Daily Devotional for February 16, 2012

1 Peter 3:4
Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

The last few days, the remnants of a light snowfall have been evident on our lawns. There is something so quiet about a snowy day… as if the earth is nestled under a fluffy, white blanket. And as the snow melted and warmer temperatures have returned, the air has been filled with the chirping of birds… a red-winged blackbird, a Carolina wren, and other songbirds who are beckoning the return of spring. Where is God ever more evident than in these beautiful, quiet creations? Yet, so many of us miss them… we are looking for something louder and more profound.

If I weren’t learning to expect God in the most unexpected places, I would be amazed at what I am about to tell you. A few days ago, I visited with a friend in Wal-Mart, and she recommended a book to me… God Calling, a daily devotional book written by two British women in the early 1930s. I came home and downloaded the book onto my Kindle. A London newspaperman, A. J. Russell, edited the writings of these two ladies for publication, and the book has sold millions of copies worldwide. The book’s introduction states that these women always remained anonymous, and ... “’were poor, brave and courageously fighting against sickness and penury,’ in Russell’s words. They were facing a hopeless future and one of them even longed to be quit of this hard world for good. But then, God spoke to their hearts, and God Calling was born.”



God can speak through the quiet beauty
of fog rising over a river on a sunny morning.

 The devotionals begin with a scripture passage, and then there is a commentary, written as if God is speaking directly to the reader. Here’s where it gets amazing… today’s commentary on Psalm 4:3-5 says in part…“if you only sat still and longed for Me, if you just drew hungering breaths for Me, as you do for the fresh pure air of the open. Be still, be calm. Wait before Me. Learn of Me patience, humility, peace.”

When I began writing this devotional to share with you, I opened my prayer journal to the sermon notes I’ve been using, and the scripture passage I was drawn to for today was once again the message… “be gentle and quiet.” Only God could tie together the scripture passages from Psalm 4:3-5 and 1 Peter 3:4. Clearly this is the word He has for us today… and it came in the “quiet” of reading from His Holy Word!

If we can only learn to be quiet… to listen for God… and then to let others “hear” Him through our peaceful, calm nature…great things can be accomplished. If we stop long enough to listen for a songbird and recognize that God cares as much for these tiny creatures as He does for each of us, we will be blessed beyond measure. If we can operate in the beauty and peacefulness of quiet, we can have far more impact than if we scream and shout!

We need to slow down… to look and listen for God in the most ordinary of places. We’ve become to “wired” for grandeur and “the bigger the better.” It’s time to dial it down a notch or two and let God work through a quieter, calmer, more peaceful approach. Stop, look, listen… breathe deeply… inhale all that God wants to give you this day… and exhale all the negative “noise.” Operate in peace and quiet for a change, and see for yourself how God can bless you… and others.

©2012 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for March 3, 2011

Psalm 37:3-7
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

My grandmother often tells me, “I just can’t do everything like I used to.” I know what she means. Even though I am almost half her age, I have come to understand that I can get overloaded if I don’t take time to rest. And I know that when I do this, my body loses its ability to fight off germs and illnesses, and sometimes I can become physically sick. I’ve learned to pace myself, and when things get really hectic, I grab some time to be still and rest for awhile.

The truth is, we all can become mentally and spiritually overloaded at times. We can let the worries and stresses of the day… the challenges and temptations… the constant pestering of the devil to get us down. And if we are not careful – if we don’t give ourselves time to rest and restore – we will have a Spiritual breakdown. Satan loves this! He loves to dig at us, and he will not stop. He loves to catch us weak and vulnerable, and that’s when he really goes to work planting seeds of dissention, skepticism and second-guessing, discontent and more. All of this can leave us susceptible to sin and Spiritual sickness.

So how do we stay healthy? Physically, we listen to our bodies and rest when necessary. We skip that night out with friends to stay home in pj’s and “veg out” in front of the TV or read a good book. We eat right and stay hydrated… we exercise and stay fit. We don’t overindulge in bad foods and inactivity.

Spiritually, we spend time resting in the Lord. We set aside some quiet time to sit in a chair or on a rock or wherever it’s relatively peaceful, and we simply talk to God… pour out our hearts to Him, tell Him about our day, and then listen to what He has to say in return. We make time to read our Bible. We surround ourselves with people who love God and wish to wholeheartedly serve Him. We get away from the noise and busyness of the world and engage in some one-on-One time with the Lord… a walk, sitting and listening to our favorite Christian music, or just lying down and closing our eyes and shutting out everything but God.

Be still in the Lord… wait patiently for Him…make time in His presence a priority… and give yourself permission to rest in the Lord. This will be some of the best time you spend each day… and set the tone for everything else. Take time to delight in Him, and He really will give you the desires of your heart.

©2011 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for February 13, 2011

Psalm 29:3-9
The voice of the LORD echoes over the oceans.

The glorious LORD God thunders above the roar of the raging sea, and his voice is mighty and marvelous. The voice of the LORD destroys the cedar trees; the LORD shatters cedars on Mount Lebanon. God makes Mount Lebanon skip like a calf and Mount Hermon jump like a wild ox. The voice of the LORD makes lightning flash and the desert tremble. And because of the LORD, the desert near Kadesh shivers and shakes. The voice of the LORD makes deer give birth before their time. Forests are stripped of leaves, and the temple is filled with shouts of praise.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

During our last snowstorm, my husband and I took a long hike. It was snowing hard, and there were several inches of snow already covering the landscape. We hiked Mossy Bluff Trail to the Visitor Center near our house, and as we stood next to the highway, my husband said, “It’s so quiet.” Scarcely a car went by on the slick, snow-packed highway. We walked back home in the silence. But all around us, we could “hear” God.

God’s voice did not thunder in the snowfall… it did not flash and tremble. But God Almighty was evident in every snowflake… the majesty of the rocky crags covered in giant icicles along the trail spoke of His artistry… and His power. The thick powdery snow that covered everything in sight like a massive blanket spoke of God’s protection and care for each of us.

The hungry birds at our backyard feeder reminded us that God watches over even the smallest of His creatures. The snug, warm safety of our house when we returned was proof that God has met all of our needs.

We don’t always “hear” from God with a crash of thunder or a flash of lightning. He doesn’t always speak in shivers and shakes and roaring seas (although I’m pretty sure I heard Him in the gurgling of the water in the creek that ran under a footbridge we crossed on the trail!). The trouble we humans have is that we are not always listening! We fail to recognize God’s voice much of the time… until he has to “shout” to get our attention!

We need to dial back the “white noise” in our lives – the distractions that keep us from hearing from God – and pay closer attention. We need to be looking and listening for God’s voice – whether in the form of a thunderstorm, an earthquake, or even a snowfall. God may speak with great force… but so often, He simply whispers. Will you hear Him? Are you listening closely enough?

©2011 Debbie Robus

April 28 ~ Proverbs 17:1
A dry crust of bread eaten in peace and quiet is better than a feast eaten where everyone argues.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

A few months ago, my husband and I were shopping in North Little Rock, and we decided to have a nice lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. We were seated in a booth that was tucked into one of the back corners of the establishment, and it appeared we would have a wonderful, quiet lunch. However, there were two women seated in the booth next to us who were having a loud and energetic conversation, and we couldn’t help but be distracted by them… especially when we heard them mention our home town! They took phone calls, they talked and laughed, and clearly they were having a good time and enjoying their meal.

Our meal was delicious, but I have to tell you… I’ve enjoyed a tuna sandwich eaten on our back porch on a warm spring or fall day more than I did dining next to those two women. Somehow the “noise” of birds and squirrels chirping trumps the enthusiastic conversation of complete strangers in my book!

This scripture passage is about so much more than eating a meal in solitude. It is about turning down the “noise” in our lives and creating “balance.” So many of us are caught up in always being busy – always going places and doing things – and we don’t know how to sit and simply “be.” We don’t know how to enjoy the quiet solitude of an hour spent sitting and listening to the sounds of nature. We surely don’t have the capacity to spend quiet time alone with God! We want action, adventure, people – and lots of “noise!” But this verse is telling us that “less is more!”

We need to “turn down the volume.” We need to realize that constant stimulation in the form of activity and action and noise does not always spell contentment! Try turning off the television, cancelling an activity or two, and sitting quietly for a while. Whether you eat a sandwich on your back step or just sit on your couch and meditate on your blessings, I’m betting you will find yourself refreshed and more contented when you rise. Less really can be more… try it… you might just be surprised at the results!

©2010 Debbie Robus