!
This
guy went to an awful lot of trouble just to try and cover his tracks.
And he used one of the oldest tricks in the book…he tried to shine a
spotlight on someone or something else in order to hide his own
mistakes.
We serve a God who would never conspire to expose our
sins to the world…much less create a “cover” to redirect attention or
distract the attention of others. God does not play such games…and
aren’t we glad?! God loves us so much that He sent Jesus Christ to live
among us, to teach us and serve as the perfect example…then suffer,
pour out His flesh and blood for us…and ultimately, to die for us. God
welcomed Jesus back to Heaven, where He waits for each of us who give
our hearts to Him. There was nothing sneaky or sinister in any of this.
There were no plots to expose our failures and our flaws…no finger
pointing of any kind. This was all done for one reason…incredible,
amazing, incomprehensible, unconditional LOVE.
Until you
understand that the message we need to hear is not one of fear and
obligation, but rather one of abiding love, you will never truly “get”
what it means to have a relationship with God. I know…because I
operated from a vantage point of fear and dread for far too many years.
God does not want to punish us…He wants to love us…and everything He
does for us comes from this context. Until we understand this, we won’t
really understand anything about Christian faith.
Some of us are
busy trying to “cover our tracks.” We are hiding from God, and
creating elaborate – and sometimes ridiculous - ruses and
diversions…pointing our finger at the other guy and hoping that God will
focus on him/her instead of us. This is a silly game…and we need to
stop. God loves ALL of us…His desire is that we embrace Jesus and turn
to Him. His grand design for sending Jesus was to rescue us, not to
condemn. And are we ever grateful…or at least, we should be!
Will
you take some time today to talk to God about the vantage point from
which you are operating? If your relationship with God is based in fear
and guilt, won’t you ask Him to help you shift to an attitude of
serving out of love and gratitude? If you are wasting time and energy
creating distractions and diversions to try and be something or someone
you aren’t – or to hide from God - won’t you pull back the veil today
and “come clean?” God already knows everything…but He wants you to
acknowledge this and stand before Him…warts and all. Are you ready to
get real with God? Is today “the day?”
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label operating in love and Christian faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label operating in love and Christian faith. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 3, 2015
Galatians 5:13-15
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
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.
For almost 40 years, I have dabbled in genealogy. I started with oral histories from my grandmothers and great-aunts. They would often tell me snippets about family members with the caveat…”You don’t want to dig too deeply!” Over the years, I learned that there were often at least two sides (or more) to the stories…but I have to admit, some of their memories colored my opinions of our ancestors. And in a few cases, I took on the resentments and feelings of ill will that were shared with me.
Over time, I have started to let go of grudges and resentments. I have asked God to show me how to love others as He loves me…to help me to see them as He sees them. And as I learn to release my prejudices and pre-conceived notions, I am discovering a tremendous freedom. I find that life is lighter…fuller…more joyful when I concentrate on operating in Christ’s love.
Who are we to judge and disparage another…and then expect God to love us and forgive our sins? What right do we have to place ourselves on pedestals and condemn those we have decided are wrong in some way? Aside from the fact that this flies in the face of the primary commandment of Jesus Christ (who died for our sins, by the way!), we fail to realize the burden that we impose on ourselves by judging others and operating in anything other than love. It gets to the point sometimes where we need a score card to remember who we are supposed to like/love…and who is “on our list” for some reason!
I’ve started to look at old pictures and oral histories and try to imagine the people in them as Jesus would…to see what He sees…and to love them with His heart. It’s made a world of difference in my attitude…and in the joy of “tracing my roots!” And I am transferring this newfound wisdom to my everyday living…and trying to love and accept others as equals in the eyes of Jesus.
Satan wants to weigh us down with the chains and shackles of judgment, resentment, bias, and disdain – if not outright hate. But Jesus wants us to cast our burdens and heartaches on Him…and operate in the freedom of His love. In large part, this is a conscious choice that we must make…but it’s essentially a “game changer!” Won’t you kick your grudges and judgments to the curb and experience the freedom of loving as Jesus loves? Isn’t this the perfect day to begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
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.
For almost 40 years, I have dabbled in genealogy. I started with oral histories from my grandmothers and great-aunts. They would often tell me snippets about family members with the caveat…”You don’t want to dig too deeply!” Over the years, I learned that there were often at least two sides (or more) to the stories…but I have to admit, some of their memories colored my opinions of our ancestors. And in a few cases, I took on the resentments and feelings of ill will that were shared with me.
Over time, I have started to let go of grudges and resentments. I have asked God to show me how to love others as He loves me…to help me to see them as He sees them. And as I learn to release my prejudices and pre-conceived notions, I am discovering a tremendous freedom. I find that life is lighter…fuller…more joyful when I concentrate on operating in Christ’s love.
Who are we to judge and disparage another…and then expect God to love us and forgive our sins? What right do we have to place ourselves on pedestals and condemn those we have decided are wrong in some way? Aside from the fact that this flies in the face of the primary commandment of Jesus Christ (who died for our sins, by the way!), we fail to realize the burden that we impose on ourselves by judging others and operating in anything other than love. It gets to the point sometimes where we need a score card to remember who we are supposed to like/love…and who is “on our list” for some reason!
I’ve started to look at old pictures and oral histories and try to imagine the people in them as Jesus would…to see what He sees…and to love them with His heart. It’s made a world of difference in my attitude…and in the joy of “tracing my roots!” And I am transferring this newfound wisdom to my everyday living…and trying to love and accept others as equals in the eyes of Jesus.
Satan wants to weigh us down with the chains and shackles of judgment, resentment, bias, and disdain – if not outright hate. But Jesus wants us to cast our burdens and heartaches on Him…and operate in the freedom of His love. In large part, this is a conscious choice that we must make…but it’s essentially a “game changer!” Won’t you kick your grudges and judgments to the curb and experience the freedom of loving as Jesus loves? Isn’t this the perfect day to begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 6, 2013
Romans 2:5-11
You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
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.
The news media is reporting that Peter Stefan, a funeral director for Graham Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors in Worcester, Massachusetts, cannot find a cemetery that will permit the burial of Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Stefan’s funeral home has prepared Tsarnaev’s body for a Muslim burial (the tenets of Islam forbid cremation), but no one will help them find a plot for interment. According to Josh Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, Stefan is known for giving a proper sendoff to those who are downtrodden or scourged by society. Slocum said, “"He was the only one who would bury gay men dead of AIDS back in the 80s. He did funerals for slain prostitutes that everyone else treated like some sort of subhuman trash.” And now, Stefan wants someone to come forward and help him bury an alleged terrorist.
We have to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” And if we are Disciples of Christ, what should we do? “But this man was involved in the killing of three people and the wounding of more than 200,” you are probably saying. “He doesn’t deserve a ‘decent burial’.” I heard someone say that they lost any sense of compassion for this man when they saw the photos of him apparently placing a deadly bomb next to 8-year-old Martin Richard, knowing that little Martin’s life would be taken. “Who does that?!” this person asked me. And I agree… this is incomprehensible. But how many of us have looked the other way as young children went hungry or were mistreated… perhaps even abused? How many of us have looked at a court system overflowing with foster children in need of services and walked away, saying, “That’s not my problem!”?
Do you see that this is not about whether someone is Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu or any other non-Christian religion? Do you see that it’s not even about the horrific crime of setting off a bomb in a crowd of onlookers at a major event? Jesus didn’t say, “Only love other Christians and treat them as you would wish to be treated.” He told us to love.one.another and do.unto.others.as.you.would.have.them.do.unto.you! Most of us would bury a stray animal we found in our yard… so why would we not bury a known terrorist? I totally understand that the burial of this young man will likely spark at least the potential for a media circus... as well as protests and vandalism at the cemetery where his body is laid to rest. And I would not wish that on the cemeteries where my loved ones are buried. So I do understand that there is a "public dilemma" here. But there has to be a way to handle this with human dignity and Christian compassion. How do you look the other way when you see someone who is hungry, cold, frightened, sick, hurting, or otherwise in need? How do you square that with God on Judgment Day?
This is really not about the Boston bombing and its principals… nor do I mean to spark an argument about who and what are right in this particular situation. My bigger argument is that we cannot pick and choose. We can’t make excuses based on our parentage, where and how we grew up, or what our socio-economic status was – or is today. We can’t claim, “Do you know who I am?” or even “Do you know what I’ve been through and where I came from?” and then live as we please. We can’t pick and choose who to help in the name of Jesus. It is not up to us to decide who is important or deserving… or when it is comfortable and convenient for us to serve. What we are called to decide is to get up off our duffs and minister wherever and however God calls us!
I believe God can take even the most heinous situation and use it for His glory. So let’s take this tragic bombing and the subsequent fallout and examine our own lives and Discipleship. Let’s ask ourselves, am I a “selective Christian” who only serves those who appeal to me – and only when it’s convenient? Or am I so focused on serving God that no opportunity to do so seems too great or small… too ugly or distasteful… too annoying or bothersome? Clearly, Peter Stefan understands that God has called him to serve others at the end of their lives. He can do nothing for the young bomber who has died… but his acts of love, grace and mercy might be the very example that brings others to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And we cannot discount the potential for victory in this!
When I was teaching Jr. High Sunday school, my students used to get upset with me because I said that all who invite Jesus into their hearts will be with Him for Eternity. “Oh, surely you don’t mean tyrants like Hitler and Saddam Hussein!” they would say. My response was… “Remember the thief on the cross. If those men gave their hearts to Jesus before they died, I believe that you will see them someday in heaven!” The students were mortified! And I think we will be surprised at a few of the people we see (and don’t see) in heaven!
We will also be surprised at some of the questions God asks us about how we served in this earthly life! Excuses will not be tolerated. We will have none that are acceptable. It is up to us to make the choice now to listen closely to what God is telling us…and to serve Him exactly as He directs. And that includes showing love, grace and mercy to all whom He has created, regardless of their faith and/or “station” in life. When you stand before God and answer for your Discipleship, what will you have to say for yourself? What will God have to say to you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
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.
The news media is reporting that Peter Stefan, a funeral director for Graham Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors in Worcester, Massachusetts, cannot find a cemetery that will permit the burial of Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Stefan’s funeral home has prepared Tsarnaev’s body for a Muslim burial (the tenets of Islam forbid cremation), but no one will help them find a plot for interment. According to Josh Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, Stefan is known for giving a proper sendoff to those who are downtrodden or scourged by society. Slocum said, “"He was the only one who would bury gay men dead of AIDS back in the 80s. He did funerals for slain prostitutes that everyone else treated like some sort of subhuman trash.” And now, Stefan wants someone to come forward and help him bury an alleged terrorist.
We have to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” And if we are Disciples of Christ, what should we do? “But this man was involved in the killing of three people and the wounding of more than 200,” you are probably saying. “He doesn’t deserve a ‘decent burial’.” I heard someone say that they lost any sense of compassion for this man when they saw the photos of him apparently placing a deadly bomb next to 8-year-old Martin Richard, knowing that little Martin’s life would be taken. “Who does that?!” this person asked me. And I agree… this is incomprehensible. But how many of us have looked the other way as young children went hungry or were mistreated… perhaps even abused? How many of us have looked at a court system overflowing with foster children in need of services and walked away, saying, “That’s not my problem!”?
Do you see that this is not about whether someone is Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu or any other non-Christian religion? Do you see that it’s not even about the horrific crime of setting off a bomb in a crowd of onlookers at a major event? Jesus didn’t say, “Only love other Christians and treat them as you would wish to be treated.” He told us to love.one.another and do.unto.others.as.you.would.have.them.do.unto.you! Most of us would bury a stray animal we found in our yard… so why would we not bury a known terrorist? I totally understand that the burial of this young man will likely spark at least the potential for a media circus... as well as protests and vandalism at the cemetery where his body is laid to rest. And I would not wish that on the cemeteries where my loved ones are buried. So I do understand that there is a "public dilemma" here. But there has to be a way to handle this with human dignity and Christian compassion. How do you look the other way when you see someone who is hungry, cold, frightened, sick, hurting, or otherwise in need? How do you square that with God on Judgment Day?
This is really not about the Boston bombing and its principals… nor do I mean to spark an argument about who and what are right in this particular situation. My bigger argument is that we cannot pick and choose. We can’t make excuses based on our parentage, where and how we grew up, or what our socio-economic status was – or is today. We can’t claim, “Do you know who I am?” or even “Do you know what I’ve been through and where I came from?” and then live as we please. We can’t pick and choose who to help in the name of Jesus. It is not up to us to decide who is important or deserving… or when it is comfortable and convenient for us to serve. What we are called to decide is to get up off our duffs and minister wherever and however God calls us!
I believe God can take even the most heinous situation and use it for His glory. So let’s take this tragic bombing and the subsequent fallout and examine our own lives and Discipleship. Let’s ask ourselves, am I a “selective Christian” who only serves those who appeal to me – and only when it’s convenient? Or am I so focused on serving God that no opportunity to do so seems too great or small… too ugly or distasteful… too annoying or bothersome? Clearly, Peter Stefan understands that God has called him to serve others at the end of their lives. He can do nothing for the young bomber who has died… but his acts of love, grace and mercy might be the very example that brings others to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And we cannot discount the potential for victory in this!
When I was teaching Jr. High Sunday school, my students used to get upset with me because I said that all who invite Jesus into their hearts will be with Him for Eternity. “Oh, surely you don’t mean tyrants like Hitler and Saddam Hussein!” they would say. My response was… “Remember the thief on the cross. If those men gave their hearts to Jesus before they died, I believe that you will see them someday in heaven!” The students were mortified! And I think we will be surprised at a few of the people we see (and don’t see) in heaven!
We will also be surprised at some of the questions God asks us about how we served in this earthly life! Excuses will not be tolerated. We will have none that are acceptable. It is up to us to make the choice now to listen closely to what God is telling us…and to serve Him exactly as He directs. And that includes showing love, grace and mercy to all whom He has created, regardless of their faith and/or “station” in life. When you stand before God and answer for your Discipleship, what will you have to say for yourself? What will God have to say to you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 25, 2013
1 Corinthians 13:3-7
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
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.
The quote for this date in my desktop flip calendar came from the late Gilda Radner… “I base my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” I like that… and I would add, “…or cinch me too tightly, creep or crawl!” The truth is that our lives are filled with “itchy, scratchy, creeping, crawly, too-tight situations”… and not just in our fashions! The only “garment” that will always fit is the “robe” of love in Christ Jesus. This is the “full armor of God” – but it is never too heavy or uncomfortable. Jesus’ love is easy to wear… and “one size fits all.”
Our pastor reminded us again yesterday that there is at least one broken heart on every pew. You may think you have problems… but wait until you hear the next guy’s! No one is immune to struggles and challenges. I have been asking God to reveal Himself to me and answer several questions… and this scripture popped up on my outline. In a word…God’s answer seems to be… “Love.” I’m not talking “pie-in-the-sky-let’s-just-love-everybody-and-all-will-be-well” love. I’m talking 1 Corinthians 13 love. And there is a difference.
In this passage, Paul isn’t telling us that a “peace-and-love-mumu-type-love” from the 1970s will make everything okay. He is saying that the love of Christ is our “one-size-fits-all” garment… because this love has many facets. The love Paul speaks of is patient, kind, calm and enduring. So when you are struggling in a relationship with another person – friend, family member, co-worker, classmate or teacher, significant other, or even a fellow believer… remember to put on your “love robe.” When you have challenges of any kind, don’t forget to put on your “raincoat” of kind, humble, self-less, trusting, optimistic, persistent love. Even though others give up on you and your relationship... God never gives up. He keeps on loving… and so should we.
This does not mean that we allow others to walk over us… or that we look the other way when there is injustice or disobedience. But we are called to handle every situation with the love of Christ. Sure… there will be times when you are angry, frustrated, insulted, and deeply wounded. You may be the person on the pew with a broken heart! But the love of Christ is what will sustain you… and you must never stop extending that love to others. I’ve talked to God a lot lately about how hard this is… how I often find it difficult to be a loving disciple when what I really want to do is yell, kick and scream! And each time, I hear Him saying… “Now you know how I feel most of the time!” And I am truly humbled.
I feel so shrouded in the protective love of God… covered by the “robe” of Jesus’ grace, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. I know that God has a closet full of “robes” that He wants to distribute to others… and we are the vehicle for this circulation. How are you doing? Are you fully operating in 1 Corinthians 13 love? Does the love of Christ fit you like a silken, flowing robe that never binds, creeps, crawls or itches? What are you wearing these days? Do you need to make a “wardrobe change?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
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.
The quote for this date in my desktop flip calendar came from the late Gilda Radner… “I base my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” I like that… and I would add, “…or cinch me too tightly, creep or crawl!” The truth is that our lives are filled with “itchy, scratchy, creeping, crawly, too-tight situations”… and not just in our fashions! The only “garment” that will always fit is the “robe” of love in Christ Jesus. This is the “full armor of God” – but it is never too heavy or uncomfortable. Jesus’ love is easy to wear… and “one size fits all.”
Our pastor reminded us again yesterday that there is at least one broken heart on every pew. You may think you have problems… but wait until you hear the next guy’s! No one is immune to struggles and challenges. I have been asking God to reveal Himself to me and answer several questions… and this scripture popped up on my outline. In a word…God’s answer seems to be… “Love.” I’m not talking “pie-in-the-sky-let’s-just-love-everybody-and-all-will-be-well” love. I’m talking 1 Corinthians 13 love. And there is a difference.
In this passage, Paul isn’t telling us that a “peace-and-love-mumu-type-love” from the 1970s will make everything okay. He is saying that the love of Christ is our “one-size-fits-all” garment… because this love has many facets. The love Paul speaks of is patient, kind, calm and enduring. So when you are struggling in a relationship with another person – friend, family member, co-worker, classmate or teacher, significant other, or even a fellow believer… remember to put on your “love robe.” When you have challenges of any kind, don’t forget to put on your “raincoat” of kind, humble, self-less, trusting, optimistic, persistent love. Even though others give up on you and your relationship... God never gives up. He keeps on loving… and so should we.
This does not mean that we allow others to walk over us… or that we look the other way when there is injustice or disobedience. But we are called to handle every situation with the love of Christ. Sure… there will be times when you are angry, frustrated, insulted, and deeply wounded. You may be the person on the pew with a broken heart! But the love of Christ is what will sustain you… and you must never stop extending that love to others. I’ve talked to God a lot lately about how hard this is… how I often find it difficult to be a loving disciple when what I really want to do is yell, kick and scream! And each time, I hear Him saying… “Now you know how I feel most of the time!” And I am truly humbled.
I feel so shrouded in the protective love of God… covered by the “robe” of Jesus’ grace, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. I know that God has a closet full of “robes” that He wants to distribute to others… and we are the vehicle for this circulation. How are you doing? Are you fully operating in 1 Corinthians 13 love? Does the love of Christ fit you like a silken, flowing robe that never binds, creeps, crawls or itches? What are you wearing these days? Do you need to make a “wardrobe change?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 20, 2013
Romans 14:1
Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
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.
This evening we attended a regional basketball tournament at our local high school gym. Our senior high girls team was competing. It never fails… fans on both sides of the court are always unhappy with the referees - and the games tonight were no exception. Every time the refs did something the fans didn’t agree with, someone would jump out of his/her seat – or yell something loud and ugly. At one point, a player fell to the court and appeared to be hurt… and the referee called a foul on one of our team members for stepping on her. A fan behind me stood up and yelled something to the ref about how the girl charged with the foul was “just walking.” I wanted to turn around and say, “Really? If that were your daughter lying on the court, your attitude would be 100% different!”
Granted, there have been all sorts of sporting events where the officiating truly was terrible… toward both sides. But most of the time, the calls all even out - with just about the same percentage of good and bad calls made for each side. There are plenty of times when we fans do not like a call made by a referee… and do we ever tell them! We “hand them our glasses” so they can see what they missed. We yell and scream, boo and stomp our feet. In general, we treat these folks poorly. We never consider that these are husbands, fathers, grandfathers, mothers, sisters, or brothers who live and work among us by day… and call sporting events on the side for a few extra bucks. Referees are not just under-appreciated – they are often truly despised.
I’m afraid this is exactly how we treat many of our fellow believers. We decide before the game ever starts, so to speak, that they are not in our league. They are mistaken because they don’t see everything our way. Or we figure that they must be weak in their faith…because the things they say and do clearly indicate they are not as pure as we are. We fail to consider that not everyone is where we are in their faith walk. Not everyone has gone through the “stuff” we’ve gone through… or been taught and tested like we have. It might just be that the other guy has endured a whole lot more than we have… more than we can ever imagine… and he/she simply handled it differently than we would have. It doesn’t mean they are wrong… or less of a Christian. We fail to recognize that fellow believers are people just like us… with hopes and dreams, insecurities and heartaches, and a deep desire for acceptance - just like us.
At the end of the day, we all need to treat each other more gently. We need to recognize that we are unique individuals… each with our own story… and each incredibly precious to God. His arms are open wide to welcome every single one of us! Shouldn’t our arms and hearts be open, too?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
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.
This evening we attended a regional basketball tournament at our local high school gym. Our senior high girls team was competing. It never fails… fans on both sides of the court are always unhappy with the referees - and the games tonight were no exception. Every time the refs did something the fans didn’t agree with, someone would jump out of his/her seat – or yell something loud and ugly. At one point, a player fell to the court and appeared to be hurt… and the referee called a foul on one of our team members for stepping on her. A fan behind me stood up and yelled something to the ref about how the girl charged with the foul was “just walking.” I wanted to turn around and say, “Really? If that were your daughter lying on the court, your attitude would be 100% different!”
Granted, there have been all sorts of sporting events where the officiating truly was terrible… toward both sides. But most of the time, the calls all even out - with just about the same percentage of good and bad calls made for each side. There are plenty of times when we fans do not like a call made by a referee… and do we ever tell them! We “hand them our glasses” so they can see what they missed. We yell and scream, boo and stomp our feet. In general, we treat these folks poorly. We never consider that these are husbands, fathers, grandfathers, mothers, sisters, or brothers who live and work among us by day… and call sporting events on the side for a few extra bucks. Referees are not just under-appreciated – they are often truly despised.
I’m afraid this is exactly how we treat many of our fellow believers. We decide before the game ever starts, so to speak, that they are not in our league. They are mistaken because they don’t see everything our way. Or we figure that they must be weak in their faith…because the things they say and do clearly indicate they are not as pure as we are. We fail to consider that not everyone is where we are in their faith walk. Not everyone has gone through the “stuff” we’ve gone through… or been taught and tested like we have. It might just be that the other guy has endured a whole lot more than we have… more than we can ever imagine… and he/she simply handled it differently than we would have. It doesn’t mean they are wrong… or less of a Christian. We fail to recognize that fellow believers are people just like us… with hopes and dreams, insecurities and heartaches, and a deep desire for acceptance - just like us.
At the end of the day, we all need to treat each other more gently. We need to recognize that we are unique individuals… each with our own story… and each incredibly precious to God. His arms are open wide to welcome every single one of us! Shouldn’t our arms and hearts be open, too?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 27, 2013
1 Peter 4:7-11
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
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, when I visited my niece and her family, I noticed a box of homemade cookies sitting on their kitchen table. My niece said her husband brought them home from a handyman job he had done for a lady who belongs to my church. It was such a simple act…baking a box of cookies for a young couple and their three small children. But I can tell you for certain… that box was filled with a whole lot more than cookies! This woman is a generous, loving person who sees the big picture. She knows the impact of a single act of love and kindness. It wasn’t about the cookies at all… it was about saying, “I love you and care about you… you matter… remember this with every bite!” Even at 3½, Timothy was talking about Mrs. Pierce, the nice lady who had made cookies for them – and they had CHOCOLATE kisses! He felt her love… and he won’t forget it!
Think about the possibilities if each and every believer loved others as if their very lives depended on it… giving meals to the hungry and beds to the homeless – not because there was a church program in place to do this, but because a need existed and a believer met it. And let’s not be as literal as a meal or a bed. What if you see a young mother struggling in line at the store to fish out another dollar for the cashier while two little kids tug on her and whimper… and you are standing there with an extra dollar in your open wallet? Have you considered the impact you might make if you handed the cashier YOUR dollar?
Suppose you notice a friend wearing the same clothing virtually every single day, and you have more clothes in your closet than you can possibly wear. Imagine what might happen if you handed him a t-shirt or an extra pair of sneakers and said, “I almost never wear these, and I thought you might be able to put them to good use.” Do you have half a dozen jackets and coats that you rarely put on? Could you share one with someone who has nothing? When was the last time you spoke to your neighbor? Have you ever called an elderly friend or relative, just to ask how they are getting along and see if there is anything they need? How often do you offer others a spontaneous hug when you greet them?
I don’t know what opportunities you will have to serve. I have no clue whether your schedule will permit you to get involved in organized ministries at your church… or if you are tapped out already and in need of a little ministry for yourself! But I do know that we all miss out on opportunities each and every day to offer love to others. I’m not talking about huge, grand gestures… but small, seemingly insignificant ones. They don’t necessarily take a lot of time or energy, but their impact packs a wallop! In essence, we need to be sure we are plugged in to God and His incredible capacity to forgive us…His astounding desire to shower us with love.
When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, ask yourself how you showed love to someone else today. Did you grab opportunities to be generous with the gifts God gave you… to make His presence known to another by your gesture of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – or a combination of all of these? Did you love as if your life depended on it… and did Jesus get the credit? Are you attuned to God’s voice? Do you hear Him leading you to opportunities to love others on His behalf? Just how connected are you with God? Isn’t it time you plugged in again?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
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, when I visited my niece and her family, I noticed a box of homemade cookies sitting on their kitchen table. My niece said her husband brought them home from a handyman job he had done for a lady who belongs to my church. It was such a simple act…baking a box of cookies for a young couple and their three small children. But I can tell you for certain… that box was filled with a whole lot more than cookies! This woman is a generous, loving person who sees the big picture. She knows the impact of a single act of love and kindness. It wasn’t about the cookies at all… it was about saying, “I love you and care about you… you matter… remember this with every bite!” Even at 3½, Timothy was talking about Mrs. Pierce, the nice lady who had made cookies for them – and they had CHOCOLATE kisses! He felt her love… and he won’t forget it!
Think about the possibilities if each and every believer loved others as if their very lives depended on it… giving meals to the hungry and beds to the homeless – not because there was a church program in place to do this, but because a need existed and a believer met it. And let’s not be as literal as a meal or a bed. What if you see a young mother struggling in line at the store to fish out another dollar for the cashier while two little kids tug on her and whimper… and you are standing there with an extra dollar in your open wallet? Have you considered the impact you might make if you handed the cashier YOUR dollar?
Suppose you notice a friend wearing the same clothing virtually every single day, and you have more clothes in your closet than you can possibly wear. Imagine what might happen if you handed him a t-shirt or an extra pair of sneakers and said, “I almost never wear these, and I thought you might be able to put them to good use.” Do you have half a dozen jackets and coats that you rarely put on? Could you share one with someone who has nothing? When was the last time you spoke to your neighbor? Have you ever called an elderly friend or relative, just to ask how they are getting along and see if there is anything they need? How often do you offer others a spontaneous hug when you greet them?
I don’t know what opportunities you will have to serve. I have no clue whether your schedule will permit you to get involved in organized ministries at your church… or if you are tapped out already and in need of a little ministry for yourself! But I do know that we all miss out on opportunities each and every day to offer love to others. I’m not talking about huge, grand gestures… but small, seemingly insignificant ones. They don’t necessarily take a lot of time or energy, but their impact packs a wallop! In essence, we need to be sure we are plugged in to God and His incredible capacity to forgive us…His astounding desire to shower us with love.
When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, ask yourself how you showed love to someone else today. Did you grab opportunities to be generous with the gifts God gave you… to make His presence known to another by your gesture of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness – or a combination of all of these? Did you love as if your life depended on it… and did Jesus get the credit? Are you attuned to God’s voice? Do you hear Him leading you to opportunities to love others on His behalf? Just how connected are you with God? Isn’t it time you plugged in again?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 30, 2012
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
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.
On any given day, most of us would say we are pretty loving people. Notice I didn’t say loveable… but I believe we all want to at least think we are fairly loving toward others. But if you read the list of qualities in this passage, you will find that we all fall short on quite a few of them. The very people we love are those with whom we are often impatient. We often want what others have, and more than a few of us insist on our own way. We love conditionally… we try to make ourselves look better than the next guy…we fly off the handle more times than we care to count!
These are not the actions of someone who loves genuinely… but they are very human actions. I don’t mean to excuse our behavior… and honestly, one of the great mysteries of Christian faith is how/why God continues to love us when we are so unlovely – particularly toward each other. As the Apostle Paul has aptly pointed out, we see things in a fog for now. Someday we will have all the answers, but for now, we must trust that God is handling things for us perfectly.
I’m pretty sure that we mortals would not be able to handle knowing what God knows. He has allowed us to sort of sugarcoat a lot of things about ourselves and others that allows us to love each other… and yet, God loves us warts and all! Now that’s pure love!
Having said all of this, I like to think that I am a loving person… that I treat others with kindness and respect… and that God is pleased with my efforts. In reading this passage again, I can clearly see that I fall short a lot of the time. Thankfully, my challenge – and yours – is to keep trying… to trust God, to hope that He will continue to grant us grace and mercy, and to work harder at loving more deeply and generously. Without love in action, our faith is hollow. How extravagant is your love these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
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.
On any given day, most of us would say we are pretty loving people. Notice I didn’t say loveable… but I believe we all want to at least think we are fairly loving toward others. But if you read the list of qualities in this passage, you will find that we all fall short on quite a few of them. The very people we love are those with whom we are often impatient. We often want what others have, and more than a few of us insist on our own way. We love conditionally… we try to make ourselves look better than the next guy…we fly off the handle more times than we care to count!
These are not the actions of someone who loves genuinely… but they are very human actions. I don’t mean to excuse our behavior… and honestly, one of the great mysteries of Christian faith is how/why God continues to love us when we are so unlovely – particularly toward each other. As the Apostle Paul has aptly pointed out, we see things in a fog for now. Someday we will have all the answers, but for now, we must trust that God is handling things for us perfectly.
I’m pretty sure that we mortals would not be able to handle knowing what God knows. He has allowed us to sort of sugarcoat a lot of things about ourselves and others that allows us to love each other… and yet, God loves us warts and all! Now that’s pure love!
Having said all of this, I like to think that I am a loving person… that I treat others with kindness and respect… and that God is pleased with my efforts. In reading this passage again, I can clearly see that I fall short a lot of the time. Thankfully, my challenge – and yours – is to keep trying… to trust God, to hope that He will continue to grant us grace and mercy, and to work harder at loving more deeply and generously. Without love in action, our faith is hollow. How extravagant is your love these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 2, 2012
James 2:14-17
Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
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.
Several of my friends are actively serving as foster parents. One of the hardest parts of being a foster parent is the moment when you have to give the child who has been placed in your care to someone else. Whether the courts say the child must return to his/her own parent(s) or must be placed with another family… whether you know this is a good and proper step or you have reservations... letting go is hard. There is that moment when you feel like you can’t breathe, a lump the size of a grapefruit forms in your throat, and you are genuinely frightened that you might pass out. You are telling the child – and yourself – that “this will be okay,” and all the while, you are trying to convince yourself it really will be. I honestly do not know how foster families do this… some of them over and again through the years with countless children. The physical and emotional toll it takes on them must be huge… matched only by their faith.
I have to believe that the way these parents do what they do is by living their faith. They ask God to work out these situations according to His will – then trust Him to do exactly this. While the child is in their care, they faithfully trust God to equip them for the challenges that surely come. They pray for strength and courage when the child moves to another home… for themselves and for the child. But as importantly, they live each day with joy and confidence that God truly IS doing what He promised… that He really DOES have the situation under control and will meet the individual needs of all concerned, once this transition occurs.
A lot of us have a huge problem in this area. We say we believe in God. We ask Him for help with all kinds of thing. But we want to meddle. We say, “I know God is doing this for me, but I just can’t help worrying.” Or, we say conversely, “I asked God to handle this for me, so I don’t have to worry about it again” – as in “I asked God to take care of the homeless lady I met the other day,” and then we totally walk away and forget about her.
Here’s the deal… there are times when we need to faithfully give our burdens and concerns to God and walk in confidence that He will handle them for us. But we must also ask God to show us if/when there is anything we need to be doing to help Him – or in His name! Sometimes, all God wants us to do is to trust Him for an outcome. Sometimes, He expects us to get our hands dirty. So while God gives foster parents PLENTY to do for Him when they are caring for needy children, He expects them to trust HIM to handle things when the children are no longer in their care.
It’s a little like when we greet someone at Wal-Mart and say, “Hi! How are you doing?” as we whiz past them! We don’t really want to know how this person is. We don’t have time to get involved… to hear that there might be problems in this person’s life… or even to hear their good news! But we ask anyway and feel so good about our kind, friendly attitude. We pat ourselves on the back as a “good Christian.” And this is the problem. In terms of our Christian faith… we can’t ask and not expect to wait on the answer. All talk and no action is not true Christian faith.
We can’t expect God to meet our needs without doing our part. We can’t say we have faith and confidence in God and then walk around acting like someone just stepped on our big toe! And we can’t talk a good game and give God lip service… then sit back and expect others to be the real servants. We have to be willing to get up and get going when God calls us… and to sit still and be calm when He tells us, “I’ve got this!”
Take a good look at yourself. Do others see a person of true Christian faith when they look at you? Or do they see someone who talks big but has little to show for it? Do you really care how the other guy is doing… or are you counting on someone else to stop and hear what he/she has to say? When you feel God telling you that He has a situation under control, do you trust Him and act with confidence that He is plenty capable to handle this for you? Do you not only “talk the talk” but also “walk the walk?” Do you really have Christian faith… or do you merely talk about it? Isn’t it time to spend some time with God and get this right?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
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.
Several of my friends are actively serving as foster parents. One of the hardest parts of being a foster parent is the moment when you have to give the child who has been placed in your care to someone else. Whether the courts say the child must return to his/her own parent(s) or must be placed with another family… whether you know this is a good and proper step or you have reservations... letting go is hard. There is that moment when you feel like you can’t breathe, a lump the size of a grapefruit forms in your throat, and you are genuinely frightened that you might pass out. You are telling the child – and yourself – that “this will be okay,” and all the while, you are trying to convince yourself it really will be. I honestly do not know how foster families do this… some of them over and again through the years with countless children. The physical and emotional toll it takes on them must be huge… matched only by their faith.
I have to believe that the way these parents do what they do is by living their faith. They ask God to work out these situations according to His will – then trust Him to do exactly this. While the child is in their care, they faithfully trust God to equip them for the challenges that surely come. They pray for strength and courage when the child moves to another home… for themselves and for the child. But as importantly, they live each day with joy and confidence that God truly IS doing what He promised… that He really DOES have the situation under control and will meet the individual needs of all concerned, once this transition occurs.
A lot of us have a huge problem in this area. We say we believe in God. We ask Him for help with all kinds of thing. But we want to meddle. We say, “I know God is doing this for me, but I just can’t help worrying.” Or, we say conversely, “I asked God to handle this for me, so I don’t have to worry about it again” – as in “I asked God to take care of the homeless lady I met the other day,” and then we totally walk away and forget about her.
Here’s the deal… there are times when we need to faithfully give our burdens and concerns to God and walk in confidence that He will handle them for us. But we must also ask God to show us if/when there is anything we need to be doing to help Him – or in His name! Sometimes, all God wants us to do is to trust Him for an outcome. Sometimes, He expects us to get our hands dirty. So while God gives foster parents PLENTY to do for Him when they are caring for needy children, He expects them to trust HIM to handle things when the children are no longer in their care.
It’s a little like when we greet someone at Wal-Mart and say, “Hi! How are you doing?” as we whiz past them! We don’t really want to know how this person is. We don’t have time to get involved… to hear that there might be problems in this person’s life… or even to hear their good news! But we ask anyway and feel so good about our kind, friendly attitude. We pat ourselves on the back as a “good Christian.” And this is the problem. In terms of our Christian faith… we can’t ask and not expect to wait on the answer. All talk and no action is not true Christian faith.
We can’t expect God to meet our needs without doing our part. We can’t say we have faith and confidence in God and then walk around acting like someone just stepped on our big toe! And we can’t talk a good game and give God lip service… then sit back and expect others to be the real servants. We have to be willing to get up and get going when God calls us… and to sit still and be calm when He tells us, “I’ve got this!”
Take a good look at yourself. Do others see a person of true Christian faith when they look at you? Or do they see someone who talks big but has little to show for it? Do you really care how the other guy is doing… or are you counting on someone else to stop and hear what he/she has to say? When you feel God telling you that He has a situation under control, do you trust Him and act with confidence that He is plenty capable to handle this for you? Do you not only “talk the talk” but also “walk the walk?” Do you really have Christian faith… or do you merely talk about it? Isn’t it time to spend some time with God and get this right?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 28, 2012
James 1:26-27
If you think you are being religious, but can’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless. Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In our community, an old Post Office building has housed our Municipal Court for the last few years. This building is located directly on Main Street, where traffic passes back and forth all day long in a fairly steady stream. In recent years, the Municipal Judges have started sentencing those who are convicted of theft to parade up and down the sidewalk in front of the court building and wear a sign that says, “I’m a thief.” The judge probably gives these folks a choice between this and going to jail. But more than a few have chosen this public shame as punishment for the crime.
Understand that I am not condoning theft… not in the least. But on more than one occasion, I have driven past one of these people and had a strong urge to stop the car, walk over and put my arm around them and ask, “Do you know how much God loves you?” I know… crazy… right? And no, I have never done this… but maybe I should!
See, it’s not about how these people got where they are. Sure, they committed a crime, were convicted, and are rightly sentenced to “do the time.” But they are still God’s children. And maybe more than most of us, they need to know that somebody cares… and that God still loves them!
As I said, I have not stopped… yet! But I have started praying for this person when I pass the court building. On any given day, this could be someone we know standing there. How would you feel if that were your brother, sister, friend, mother, father, cousin, child? Wouldn’t it break your heart to think others were passing and judging… clucking their tongues and saying, “That shameful person” – or worse! Don’t you think it breaks God’s heart, too?
If we are not very careful, we give Satan an opening. We let the evil thinking of this world creep into our minds and hearts, and we begin to judge others. Our tongue gets out of control, and we become critical of those less fortunate…we start to think more highly of ourselves than others - or just more highly of ourselves than we should in general. And we stop being Godly servants. We cancel out any good we might have done, and it becomes virtually a wash.
Stop for a minute today, and examine your heart. Think about your attitudes… and what you say to others – and about others. Consider how you judge the people you see… and how you truly treat God’s children – all of them. Are you picking and choosing? Do you love unconditionally with grace and mercy? Are you willing to pray for the thief on the street who is wearing a sandwich board… to ask God to work in his/her life? Are your efforts to serve God counting for something…or is everything you do useless? Are you truly a Disciple of Christ… or are you merely “religious?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
If you think you are being religious, but can’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless. Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In our community, an old Post Office building has housed our Municipal Court for the last few years. This building is located directly on Main Street, where traffic passes back and forth all day long in a fairly steady stream. In recent years, the Municipal Judges have started sentencing those who are convicted of theft to parade up and down the sidewalk in front of the court building and wear a sign that says, “I’m a thief.” The judge probably gives these folks a choice between this and going to jail. But more than a few have chosen this public shame as punishment for the crime.
Understand that I am not condoning theft… not in the least. But on more than one occasion, I have driven past one of these people and had a strong urge to stop the car, walk over and put my arm around them and ask, “Do you know how much God loves you?” I know… crazy… right? And no, I have never done this… but maybe I should!
See, it’s not about how these people got where they are. Sure, they committed a crime, were convicted, and are rightly sentenced to “do the time.” But they are still God’s children. And maybe more than most of us, they need to know that somebody cares… and that God still loves them!
As I said, I have not stopped… yet! But I have started praying for this person when I pass the court building. On any given day, this could be someone we know standing there. How would you feel if that were your brother, sister, friend, mother, father, cousin, child? Wouldn’t it break your heart to think others were passing and judging… clucking their tongues and saying, “That shameful person” – or worse! Don’t you think it breaks God’s heart, too?
If we are not very careful, we give Satan an opening. We let the evil thinking of this world creep into our minds and hearts, and we begin to judge others. Our tongue gets out of control, and we become critical of those less fortunate…we start to think more highly of ourselves than others - or just more highly of ourselves than we should in general. And we stop being Godly servants. We cancel out any good we might have done, and it becomes virtually a wash.
Stop for a minute today, and examine your heart. Think about your attitudes… and what you say to others – and about others. Consider how you judge the people you see… and how you truly treat God’s children – all of them. Are you picking and choosing? Do you love unconditionally with grace and mercy? Are you willing to pray for the thief on the street who is wearing a sandwich board… to ask God to work in his/her life? Are your efforts to serve God counting for something…or is everything you do useless? Are you truly a Disciple of Christ… or are you merely “religious?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 16, 2012
Psalm 133:1
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the 1970s, The Waltons was a television show about a family who lived in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. Three generations lived together in one household, and for the most part, they all got along very well. Naturally there were moments of conflict, or there would have been no story line. But mostly, the stories were about how the family handled life challenges and pulled together to handle them. Each episode concluded with what seemed like an endless series of “Good nights!” between the family members as the house darkened.
In reality, very few families seem to resemble The Waltons. I think a more apt description (in TV terms) for a lot of us would be Family Feud! There is an old saying that goes something like, “You can pick your friends… but not your relatives.” And sadly, a lot of families have plenty of discord. It’s really nothing new… go back and read the story of Joseph and his brothers in the Old Testament… or read about Cain and Abel! We haven’t learned much, have we?!
At least once a month, I hear of someone who is having a problem with a sibling. This ranges from a rather tame disagreement over something like politics to an all-out war over an inheritance or settling the estate of another loved one. In some instances, the conflict escalates to the point where family members do not speak for years… if ever again. Some totally estrange themselves from their biological relatives and create a separate life altogether.
I think God must be especially grieved when we can’t seem to get along with members of our own family. He wants us to live in peace with ALL of our brothers and sisters… biological or otherwise. God places us together as family members for a reason. He equips us with the tools for living in harmony… but it is up to us to utilize them.
We don’t have to agree with our family members in every situation. We don’t have to look alike, act alike, live in the same neighborhood or community… or even attend the same church. But we need to be able to be in the same room with each other and be pleasant and civil. We must ask God to give us the ability to exercise patience, tolerance, and love for others – especially our own family members – and to control our tongue and our actions.
If we desire to please God, we must learn to operate in His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love toward all people… even our own family. Does yours more closely resemble The Waltons… or is it more of a Family Feud? I encourage you to ask God to help you do whatever is necessary to at least function somewhere more toward the middle of these two extremes.
Be sure that your words and actions are pleasing to God and honor His gifts to you. Ask Him to work in your family members, as well. You may never fully get along and agree on most points – or even really like each other. But with God’s help, you can operate in His love and maintain a bond. Take the first steps toward creating family harmony. Open the door for God to work toward peace and unity. We can’t pick our family members… but with God’s help, we can learn to love and tolerate each other!
©2012 Debbie Robus
It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the 1970s, The Waltons was a television show about a family who lived in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. Three generations lived together in one household, and for the most part, they all got along very well. Naturally there were moments of conflict, or there would have been no story line. But mostly, the stories were about how the family handled life challenges and pulled together to handle them. Each episode concluded with what seemed like an endless series of “Good nights!” between the family members as the house darkened.
In reality, very few families seem to resemble The Waltons. I think a more apt description (in TV terms) for a lot of us would be Family Feud! There is an old saying that goes something like, “You can pick your friends… but not your relatives.” And sadly, a lot of families have plenty of discord. It’s really nothing new… go back and read the story of Joseph and his brothers in the Old Testament… or read about Cain and Abel! We haven’t learned much, have we?!
At least once a month, I hear of someone who is having a problem with a sibling. This ranges from a rather tame disagreement over something like politics to an all-out war over an inheritance or settling the estate of another loved one. In some instances, the conflict escalates to the point where family members do not speak for years… if ever again. Some totally estrange themselves from their biological relatives and create a separate life altogether.
I think God must be especially grieved when we can’t seem to get along with members of our own family. He wants us to live in peace with ALL of our brothers and sisters… biological or otherwise. God places us together as family members for a reason. He equips us with the tools for living in harmony… but it is up to us to utilize them.
We don’t have to agree with our family members in every situation. We don’t have to look alike, act alike, live in the same neighborhood or community… or even attend the same church. But we need to be able to be in the same room with each other and be pleasant and civil. We must ask God to give us the ability to exercise patience, tolerance, and love for others – especially our own family members – and to control our tongue and our actions.
If we desire to please God, we must learn to operate in His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love toward all people… even our own family. Does yours more closely resemble The Waltons… or is it more of a Family Feud? I encourage you to ask God to help you do whatever is necessary to at least function somewhere more toward the middle of these two extremes.
Be sure that your words and actions are pleasing to God and honor His gifts to you. Ask Him to work in your family members, as well. You may never fully get along and agree on most points – or even really like each other. But with God’s help, you can operate in His love and maintain a bond. Take the first steps toward creating family harmony. Open the door for God to work toward peace and unity. We can’t pick our family members… but with God’s help, we can learn to love and tolerate each other!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 12, 2012
John 13:34-35
But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Here’s a challenge for you… think about one of your closest friends, and quickly jot down ten words that describe him/her. Did you choose “loving” as one of your words? What about “Godly” or “faithful” – as in filled with faith in Christ? Now think about your own life. How would others describe you? Are you known as a disciple of Christ? Is this because you TELL people this is who you are… or does your life exemplify the love of Christ on its own merits?
This commandment is incredibly encompassing. Think long and hard about all of the ways Jesus loves you. Consider all of the amazing sacrifices He made on your behalf… how He suffered physically, mentally and emotionally for you. Think about how you “love” others. Does it come anywhere close by comparison? Shouldn’t it?
In many – if not all – of our current relationships, many of us operate in what could only be considered “puppy love” at best. We are more concerned with what’s in it for us than the other guy… and our love is anything but unconditional. We certainly do not love others as Jesus loves us! But we can change this… and today is a great day to begin. Won’t you start the process to love more purely… to be more like Jesus in every way? Isn’t this the perfect day to ask God to get you started in the right direction? Do you love others as Jesus loves you… and do they know you as one of His disciples? What are you doing to change this?
©2012 Debbie Robus
But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Here’s a challenge for you… think about one of your closest friends, and quickly jot down ten words that describe him/her. Did you choose “loving” as one of your words? What about “Godly” or “faithful” – as in filled with faith in Christ? Now think about your own life. How would others describe you? Are you known as a disciple of Christ? Is this because you TELL people this is who you are… or does your life exemplify the love of Christ on its own merits?
This commandment is incredibly encompassing. Think long and hard about all of the ways Jesus loves you. Consider all of the amazing sacrifices He made on your behalf… how He suffered physically, mentally and emotionally for you. Think about how you “love” others. Does it come anywhere close by comparison? Shouldn’t it?
In many – if not all – of our current relationships, many of us operate in what could only be considered “puppy love” at best. We are more concerned with what’s in it for us than the other guy… and our love is anything but unconditional. We certainly do not love others as Jesus loves us! But we can change this… and today is a great day to begin. Won’t you start the process to love more purely… to be more like Jesus in every way? Isn’t this the perfect day to ask God to get you started in the right direction? Do you love others as Jesus loves you… and do they know you as one of His disciples? What are you doing to change this?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 2, 2012
Luke 14:12-14
Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people."
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.
My cousin Olivia has coppery red hair and freckles. I have blonde hair and very pale ivory skin. We both love pink. But the “pink” that looks good on Olivia is totally the wrong shade for my coloring. In fact, I would venture to say that there would be few colors that compliment both of us equally. Livvy looks great in yellow… I look like I’m ready for my own funeral! She can wear orange and coral… I look better in colors that have a blue undertone.
Most people gravitate toward certain colors that make them feel good – or hues they feel look best on them. Color preference is a deeply personal matter. If I only sewed with fabrics that suit me, I would probably not make things that please Olivia very often. If I stuck with patterns I like, I would rarely sew a stitch on polka dots, certain color palettes, or houndstooth, because these are not my personal favorites. But I try to think of those who will wear the garments I make. I want the clothes to be enjoyed. So Owen gets lots of orange… Timothy gets dinosaurs and Toy Story characters… and Olivia gets corals and teals. I might enjoy sewing in color palettes and patterns that better suit my tastes and preferences. But I count it a blessing to create something that will delight the recipient – and make them happy.
One of my Facebook friends posted this comment from Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life… "Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."
Let’s be honest… a lot of our intolerance comes from our fears and our unwillingness to agree to disagree. We are often so dead-set on being right that we cannot see that others may feel just as strongly that their opinion is spot-on. And often we operate in ignorance and a lack of compassion because of our fears… many of which are totally real… but also completely unfounded. I will never forget talking several years ago with the mother of a young woman who had contracted AIDS through IV drug use. The mother asked, “Can I kiss her?” That question broke my heart. She had been so afraid of contracting this disease that she had not been offering physical affection to her own child. I assured her that I understood her fears and concerns… but yes, she could hug and kiss her baby.
I don’t know your situation. I don’t know what trips you up and makes you fearful. I don’t know your personal opinions and preferences… or which shade of pink or blue flatters your skin tone. But I do know that we could all stand to open our hearts and minds a bit… to broaden our horizons… and be more tolerant of others. We could venture beyond the “Comfort Zone” of our own circle of familiarity and at least consider allowing in a few who have a different opinion or lifestyle. I’m not talking about changing who you are or how you think… I’m talking about acknowledging… and embracing someone who feels differently – if only just a little bit. In figurative terms, think “come for dinner” – not “marry me!”
God created so many wonderful people… such diverse personalities… beautiful variations of skin tone, hair color, size and shape, talent, intellect and ability. Yet we try to make everyone wear black and white and only the patterns and styles we prefer. We want them to think exactly as we do… and we criticize, disrespect, and fear them when they do not.
It’s time to “invite others to the dinner.” It is time to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus… to bless… and be blessed by doing the right thing and extending God’s love. Don’t ask “What’s in it for me?” Ask, “Is this what God wants me to do?” The “reward” will come… but probably not in the form you expected. You might even discover you have more in common with the other guy than you think. You may never like polka dots or houndstooth patterns… or even wear pink!... but you’ll never know until you try!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people."
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.
My cousin Olivia has coppery red hair and freckles. I have blonde hair and very pale ivory skin. We both love pink. But the “pink” that looks good on Olivia is totally the wrong shade for my coloring. In fact, I would venture to say that there would be few colors that compliment both of us equally. Livvy looks great in yellow… I look like I’m ready for my own funeral! She can wear orange and coral… I look better in colors that have a blue undertone.
Most people gravitate toward certain colors that make them feel good – or hues they feel look best on them. Color preference is a deeply personal matter. If I only sewed with fabrics that suit me, I would probably not make things that please Olivia very often. If I stuck with patterns I like, I would rarely sew a stitch on polka dots, certain color palettes, or houndstooth, because these are not my personal favorites. But I try to think of those who will wear the garments I make. I want the clothes to be enjoyed. So Owen gets lots of orange… Timothy gets dinosaurs and Toy Story characters… and Olivia gets corals and teals. I might enjoy sewing in color palettes and patterns that better suit my tastes and preferences. But I count it a blessing to create something that will delight the recipient – and make them happy.
One of my Facebook friends posted this comment from Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life… "Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."
Let’s be honest… a lot of our intolerance comes from our fears and our unwillingness to agree to disagree. We are often so dead-set on being right that we cannot see that others may feel just as strongly that their opinion is spot-on. And often we operate in ignorance and a lack of compassion because of our fears… many of which are totally real… but also completely unfounded. I will never forget talking several years ago with the mother of a young woman who had contracted AIDS through IV drug use. The mother asked, “Can I kiss her?” That question broke my heart. She had been so afraid of contracting this disease that she had not been offering physical affection to her own child. I assured her that I understood her fears and concerns… but yes, she could hug and kiss her baby.
I don’t know your situation. I don’t know what trips you up and makes you fearful. I don’t know your personal opinions and preferences… or which shade of pink or blue flatters your skin tone. But I do know that we could all stand to open our hearts and minds a bit… to broaden our horizons… and be more tolerant of others. We could venture beyond the “Comfort Zone” of our own circle of familiarity and at least consider allowing in a few who have a different opinion or lifestyle. I’m not talking about changing who you are or how you think… I’m talking about acknowledging… and embracing someone who feels differently – if only just a little bit. In figurative terms, think “come for dinner” – not “marry me!”
God created so many wonderful people… such diverse personalities… beautiful variations of skin tone, hair color, size and shape, talent, intellect and ability. Yet we try to make everyone wear black and white and only the patterns and styles we prefer. We want them to think exactly as we do… and we criticize, disrespect, and fear them when they do not.
It’s time to “invite others to the dinner.” It is time to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus… to bless… and be blessed by doing the right thing and extending God’s love. Don’t ask “What’s in it for me?” Ask, “Is this what God wants me to do?” The “reward” will come… but probably not in the form you expected. You might even discover you have more in common with the other guy than you think. You may never like polka dots or houndstooth patterns… or even wear pink!... but you’ll never know until you try!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 30, 2012
Matthew 5:43-47
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does 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.
Lately, we’ve had a lot of spotty rain showers. Just last week, my husband and I watched out our back windows as sheets of rain blew across the river valley below us – and barely a drop touched our yard for the longest time. How could the refreshing rain be so close… and yet so far away?
We have commented to each other that “Somebody who needs rain is getting it,” and we have been thankful for this. As our drought conditions continue, it would be easy to be resentful when our neighbors across town receive an inch of rain, and we get only a few drops. If that neighbor happened to be someone we really didn’t like, we could build up a pretty good head of steam over his/her soggy blessing. “That lousy fellow got water for his lawn, and we didn’t get any! How could God bless HIM?! What’s He doing letting THAT guy have rain and not us?!”
I hope you can see how ridiculous this is even as you read it. But if we are honest, we behave in exactly this manner about many things – and often! We cheer when our “enemy” is wounded in some way, and we gripe and complain if he/she gets a break. When we are wronged - or this happens to someone we care about - it rarely (if ever) occurs to us to pray for the offender… to ask God to soften his/her heart and to bring about a spirit of remorse and a desire for restitution. Instead, we rant and rave, wring our hands and cry… and we ask God “Why, LORD, WHY?” We treat these “enemies” with disdain – and sometimes disrespect.
What do you suppose would happen if we began to fervently and genuinely pray for our “enemies?” What if we prayed for the shooter who killed and injured more than 70 people recently in Colorado… or those who oppose the political candidates we support? Suppose we were to begin praying for those who mistreat and disrespect the people who do not share their views on everything from universal health care and gun control to abortion, gay rights and what constitutes a “traditional marriage?”
What if we prayed for those who protest at funerals and bomb abortion clinics? Have you ever considered what might happen if we prayed for the monsters that exploit little children, tyrants who are cruel and repressive toward the people under their control, and those who are so sick of mind as to torture innocent animals?
Closer to home, what if you prayed for that neighbor who drives you nuts, the kid in your class who is obnoxious, the teacher who intimidates students, the person who disagrees with your views on anything and everything, or the boss who is never satisfied with your work? What do you suppose would happen if you started to pray passionately for that church member who drives you up the wall or the crazy relative you wished belonged to another family?
I love how this passage explains that it’s easy to love those who agree with you and are so “lovable.” Loving the unlovely – or those who differ with us in some way – is much harder… but far more important! When we start to operate in love and concern for others… ALL others… we open the doors for God to step through and perform miracles. And notice I did NOT say to pray for these people to come around to our way of thinking! We are not asking God to necessarily change the other person… we are merely asking Him to work in this person’s life according to His will. This is very important!
When we take a step backward and look at even our worst “enemy” and say, “This is God’s child, too,” we begin to see this person in a different light. He/she may still be disagreeable, different, messed up, confused… or even evil. But God sees at least the potential for worth and significance – and HE has the final say. Our change in attitude may not have the effect that WE desire… but all concerned will be forever transformed as we place the judgment and outcome in God’s hands and operate totally in His love.
I suggest you start small. Pick out one person today that needs your love and prayers. Tomorrow, select another (you know there is more than one!), and pray for him/her. Notice how God works in and through you as you begin to release your negative feelings and allow Him to have complete control. Surrender to God’s will and operate in His love for ALL of His children. Make every effort to get to a place in your own faith walk where your joy comes from learning to truly celebrate when the other guy gets rain…and you don’t!
©2012 Debbie Robus
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does 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.
Lately, we’ve had a lot of spotty rain showers. Just last week, my husband and I watched out our back windows as sheets of rain blew across the river valley below us – and barely a drop touched our yard for the longest time. How could the refreshing rain be so close… and yet so far away?
We have commented to each other that “Somebody who needs rain is getting it,” and we have been thankful for this. As our drought conditions continue, it would be easy to be resentful when our neighbors across town receive an inch of rain, and we get only a few drops. If that neighbor happened to be someone we really didn’t like, we could build up a pretty good head of steam over his/her soggy blessing. “That lousy fellow got water for his lawn, and we didn’t get any! How could God bless HIM?! What’s He doing letting THAT guy have rain and not us?!”
I hope you can see how ridiculous this is even as you read it. But if we are honest, we behave in exactly this manner about many things – and often! We cheer when our “enemy” is wounded in some way, and we gripe and complain if he/she gets a break. When we are wronged - or this happens to someone we care about - it rarely (if ever) occurs to us to pray for the offender… to ask God to soften his/her heart and to bring about a spirit of remorse and a desire for restitution. Instead, we rant and rave, wring our hands and cry… and we ask God “Why, LORD, WHY?” We treat these “enemies” with disdain – and sometimes disrespect.
What do you suppose would happen if we began to fervently and genuinely pray for our “enemies?” What if we prayed for the shooter who killed and injured more than 70 people recently in Colorado… or those who oppose the political candidates we support? Suppose we were to begin praying for those who mistreat and disrespect the people who do not share their views on everything from universal health care and gun control to abortion, gay rights and what constitutes a “traditional marriage?”
What if we prayed for those who protest at funerals and bomb abortion clinics? Have you ever considered what might happen if we prayed for the monsters that exploit little children, tyrants who are cruel and repressive toward the people under their control, and those who are so sick of mind as to torture innocent animals?
Closer to home, what if you prayed for that neighbor who drives you nuts, the kid in your class who is obnoxious, the teacher who intimidates students, the person who disagrees with your views on anything and everything, or the boss who is never satisfied with your work? What do you suppose would happen if you started to pray passionately for that church member who drives you up the wall or the crazy relative you wished belonged to another family?
I love how this passage explains that it’s easy to love those who agree with you and are so “lovable.” Loving the unlovely – or those who differ with us in some way – is much harder… but far more important! When we start to operate in love and concern for others… ALL others… we open the doors for God to step through and perform miracles. And notice I did NOT say to pray for these people to come around to our way of thinking! We are not asking God to necessarily change the other person… we are merely asking Him to work in this person’s life according to His will. This is very important!
When we take a step backward and look at even our worst “enemy” and say, “This is God’s child, too,” we begin to see this person in a different light. He/she may still be disagreeable, different, messed up, confused… or even evil. But God sees at least the potential for worth and significance – and HE has the final say. Our change in attitude may not have the effect that WE desire… but all concerned will be forever transformed as we place the judgment and outcome in God’s hands and operate totally in His love.
I suggest you start small. Pick out one person today that needs your love and prayers. Tomorrow, select another (you know there is more than one!), and pray for him/her. Notice how God works in and through you as you begin to release your negative feelings and allow Him to have complete control. Surrender to God’s will and operate in His love for ALL of His children. Make every effort to get to a place in your own faith walk where your joy comes from learning to truly celebrate when the other guy gets rain…and you don’t!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 17, 2012
Romans 12:9-10
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
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.
Everywhere you turn, someone is promoting a particular fitness routine… Insanity Workout®, P90X®, Boot Camp, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, and countless others are taking the country by storm as people seek a way to get fit – and fast! What all of these workouts have in common is a lot of focus on your body’s “core” – or “center.” In order to develop true strength and fitness, you build up your mid-section, abdominal and lower back muscles. These represent your “core” or “center.”
Once your core is strong, you have more stamina and are less prone to injury. Your workouts are more effective. You are able to lift more, exert your body for longer periods of time, and your overall health improves. But you MUST strengthen your body’s core!
Here’s the message for today… in order to be Spiritually fit and strong, you must build up your heart, which is the core of your life in Christ. I’m not talking about your physical heart… I’m referring to the center of your soul… the place where the Holy Spirit resides. In order to be a loving, faith-filled, Spiritually healthy Christian, you must maintain a strong Spiritual “core.”
What constitutes a strong Spiritual “core?” Read these verses in Romans 12 again. Love from the center of who you are - and never fake it! Be the real deal. Truly love others with the love of Christ… remembering that you are often just as unlovely as the next guy – yet Jesus always has open arms to embrace you. Look for the good in all situations… and turn away from anything that is evil. This includes gossip, backbiting, revenge and spite, hatred, bigotry, dishonesty, and deliberate mistreatment of others, to name a few. Focus on putting others first. Compliment others… build them up in good times, and support them when life brings them difficulties. Quit asking “What’s in it for me?” Instead, ask God, “Who can I bless in Your name today?”
When you start to share the love of Jesus as outlined in these verses and other passages of Scripture… when you truly operate from a strong, sound Spiritual core…amazing things can happen. Blessings flow - in all directions and in ways you can’t begin to imagine. We are all so bad to put off our workouts – to say, “I’ll start tomorrow, next week, or next year.” Don’t do this with your Spiritual core. Start exercising today. Look for ways to build up your heart… opportunities to love others as Jesus loves you. Strengthen your Spiritual core, so that you have the stamina and power to handle everything life gives you. And get ready to be blessed beyond measure in the bargain!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
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.
Everywhere you turn, someone is promoting a particular fitness routine… Insanity Workout®, P90X®, Boot Camp, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, and countless others are taking the country by storm as people seek a way to get fit – and fast! What all of these workouts have in common is a lot of focus on your body’s “core” – or “center.” In order to develop true strength and fitness, you build up your mid-section, abdominal and lower back muscles. These represent your “core” or “center.”
Once your core is strong, you have more stamina and are less prone to injury. Your workouts are more effective. You are able to lift more, exert your body for longer periods of time, and your overall health improves. But you MUST strengthen your body’s core!
Here’s the message for today… in order to be Spiritually fit and strong, you must build up your heart, which is the core of your life in Christ. I’m not talking about your physical heart… I’m referring to the center of your soul… the place where the Holy Spirit resides. In order to be a loving, faith-filled, Spiritually healthy Christian, you must maintain a strong Spiritual “core.”
What constitutes a strong Spiritual “core?” Read these verses in Romans 12 again. Love from the center of who you are - and never fake it! Be the real deal. Truly love others with the love of Christ… remembering that you are often just as unlovely as the next guy – yet Jesus always has open arms to embrace you. Look for the good in all situations… and turn away from anything that is evil. This includes gossip, backbiting, revenge and spite, hatred, bigotry, dishonesty, and deliberate mistreatment of others, to name a few. Focus on putting others first. Compliment others… build them up in good times, and support them when life brings them difficulties. Quit asking “What’s in it for me?” Instead, ask God, “Who can I bless in Your name today?”
When you start to share the love of Jesus as outlined in these verses and other passages of Scripture… when you truly operate from a strong, sound Spiritual core…amazing things can happen. Blessings flow - in all directions and in ways you can’t begin to imagine. We are all so bad to put off our workouts – to say, “I’ll start tomorrow, next week, or next year.” Don’t do this with your Spiritual core. Start exercising today. Look for ways to build up your heart… opportunities to love others as Jesus loves you. Strengthen your Spiritual core, so that you have the stamina and power to handle everything life gives you. And get ready to be blessed beyond measure in the bargain!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 15, 2012
Romans 12:20-21
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There is an old adage shared in caregiving circles that suggests (I’m paraphrasing) that those receiving care often “bite the hand that feeds them.” In other words, if you are a caregiver, you probably get a lot of complaints and ingratitude – if not downright personal attacks – from the person for whom you are caring.
Even if you are not a caregiver, you may experience this in your daily living – from a fellow classmate, a co-worker, a family member, neighbor, or fellow church member. It may seem like the more you do for this person, the worse they treat you. And it is human nature for us to want to retaliate… to “give this person a dose of his/her own medicine”… to lash out – or even to turn our back on them and walk away.
I think one of the hardest actions for a Christian to master is treating others kindly – even generously – when they have offered us anything but kindness. Loving the unlovely is incredibly challenging sometimes. Doing this with the right attitude is even more difficult.
See, caregivers have to keep caregiving. You may have to continue to go to class with that irritating classmate – or work with the person who is unkind. You can’t always move away from unpleasant neighbors or distance yourself from a church member who rubs you the wrong way. And you most certainly cannot divorce your family – although many have wanted to do exactly that! So often, we treat these people kindly and with civility – but in our hearts, we are not feeling very charitable. We may even plot “mental revenge!”
God wants us to operate in a spirit of charity and kindness – no matter who or what comes our way. He wants our heart to be as generous and loving as our actions. This is a HUGE challenge… one I do not mean to diminish in the least… and I can assure you that I struggle with it daily! But we must ask God to continue to work in us – to fill us with so much joy and completeness in Him that nothing flaps us.
Ask God to help you work on your heart. Call on Him to give you a spirit of goodness and generosity toward others – from your head to your heart to your toes! The better you become at doing this, the lighter your heart will feel… the more joy and peace you will experience. Another adage says, “Living well is the best revenge.” Revel in demonstrating kindness and love… let God handle the paybacks… and truly live well in the LORD.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There is an old adage shared in caregiving circles that suggests (I’m paraphrasing) that those receiving care often “bite the hand that feeds them.” In other words, if you are a caregiver, you probably get a lot of complaints and ingratitude – if not downright personal attacks – from the person for whom you are caring.
Even if you are not a caregiver, you may experience this in your daily living – from a fellow classmate, a co-worker, a family member, neighbor, or fellow church member. It may seem like the more you do for this person, the worse they treat you. And it is human nature for us to want to retaliate… to “give this person a dose of his/her own medicine”… to lash out – or even to turn our back on them and walk away.
I think one of the hardest actions for a Christian to master is treating others kindly – even generously – when they have offered us anything but kindness. Loving the unlovely is incredibly challenging sometimes. Doing this with the right attitude is even more difficult.
See, caregivers have to keep caregiving. You may have to continue to go to class with that irritating classmate – or work with the person who is unkind. You can’t always move away from unpleasant neighbors or distance yourself from a church member who rubs you the wrong way. And you most certainly cannot divorce your family – although many have wanted to do exactly that! So often, we treat these people kindly and with civility – but in our hearts, we are not feeling very charitable. We may even plot “mental revenge!”
God wants us to operate in a spirit of charity and kindness – no matter who or what comes our way. He wants our heart to be as generous and loving as our actions. This is a HUGE challenge… one I do not mean to diminish in the least… and I can assure you that I struggle with it daily! But we must ask God to continue to work in us – to fill us with so much joy and completeness in Him that nothing flaps us.
Ask God to help you work on your heart. Call on Him to give you a spirit of goodness and generosity toward others – from your head to your heart to your toes! The better you become at doing this, the lighter your heart will feel… the more joy and peace you will experience. Another adage says, “Living well is the best revenge.” Revel in demonstrating kindness and love… let God handle the paybacks… and truly live well in the LORD.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 12, 2012
1 Corinthians 13:4-10
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
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 the movie Jerry McGuire, Jerry (played by Tom Cruise) tells Dorothy (portrayed by Renee Zellweger)… “You complete me.” The truth is… no matter how much we love someone, we can never complete them. The only One who can complete us is God Almighty! When Jesus returns for us and all mysteries and wonders are revealed… when we finally have all the answers… we will be complete in Him.
Meanwhile, we must work toward the moment when we are reunited with Christ by striving to operate in His love each and every day. And the first seven verses of this passage tell us exactly how to do this. Read over them several times – carefully. Examine how you are doing in your quest to operate in the love of Jesus.
The verse that really gets me is – “put up with anything!” Does this truly describe your behavior? The King James Version translates this verse as “endureth all things.” The Apostle Paul is not telling us to tolerate injustice, cruelty, immorality or anything illegal. What he is saying is that we must trust God to get help us cope with these things… and we must continue operate in His love toward the offender – even as we seek justice or mete out consequences. This is hard. We are wired to seek revenge… and the devil works diligently to remind us of how good this would feel… and how “entitled” we are to do so!
In truth, the love of Christ is all we need. When we operate in His love, Jesus handles the rest. His blood was poured out on the cross for us and covers our sins… and His blood can also cover “the other guy.” We must pray for this… we must love others so that they will desire redemption through the unending love of Jesus. We must not fly off the handle, strut our stuff, or keep score. We must trust God, always look for the best, and never give up!
I am excited about the day when I become truly complete. But I know that I have a lot to do beforehand… and so do you. We are works in progress! I learn more about operating in the love of Christ each and every day… and I pray that the same is happening in your life. Where are you lacking today? What characteristics of operating in Christ’s love elude you? Will this be the day you start to work on them?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
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 the movie Jerry McGuire, Jerry (played by Tom Cruise) tells Dorothy (portrayed by Renee Zellweger)… “You complete me.” The truth is… no matter how much we love someone, we can never complete them. The only One who can complete us is God Almighty! When Jesus returns for us and all mysteries and wonders are revealed… when we finally have all the answers… we will be complete in Him.
Meanwhile, we must work toward the moment when we are reunited with Christ by striving to operate in His love each and every day. And the first seven verses of this passage tell us exactly how to do this. Read over them several times – carefully. Examine how you are doing in your quest to operate in the love of Jesus.
The verse that really gets me is – “put up with anything!” Does this truly describe your behavior? The King James Version translates this verse as “endureth all things.” The Apostle Paul is not telling us to tolerate injustice, cruelty, immorality or anything illegal. What he is saying is that we must trust God to get help us cope with these things… and we must continue operate in His love toward the offender – even as we seek justice or mete out consequences. This is hard. We are wired to seek revenge… and the devil works diligently to remind us of how good this would feel… and how “entitled” we are to do so!
In truth, the love of Christ is all we need. When we operate in His love, Jesus handles the rest. His blood was poured out on the cross for us and covers our sins… and His blood can also cover “the other guy.” We must pray for this… we must love others so that they will desire redemption through the unending love of Jesus. We must not fly off the handle, strut our stuff, or keep score. We must trust God, always look for the best, and never give up!
I am excited about the day when I become truly complete. But I know that I have a lot to do beforehand… and so do you. We are works in progress! I learn more about operating in the love of Christ each and every day… and I pray that the same is happening in your life. Where are you lacking today? What characteristics of operating in Christ’s love elude you? Will this be the day you start to work on them?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 10, 2012
Galatians 6:1-3
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
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.
All I could think about as I read this passage was church and government leaders who have criticized this behavior or that lifestyle… only to be found guilty of the same thing at a later date. From mismanagement of funds to sexual infidelity, drug and alcohol abuse, physical or sexual abuse and more…these leaders often find themselves needing forgiveness for the very things they have condemned others for doing. And frankly, you and I are no better much of the time!
Do not misunderstand me… I am not making excuses for anyone. I’m merely saying that we are all human beings… all capable of sin… and equally in need of grace and mercy on any given day. To look down upon another person – or be critical of him/her with no offer of genuine compassion – runs counter to Christ’s law to love your neighbor as yourself.
If we are truly Christ’s disciples… if we really want His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness for OUR sins… we must offer this same kindness and consideration to others. How do we love someone who molests children or abuses animals? How can we forgive the drunk driver who killed our loved one or the significant other or spouse who cheats? How can we not be disgusted by the person who gambles away everything and endangers the welfare of his/her family – or the person who cannot shake a drug habit and ruins not only his/her life but the lives of countless others?
The answer is that we must look at each of these people as Jesus does… through His eyes. We don’t condone their behaviors. We do not excuse their sins. But we love the person God created and say inwardly – if not aloud – “I will pray for this person. I will offer kindness and fair treatment. I will remember that on any given day, others might be repulsed by me if they knew my sins and shortcomings. I will leave punishment to those in authority, where necessary… and the ultimate judgment to God.”
Too many of us act as if we are incapable of offering compassion to those we deem to have failed in some way. In truth, we have decided we are too good for other sinners… failing to recognize that we are right there in the boat with them! The time has come for us to remove our blinders and see clearly… to recognize that we are called to love others as God loves us. And that means we don’t get to pick and choose for whom – or when – we do this!
We all need to examine our hearts. I’m pretty sure each one of us has operated in criticism and judgment of others – at least to some degree. It’s time to ask ourselves how we would feel knowing others do this toward us… and then adjust our attitudes accordingly. We can’t have it both ways. We’re either walking in the protective shadow of the cross… or wandering in the desert with the devil.
Who do you need to restore today with your prayers and compassion? Who is God calling you to forgive? Are you living creatively in the love of Christ?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
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.
All I could think about as I read this passage was church and government leaders who have criticized this behavior or that lifestyle… only to be found guilty of the same thing at a later date. From mismanagement of funds to sexual infidelity, drug and alcohol abuse, physical or sexual abuse and more…these leaders often find themselves needing forgiveness for the very things they have condemned others for doing. And frankly, you and I are no better much of the time!
Do not misunderstand me… I am not making excuses for anyone. I’m merely saying that we are all human beings… all capable of sin… and equally in need of grace and mercy on any given day. To look down upon another person – or be critical of him/her with no offer of genuine compassion – runs counter to Christ’s law to love your neighbor as yourself.
If we are truly Christ’s disciples… if we really want His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness for OUR sins… we must offer this same kindness and consideration to others. How do we love someone who molests children or abuses animals? How can we forgive the drunk driver who killed our loved one or the significant other or spouse who cheats? How can we not be disgusted by the person who gambles away everything and endangers the welfare of his/her family – or the person who cannot shake a drug habit and ruins not only his/her life but the lives of countless others?
The answer is that we must look at each of these people as Jesus does… through His eyes. We don’t condone their behaviors. We do not excuse their sins. But we love the person God created and say inwardly – if not aloud – “I will pray for this person. I will offer kindness and fair treatment. I will remember that on any given day, others might be repulsed by me if they knew my sins and shortcomings. I will leave punishment to those in authority, where necessary… and the ultimate judgment to God.”
Too many of us act as if we are incapable of offering compassion to those we deem to have failed in some way. In truth, we have decided we are too good for other sinners… failing to recognize that we are right there in the boat with them! The time has come for us to remove our blinders and see clearly… to recognize that we are called to love others as God loves us. And that means we don’t get to pick and choose for whom – or when – we do this!
We all need to examine our hearts. I’m pretty sure each one of us has operated in criticism and judgment of others – at least to some degree. It’s time to ask ourselves how we would feel knowing others do this toward us… and then adjust our attitudes accordingly. We can’t have it both ways. We’re either walking in the protective shadow of the cross… or wandering in the desert with the devil.
Who do you need to restore today with your prayers and compassion? Who is God calling you to forgive? Are you living creatively in the love of Christ?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 19, 2012
Ephesians 4:1-5
As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, I watched an interview that Oprah Winfrey conducted with rap artist 50 Cent… a.k.a. Curtis Jackson. I found it interesting to learn that the cold, harsh, often-profane “50 Cent” is a public persona. The real Curtis Jackson appears to be a tender, intelligent, loving man who was reared by his grandparents after his mother was murdered when Curtis was only eight. While I do not condone the violence and profane message - or the delivery - of 50 Cent’s “music” in general, I may have misjudged him overall. At the very least, I should learn to patiently put up with him.
Stop laughing… I realize that 50 Cent is not often – if ever – on my radar screen. But we do have a number of people who rub us the wrong way all the time, for one reason or another… people we may have judged unfairly… people who are “hard to love.” And the truth is… this may be exactly how quite a few people view us!
“Me?” you may be asking. “What’s not to love about me?” For some, there may be plenty… from attitude to personality and more. “But I’m a Christian!” you may shout. And those who don’t particularly care for you may be, too! The point is, we are not called to LIKE everyone else… but we are called to show Christian love and patience - and to make every effort to get along.
Oprah asked 50 Cent, “Who really loves you?” She admitted that this is a daunting question, if you really think about it. For Curtis Jackson, the first person who came to mind was his grandmother. And then he had trouble thinking of others. Who really loves you? Who accepts you unconditionally, treats you gently and respectfully, and always puts up with you? We can probably all name dozens of “acquaintances” who appear to like us well enough… but who do you know for certain loves you, warts and all? Sadly, the lists are probably pretty short for all of us. I believe the devil dances on his head with joy at the thought that we have so much trouble getting along and genuinely loving others.
What if Jesus loved us like this? What if His list of people He truly loved rose and fell with His mood - and our behavior? Thankfully, this is not the case. And the same Jesus who died for you, died for me - and that neighbor you can’t stand, and the woman in your church who drives you crazy, or the classmate or co-worker who gets on your last nerve!
We need to do a better job of getting along – of at least tolerating others and not judging them so quickly. We need to take a long, hard look at each person we meet and remind ourselves that he/she is equally a child of God – and truly loved by Him every bit as much as we are. We need to “give peace a chance,” as the John Lennon song says... and live and love in a way that honors God’s love for us. As the Apostle Paul admonishes us in this passage, we must “live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own.” How are you doing so far?
©2012 Debbie Robus
As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, I watched an interview that Oprah Winfrey conducted with rap artist 50 Cent… a.k.a. Curtis Jackson. I found it interesting to learn that the cold, harsh, often-profane “50 Cent” is a public persona. The real Curtis Jackson appears to be a tender, intelligent, loving man who was reared by his grandparents after his mother was murdered when Curtis was only eight. While I do not condone the violence and profane message - or the delivery - of 50 Cent’s “music” in general, I may have misjudged him overall. At the very least, I should learn to patiently put up with him.
Stop laughing… I realize that 50 Cent is not often – if ever – on my radar screen. But we do have a number of people who rub us the wrong way all the time, for one reason or another… people we may have judged unfairly… people who are “hard to love.” And the truth is… this may be exactly how quite a few people view us!
“Me?” you may be asking. “What’s not to love about me?” For some, there may be plenty… from attitude to personality and more. “But I’m a Christian!” you may shout. And those who don’t particularly care for you may be, too! The point is, we are not called to LIKE everyone else… but we are called to show Christian love and patience - and to make every effort to get along.
Oprah asked 50 Cent, “Who really loves you?” She admitted that this is a daunting question, if you really think about it. For Curtis Jackson, the first person who came to mind was his grandmother. And then he had trouble thinking of others. Who really loves you? Who accepts you unconditionally, treats you gently and respectfully, and always puts up with you? We can probably all name dozens of “acquaintances” who appear to like us well enough… but who do you know for certain loves you, warts and all? Sadly, the lists are probably pretty short for all of us. I believe the devil dances on his head with joy at the thought that we have so much trouble getting along and genuinely loving others.
What if Jesus loved us like this? What if His list of people He truly loved rose and fell with His mood - and our behavior? Thankfully, this is not the case. And the same Jesus who died for you, died for me - and that neighbor you can’t stand, and the woman in your church who drives you crazy, or the classmate or co-worker who gets on your last nerve!
We need to do a better job of getting along – of at least tolerating others and not judging them so quickly. We need to take a long, hard look at each person we meet and remind ourselves that he/she is equally a child of God – and truly loved by Him every bit as much as we are. We need to “give peace a chance,” as the John Lennon song says... and live and love in a way that honors God’s love for us. As the Apostle Paul admonishes us in this passage, we must “live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own.” How are you doing so far?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 5, 2012
April 5 ~ 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
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 the 1970s, a comedian named Flip Wilson hosted a variety show on television, which featured several short skits during a one-hour format. One of Wilson’s characters was “Geraldine Jones” (actually Wilson dressed as a woman). Geraldine had a boyfriend named “Killer,” and one of her signature quips was, “The devil made me do it!”… as in “The devil made me buy this dress!” Wilson also made famous the line, “What you see is what you get!” While we like to joke that “the devil made me do it,” the truth is that we are listening to Satan more often than we care to admit!
If we are honest, we have to concede that the suggestions the devil whispers in our ear are frequently the source of our motivation for all sorts of words and actions. On Judgment Day, the excuse that “the devil made me do it,” is not going to pass muster with God! And “what you see is what you get” won’t work with God, either… if what He sees is someone who was motivated by Satan most of the time!
I do not want you to change your motivation to love God and serve Him out of a sense of fear. I operated far too long in fear of God’s retribution, and my relationship with Him suffered as a result. Fear may be a great motivator on some levels, but in the end, you are left with a sense of great burden… and maybe even guilt and shame. However, when we are motivated to love God and serve Him out of a sense of gratitude for all He has done for us, the entire relationship changes.
Operating from a position of love and humility… a desire to do as much as possible for the One who has done incredible, unfathomable things for us… breeds an atmosphere of joy and pride – not in ourselves, but in the great blessings and gifts God bestows. When we are motivated to do something out of deep love or gratitude… or even a desire to bless someone else in some manner… the end result is moving – and often joyful – for everyone concerned. When we operate out of a feeling of obligation or fear, we may achieve a desired result… but will we resent the steps taken to get there?
God wants us to be continually motivated to love and serve out of a deep abiding sense of love and gratitude. He wants us to stop playing games and listening to the devil… and living for Him only out of a fear to live otherwise. When we say “What you see is what you get,” God wants others to see genuine love and our desire to be all that we can be as faith-filled Christians.
Today, as we think of what Jesus sacrificed for us on the cross… as we imagine Him kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane and humbling Himself before God… let’s ask ourselves, “What motivated Jesus so long ago to die for us? What motivates us today to serve Him in return?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
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 the 1970s, a comedian named Flip Wilson hosted a variety show on television, which featured several short skits during a one-hour format. One of Wilson’s characters was “Geraldine Jones” (actually Wilson dressed as a woman). Geraldine had a boyfriend named “Killer,” and one of her signature quips was, “The devil made me do it!”… as in “The devil made me buy this dress!” Wilson also made famous the line, “What you see is what you get!” While we like to joke that “the devil made me do it,” the truth is that we are listening to Satan more often than we care to admit!
If we are honest, we have to concede that the suggestions the devil whispers in our ear are frequently the source of our motivation for all sorts of words and actions. On Judgment Day, the excuse that “the devil made me do it,” is not going to pass muster with God! And “what you see is what you get” won’t work with God, either… if what He sees is someone who was motivated by Satan most of the time!
I do not want you to change your motivation to love God and serve Him out of a sense of fear. I operated far too long in fear of God’s retribution, and my relationship with Him suffered as a result. Fear may be a great motivator on some levels, but in the end, you are left with a sense of great burden… and maybe even guilt and shame. However, when we are motivated to love God and serve Him out of a sense of gratitude for all He has done for us, the entire relationship changes.
Operating from a position of love and humility… a desire to do as much as possible for the One who has done incredible, unfathomable things for us… breeds an atmosphere of joy and pride – not in ourselves, but in the great blessings and gifts God bestows. When we are motivated to do something out of deep love or gratitude… or even a desire to bless someone else in some manner… the end result is moving – and often joyful – for everyone concerned. When we operate out of a feeling of obligation or fear, we may achieve a desired result… but will we resent the steps taken to get there?
God wants us to be continually motivated to love and serve out of a deep abiding sense of love and gratitude. He wants us to stop playing games and listening to the devil… and living for Him only out of a fear to live otherwise. When we say “What you see is what you get,” God wants others to see genuine love and our desire to be all that we can be as faith-filled Christians.
Today, as we think of what Jesus sacrificed for us on the cross… as we imagine Him kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane and humbling Himself before God… let’s ask ourselves, “What motivated Jesus so long ago to die for us? What motivates us today to serve Him in return?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 15, 2012
2 Corinthians 6:11-13
Friends in Corinth, we are telling the truth when we say that there is room in our hearts for you. We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us. I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Telephone conversations with a toddler who is not quite three are challenging, to say the least! Timothy tries to “show” me what he is saying… and of course, I can’t “see” his nods and gestures in response to my questions and comments. So I try to keep things as simple as possible… questions he can answer with one word or two… singing one of his favorite songs… and lots of “I love yous!” In the most elementary way possible, my husband and I try to convey to him with words that there is more than enough room in our hearts for him. And I know from his responses that the feeling is mutual.
We can’t exactly get a physical hug from God, either. Yet, He shows us in ways great and small that there is room in His heart for us. But how do we show Him our heart? Is there room for God there? Do we speak and act in a way that exhibits love, respect, honor and glory to Him? Do we waste time trying to make lavish, grand gestures - or do we keep it as simple as possible… offering prayers of praise, living and serving in a way that pleases Him, speaking His truths and sharing the Good News with others, operating in love and kindness?
Timothy knows that we love him. Every time he gets pictures, coloring pages, or a toy or new clothes in the mail, he knows we are thinking of him. When we sing a song over the telephone, he is reminded of the hours we spent singing in the living room and playing together. When we tell him “I love you,” he remembers the hugs and kisses that accompanied those words. And every single day, God is showering us with love and hugs through all sorts of gestures… the warmth of a beautiful sunny day… health and healing… the smiles and kindness of others… and much more. All we have to do to feel God’s love is to open our hearts and minds to the possibilities He offers. We have to stop holding back… to “let go and let God” fill us with His love, grace, mercy and blessings.
What is the condition of your heart? Is it open wide, with room for God to enter and fill you? Or are you holding back - both in your ability to receive and to give love to God and others? Isn’t this a perfect time to open your heart… to allow God to fill you with His love… and to simply and profoundly share love and kindness with others? Do you know how much God loves you? Do others know how much you love them? Just how wide open is your heart these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Friends in Corinth, we are telling the truth when we say that there is room in our hearts for you. We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us. I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Telephone conversations with a toddler who is not quite three are challenging, to say the least! Timothy tries to “show” me what he is saying… and of course, I can’t “see” his nods and gestures in response to my questions and comments. So I try to keep things as simple as possible… questions he can answer with one word or two… singing one of his favorite songs… and lots of “I love yous!” In the most elementary way possible, my husband and I try to convey to him with words that there is more than enough room in our hearts for him. And I know from his responses that the feeling is mutual.
We can’t exactly get a physical hug from God, either. Yet, He shows us in ways great and small that there is room in His heart for us. But how do we show Him our heart? Is there room for God there? Do we speak and act in a way that exhibits love, respect, honor and glory to Him? Do we waste time trying to make lavish, grand gestures - or do we keep it as simple as possible… offering prayers of praise, living and serving in a way that pleases Him, speaking His truths and sharing the Good News with others, operating in love and kindness?
Timothy knows that we love him. Every time he gets pictures, coloring pages, or a toy or new clothes in the mail, he knows we are thinking of him. When we sing a song over the telephone, he is reminded of the hours we spent singing in the living room and playing together. When we tell him “I love you,” he remembers the hugs and kisses that accompanied those words. And every single day, God is showering us with love and hugs through all sorts of gestures… the warmth of a beautiful sunny day… health and healing… the smiles and kindness of others… and much more. All we have to do to feel God’s love is to open our hearts and minds to the possibilities He offers. We have to stop holding back… to “let go and let God” fill us with His love, grace, mercy and blessings.
What is the condition of your heart? Is it open wide, with room for God to enter and fill you? Or are you holding back - both in your ability to receive and to give love to God and others? Isn’t this a perfect time to open your heart… to allow God to fill you with His love… and to simply and profoundly share love and kindness with others? Do you know how much God loves you? Do others know how much you love them? Just how wide open is your heart these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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