Category Archives: Devo Drops

Thoughts on daily devotional scripture readings

The Crowd

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“Who do the crowds say I am?” Luke 9:18

Five thousand people were talking. News was out that five little loaves of bread and two measly fish somehow multiplied into dinner for a multitude.

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The throng was trying to figure out who Jesus was. And they were struggling.

  • John the Baptist, come back to life? Wrong.
  • Elijah, come back to life? Wrong.
  • One of the other Old Testament prophets, come back to life? Wrong.

The crowd was easily confused.

The word “crowd” is found 38 times in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus taught the crowd, He healed the crowd, He fed the crowd, He told the crowd stories, He answered questions from the crowd. And then the crowd disappeared, only to show up later, shouting, “Crucify him!” That’s the crowd for you.

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Luke 9:20

Ah. Now there’s the question.

Step away from the rabble and the opinions and the ego-centric philosophies.

Don’t put too much stock in National Geographic’s “The Story of God” or Amazon Video’s “Who Was Jesus?” or  Oprah’s “Belief” series.

Be careful when dabbling with “religions” that were founded in 1965 by a guy named Bob.

The crowd is confused.

confused

What about you? Who do you think Jesus is?

It’s the most important question you’ll ever answer.

Here I Am!

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Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

I love this question for several reasons.

  • God knows the grammatically correct way to use “whom” and “who”.
  • The Lord combines two questions here — “Whom shall I send?” and “Who will go?” Because sometimes we’re sent, but we don’t go. In other words, He’s looking for someone who will say, “Sure, I’ll go” and then actually goes.
  • God is speaking for a group, namely the Trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit were alive and well in the Old Testament. They communicated with each other and decided to put out the call for volunteers.

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I love this response for several reasons.

  • Isaiah just experienced a threshold-trembling, foundation-rattling, smoke-filled vision, complete with six-winged creatures flying around God Almighty’s throne. I’m impressed that Isaiah was able to speak at all.
  • Isaiah didn’t give a list of reasons why he wasn’t qualified. He didn’t ask for details about the job before signing up. God just said, “I need somebody” and Isaiah said, “I’m your man” even though he was the only man in the room.
  • The exclamation point! Isaiah is like the kid in the back row of the 3rd grade classroom who desperately wants to be the first one to give the answer to the teacher. He shoots his hand up in the air and almost falls out of his seat, saying “Ooo, oo, oo, me!  Send me!!!  Pick me!!!”  God must have loved that.

pick-me

I love Isaiah for several reasons.

  • Being a prophet was a hard calling. They were persecuted, misunderstood, mistreated and often killed. The hard truth they spoke was not usually well received.
  • They were asked to do some pretty weird things to make a point. Hosea had to marry a prostitute and keep taking her back every time she was unfaithful to show how God felt about Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him. Isaiah had to walk around naked for three years to be a visual example of how Israel was going to be stripped down to nothing by their enemies. (It’s right there in Isaiah 20:3.)
  • God told Isaiah up front that he was going to fail. His assignment was to preach to people who wouldn’t respond. In fact, his preaching would only serve to harden the hearts of the people, making God’s righteous judgment sure.

I’m not sure I’d sign up for that. I’m afraid I would have been the one in the back row, hiding behind the kid in front of me, being careful not to make eye contact, whispering, “Please don’t pick me, please don’t pick me.”

How Many Tears?

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When I was little, I heard tales about my older cousins that I’m not sure are verifiable, but they made memorable stories. As I am the youngest in that generation, there’s a possibility that by the time the recounting got to me, there was a bit of embellishment.

One such story was that when my cousin cried and refused to be consoled, my aunt would place a potted plant before her and say, “If you’re not going to stop crying you might as well put those tears to good use and water the plants.” My aunt didn’t believe in wasting tears.

ivy

I cry at weddings.

I cry when saying goodbye to loved ones.

I cry during Hallmark commercials.

I rarely cry over my sins.

Rarely, meaning, I can’t remember the last time I wet my cheek with penitent tears.

“….and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.” Luke 7:38

How many tears did it take to wash His feet?

tears

Little confession of little sin results in little love.

“He who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47

Who weeps over their own sin anymore?

Is it any wonder that love falters in our world?

Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.

Search me and try me, Savior today.

Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,

As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Through the Roof

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This is my church.

I love this place.

I love it when it is full of people.

I love it when I’m there all alone.

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I think everyone should sit in an empty sanctuary once in a while.

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This is the view from my pew. Third row from the front, right side.

There was a bit of a mishap a couple of weeks ago when the Christmas decorations were being taken down and put away.

Do you see it?

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Let me zoom in a little more for you.

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Steve, who obviously is not afraid of heights, was up on top of the canopy pulling the garland and big wreath over the ledge to store until next Christmas, when his foot went through the roof. I’m happy to report that Steve is okay.

That perforation in the plaster has become very dear to me this week. I have been reading about the four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus on a stretcher (Luke 5:17-26). They couldn’t get through the front door because of the crowd, so they hauled their friend up onto the roof, dug a hole through the tiles and lowered the stretcher right in front of Jesus.

This raises several questions:

  • What did Jesus think when His teaching was interrupted with debris falling from the ceiling?
  • Who swept up the dust and fixed the gaping hole?
  • How did the owner of the house feel about the new skylight?

Some better questions:

  • As one of the four friends, would I have had the persistence to climb up on somebody’s roof and bust out a hole?  Or would I have said, “Sorry, buddy, it’s too crowded. We’ll have to come back another time”?
  • As the paralytic on the stretcher, would I have put myself in the hands of four of my friends and let them carry out this cockamamie scheme?
  • As the owner of the house, would I have been so upset about the hole in my roof that I would have missed the miracle?

Some even better questions:

  • Do I know anyone paralyzed by fear or sorrow or guilt who needs to be carried to The Healer?
  • Do I have enough faith to go to unusual lengths (or heights) for the sake of a lost friend?
  • Would I break through a wall to get somebody to Jesus?

roof

I hope the trustees don’t fix that hole anytime soon.

From the third pew on the right, it is a beautiful reminder that sometimes,

faith goes through the roof.

Comfort

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We call our favorite cozy blankets “comforters”.

We call home-style food that brings thoughts of childhood “comfort food”.

During Advent we sing about “tidings of comfort and joy.”

God knows it’s hard to be us.

He told Isaiah to write it down:

“Comfort, comfort My people.” Isaiah 40:1

He doesn’t repeat words unless He’s trying to drive it home.

People need to hear tender words of comfort.

“Speak tenderly… tell them their sin has been paid for.”

“Shout it out and say, ‘Your God is here!'”

God knows it’s hard to be us.

So He sent the Holy Spirit, with the nickname “The Comforter”.

Unlike a blanket that wears out, and unlike the fleeting satisfaction of a favorite meal, this Comforter settles our spirits and reassures our doubts from the inside.

Who needs a tender word today?

“God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.”

Dr. John Henry Jowett

comfort

Chocolate Temptation

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I can walk away from this pretty box of chocolates.

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See these “Temptations”? They don’t entice me in the least.

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Get behind me, Temptations. You’ve got no hold on me.

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Chocolate Temptation is just down the road, but I couldn’t care less.

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Ha! Double chocolate cheesecake with a chocolate brownie crust and dark chocolate glaze with chocolate sprinkles, you make me sick.

Literally.

Chocolate makes me sick.

I pick out the mini chips in chocolate chip cookies.

I scrape off the chocolate topping on Rice Krispie Scotcheroos.

I chip away at the coating on Butterfingers.

I’m a bastion of strength when faced with an ooey-gooey molten lava cake.

I can turn down that hot fudge sundae or that creamy cup of hot cocoa without blinking an eye.

It’s easy for me to resist chocolate. That’s not real temptation.

The devil came at Jesus with a series of temptations in Luke 4. In order for them to be real temptations, they must have been things that looked enticing to Jesus —

  • A loaf of bread after going forty days without food.
  • An opportunity to reign as King by taking the easy way out and side-stepping the suffering of the cross.
  • A chance to show off God’s miraculous power to the mocking voice.

Instead, Jesus refused to flaunt His Divine authority to satisfy a craving.

He chose the hard way of the cross because it was the Father’s way.

He didn’t test God by recklessly demanding proof of His love and care.

Jesus started His ministry by facing down evil and saying, “Not your will, Satan, but God’s be done.”

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned.” Hebrews 4:15 

Favorites

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dsc_0032These are my favorites.

Every single one of them.

dsc_0067The reds are my favorite.

dsc_0068The greens are my favorite, too.

dsc_0055The boys are my favorites.

dsc_0066And the girls are my favorites.

Romans 2:11 says, “For God does not show favoritism.” 

I get it.

We are all His favorites.

2017 Bible Reading Plan

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Sometimes I wish God would rip open the heavens and speak actual words I can actually hear. Preferably in English since I don’t know Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic. And not in King’s English, please, with the thees and thous and shalts and arts. Just normal midwest plain talk.

I should stop wishing, because every time I tear open my Bible, He speaks. Thousands of words on the pages of scripture are waiting for me to perk up my ears and pay attention. Real conversation with the God of the universe can take place, with a little effort and dedication.

So let’s get to it, shall we? Here’s the new reading plan that will take us through 2017. It’s a little different than in years past and may not appeal to everyone, but it’s a place to start. I plan to post a reflection at the end of each week that goes along with the passage we’ve been digging into on Monday – Friday.

Click on “2017 Bible Reading Plan” at the top of the page for more information. Let me know if you’re in!

(Nice little bookmarks with the 2017 Reading Plan are available in the church narthex. Or I’d be happy to send you one! Email me at dinah.overlien@gmail.com)

2016

Use Your Words

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I’ve got six little people in my life. Soon to be eight. Under the age of five. The littlest one is learning how to say words like “momma” and “daddy” while the biggest one is talking in complete paragraphs about dinosaurs and quantum physics. It’s the kids in the middle group that are in various stages of parlance. Because their thoughts are developing so quickly, it’s frustrating for them when their ability to communicate hasn’t quite caught up.

Hence, the whining.

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“Use your words,” their mommas say.

I’m a contemplative type. I’m happy as a clam to sit in my office, in the quiet early morning hours. I bask in the silence and solitude. Most of my thoughts and prayers are internal, rarely uttered aloud. I’m not after some sort of mystical experience, but instead have learned to enjoy sitting in the presence of God. As Jan Johnson says, “I just look at God and God looks at me.”

Maybe that approach is good some of the time, but there is a need for balance. If PB and I just sat and looked at each other all the time, it might get kind of boring. Or it could turn into a giggle-fest. When I read Hosea 14 last week, verse 2 pressed hard on me.

“Take words with you and return to the Lord.”

I shouldn’t underestimate the value of putting my thoughts and prayers into actual words. God spoke creation into being with words, Jesus was called “the Word made flesh”, the Spirit carried along the writers of the Word of God. He’s a conversational God, waiting for my response.

It’s good to come to Him in quietness and trust,

but I am also invited to “use my words.”

use-words

The Butterfly and the Bee

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Once upon a time there was a Garden. It was full of beautiful blooms and fragrant flowers. Garden creatures scuttled under the brush and winged flyers skimmed over the petals.

garden

Light and airy after a lifetime of crawling in dirt, the newly transformed butterfly was the most enchanting creature in the Garden. It hovered and glided and danced about with grace. It careened through the spikes of foxglove and wove between the wispy cosmos. Its wings caught the sunshine and made the Garden sparkle. Landing for only a second or two, it continued to flit here and there and everywhere. After two weeks it was gone. It had given a measure of joy and frivolity to the Garden, but had not contributed in any meaningful way.

butterfly

Another heartier breed also buzzed among the foliage. Not as light and airy, not as sparkly or whimsical, the bee was not on holiday in the Garden. The bee was there on a mission. This round-bodied flyer did not have the grace of the butterfly. It did not flit or charm. The bee did no stylish pirouettes. Instead, this one dove straight into the depth of the blossoms, drawing out the nectar, burrowing down into the fragrance. Having done its job, the dive-bomber sped out of the Garden and deposited its bounty into the hive. 

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What is the meaning of the story of the butterfly and the bee?

“To get anything from our Bibles, we must plunge in. Butterflies wander over the flowers in the garden and accomplish nothing, but bees plunge right down into the flower, and carry away essential food. We won’t get anything if we just hover over our Bibles; we have to dive right in.” David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible, Acts Commentary   bible

“How sweet are your promises to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103