John 3:31-36
“He has come from heaven and is greater than
anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the
things of earth. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few
believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is a
fountain of truth. For this one—sent by God—speaks God’s words, for
God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. The Father loves this
man because he is his Son, and God has given him everything there is.
And all who trust him — God’s Son — to save them have eternal life;
those who don’t believe and obey him shall never see heaven, but the
wrath of God remains upon them.”
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
At
least once a week, I see a story posted on Facebook that sounds so
wonderful – or plausible - and many people are eagerly sharing. I
learned the hard way to go to Snopes.com* first and make sure whether or
not these stories are true. Slaves in Charleston, South Carolina did not start Memorial Day to honor the Union war dead…baby cribs were not
circled up outside of the Pentagon on 9/11 to protect infants and
toddlers who attended a daycare there…journalist Matt Lauer and NBC did
not omit the statement from the mother of a Navy seal killed in Libya
that her Christian faith sustains her. These and so many more
“shared-for-truth” viral stories are carefully and articulately debunked
on fact-checking websites, if only we will take a few minutes to
investigate and verify.
Let’s be honest…we are pretty
gullible…and sometimes we’re downright naïve. We also seem to have a
penchant for believing the stories that are outrageous, tug at our
heartstrings, make us want to wave our flags and feel all
“patriotic”…and those that make our blood boil. We are human…and this
is part of our nature.
The sad truth is that we can have ALL of
this – and so much more – in God’s word and the “story” that Jesus has
to share with us. There are tales of outrageous acts, battles,
struggles and suffering. There are heartwarming stories of rescue and
redemption. We have opportunities to thump our chest and praise our
Warrior God who defeats all enemies and protects His Kingdom. And we
have the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, the murder of innocent babies,
and other heinous acts that can make our blood boil. And we can believe
every single word we read and share it with others to our heart’s
content!
There are two lessons here…1) check your sources – AND
your facts – before you share what you read and hear from mere
mortals…even your closest friend or relative, and 2) learn to trust the
word of God – and believe and obey His directives.
I
particularly like the image of God’s “fountain of truth.” Who doesn’t
love a beautiful fountain? When my siblings and I were little, our city
park had a “wading pool” with a fountain. We loved to stand under the
shower of refreshing water and bask in its coolness on a hot summer day.
The idea that God’s gifts are like that fountain - that He sustains,
encourages, and renews our spirit throughout this earthly life - gives
me hope, peace and joy. The thought of eternal life in the presence of
God, where EVERY MINUTE is more glorious than I can even dream, gives me
motivation to seek Him and His truth at each turn in this earthly
journey.
Go after the truth in all things…both earthly
declarations and the message of Jesus. Take advantages of resources like
Snopes.com for the former – and the Holy Bible for the latter. Learn
to live in bold confidence that you always operate in facts and concrete
information. Stand under the “fountain” of God’s truth, and let Him
continually pour out His wisdom and blessings on you as you serve
faithfully and obediently. Learn to make every minute count…and make
this the day that you renew your commitment fully prepare for eternity
at the feet of Jesus. The stakes are high…the reward is great…and the
time is now to get this right!
©2016 Debbie Robus
* http://snopes.com
Showing posts with label preparing for heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preparing for heaven. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 26, 2016
John 14:1-4
“Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”
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 have been a lot of posts recently from parents who helped their college-aged students move into a new space…cute room décor…bittersweet “good-byes”…excited kids greeting old friends and making new ones. It is a daunting experience to send your child away to college and trust that he/she will be healthy and happy…make good choices…study hard and have a good time – all without the “guidance and nurture” of his/her parental figures and the comforts of home!
When my then-98-year-old grandmother made the difficult decision to move to an Assisted Living Facility, she trusted Greg and me to handle the details. And we did our best to ensure that she would be happy and given the best care. We furnished her apartment with HER things - down to the last plant and knick-knack. We made it look as much like “home” as we possibly could.
I will never forget how hard it was to pull out of her driveway and deliver her to this new apartment…knowing that she would never live with total independence again. But I also realized that we had done everything we knew to do – and then some – to get her room ready. And while she rarely told us that all was well, I heard from many others that she often said, “This was the best decision I ever made.”
My grandmother was no dummy. She knew that this apartment would be her final earthly residence. But she also knew that Jesus was preparing a far nicer place for her in heaven…the likes of which she had never seen before. She had to endure her share of challenges on this earth. I guess you could say she “lived in a dump or two.” But she never let this squelch her hope and faith that better days were ahead…that her room in THE Mansion was in the works! A friend joked that Jesus took His time repainting my grandmother’s space to get the color just right – she lived for 100 years 123 days. But I know that the end result is perfect – and so worth the wait!
A lot of us spend a good deal of time and energy on worry about things that really don’t matter. We spin our wheels as we stay stuck in the ruts of worry, frustration, anger, disappointment, and fear. We SAY we trust Jesus…but we don’t live in a way that demonstrates this. We sometimes live in a few “dumps” as “life” happens to us. We let the devil steal our joy…and what we present to others is an example of someone who SAYS they trust Jesus and want to serve Him, then lives like there isn’t an ounce of hope and faith in Christ’s teachings and promises.
John 14:1-4 should frame every single aspect of our daily living. The hope and promise that is offered in these brief sentences should be the fuel that drives us each minute of the day. Our room is being prepared…and it will be the best room we could ever imagine, in the mansion of the KING of KINGS! Jesus is busy getting the paint colors and everything else exactly right! And in the meantime, the One who is creating this Masterful abode for us gives equal time and attention to the details of our everyday existence.
So what have we to fear? How can we worry? Why would we waste a minute being angry or disappointed? The best is yet to come…we know what lies ahead, and it will be glorious! The time has come to live with the excitement and enthusiasm of a college freshman off to inhabit his/her first dorm room…or the graduate decorating a new apartment. We know that what Jesus has in store for us is superior to any of these earthly dwellings…so why aren’t we living with anticipation and gratitude?
Are you ready to demonstrate to the world how much you trust Jesus? Do you honor the work and preparation that He is doing for you by living every minute of this earthly existence to the fullest – and with glory and gratitude for the Designer of it all? Do you live with hope and joy in your salvation through Jesus Christ…and does it show? Isn’t it time you did?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”
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 have been a lot of posts recently from parents who helped their college-aged students move into a new space…cute room décor…bittersweet “good-byes”…excited kids greeting old friends and making new ones. It is a daunting experience to send your child away to college and trust that he/she will be healthy and happy…make good choices…study hard and have a good time – all without the “guidance and nurture” of his/her parental figures and the comforts of home!
When my then-98-year-old grandmother made the difficult decision to move to an Assisted Living Facility, she trusted Greg and me to handle the details. And we did our best to ensure that she would be happy and given the best care. We furnished her apartment with HER things - down to the last plant and knick-knack. We made it look as much like “home” as we possibly could.
I will never forget how hard it was to pull out of her driveway and deliver her to this new apartment…knowing that she would never live with total independence again. But I also realized that we had done everything we knew to do – and then some – to get her room ready. And while she rarely told us that all was well, I heard from many others that she often said, “This was the best decision I ever made.”
My grandmother was no dummy. She knew that this apartment would be her final earthly residence. But she also knew that Jesus was preparing a far nicer place for her in heaven…the likes of which she had never seen before. She had to endure her share of challenges on this earth. I guess you could say she “lived in a dump or two.” But she never let this squelch her hope and faith that better days were ahead…that her room in THE Mansion was in the works! A friend joked that Jesus took His time repainting my grandmother’s space to get the color just right – she lived for 100 years 123 days. But I know that the end result is perfect – and so worth the wait!
A lot of us spend a good deal of time and energy on worry about things that really don’t matter. We spin our wheels as we stay stuck in the ruts of worry, frustration, anger, disappointment, and fear. We SAY we trust Jesus…but we don’t live in a way that demonstrates this. We sometimes live in a few “dumps” as “life” happens to us. We let the devil steal our joy…and what we present to others is an example of someone who SAYS they trust Jesus and want to serve Him, then lives like there isn’t an ounce of hope and faith in Christ’s teachings and promises.
John 14:1-4 should frame every single aspect of our daily living. The hope and promise that is offered in these brief sentences should be the fuel that drives us each minute of the day. Our room is being prepared…and it will be the best room we could ever imagine, in the mansion of the KING of KINGS! Jesus is busy getting the paint colors and everything else exactly right! And in the meantime, the One who is creating this Masterful abode for us gives equal time and attention to the details of our everyday existence.
So what have we to fear? How can we worry? Why would we waste a minute being angry or disappointed? The best is yet to come…we know what lies ahead, and it will be glorious! The time has come to live with the excitement and enthusiasm of a college freshman off to inhabit his/her first dorm room…or the graduate decorating a new apartment. We know that what Jesus has in store for us is superior to any of these earthly dwellings…so why aren’t we living with anticipation and gratitude?
Are you ready to demonstrate to the world how much you trust Jesus? Do you honor the work and preparation that He is doing for you by living every minute of this earthly existence to the fullest – and with glory and gratitude for the Designer of it all? Do you live with hope and joy in your salvation through Jesus Christ…and does it show? Isn’t it time you did?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 7, 2016
Romans 8:18-23
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children. For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay — the things that overcame the world against its will at God’s command—will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God’s children enjoy.
For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us—bodies that will never be sick again and will never die.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A few weeks after my dad died, I was telling a friend about how much he suffered…the two years of daily dialysis that confined him to bed and a machine for 14 hours every night…the chronic depression that made him want to lie in that bed and beg to die much of the time…the constant itching and sensitivity to smells and tastes that goes along with renal failure and makes one miserable…the countless trips to the hospital and Emergency Room for treatments for everything from anxiety to blood loss. And in the midst of this, my dad lost his only son and suffered incredible grief and heartache. He often cried, “I want to go with him.” I noted that after all of this, my dad had a stroke one day post hernia surgery that paralyzed him from the chest down…and a few hours later, a heart attack took his life. I questioned why Daddy had to suffer like this, when the ultimate result was “sudden” death.
I will never forget my friend’s response. He asked, “In the scheme of things, wasn’t all of that suffering just a ‘blip on the screen’ compared to what awaited your dad in heaven forever and ever?” He went on to suggest that we think about our earthly suffering in terms of time as we know it…but in comparison to Eternity and the peace and joy that awaits us there, it loses much of its punch and power.
Do not misunderstand me…I know that many have suffered. I do not in any way wish to diminish any person’s grief, physical discomfort and illness, and heartaches of all kinds. I know that people are physically, mentally and emotionally ravaged by lousy childhoods, war, the violence and hatred of others, and horrific injuries and diseases. I acknowledge human and animal cruelty…and how agonizing it can be to endure cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other terrible diseases. I know that life can be very hard for many. And it is easy to ask God, “WHY?”
But I also know that because I trust God…because I believe in His promises…the suffering will end – and it will have been a “blip on the screen” for those who trusted Him and waited anxiously for Heaven. In the meantime, suffering is real for so many…and to those who suffer, I say, “God sees you. He knows you are hurting, and He is not punishing you. He is drawing you close in your pain, heartache and grief. He is strengthening your ‘faith muscle’ as you rely more on Him and less on yourself to do these really hard things.”
I have discovered in the last few days that I’ve been relying too much on my own strength in recent months – and not enough on the power of God…and I didn’t even realize it. I have finally humbled myself and admitted to God that I need His help…that “life” has been a lot harder than I thought it was going to be…and I cannot do this without Him. I know that I am not going to be instantly “better” because of this…but my focus has shifted. I am looking at the bigger picture, rather than the “blip on the screen.”
I am recognizing just how much I need God in my life…His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and healing. I have redoubled my determination to walk in faith even more…and to let God carry me as I focus on a broader landscape – and the promise of Heaven – and less on the past and the immediate present. There will be plenty of unpleasant events and circumstances yet to come in my lifetime, but I will not face them alone. I will do all I can to wait patiently for God to lead me out of these adversities…and I will look forward to the glory of Heaven and the perfect peace that He is preparing for me there. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children. For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay — the things that overcame the world against its will at God’s command—will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God’s children enjoy.
For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us—bodies that will never be sick again and will never die.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A few weeks after my dad died, I was telling a friend about how much he suffered…the two years of daily dialysis that confined him to bed and a machine for 14 hours every night…the chronic depression that made him want to lie in that bed and beg to die much of the time…the constant itching and sensitivity to smells and tastes that goes along with renal failure and makes one miserable…the countless trips to the hospital and Emergency Room for treatments for everything from anxiety to blood loss. And in the midst of this, my dad lost his only son and suffered incredible grief and heartache. He often cried, “I want to go with him.” I noted that after all of this, my dad had a stroke one day post hernia surgery that paralyzed him from the chest down…and a few hours later, a heart attack took his life. I questioned why Daddy had to suffer like this, when the ultimate result was “sudden” death.
I will never forget my friend’s response. He asked, “In the scheme of things, wasn’t all of that suffering just a ‘blip on the screen’ compared to what awaited your dad in heaven forever and ever?” He went on to suggest that we think about our earthly suffering in terms of time as we know it…but in comparison to Eternity and the peace and joy that awaits us there, it loses much of its punch and power.
Do not misunderstand me…I know that many have suffered. I do not in any way wish to diminish any person’s grief, physical discomfort and illness, and heartaches of all kinds. I know that people are physically, mentally and emotionally ravaged by lousy childhoods, war, the violence and hatred of others, and horrific injuries and diseases. I acknowledge human and animal cruelty…and how agonizing it can be to endure cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other terrible diseases. I know that life can be very hard for many. And it is easy to ask God, “WHY?”
But I also know that because I trust God…because I believe in His promises…the suffering will end – and it will have been a “blip on the screen” for those who trusted Him and waited anxiously for Heaven. In the meantime, suffering is real for so many…and to those who suffer, I say, “God sees you. He knows you are hurting, and He is not punishing you. He is drawing you close in your pain, heartache and grief. He is strengthening your ‘faith muscle’ as you rely more on Him and less on yourself to do these really hard things.”
I have discovered in the last few days that I’ve been relying too much on my own strength in recent months – and not enough on the power of God…and I didn’t even realize it. I have finally humbled myself and admitted to God that I need His help…that “life” has been a lot harder than I thought it was going to be…and I cannot do this without Him. I know that I am not going to be instantly “better” because of this…but my focus has shifted. I am looking at the bigger picture, rather than the “blip on the screen.”
I am recognizing just how much I need God in my life…His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and healing. I have redoubled my determination to walk in faith even more…and to let God carry me as I focus on a broader landscape – and the promise of Heaven – and less on the past and the immediate present. There will be plenty of unpleasant events and circumstances yet to come in my lifetime, but I will not face them alone. I will do all I can to wait patiently for God to lead me out of these adversities…and I will look forward to the glory of Heaven and the perfect peace that He is preparing for me there. What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 22, 2016
May 22 ~ Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
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 Sao Paulo, Brazil, a wealthy businessman dug a hole in his back yard and made a big media “splash” as he claimed he would bury his $500,000 Bentley there. His excuse was that he had studied the burial practices of Egyptian Pharaohs and wanted to ensure that he had a luxurious ride to the next life. People were stunned that this man was actually going to bury this expensive car…and as it turned out, this was all a publicity stunt.
The man had survived a serious illness, and he was trying to make a point that people bury something more valuable than this half-million-dollar car every day – their body organs. He claimed that he was trying to raise awareness for organ donations. Okay…I guess that’s one way to do it!
The point is that we really can’t take it with us…and an expensive car in the ground will not transport us to Heaven in luxury! But there IS treasure we can store for Heaven…love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, faithful obedience to God’s will, empathy, kindness, service to others, and more. When our treasure is the kind that demonstrates Christian faith and discipleship, God will exchange this for blessings and abundance when He calls us to Heaven. Material wealth is not heavenly currency!
So think about what matters most to you. Are you more interested in accumulating “things”…or blessings? Is it more important to you what others think of you…or are you more concerned with serving – and pleasing – God? Is your time better spent making yourself feel good and important in the “here and now”…or in helping to build God’s Kingdom for all Eternity?
What really matters to you…and what will matter when you get to Heaven? If the two do not line up, something is out of whack somewhere. It’s up to us to figure it out and make necessary adjustments. What are YOU storing these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
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 Sao Paulo, Brazil, a wealthy businessman dug a hole in his back yard and made a big media “splash” as he claimed he would bury his $500,000 Bentley there. His excuse was that he had studied the burial practices of Egyptian Pharaohs and wanted to ensure that he had a luxurious ride to the next life. People were stunned that this man was actually going to bury this expensive car…and as it turned out, this was all a publicity stunt.
The man had survived a serious illness, and he was trying to make a point that people bury something more valuable than this half-million-dollar car every day – their body organs. He claimed that he was trying to raise awareness for organ donations. Okay…I guess that’s one way to do it!
The point is that we really can’t take it with us…and an expensive car in the ground will not transport us to Heaven in luxury! But there IS treasure we can store for Heaven…love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, faithful obedience to God’s will, empathy, kindness, service to others, and more. When our treasure is the kind that demonstrates Christian faith and discipleship, God will exchange this for blessings and abundance when He calls us to Heaven. Material wealth is not heavenly currency!
So think about what matters most to you. Are you more interested in accumulating “things”…or blessings? Is it more important to you what others think of you…or are you more concerned with serving – and pleasing – God? Is your time better spent making yourself feel good and important in the “here and now”…or in helping to build God’s Kingdom for all Eternity?
What really matters to you…and what will matter when you get to Heaven? If the two do not line up, something is out of whack somewhere. It’s up to us to figure it out and make necessary adjustments. What are YOU storing these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 12, 2016
Matthew 25:1-13
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
“God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
“In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bride-groom’s here! Go out and greet him!’
“The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’
“They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’
“They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
“Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’
“He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
“So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.
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.
Tomorrow, our great-nephew Timothy will celebrate his seventh birthday – and our great-niece Erin will graduate from high school. We blinked, and these little ones grew up. Timothy should still be a wide-eyed baby dancing to “Jack’s Big Music Show”…and Erin should still be that little five-year-old girl who ran across the street to visit us after school several times a week.
Hopefully we will be around to watch the next chapters in the lives of these two and all of the other young people in our family and “circle.” But events over the last 8 months have shown us that nothing in life is certain – even life itself. So we must make the most of every minute!
In a spiritual context, this means that we must never pass up an opportunity to share Jesus with others. We cannot waste time on bickering and negativity. Our denomination’s Bishop posted a note about this today that ended with #WeAreMore. We are more than gossip, lies, cheating, judgment, discrimination, hatred, and nastiness. We are more than selfishness, narcissism, xenophobia, racism, classism and homophobia. We are more than fear-mongering, dissention, and rabble-rousing. As Disciples of Christ, we ARE more – or we should be!
This is not something we can play around with and put off for another day. Some want to say, “I am going to ‘sow my wild oats’ for now and have fun…and I’ll be ‘good’ when I am old and gray.” Others want to say, “I have too much to do right now. When I am less busy, I’ll spend more time with God – or my kids – or my family.” The truth is that we really don’t know when Jesus might arrive…or when our last minutes on earth might be happening.” We have to live every second as if it is the last…as if Jesus might return – or call us home – at any moment!
We have to demonstrate at every turn that #WeAreMore…because this is the life to which Jesus has called us. We have to represent “more” in every word, thought and action. We have to prioritize and recognize what is truly important…and what is a total waste of our energy. God will show us how to do this…and we must trust His directives and follow them to the letter. Believe it or not, the more we listen to Him and trust His lead…the more time we will have for the things that really matter…and our lives will be filled with far less stress and angst.
We cannot stop the clock…or control the hour when Christ returns or calls for us. But with God’s help, we can regulate what we do with our time – and how we serve Him. We can operate in the frustration and negativity of “less”…or we can show the world that with Jesus, #WeAreMore. What are you showing the world these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
“God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
“In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bride-groom’s here! Go out and greet him!’
“The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’
“They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’
“They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
“Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’
“He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
“So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.
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.
Tomorrow, our great-nephew Timothy will celebrate his seventh birthday – and our great-niece Erin will graduate from high school. We blinked, and these little ones grew up. Timothy should still be a wide-eyed baby dancing to “Jack’s Big Music Show”…and Erin should still be that little five-year-old girl who ran across the street to visit us after school several times a week.
Hopefully we will be around to watch the next chapters in the lives of these two and all of the other young people in our family and “circle.” But events over the last 8 months have shown us that nothing in life is certain – even life itself. So we must make the most of every minute!
In a spiritual context, this means that we must never pass up an opportunity to share Jesus with others. We cannot waste time on bickering and negativity. Our denomination’s Bishop posted a note about this today that ended with #WeAreMore. We are more than gossip, lies, cheating, judgment, discrimination, hatred, and nastiness. We are more than selfishness, narcissism, xenophobia, racism, classism and homophobia. We are more than fear-mongering, dissention, and rabble-rousing. As Disciples of Christ, we ARE more – or we should be!
This is not something we can play around with and put off for another day. Some want to say, “I am going to ‘sow my wild oats’ for now and have fun…and I’ll be ‘good’ when I am old and gray.” Others want to say, “I have too much to do right now. When I am less busy, I’ll spend more time with God – or my kids – or my family.” The truth is that we really don’t know when Jesus might arrive…or when our last minutes on earth might be happening.” We have to live every second as if it is the last…as if Jesus might return – or call us home – at any moment!
We have to demonstrate at every turn that #WeAreMore…because this is the life to which Jesus has called us. We have to represent “more” in every word, thought and action. We have to prioritize and recognize what is truly important…and what is a total waste of our energy. God will show us how to do this…and we must trust His directives and follow them to the letter. Believe it or not, the more we listen to Him and trust His lead…the more time we will have for the things that really matter…and our lives will be filled with far less stress and angst.
We cannot stop the clock…or control the hour when Christ returns or calls for us. But with God’s help, we can regulate what we do with our time – and how we serve Him. We can operate in the frustration and negativity of “less”…or we can show the world that with Jesus, #WeAreMore. What are you showing the world these days?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 30, 2016
Matthew 6:38-40
I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.
“This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.”
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 decades, a women’s circle at my church has hosted a breakfast for the graduating high school seniors shortly before their last day of school. This year, I offered to help with the preparation and serving of this breakfast. As the students finished their meal, the class sponsor went over some important information with them…dates and times for baccalaureate…when and where to be for graduation rehearsal…the rescheduling of a group photo… and more. She covered many details, making sure that everything was neatly prepared and tied together so that everyone will be ready for these events - and the final ceremony will hopefully go off without a hitch.
The sponsor also read a little devotional to the students and talked to them about what happens after high school…how college is different – and continual study is required. She reminded them that even those who are joining the workforce will need to learn to discipline themselves to get up and get going every day…that whatever happens in this next chapter of life for these almost-adults, effort will be required to be successful and productive.
Several times, this teacher told the group…”This is not my rule…it came from the administration.” Or she would say, “I did not decide this…I’m telling you what I was told to share.” As for the “life lesson,” she cited comments from several college students and graduates who had told her how challenging life can be after high school. In this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that “I came to do God’s will…and I am giving you EVERYTHING you need, so that when I return for those who believe in Me, you will all be ready.”
The students at the breakfast trust that the information the teacher/sponsor gave them is accurate and vital. We who have given our hearts to Jesus are expected to trust His word for us - and to follow His instructions. What does this include? Jesus has told us to love God with all our heart, mind and soul…and to love others as we love Him. He has commanded us to share His Good News with everyone we encounter…to trust Him in all things…and to have hope and faith that He is preparing a place for us with Him for all Eternity.
Jesus performed miracles to demonstrate that He is all-powerful…that anything is possible with Him. He demonstrated incomparable sacrifice by dying on the cross for our sins. He rose from the grave three days later and instructed His disciples concerning how to minister to others in His absence. And He gave us the Holy Spirit to be our Forever Friend in the interim.
Jesus “covered all the bases.” He left nothing to chance or assumption. He was clear and distinct in His directives to us…and in His demonstrations of why we should trust Him and believe in Him. And if we follow through on these instructions, everything should go exactly as it is supposed to on the day when we are called to Heaven…whether this happens before Christ returns for His church – or during.
I hope all of the students were listening carefully yesterday to the words from the sponsor. More importantly, I hope that WE are listening to Jesus’ words for each of us. He has accomplished the will of the One who sent Him…now it is time to do OUR part to honor His commitment and commandments. How do you think you are doing so far?
©2016 Debbie Robus
I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.
“This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.”
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 decades, a women’s circle at my church has hosted a breakfast for the graduating high school seniors shortly before their last day of school. This year, I offered to help with the preparation and serving of this breakfast. As the students finished their meal, the class sponsor went over some important information with them…dates and times for baccalaureate…when and where to be for graduation rehearsal…the rescheduling of a group photo… and more. She covered many details, making sure that everything was neatly prepared and tied together so that everyone will be ready for these events - and the final ceremony will hopefully go off without a hitch.
The sponsor also read a little devotional to the students and talked to them about what happens after high school…how college is different – and continual study is required. She reminded them that even those who are joining the workforce will need to learn to discipline themselves to get up and get going every day…that whatever happens in this next chapter of life for these almost-adults, effort will be required to be successful and productive.
Several times, this teacher told the group…”This is not my rule…it came from the administration.” Or she would say, “I did not decide this…I’m telling you what I was told to share.” As for the “life lesson,” she cited comments from several college students and graduates who had told her how challenging life can be after high school. In this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that “I came to do God’s will…and I am giving you EVERYTHING you need, so that when I return for those who believe in Me, you will all be ready.”
The students at the breakfast trust that the information the teacher/sponsor gave them is accurate and vital. We who have given our hearts to Jesus are expected to trust His word for us - and to follow His instructions. What does this include? Jesus has told us to love God with all our heart, mind and soul…and to love others as we love Him. He has commanded us to share His Good News with everyone we encounter…to trust Him in all things…and to have hope and faith that He is preparing a place for us with Him for all Eternity.
Jesus performed miracles to demonstrate that He is all-powerful…that anything is possible with Him. He demonstrated incomparable sacrifice by dying on the cross for our sins. He rose from the grave three days later and instructed His disciples concerning how to minister to others in His absence. And He gave us the Holy Spirit to be our Forever Friend in the interim.
Jesus “covered all the bases.” He left nothing to chance or assumption. He was clear and distinct in His directives to us…and in His demonstrations of why we should trust Him and believe in Him. And if we follow through on these instructions, everything should go exactly as it is supposed to on the day when we are called to Heaven…whether this happens before Christ returns for His church – or during.
I hope all of the students were listening carefully yesterday to the words from the sponsor. More importantly, I hope that WE are listening to Jesus’ words for each of us. He has accomplished the will of the One who sent Him…now it is time to do OUR part to honor His commitment and commandments. How do you think you are doing so far?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 17, 2016
2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Now we look forward with confidence to our heavenly bodies, realizing that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus. We know these things are true by believing, not by seeing. And we are not afraid but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body or away from this body and with him in heaven. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged and have our lives laid bare—before him. Each of us will receive whatever he deserves for the good or bad things he has done in his earthly body.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Spring Break is upon us…and for some of you, it may already be happening. I hear people talk all the time about longing for the beach…or a tropical island. Some prefer a cruise. And in light of all that we have experienced in recent months, more than a few people have said to us, “You two need to get away somewhere and relax!”
Can I tell you something? I’ve been on those kinds of trips. I’ve played on a sandy beach and sailed on a cruise ship. I’ve skied in snowy mountains and relaxed by a roaring fire. I’ve enjoyed several days of dining out and having someone else do the cooking and dish washing. And what I have discovered is that, for me, nothing compares to home. And ultimately the only place the grass will truly be greener for me is in the real Paradise…Heaven!
Have you heard the phrase, “I need a vacation from my vacation!”? It’s true for many of us…the “earthly pleasures” we seek never quite satisfy. And they won’t – they can’t! Nothing will compare to what we experience in Heaven. But here’s the thing…what we do with our earthly time matters greatly. How we serve, how we react and respond…it all matters. If we mope around and gripe and complain about our everyday existence in this earthly life, we are not focused on pleasing God.
Our daily routine may be dull and boring…or fraught with disappointments and difficulties. Yes, there are horrific things happening all around us. Let’s be honest, this earthly life can be pretty crummy at times. But what matters is how we respond to our circumstances…what we show others. I am not suggesting that we be phonies…I am reminding us to stand strong in the LORD!
I know I am preaching to the choir in many instances…but I am also yanking some of us up by the bootstraps – myself included! It is time for us to get up and get going…to ask, “What would you have me do with this, LORD?” The time is NOW to build our “portfolio” for Heaven…to fill it with the countless ways that we have glorified God and demonstrated His love and care through the teachings of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for each of us.
There is nothing wrong with earthly vacations…or looking forward to them. But we must always be even more focused on our final destination – and how we prepare for Heaven. SOMEDAY, each one of us will stand at Heaven’s gate…present before God and accountable for everything we did – and didn’t do – on this earth. Your “ticket to Paradise” will be punched…but not before a “performance review” is conducted. What will you have to say for yourself…and what will God have to say to you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Now we look forward with confidence to our heavenly bodies, realizing that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus. We know these things are true by believing, not by seeing. And we are not afraid but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body or away from this body and with him in heaven. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged and have our lives laid bare—before him. Each of us will receive whatever he deserves for the good or bad things he has done in his earthly body.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Spring Break is upon us…and for some of you, it may already be happening. I hear people talk all the time about longing for the beach…or a tropical island. Some prefer a cruise. And in light of all that we have experienced in recent months, more than a few people have said to us, “You two need to get away somewhere and relax!”
Can I tell you something? I’ve been on those kinds of trips. I’ve played on a sandy beach and sailed on a cruise ship. I’ve skied in snowy mountains and relaxed by a roaring fire. I’ve enjoyed several days of dining out and having someone else do the cooking and dish washing. And what I have discovered is that, for me, nothing compares to home. And ultimately the only place the grass will truly be greener for me is in the real Paradise…Heaven!
Have you heard the phrase, “I need a vacation from my vacation!”? It’s true for many of us…the “earthly pleasures” we seek never quite satisfy. And they won’t – they can’t! Nothing will compare to what we experience in Heaven. But here’s the thing…what we do with our earthly time matters greatly. How we serve, how we react and respond…it all matters. If we mope around and gripe and complain about our everyday existence in this earthly life, we are not focused on pleasing God.
Our daily routine may be dull and boring…or fraught with disappointments and difficulties. Yes, there are horrific things happening all around us. Let’s be honest, this earthly life can be pretty crummy at times. But what matters is how we respond to our circumstances…what we show others. I am not suggesting that we be phonies…I am reminding us to stand strong in the LORD!
I know I am preaching to the choir in many instances…but I am also yanking some of us up by the bootstraps – myself included! It is time for us to get up and get going…to ask, “What would you have me do with this, LORD?” The time is NOW to build our “portfolio” for Heaven…to fill it with the countless ways that we have glorified God and demonstrated His love and care through the teachings of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for each of us.
There is nothing wrong with earthly vacations…or looking forward to them. But we must always be even more focused on our final destination – and how we prepare for Heaven. SOMEDAY, each one of us will stand at Heaven’s gate…present before God and accountable for everything we did – and didn’t do – on this earth. Your “ticket to Paradise” will be punched…but not before a “performance review” is conducted. What will you have to say for yourself…and what will God have to say to you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 6, 2016
Proverbs 10:27
Reverence for God adds hours to each day; so how can the wicked expect a long, good life?
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
While my mom dozed today, I looked through family photos. Mother has dozens of photo albums, filled with photos of the people she loves - or loved - the most…relatives, friends, students, people she met while traveling. It doesn’t seem fair that there will not be more albums to fill and memories to create. After all, doesn’t this scripture passage imply that those who have reverence for God will live longer? By that benchmark, my mother should be on this earth for many more decades or more!
I think of all of the people Mother has known and loved in her 76+ years…and I look at the comments and messages I have received in the last week about her life and her Godly influence on others…and I realize that this passage is not really about quantity - it’s about quality.
Those who are “wicked” may indeed live to be 100 or more. They may appear to “skate by” unscathed in life, while those who revere God and serve Him well struggle and suffer…or have their earthly lives cut short. But that’s where some of us get it all wrong. It’s not about THIS life…but rather, what we build for eternity! And in that regard, my mother has been plenty busy creating something amazing. Someone wrote to her today that the trip on which she is about to embark will far surpass any travels she ever took in her RV! And I believe that wholeheartedly.
Someone shared a meme with me on Facebook that said something to the effect of “I asked the Lord why He gave me so much troubled water, and He said…’because your enemies cannot swim.’” When we revere and respect God – and fully serve Him with faith and obedience – our lives may not be trouble-free, or lengthy. But our eternal life and legacy will be something truly incredible…far beyond what we can ever imagine. And isn’t that the ultimate goal? Shouldn’t it be?
Earthly life is not about how many years we have…but what we do with them. What are you building for Eternitya?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Reverence for God adds hours to each day; so how can the wicked expect a long, good life?
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
While my mom dozed today, I looked through family photos. Mother has dozens of photo albums, filled with photos of the people she loves - or loved - the most…relatives, friends, students, people she met while traveling. It doesn’t seem fair that there will not be more albums to fill and memories to create. After all, doesn’t this scripture passage imply that those who have reverence for God will live longer? By that benchmark, my mother should be on this earth for many more decades or more!
I think of all of the people Mother has known and loved in her 76+ years…and I look at the comments and messages I have received in the last week about her life and her Godly influence on others…and I realize that this passage is not really about quantity - it’s about quality.
Those who are “wicked” may indeed live to be 100 or more. They may appear to “skate by” unscathed in life, while those who revere God and serve Him well struggle and suffer…or have their earthly lives cut short. But that’s where some of us get it all wrong. It’s not about THIS life…but rather, what we build for eternity! And in that regard, my mother has been plenty busy creating something amazing. Someone wrote to her today that the trip on which she is about to embark will far surpass any travels she ever took in her RV! And I believe that wholeheartedly.
Someone shared a meme with me on Facebook that said something to the effect of “I asked the Lord why He gave me so much troubled water, and He said…’because your enemies cannot swim.’” When we revere and respect God – and fully serve Him with faith and obedience – our lives may not be trouble-free, or lengthy. But our eternal life and legacy will be something truly incredible…far beyond what we can ever imagine. And isn’t that the ultimate goal? Shouldn’t it be?
Earthly life is not about how many years we have…but what we do with them. What are you building for Eternitya?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 20, 2015
June 20 ~ Luke 17:28-30
“It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed."
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…the massacre of nine people at the “Mother Emmanuel” A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina last Wednesday evening has caused a major shift in my thinking…and not in the way you might think. I had grown comfortable – and complacent – in a particular area of my faith. Sure, I love Jesus…and He is front and center (most of the time) in my thoughts and actions. Yes, I am certain that Heaven will be my eternal home…that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life…and that God is guiding my steps (though He may occasionally wring his hands and ask, “What on earth is she thinking?!”)
The much-needed “jolt” that this tragic event of June 17th provided for me is a reminder of 1) how precarious and temporary this life is, and 2) Who is really in control! See, while I am ready for heaven in many ways, I realized that I have held subconscious thoughts that nothing will happen to me, because I still have work to do on this earth. There are family members to nurture and care for…there are dozens of “important” projects to complete. I have photos to scan and devos to write and children to drive to swim lessons and VBS… and so many more “important” things to accomplish! But this week, I’ve very clearly felt God showing me that I am indeed important to Him…but I am not indispensible. In other words, there is nothing about me that makes me more special than anyone else…more extraordinary…or more useful.
So when I saw a state senator and pastor swept to heaven in the middle of a sermon, I knew that the Son of Man can be revealed to any of us in a heartbeat. When I learned that a young man who just graduated from college has “graduated” to heaven…I realized that the plans we have cannot hold a candle to those of God. When I heard about the seven other church members who nurtured a hate-filled, angry, malicious young man for more than an hour – and he shot them dead anyway…I realized that when God is ready for me, there won’t be a thing that I can do about it. And more importantly - I won’t want to!
So I am looking at my life through a new lens…and I encourage you to do the same. I am thinking more about every word and action…because they might be my last. Did I offer kindness and a word from God to a would-be killer…or more likely, to someone so mired in depression or difficulties that he/she was facing a mental or emotional breakdown and considering suicide? Did I waste time checking social media or watching a dumb reality TV show instead of playing with my little niece and nephews…doing something with my husband or other loved ones…or visiting someone who is sick, grieving or lonely? Did I pay close enough attention to the people around me…both those I know and love – and those I’ve merely shared space with at the grocery check-out line, passed in a hallway at church, or swam next to at the community pool?
Have my comments on social media been kind and reflected God’s word and will? Have I taken advantage of the minutes/hours/days/weeks/years that God has granted me on this earth? Have I been like Lot…so busy carrying on and having a good time that I didn’t see the firestorm that was brewing…or recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life? If you and I were staring down the barrel of a gun as we attended a Bible study or prayer meeting – and given a moment to reflect before the trigger was pulled – what would we be the focal point of our last thoughts?
Are you ready for heaven? Are you aware that the time of your departure is NOT your decision to make…and are you truly at peace with this? We have seen this week that even the most faithful among us are not indispensible when God is ready for us to sit at Jesus’ feet. When our perspective shifts and we change our attitude, we can start to really make the most of the time that we have left – and the blessings that God has given us. I know I plan to…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed."
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…the massacre of nine people at the “Mother Emmanuel” A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina last Wednesday evening has caused a major shift in my thinking…and not in the way you might think. I had grown comfortable – and complacent – in a particular area of my faith. Sure, I love Jesus…and He is front and center (most of the time) in my thoughts and actions. Yes, I am certain that Heaven will be my eternal home…that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life…and that God is guiding my steps (though He may occasionally wring his hands and ask, “What on earth is she thinking?!”)
The much-needed “jolt” that this tragic event of June 17th provided for me is a reminder of 1) how precarious and temporary this life is, and 2) Who is really in control! See, while I am ready for heaven in many ways, I realized that I have held subconscious thoughts that nothing will happen to me, because I still have work to do on this earth. There are family members to nurture and care for…there are dozens of “important” projects to complete. I have photos to scan and devos to write and children to drive to swim lessons and VBS… and so many more “important” things to accomplish! But this week, I’ve very clearly felt God showing me that I am indeed important to Him…but I am not indispensible. In other words, there is nothing about me that makes me more special than anyone else…more extraordinary…or more useful.
So when I saw a state senator and pastor swept to heaven in the middle of a sermon, I knew that the Son of Man can be revealed to any of us in a heartbeat. When I learned that a young man who just graduated from college has “graduated” to heaven…I realized that the plans we have cannot hold a candle to those of God. When I heard about the seven other church members who nurtured a hate-filled, angry, malicious young man for more than an hour – and he shot them dead anyway…I realized that when God is ready for me, there won’t be a thing that I can do about it. And more importantly - I won’t want to!
So I am looking at my life through a new lens…and I encourage you to do the same. I am thinking more about every word and action…because they might be my last. Did I offer kindness and a word from God to a would-be killer…or more likely, to someone so mired in depression or difficulties that he/she was facing a mental or emotional breakdown and considering suicide? Did I waste time checking social media or watching a dumb reality TV show instead of playing with my little niece and nephews…doing something with my husband or other loved ones…or visiting someone who is sick, grieving or lonely? Did I pay close enough attention to the people around me…both those I know and love – and those I’ve merely shared space with at the grocery check-out line, passed in a hallway at church, or swam next to at the community pool?
Have my comments on social media been kind and reflected God’s word and will? Have I taken advantage of the minutes/hours/days/weeks/years that God has granted me on this earth? Have I been like Lot…so busy carrying on and having a good time that I didn’t see the firestorm that was brewing…or recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life? If you and I were staring down the barrel of a gun as we attended a Bible study or prayer meeting – and given a moment to reflect before the trigger was pulled – what would we be the focal point of our last thoughts?
Are you ready for heaven? Are you aware that the time of your departure is NOT your decision to make…and are you truly at peace with this? We have seen this week that even the most faithful among us are not indispensible when God is ready for us to sit at Jesus’ feet. When our perspective shifts and we change our attitude, we can start to really make the most of the time that we have left – and the blessings that God has given us. I know I plan to…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 11, 2015
Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A dear friend of mined recently posed two questions on Facebook that were intended to spark a conversation…”When it's all said and done...what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of living?” One person replied…”One of my questions is…why is Jesus delaying his return? This world is a big mess.” This is a valid question. And I believe we find at least part of the answer in this passage from the first chapter of Romans.
In my opinion, our job is not to question why Jesus is taking so long…or even why “bad things happen to good people”. Will the answers really make us feel any better or change what is happening? I believe the more important question to ask is, “What would You have me do with this, LORD?”…and then we must trust His answer.
I know people who have endured unspeakable challenges…and done so without complaining. They have exhibited amazing calm and peace…incredible grace and courage. They have trusted God…and He has sustained them. I’ve even heard others ask of them, “How can you be so calm and collected?” Let me assure you, these people may be crushed on the inside. They may be hurting deeply - and crying out to God for His wisdom and comfort when no one else is around. But they are also trusting God to answer. And they are finding life – and its true meaning – in the process. My answer to my friend’s question would have to be, at least in part, that we are living to love and serve Christ…to further God’s kingdom and fulfill His plans – and this includes any and all “bumps in the road”.
We need look no further than the life of Jesus Christ…His torture, crucifixion, death and resurrection…to see that “bad things happen” to even the most Perfect One. So this cannot be our crutch or excuse. Clearly our faith in God sustains us – and makes us right with Him. I’m ready to go “full in” with God – to trust Him completely. I’ve seen evidence in my own life of how He is always with me…how God handles EVERYTHING when I calm down and let Him have control.
I am learning to find joy, peace and contentment in any situation through my faith and trust in God. I know that He is “making ready” my place in Heaven…and my job is to patiently and faithfully serve Him on this earth until He calls for me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A dear friend of mined recently posed two questions on Facebook that were intended to spark a conversation…”When it's all said and done...what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of living?” One person replied…”One of my questions is…why is Jesus delaying his return? This world is a big mess.” This is a valid question. And I believe we find at least part of the answer in this passage from the first chapter of Romans.
In my opinion, our job is not to question why Jesus is taking so long…or even why “bad things happen to good people”. Will the answers really make us feel any better or change what is happening? I believe the more important question to ask is, “What would You have me do with this, LORD?”…and then we must trust His answer.
I know people who have endured unspeakable challenges…and done so without complaining. They have exhibited amazing calm and peace…incredible grace and courage. They have trusted God…and He has sustained them. I’ve even heard others ask of them, “How can you be so calm and collected?” Let me assure you, these people may be crushed on the inside. They may be hurting deeply - and crying out to God for His wisdom and comfort when no one else is around. But they are also trusting God to answer. And they are finding life – and its true meaning – in the process. My answer to my friend’s question would have to be, at least in part, that we are living to love and serve Christ…to further God’s kingdom and fulfill His plans – and this includes any and all “bumps in the road”.
We need look no further than the life of Jesus Christ…His torture, crucifixion, death and resurrection…to see that “bad things happen” to even the most Perfect One. So this cannot be our crutch or excuse. Clearly our faith in God sustains us – and makes us right with Him. I’m ready to go “full in” with God – to trust Him completely. I’ve seen evidence in my own life of how He is always with me…how God handles EVERYTHING when I calm down and let Him have control.
I am learning to find joy, peace and contentment in any situation through my faith and trust in God. I know that He is “making ready” my place in Heaven…and my job is to patiently and faithfully serve Him on this earth until He calls for me. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 25, 2013
1 Thessalonians 5:1-8
I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.
But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I still remember the afternoon that our doorbell rang, and there stood my grandmother and two of my dad’s cousins from Texas. They had come to visit… and their timing could not have been worse. That didn’t faze my grandmother – or the cousins. They marched right into the house and proceeded to stay for more than an hour. I laughingly told them that I was not “dressed to receive guests”… I was getting ready to work out, had on grubby clothes and no makeup. Greg was equally busy and not “cleaned up” for company, either. I had nothing prepared to offer them…a pitcher of iced tea or a soft drink. This didn’t seem to bother our guests… but it bothered us. We had been “taken off guard”!
I am sure you can name countless times that someone dropped in unexpectedly. And if you are like me, you’ve probably caught others unprepared to “receive guests” as well. Let’s be honest, if the worst that ever happens is that someone drops by to visit and catches you looking a little grubby or disheveled, this is certainly not the end of the world. But in the spiritual realm, the last thing we ever want is for Jesus to find us unprepared.
Look at it this way… if you are told that “the cable guy” is coming to your house “somewhere between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.”…you will sit at home and wait on him – right? You’ll get up early and dress and prepare for his arrival… and you will wait – sometimes all day long – in anticipation of his visit. Why would you prepare any less for Jesus’ return? The “cable guy” may fix your television reception… but Jesus is offering us Eternal Life! How could we ever fail to prepare for the day we meet Him face-to-face?
The bottom line is that those of us who truly believe in Jesus Christ…who have given our hearts to Him and promised to serve as His disciples…have no excuse for operating in anything less than “preparedness mode.” We have the hope of salvation and an eternity in Heaven on our side. Isn’t this worth guarding?
How ready are you to meet Jesus in person? Are you on guard…”dressed up”… awake… alert? Do you have faith, hope and confidence that you will meet Him someday? We cannot possibly know what hour or day that will happen. So the question is…”Are you ready to receive Him?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.
But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I still remember the afternoon that our doorbell rang, and there stood my grandmother and two of my dad’s cousins from Texas. They had come to visit… and their timing could not have been worse. That didn’t faze my grandmother – or the cousins. They marched right into the house and proceeded to stay for more than an hour. I laughingly told them that I was not “dressed to receive guests”… I was getting ready to work out, had on grubby clothes and no makeup. Greg was equally busy and not “cleaned up” for company, either. I had nothing prepared to offer them…a pitcher of iced tea or a soft drink. This didn’t seem to bother our guests… but it bothered us. We had been “taken off guard”!
I am sure you can name countless times that someone dropped in unexpectedly. And if you are like me, you’ve probably caught others unprepared to “receive guests” as well. Let’s be honest, if the worst that ever happens is that someone drops by to visit and catches you looking a little grubby or disheveled, this is certainly not the end of the world. But in the spiritual realm, the last thing we ever want is for Jesus to find us unprepared.
Look at it this way… if you are told that “the cable guy” is coming to your house “somewhere between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.”…you will sit at home and wait on him – right? You’ll get up early and dress and prepare for his arrival… and you will wait – sometimes all day long – in anticipation of his visit. Why would you prepare any less for Jesus’ return? The “cable guy” may fix your television reception… but Jesus is offering us Eternal Life! How could we ever fail to prepare for the day we meet Him face-to-face?
The bottom line is that those of us who truly believe in Jesus Christ…who have given our hearts to Him and promised to serve as His disciples…have no excuse for operating in anything less than “preparedness mode.” We have the hope of salvation and an eternity in Heaven on our side. Isn’t this worth guarding?
How ready are you to meet Jesus in person? Are you on guard…”dressed up”… awake… alert? Do you have faith, hope and confidence that you will meet Him someday? We cannot possibly know what hour or day that will happen. So the question is…”Are you ready to receive Him?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 7, 2013
Job13:15
God might kill me, but I have no other hope.
I am going to argue my case with him.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I spoke with my cousin JD this morning for quite a while. He is determined to carry on his tent revival ministry, despite the sudden and unexpected death yesterday of his wife and ministry partner, Angie. He reminded me that “my best Bible teacher has been pain.” And JD has endured much pain and challenge in his 30+ years - some of it self-induced, but also some that is simply part of life… the death of his mother to breast cancer when he was about twenty, the near-fatal logging accident four years ago, and several life-threatening accidents and illnesses involving his dad, just to name a few.
JD told me, “The devil has thrown prison, bankruptcy, near-death, drug abuse and more at me… and each time, I’ve shown him that He can’t beat me.” Now JD faces a tremendous hurdle… how to carry on his ministry without Angie. He is already “arguing his case”… planning his return to the mission field in Florida, as he and Angie had hoped to do later this month. As we talked, I heard such sadness and grief in JD’s voice… but I also detected a spirit of hope.
Here is some of what we shared… and what I want you to take from all of this today…
There is a profound difference between saying that you trust God, and truly TRUSTING Him. If you have ever been knocked to your knees in some way and gotten back up, you know the power of God to rescue and sustain you. Are you calling on that power as you move forward? When you plead your case before God, can you genuinely say that you have completely surrendered and relied on Him fully for strength and sustenance? If you or I woke up in the next few minutes in heaven, would we be able to plead our case with God as His faithful servant? Or do we still have work to do? I don’t believe our work for the LORD ever ends… or that we can possibly do enough for God in this lifetime… but our gauge of this and His are different. Satisfying God and fully yielding to His will is ALL that matters! How are you doing these days?
©2013 Debbie Robus
God might kill me, but I have no other hope.
I am going to argue my case with him.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I spoke with my cousin JD this morning for quite a while. He is determined to carry on his tent revival ministry, despite the sudden and unexpected death yesterday of his wife and ministry partner, Angie. He reminded me that “my best Bible teacher has been pain.” And JD has endured much pain and challenge in his 30+ years - some of it self-induced, but also some that is simply part of life… the death of his mother to breast cancer when he was about twenty, the near-fatal logging accident four years ago, and several life-threatening accidents and illnesses involving his dad, just to name a few.
JD told me, “The devil has thrown prison, bankruptcy, near-death, drug abuse and more at me… and each time, I’ve shown him that He can’t beat me.” Now JD faces a tremendous hurdle… how to carry on his ministry without Angie. He is already “arguing his case”… planning his return to the mission field in Florida, as he and Angie had hoped to do later this month. As we talked, I heard such sadness and grief in JD’s voice… but I also detected a spirit of hope.
Here is some of what we shared… and what I want you to take from all of this today…
- When sadness and tragedy occurs in our life, it is okay to grieve – even as a faith-filled Christian. Jesus grieved over the death of Lazarus. God understands our pain… and He grieves for us in our heartache. But He also sustains us and gives us hope and strength.
- Even in death, Angie’s ministry continues. If you could read her Facebook page, you would see that she continues to be the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth to those who knew and loved her. Are you living in such a way that the same could be said of you?
- God may allow us to endure tragic circumstances… illness, accidents, debt, natural disaster, and even loss of life… but He never leaves us. He provides us with a protective shield – sometimes in the form of shock and numbness for a time. He gives us the fortitude and courage to keep putting one foot in front of the other – and to continue serving Him.
- Healing takes many forms. We are elated when healing comes in an earthly form… but ultimate restoration comes in Heaven. So we must celebrate today that Angie has received the definitive reward… she has seen the face of Jesus, and she is radiant and exquisite in His presence.
There is a profound difference between saying that you trust God, and truly TRUSTING Him. If you have ever been knocked to your knees in some way and gotten back up, you know the power of God to rescue and sustain you. Are you calling on that power as you move forward? When you plead your case before God, can you genuinely say that you have completely surrendered and relied on Him fully for strength and sustenance? If you or I woke up in the next few minutes in heaven, would we be able to plead our case with God as His faithful servant? Or do we still have work to do? I don’t believe our work for the LORD ever ends… or that we can possibly do enough for God in this lifetime… but our gauge of this and His are different. Satisfying God and fully yielding to His will is ALL that matters! How are you doing these days?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 23, 2012
James 1:9-11
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
You can learn a lot from a three-year-old boy. He could generally care less whether he has on a fancy shirt or a plain shirt – or no shirt at all. He is more amused as much by a rolled up sock being tossed above his head in a game of “keep-away” as he is by an expensive electronic gadget. He prefers a bowl of Cheerios®, dried fruit and chocolate chips to something more “gourmet”… and “swimming” in a bathtub filled with plastic toys is just as fun as going to play in an actual pool.
I know that this will change. In a couple of years, these things will not be as satisfying. We teach our children to consume… and to want more… to desire to be wealthy and famous and aspire to drive fancy cars and live in big houses. All three-year-old boys want is to play and be loved… for someone to pay attention to them. And all we should desire of God is HIS love and attention.
Recently, I accompanied my husband on his daily walk down a nearby trail. In one particular stretch, we wound down a hill into a ravine. This has become one of my favorite places in any season. But this time of year, it is incredibly shady and peaceful. As we passed under the crown-canopy of this tranquil forest, I thought, “If Heaven is anything like this, I’ll be a happy camper. This is quite enough!”
I know the Bible promises that when we get to heaven, we will have a mansion. I believe that the streets are paved with gold and the opulence is more than we can imagine. And I guess all of that will be nice… I mean, I’m certainly not going to turn it down – are you?! But what I really want is to be in the physical presence of Jesus… to sit at His feet and feel His arms wrapped around me… to snuggle into His chest and truly rest there in His love.
The point of this passage is that being rich is not the goal. Wealth and possessions don’t matter. As Christians, we need to become like three-year-old boys… content with the love and attention of our Heavenly Father and unimpressed by frills and distractions. We need to focus on what is truly important. And more often than not, riches and “stuff” get in the way of this.
Regardless of what you have… your current position in life… your aspirations for more… make the central focus of your life your relationship with God. The only way to truly be content – rich or poor – is to operate in the confidence that you are pleasing God in everything. Allow Him to show you what is truly important. Learn to find joy in serving Him well with all that you have. Recognize the blessings of God’s “shady ravine” …and if He gives you more than this, consider it a bonus!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
You can learn a lot from a three-year-old boy. He could generally care less whether he has on a fancy shirt or a plain shirt – or no shirt at all. He is more amused as much by a rolled up sock being tossed above his head in a game of “keep-away” as he is by an expensive electronic gadget. He prefers a bowl of Cheerios®, dried fruit and chocolate chips to something more “gourmet”… and “swimming” in a bathtub filled with plastic toys is just as fun as going to play in an actual pool.
I know that this will change. In a couple of years, these things will not be as satisfying. We teach our children to consume… and to want more… to desire to be wealthy and famous and aspire to drive fancy cars and live in big houses. All three-year-old boys want is to play and be loved… for someone to pay attention to them. And all we should desire of God is HIS love and attention.
Recently, I accompanied my husband on his daily walk down a nearby trail. In one particular stretch, we wound down a hill into a ravine. This has become one of my favorite places in any season. But this time of year, it is incredibly shady and peaceful. As we passed under the crown-canopy of this tranquil forest, I thought, “If Heaven is anything like this, I’ll be a happy camper. This is quite enough!”
I know the Bible promises that when we get to heaven, we will have a mansion. I believe that the streets are paved with gold and the opulence is more than we can imagine. And I guess all of that will be nice… I mean, I’m certainly not going to turn it down – are you?! But what I really want is to be in the physical presence of Jesus… to sit at His feet and feel His arms wrapped around me… to snuggle into His chest and truly rest there in His love.
The point of this passage is that being rich is not the goal. Wealth and possessions don’t matter. As Christians, we need to become like three-year-old boys… content with the love and attention of our Heavenly Father and unimpressed by frills and distractions. We need to focus on what is truly important. And more often than not, riches and “stuff” get in the way of this.
Regardless of what you have… your current position in life… your aspirations for more… make the central focus of your life your relationship with God. The only way to truly be content – rich or poor – is to operate in the confidence that you are pleasing God in everything. Allow Him to show you what is truly important. Learn to find joy in serving Him well with all that you have. Recognize the blessings of God’s “shady ravine” …and if He gives you more than this, consider it a bonus!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 25, 2012
Hebrews 11:11-16
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the beach.
Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own. If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That's why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, my little cousins Olivia and Owen visited us. Owen wanted to play the piano, but he wanted company. “Come with me,” he said. When he played in the floor with toys, my husband sat on the fireplace hearth and watched. Owen looked up and said, “Play with me.” What he meant was, “get down here in the floor!” Like so many of us, Owen wanted someone with him. He wasn’t afraid of being alone necessarily; however, he felt more comfortable knowing someone else was along for the ride.
A few weeks ago, my cousin C.D. became gravely ill. He realized that he was dying, and he said so. Those closest to C.D. assured him that he was not dying… but they were in denial. C.D. knew the truth. The first time I visited him in the hospital, he told me, “I’m not going to be here much longer.” I asked, “Are you okay with that?” “Yes,” he replied. “Then so am I,” was my answer. And I meant it. Over the next two weeks, we had several conversations about heaven…who was waiting there for him…how it seemed like it was taking so long for God to get C.D.’s “mansion” ready… and how ready he was to get there.
My cousin was always the king of quips and great stories, and his quick with stayed with him until a day or so before he actually died. I would say, “I’ll see you again,” and he would answer, “If I’m still here!” He told me to give my grandmother a message… “I’m saving a place for you!” and I told him to save one for me, as well! We talked about how his wife, daughter and parents would be waiting for him with a big home-cooked meal… and how he would go to rodeos and watch bull riding with my dad (they have rodeos in heaven, don’t they?!). Only one time did he cry and indicate momentary sadness as he whispered, “Come with me.” I assured him that I still had work to do here… but the angels would gently carry him to heaven, and everything would be okay. And it happened just like that.
C.D. was 88 years old. He was ready to go to heaven… yet for a brief moment, he expressed a desire for company on his journey. I don’t believe he feared death, but it is human nature to have a little trepidation about death or any unfamiliar situation. Lest you think death is only for older people, consider Trayton Nabours, the 6-year-old boy in Russellville, Arkansas, who was killed in a car accident while being driven to school by his grandmother. Trayton is celebrating his seventh birthday today with Jesus. Remember 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, shot and killed in Sanford, Florida, last month while walking to the home of a relative. We don’t like to think about death… but its certainty for all of us at some point is undeniable… and the uncertainty of our “time” is equally real.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a child of any age. We hope and dream so much for their future. And so does God! Even my 88-year-old cousin had hopes and dreams that were unfulfilled… trips in a new van and motorhome he had recently purchased… time spent with relatives and friends, and more. God wants us to dream big and work toward goals.
How do we resolve our inner conflict when lives are halted and dreams and potential seem to be unfulfilled? Look to this passage in Hebrews. Abraham dreamed of having many children… and he did. But he only lived to see a few of them. Still, God numbered Abraham’s ancestors more than stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach! Even when we strive to line up our dreams and goals with God’s will, He may orchestrate them in a way we didn’t expect. This means we can find blessings and meaning in the sudden death of a six-year-old boy. We can turn the tragedy of a senseless shooting of a teenager into changes in thinking and legislation that will impact lives for decades to come. We can celebrate the life of an octogenarian who lived and died with dignity and demonstrated faith and confidence that a better home awaited him.
Our attitude toward death represents a pivotal point in our Christian faith. When we begin to explore and embrace the promises of heaven more than the disappointment of life’s earthly end, our relationship with God takes on a new meaning. No longer are we fearful or lonely… nor do we cling to the things of this earth. We recognize that God has grand plans for us, and it’s up to Him to decide whether they are realized in our earthly lifetime or after we get to heaven. When we begin to trust Him for the outcomes…and to look forward to whatever God has in store for us… we no longer need someone to come with us. We recognize the power and presence of God at all times… in all things.
When the Holy Spirit is truly in your heart… when you faithfully trust God for all things in your life, you are never alone. What do you believe God for this day? What hopes and dreams has He planted in your heart? Do you trust Him to deliver on His promises… in His own time? Have you made that faith-filled shift from earthly thinking to heavenly dreams? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the beach.
Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own. If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That's why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, my little cousins Olivia and Owen visited us. Owen wanted to play the piano, but he wanted company. “Come with me,” he said. When he played in the floor with toys, my husband sat on the fireplace hearth and watched. Owen looked up and said, “Play with me.” What he meant was, “get down here in the floor!” Like so many of us, Owen wanted someone with him. He wasn’t afraid of being alone necessarily; however, he felt more comfortable knowing someone else was along for the ride.
A few weeks ago, my cousin C.D. became gravely ill. He realized that he was dying, and he said so. Those closest to C.D. assured him that he was not dying… but they were in denial. C.D. knew the truth. The first time I visited him in the hospital, he told me, “I’m not going to be here much longer.” I asked, “Are you okay with that?” “Yes,” he replied. “Then so am I,” was my answer. And I meant it. Over the next two weeks, we had several conversations about heaven…who was waiting there for him…how it seemed like it was taking so long for God to get C.D.’s “mansion” ready… and how ready he was to get there.
My cousin was always the king of quips and great stories, and his quick with stayed with him until a day or so before he actually died. I would say, “I’ll see you again,” and he would answer, “If I’m still here!” He told me to give my grandmother a message… “I’m saving a place for you!” and I told him to save one for me, as well! We talked about how his wife, daughter and parents would be waiting for him with a big home-cooked meal… and how he would go to rodeos and watch bull riding with my dad (they have rodeos in heaven, don’t they?!). Only one time did he cry and indicate momentary sadness as he whispered, “Come with me.” I assured him that I still had work to do here… but the angels would gently carry him to heaven, and everything would be okay. And it happened just like that.
C.D. was 88 years old. He was ready to go to heaven… yet for a brief moment, he expressed a desire for company on his journey. I don’t believe he feared death, but it is human nature to have a little trepidation about death or any unfamiliar situation. Lest you think death is only for older people, consider Trayton Nabours, the 6-year-old boy in Russellville, Arkansas, who was killed in a car accident while being driven to school by his grandmother. Trayton is celebrating his seventh birthday today with Jesus. Remember 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, shot and killed in Sanford, Florida, last month while walking to the home of a relative. We don’t like to think about death… but its certainty for all of us at some point is undeniable… and the uncertainty of our “time” is equally real.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a child of any age. We hope and dream so much for their future. And so does God! Even my 88-year-old cousin had hopes and dreams that were unfulfilled… trips in a new van and motorhome he had recently purchased… time spent with relatives and friends, and more. God wants us to dream big and work toward goals.
How do we resolve our inner conflict when lives are halted and dreams and potential seem to be unfulfilled? Look to this passage in Hebrews. Abraham dreamed of having many children… and he did. But he only lived to see a few of them. Still, God numbered Abraham’s ancestors more than stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach! Even when we strive to line up our dreams and goals with God’s will, He may orchestrate them in a way we didn’t expect. This means we can find blessings and meaning in the sudden death of a six-year-old boy. We can turn the tragedy of a senseless shooting of a teenager into changes in thinking and legislation that will impact lives for decades to come. We can celebrate the life of an octogenarian who lived and died with dignity and demonstrated faith and confidence that a better home awaited him.
Our attitude toward death represents a pivotal point in our Christian faith. When we begin to explore and embrace the promises of heaven more than the disappointment of life’s earthly end, our relationship with God takes on a new meaning. No longer are we fearful or lonely… nor do we cling to the things of this earth. We recognize that God has grand plans for us, and it’s up to Him to decide whether they are realized in our earthly lifetime or after we get to heaven. When we begin to trust Him for the outcomes…and to look forward to whatever God has in store for us… we no longer need someone to come with us. We recognize the power and presence of God at all times… in all things.
When the Holy Spirit is truly in your heart… when you faithfully trust God for all things in your life, you are never alone. What do you believe God for this day? What hopes and dreams has He planted in your heart? Do you trust Him to deliver on His promises… in His own time? Have you made that faith-filled shift from earthly thinking to heavenly dreams? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 21, 2011
John 14:1-7
Jesus said to his disciples, "Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going." Thomas said, "Lord, we don't even know where you are going! How can we know the way?"
"I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few years ago, a major shift in my life occurred. It seemed like as many – or more – people in my immediate “circle” were in heaven than here on earth. If I stop and list all of the close family members and friends who died within a span of five years or so, I’m overwhelmed… and it may be much the same for you and your circle of loved ones. When I was in my teens or twenties, this would have probably been incredibly devastating for me. In my mid-to-late thirties and forties, the “shock” was easier to absorb.
What shifted, besides my age – and possibly my maturity level? The answer for me is this… I had gotten to know the Father better. All of my life, I heard others quote the first part of this passage. I knew that Jesus returned to heaven to “get my mansion ready.” But this really didn’t comfort me much. That sounded great – when I was ninety! But I was young, full of life… and not ready to die… and I didn’t want to “lose” anyone dear to me, either.
Now I understand so much more about how God’s plans for us are supposed to work. I didn’t get this by lightning strike or a bump on the head… this understanding came to me through prayer, Bible study, meditation on God’s word, and fellowship with other believers… and lots of all of it! When we become Christians, we don’t instantly “get it” – we have to cultivate our relationship with God – and our understanding of His plans for us. And we must continue to work on this every day!
A few years ago I attended the funeral of a man who had died at a fairly young age after a tortuous battle with cancer. The pastor who conducted his funeral said that people talk about those they have “lost”. We say, “I’m sorry for your loss” when we console those who are grieving. The pastor reminded us that we didn’t truly lose these loved ones – if they are Christians, we know exactly where they are… and quite frankly, they are living the high life!
Do not misunderstand me. This doesn’t give you license to console others with trite phrases like, “It’s God’s will,” or “They are in a better place” … or “He/she is better off than we are!” God wants us to comfort others with His love and peace… but to temper it with grace and mercy. Grieving people are hurting. Yes, we do feel a sense of loss… the person we loved and cared about is no longer with us. But somehow, knowing that they have relocated to Jesus’ heavenly home… and a room is being prepared for us there, also… is incredibly meaningful to me these days.
My grandmother will celebrate her 99th birthday on November 5th. She told me recently that she has been asking God to take her home. She is tired and weary, feeling poorly… and ready for her heavenly mansion and the company of Jesus and those she has missed so dearly. Others have told me that they encourage her to “Keep going!”… “Hang in there!”… “Don’t give up!” I have simply told her that I promise to be happy for her when God has her room ready. I know that she knows the Father… and so do I… and this makes all the difference in my perspective.
My question for you is, “How well do YOU know the Father? Do you have His peace and comfort in all situations? Are you fearful of your ‘next home’ – or excited about the move someday?” I am not asking if you have a death wish… I’m asking if you know the “peace that passes all understanding.” Do YOU know Jesus…The Way to your heavenly home? May I introduce you?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus said to his disciples, "Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going." Thomas said, "Lord, we don't even know where you are going! How can we know the way?"
"I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few years ago, a major shift in my life occurred. It seemed like as many – or more – people in my immediate “circle” were in heaven than here on earth. If I stop and list all of the close family members and friends who died within a span of five years or so, I’m overwhelmed… and it may be much the same for you and your circle of loved ones. When I was in my teens or twenties, this would have probably been incredibly devastating for me. In my mid-to-late thirties and forties, the “shock” was easier to absorb.
What shifted, besides my age – and possibly my maturity level? The answer for me is this… I had gotten to know the Father better. All of my life, I heard others quote the first part of this passage. I knew that Jesus returned to heaven to “get my mansion ready.” But this really didn’t comfort me much. That sounded great – when I was ninety! But I was young, full of life… and not ready to die… and I didn’t want to “lose” anyone dear to me, either.
Now I understand so much more about how God’s plans for us are supposed to work. I didn’t get this by lightning strike or a bump on the head… this understanding came to me through prayer, Bible study, meditation on God’s word, and fellowship with other believers… and lots of all of it! When we become Christians, we don’t instantly “get it” – we have to cultivate our relationship with God – and our understanding of His plans for us. And we must continue to work on this every day!
A few years ago I attended the funeral of a man who had died at a fairly young age after a tortuous battle with cancer. The pastor who conducted his funeral said that people talk about those they have “lost”. We say, “I’m sorry for your loss” when we console those who are grieving. The pastor reminded us that we didn’t truly lose these loved ones – if they are Christians, we know exactly where they are… and quite frankly, they are living the high life!
Do not misunderstand me. This doesn’t give you license to console others with trite phrases like, “It’s God’s will,” or “They are in a better place” … or “He/she is better off than we are!” God wants us to comfort others with His love and peace… but to temper it with grace and mercy. Grieving people are hurting. Yes, we do feel a sense of loss… the person we loved and cared about is no longer with us. But somehow, knowing that they have relocated to Jesus’ heavenly home… and a room is being prepared for us there, also… is incredibly meaningful to me these days.
My grandmother will celebrate her 99th birthday on November 5th. She told me recently that she has been asking God to take her home. She is tired and weary, feeling poorly… and ready for her heavenly mansion and the company of Jesus and those she has missed so dearly. Others have told me that they encourage her to “Keep going!”… “Hang in there!”… “Don’t give up!” I have simply told her that I promise to be happy for her when God has her room ready. I know that she knows the Father… and so do I… and this makes all the difference in my perspective.
My question for you is, “How well do YOU know the Father? Do you have His peace and comfort in all situations? Are you fearful of your ‘next home’ – or excited about the move someday?” I am not asking if you have a death wish… I’m asking if you know the “peace that passes all understanding.” Do YOU know Jesus…The Way to your heavenly home? May I introduce you?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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