Daily Devotional for October 27, 2016

Matthew 5:38-42    
“Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

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.

One day a few months ago, Nathan yelled at me when I told him “No!” and I sent him to “time out.”  He refused to go…I calmly, but firmly insisted!  This four-year-old boy turned and looked at me and said, “You don’t wuv me anymore.  I am not your fwiend ANY MORE!”  He went to sit in the “time out” chair anyway!

On some level, those words hurt.  I realize that he didn’t mean them…but when Nathan is 15 and mad at me over something, they might be offered with more sincerity.  And it will crush my heart to hear someone I love so dearly speak so harshly.  But I hope and pray that I will “turn the other cheek.”  I will probably have plenty of “ammo” that I could lob right back at him by then.  But it would not serve any purpose other than to deepen the divide and possibly damage our relationship forever.  And…it would disobey and disrespect Jesus.

In this season of such discourse, every fiber of our being wants to scream insults and offer retaliations to someone nearly every day.  We are hurt, angry, bewildered, and ready to “make them pay.”  But we must not do this.  We must stand quietly and be still…and trust God.  We must demonstrate that He is in charge…and we will not be dragged into the mud.

Stop and think about it.  You can name plenty of people with short fuses who are quick to get angry and eager to retaliate.  But think about the person you know who remains steadfast and calm…the one who rises above the fray.  In the words of First Lady, Michelle Obama, think of the person who “goes high when the other guy goes low.”  THIS person has heard Jesus’ words – and taken them to heart.  And so must we!

This is the day that the Lord has made.  We must rejoice in it, and live generously.  We must stand up straight and “go high.”  God can – and will – fight our battles. Trust Him to always have our back. Let GOD be in charge of sending others to “time out”…and discover how He blesses your restraint.

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 13, 2016

John 4:34-38
Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
 
“The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others.”
 
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.  Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO.  All rights reserved.
 
My cousin Natalie introduced me to the  Silhouette® Cameo - a computerized machine that cuts all sorts of things out of adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl , fabric, paper, and more.  The Silhouette® has revolutionized how I sew and create outfits and gifts for my family and friends, as well as card making projects and so much more!  And…it’s FUN! I get a great sense of satisfaction from creating something that looks so polished and crisp!
 
Like so many “gadgets” in our lives today, this machine and my computer do the hard work for me.  I have to make the effort to pick a design and use the tools in the computer program to create a template…but the machine does a lot of the “thinking” for me, then actually cuts out the designs.  Here’s the thing…I have to be awake and alert.  I have to position the material just right for cutting and set the blade to the correct sharpness for my material.  I must pay attention to select colors and materials that are right for whatever I am making.  I learned the hard way that you cannot iron a heat transfer on an insulated metal tumbler! I have to attach the cutouts to whatever surface they were destined to adorn.
 
I am grateful for this machine and the “work” it does for me.  I appreciate my dishwasher and washing machine…the serger that finishes my stitched edges so nicely…the hot water that appears in the sink when I turn on the appropriate faucet…and my smart phone that does more than I even realize!  But I have to do my part, too!  I have to put dishes in the dishwasher, and turn on the phone and punch some buttons.  I have to place clothes in the washer and select the design for my machine to cut.  And when it comes to harvesting souls for Jesus, we have work to do, as well.
 
Many faithful servants paved the way and established a foundation for God’s Kingdom even before Jesus came to earth.  Then Jesus did the truly hard work by dying on the cross for our sins and giving us not only an outline for how to live and minister to others – but His Holy Spirit to accompany us and serve as our personal Guide and Companion. But we have to do our part.  We have to put these directives into action. We must demonstrate Jesus’ teachings and emulate His words and actions in our everyday living.  We are called to seek out those who need Jesus for themselves…and to share His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, joy, hope and healing with them.
 
We’ve grown complacent in this world, thanks in large part to the many “conveniences” that do much of our work.  If anything, this should give us more time and tools for winning others to Christ and sharing His blessings with them.  We’ve been given all of the right equipment…the “hard work” has been done. Now it’s time for us to handle the “harvest!”  Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get busy?
 
©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 17, 2014

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid.

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

When you hear the phrase, “I don’t get no respect”...most of us think of comedian Rodney Dangerfield.  This was his “hook” for many years...the words that made him famous.  Dangerfield had a string of “examples” to illustrate how/why he was not respected...

• ”When I was a kid I got no respect. I worked in a pet store. People kept askin' how big I get. On Halloween, the parents send their kids out looking like me.”
• “When I answer the door the kids hand me candy.”

In our own lives, there may be areas where we feel we “get no respect”.  We may even cry out to God at times and say, “I have done everything you ask of me...and still, I am disrespected or unappreciated.”  I know I have shared this story countless times, but I once had a kindergarten student whose family was given all kinds of assistance...from both individuals in our school and community - and from the Department of Human Services.  Instead of being grateful and appreciative, the parents continued to misuse the resources given to them – and to disrespect their benefactors at every turn. It was very hard not to rail against them at times and ask, “What on earth is wrong with you?”!

Read Matthew 10:8 again.  Jesus tells us to minister to others – to “heal” them, encourage them, lift them up and support them – and share the Gospel with them.  That’s really what He means when He says “heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal those with leprosy, and force out demons.”  But what is critically important is his next sentence...”You received without paying, now give without being paid.”
 
I don’t know about you, but this hits me squarely between the eyes!  Jesus did all of these things – and so much more – for you and me without expecting anything in return.  In fact, there is no way we could even begin to repay Him.  So what makes us think that we should expect payment for anything we do in His name?  What right do we have to get upset when we help someone else and they treat us miserably?  Yes, it hurts...sure, it stings when we are disrespected or dishonored.  Of course we are angered when our efforts are demeaned or squandered.  But imagine how Jesus feels...because we do this to Him – all.the.time!

We have to learn to treat Jesus with more respect...we must make a concerted effort to offer Him our sincere praise and appreciation for all that He does for us every second of the day.  Additionally, we have to get over ourselves with regard to those we “heal” in His name.  We have to learn to operate so fully in the joy of serving Jesus that what others do with our offerings truly doesn’t matter to us.  We put it out there...the rest is up to that person.

Be advised...the devil will make sure to needle you every time someone doesn’t respond as you had expected.  He will be front and center to say, “How dare they!”...to make you question yourself, and to doubt your strength in Jesus. Operating above the “fray” won’t come easily...and it surely won’t happen overnight. But we must continue to work toward this goal...to study God’s word and maintain close communication with Him, so that we are strengthened and encouraged to keep trying.

We must accept that there will be a lot of things that we do in this world for which we are never given “credit” or proper respect...and that this is not the goal.  Jesus is the only One whose feelings and opinions truly matter.

I know I have a lot of work to do in this area...but I’m ready to put in the time and effort.  What about you?

©2014 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 13, 2013

Colossians 3:22-25
Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.
 
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 eighteen years, Greg and I owned a publishing business.  Much of that time, we were the sole employees, so we did everything… from answering the phone and taking orders to typesetting and proofreading our magazine every 2 months… to stuffing the magazines in envelopes, sealing, stamping and labeling them for mailing.  We were meticulous about every detail, but even so…we sometimes found typos, put the wrong amount of postage on a piece of mail, or inadvertently upset a customer.  None of us are perfect!
 
Over the years, we watched others try to emulate what we were doing.  There is an old adage that says that “Imitation is the best form of flattery,” but we were not flattered by many of these projects.  The work was often shoddy and riddled with mistakes… and in the end, these businesses didn’t last.  We learned very quickly not to waste our energy on fretting about the competition, but rather to do the very best we possibly could…and let our efforts shine and (hopefully) rise to the top.  And God blessed our efforts tremendously.
 
We could probably have worried less about the details and still had at least a mediocre business that paid the bills.  But would our reputation have been as strong?  Would we have served our clients to the best of our ability?  Would a half-hearted effort have honored?  In a nutshell, the answer to these questions is a resounding, “NO!”
 
There are a lot of people in this world who are skating by with minimal efforts.  They don’t “cross the T’s and dot the I’s” – in everything from their appearance to the work they do (both at home and in their place of employment) to how they treat their friends, acquaintances and family members.  More importantly, many of them are haphazard at best… and downright shoddy in many cases… when it comes to their Christian discipleship… if they even claim to serve God.
 
You may have an impeccable worth ethic – in all areas of your life.  Or you may be lax in a place or two… or even a total slacker! I encourage you to search your heart…and your daily living…and see where you might need to “tighten the screws” a little.  Where are you covering up bad work and disrespecting God with your less-than-faultless efforts?  Are you doing the minimum… or are you always giving God your very best in all things? The difference matters… both now and for all eternity!
 
©2013 Debbie Robus