Category Archives: Devo Drops

Thoughts on daily devotional scripture readings

High Heaven

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smellyThere’s been a mysterious smell in our house. It didn’t matter how many candles I lit, how many plug in air fresheners I plugged in, or how much Oust I sprayed. The foul odor lingered. It was especially strong near the kitchen, by the back door, in the closet.

This is the broom/mop/dog food/light bulb/batteries/wasp spray/duct tape/spray cleaner/recycle bin/plastic and paper bags/vacuum cleaner/ toilet brush/miscellaneous box closet. Did I mention there is a refrigerator in there, too?

It’s a big closet.

I also keep potatoes and onions in the stackable baskets.

Hence the stink.

I kept dropping hints to PB like, “Gosh, where could that awful stench be coming from?” Or “Did you step in something, dear?” I even tried to appeal to his curiosity by whispering, “There’s something in the closet and I think it’s dead.” He didn’t bite.

This was going to be my battle to fight.

In the dark recesses of the catch-all closet, I was momentarily startled by what I thought was a one-legged spider, but it was just a sad, shriveled potato.

It stunk to high heaven.

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Funny how such a little thing,

ignored for months in a dark closet,

can produce such a foul smell.

“Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin.

Sin itself stinks to high heaven.”  Jude 1:23

Connected

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See these nice sturdy cement block walls?

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They are built to last.

See these durable ceiling tiles?

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They are firmly fixed in place.

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And outlets?  How many outlets does one building wing need?

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Back in 1965, nobody was thinking about wireless internet connections.

The word “internet” didn’t even make the dictionary until twenty years later.

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Today, a nice young man came to look things over and help us set up Wi-Fi.

He spent two and a half hours walking around, taking pictures and jotting down notes.  Pages and pages of notes.

Bless him.  He’s got his work cut out.

I’m sure glad the Spirit of God isn’t hindered by brick walls or immovable tiles.  I’m so relieved I don’t need wires or ethernets or modems or routers.

I just need to say, “Abba, Father.”

Connected.

Quench

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good ideaMore than once, I’ve been accused of throwing a “wet blanket” on a creative idea.  And rightly so.  I can’t help it.  When a brilliant notion is presented to me, I seem to think it’s my job to point out all the problems that could arise.  I’m just offering a dose of reality to balance out the brilliance.  Unfortunately, my input can be received as discouragement.  I really don’t like being a “Debbie Downer” but somebody has to speak truth into the mix.  Right?  (Somebody agree with me.)

Because I’m married to an “idea” man, I’m learning (over 36 years) to hold off on dousing wild and wonderful ideas with my wet blanket.  Here’s why: I’m learning that…

1) …even if it’s not my idea, it can still be a good idea.

2) …when a scheme challenges my comfort zone, it might be good for me.

3) …I don’t know everything.  (No surprise there.)

4) …sometimes faith means doing things that don’t make sense to me.

Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not quench the Spirit.”  In other words, I shouldn’t throw a wet blanket on what the Spirit of God is prompting me to do.  Whether it’s to send a note to someone who needs a lift, or whether it’s to bring up Jesus in a conversation with an unbeliever, it’s never my job to question the Holy Spirit.  My job is to listen, trust, and step out in faith and obedience.

I’m trying to trade in my wet blanket for a fan.

“I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” 2 Tim. 1:6

Half A Cup

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coffee cupWhen I was seven years old, our family went to New York City.  One of my memories from that trip was having breakfast at a small diner in Manhattan.  My wide-eyes had never seen anything like it.  The waitress was yelling out orders, the cook was yelling right back, people were yelling for more coffee…it was New York City mayhem at it’s finest.  There was more noise and chaos in that little place than I had seen in all my seven years on the farm.  At one point, the waitress was moving so fast that she knocked over a tray of empty coffee cups.  She picked up one cup that was broken clean in half down the middle, held it up in the air and shouted, “Who wants half a cup?!”  The customers broke out in laughter and cheers, so we did too.  When in New York……

I thought of that story the other day when I was reading Philippians 3.  This is such a great chapter that I’m putting some of it to memory, starting with verse 10. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection…”  Coming off of Easter and a fresh sense of wonder and awe at Christ’s resurrection, this verse sends goose bumps up my spine.  What would it be like to really know the kind of power that could take a dead, beaten, bloody body and breath life back into it?  Wow.  Count me in — I want to have that Very. Same. Power.

Verse 10 isn’t done, though.

“….and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…”

Wait.  What?

Hold on just a second.

Power?  Yes, please!

 Suffering?  *crickets*

Who wants half a verse?

Like the shattered cup, half holds nothing.

True power rises up out of true suffering.

And actually, our hurts and disappointments are just a share of what Christ suffered….

and honestly, fellowship thrives when brothers and sisters carry each other’s burdens.

Jesus took the whole cup.

I should, too.

Farther Along

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story song

I borrowed a line from my son on Easter Sunday:

“The resurrection was the greatest fourth quarter comeback in history.”

If that’s the case, then the 50 days between the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was the longest post-game wrap-up ever.

Those poor disciples.

They spent most of their three year internship with Jesus a few steps behind.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t you understand?'” (Mark 4:13)

“Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21)

“But they did not understand what He meant and were afraid to ask Him.” (Mark 9:32)

“They kept asking, ‘What does He mean?  We don’t understand what He is saying.'” (John 16:18)

For three days they hid out, fearing for their lives after the crucifixion of their Teacher.

For forty days, the resurrected Jesus popped in and out of their gatherings, alive and well and….unexplainable.

For another ten days they waited for……something.  Jesus said, “wait” so they hunkered down in Jerusalem not even knowing what they were waiting for.

Ten days.

That’s a long time for eleven men to sit around.

I hope one of them remembered Jesus’ words from their last meal with Him:

“You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7)

I often feel like I’m two (or twenty) steps behind Jesus.  I wonder why He makes me wait so much.  I wish there were more explanations for the crazy things that happen in my life and in the world.

The disciples obeyed and waited and, before long, they “got” it.  That’s what it looks like to be a follower of the Risen Christ.  When I get a little farther along, more understanding will come to me, too.  I just need to keep moving along, to get a little farther than yesterday —

don’t stop, keep walking.

This week, this is my story, this is my song.

“Farther along we’ll know all about it.  Farther along we’ll understand why.  So cheer up, my brothers, live in the sunshine.  We’ll understand this, all by and by.”

“Farther Along” by Josh Garrels

farther along

Yes To ____

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There’s something in my shower that has changed everything.
It’s not a gadget or a beauty product or a cleaning solution.
It’s a sticker.

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I’m not too particular about which lotions and soaps I use.
Awhile back, I picked up a cleanser called
“Yes to Blueberries”
because the label said,
“helps improve skin firmness,
protect skin,
diminish fine lines and wrinkles,
and nourish age-damaged skin.”

I’m all for firmness and diminishing wrinkles.
I tried not to be too offended by the “age-damaged” part.
Plus, it was on sale.
Plus, I like blueberries.
Grapefruit and carrots are also on my “like” list, so I tried these.

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I can’t say for sure that I’m firmer or less wrinkly,
but there is a feature of these products that has had a huge impact on me.

The soap comes with a sticker that keeps the lid from opening.
So the other day,
I grabbed my new bottle of Grapefruit Rejuvenating Body Wash
that promises “soft skin with a natural glow” and pulled the sticker off.

Huh.

Some of my most meaningful prayers have come from
reading labels in the shower.
This little two word sticker rejuvenated my spirit.

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This is the prayer of faith I’ve been trying to articulate!

God, today I say “Yes to ____”
and You fill in the blank.

Before I step out of the shower and begin the day,
before I know what the next twelve hours will bring,
before I have the chance to rethink and say “no” —
here’s my prayer:

“Yes to ______.”

Help me stand firm in the truth,
protect me from evil,
diminish my desire to sin,
and nourish my soul.
Keep my heart soft
and help me glow with the Spirit.
Amen.

For This I Have Jesus

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story song

PB says he takes it with a grain of salt when parishoners go through the line after church on Sunday, shake his hand and say, “That was a good sermon, Pastor.”  But if someone should happen to call the church office on Wednesday to say, “That was a good sermon on Sunday, Pastor”, then he’ll believe it.  If they’re still thinking about it three days later, the message must have gotten through.

Back in October of 2014, PB said something that stuck with me.

Three months later, I’m still thinking about it.

Now, that’s a good sermon.

I don’t remember the context or the scripture or the point of the message.

But I wrote down five words:

“For this, I have Jesus.”

I’ve said those words many times since.

I’ve said that phrase many times this week.

When missing dear ones, in other counties or other countries —

for this, I have Jesus.

When praying with a family in a pediatric hospital waiting room —

for this, we have Jesus.

When gathering around the Word with sisters asking hard questions —

for this, we have Jesus.

When rocking the baby girl who can’t sleep because of a cough  —

for this, I have Jesus.

When talking to friends who are struggling, but managing to hang on —

for this, we have Jesus.

When lying awake at night thinking of a million things I need to do —

for this, I have Jesus.

When the phone rings at half past midnight for the pastor to come —

for this, we have Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

This week, this is my story, this is my song:

For This I Have Jesus, written by Graham Kendrick

(Please excuse the amateur, homemade recording.  Ignore the mistakes.  Let the words land soft in your heart.)

Multiple Choice

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testWhen I was in college I fulfilled some General Education credit requirements by taking a Philosophy 101 class.  Here’s how it went down —

On the first day of class, the professor handed out a great big packet of notes — pages and pages of single spaced, perfectly outlined notes.  On the second day of class, the professor had us open the packet and follow along as he read the notes out loud.  Word for word.  Every day.  All semester.  So boring.

So why go to class, right?  I could have just read the notes myself, right?

Wrong.  Because our grade was based on attendance.

The tests were all True/False exams and we were free to use our wonderful packet of notes at will.  The prof even tipped us off as to what was going to be on the final exam.  There were no excuses for flunking his class.

I got an A but the only thing I learned was to stay away from Philosophy 102.

Moses spent forty years out in the desert school trying to teach a bunch of rebellious Israelites the rules.  He wrote five books of the Old Testament, making sure they had all the information they needed to have a good life in the Promised Land.  He reminded the people over and over again of who they were and whose they were.  Just before Moses died, he laid it all out there one more time and then told the people there would be a pop quiz.  It would be a one-question test, with the choice of two possible answers.  Then, just to be sure they didn’t mess up, He gave them the correct answer.

See, I set before you today

1) life and prosperity

2) death and destruction

(psst….. now choose life).

Deuteronomy 30:15, 19

  No excuses.

One More Thing Before I Go

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Moses and I would have gotten along famously.  He was a list-maker, a rule-keeper, and a self-doubter.  I can relate to all of those tendencies.

My Bible Reading Plan for this year starts off in Deuteronomy where Moses begins to hand off his forty-year leadership of the Israelite nation to Joshua.  He spends eight chapters reminding the people of the covenant, of the commandments, and of the consequences of obedience and disobedience.

babysitterMoses makes me think of what PB and I used to do when leaving our four little kiddos with a babysitter.  I wrote down detailed instructions on dinner, TV watching, and bedtime.  Then I went over the detailed instructions with the babysitter.  Then I had her repeat the detailed instructions out loud to me.  As we walked out the door, we emphasized a few of the most important detailed instructions, adding a few more details to the instructions.

That’s Moses.  He gives the people step-by-step directions on entering the Promised Land.  He tells them what to do (Deut. 26:1-2) and what to say (Deut. 26:3-10).  He uses visual aids (Deut. 27:2-3), he stages an interactive ceremony (Deut. 27:12-26), and he sings them a song (Deut. 32).  Moses encourages the people to remember how God led them in the past, then warns them against forgetting God in the future.

He covers all the bases.

He drives his message home.

Then Moses demonstrates his greatest act of faith.

After parenting the people for decades, Moses leaves them in Joshua’s charge —

with a long list of detailed instructions.

Fresh Start

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freshSure, I stayed up late on New Year’s Eve, but I couldn’t wait to get out of bed this morning.  New Year’s Day is one of my favorite days of all.  It’s a holiday, so there’s plenty of time to lollygag in the morning, but it’s a day off with no presents to buy, no food to make, no expectations to fulfill.

All week I’ve been working on setting goals for the year ahead — making a plan and checking it twice.  Like a little girl with a backpack full of brand new school supplies on her first day of school, I hustled to my special chair this morning with anticipation.  A fresh start!  A new Bible reading plan!  A new journal with empty pages!  Let’s go!

If you need a little help staying on track with Bible reading this year, check out my 2015 Bible Reading Plan page.  I’d be thrilled to have you join me in reading a chapter a day (Monday-Friday with weekends free for catch up).  Let’s see what new things God wants to do in our midst in 2015!

“Be alert, be present.  I’m about to do something brand-new.  It’s bursting out!  Don’t you see it?”  Isaiah 43:19