Category Archives: Devo Drops

Thoughts on daily devotional scripture readings

Dear Diary

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I love to read other peoples’ diaries.

I may or may not have snuck a peak at a few over the years, but mostly I read other people’s published work. I once read all the diaries and letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh and by the end, I felt like we were BFFs.

There’s nothing like a glimpse into the dark recesses of someone else’s heart and soul.

Keeping diaries is as old as time. In Genesis 5:1 we find, “This is the written account of Adam’s line.” In the next chapter we read, “This is the account of Noah.” Turn a few pages and there is another: “This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah’s sons.” And it continues on and on. Somebody was writing all this stuff down.

After the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt, they wandered around the desert for 40 years. Even this was documented right there in Numbers 33.

“They left Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez….”

Not exactly riveting reading.
Why is this important enough to garner a whole chapter in the Holy Book?

Because God commanded Moses to record the stages in their journey. (Numbers 33:2)

Each of the 41 campsites in the desert was part of their story. Some places were memorable—like that campground with twelve springs and seventy palm trees (nobody forgot that place). Some were featureless and mundane. But they were real places where real people camped out and real people lived and died. The list of campsites in Numbers 33 is a testimony to the move of God in their lives.

Moses did a lot of writing for God,
but he was one of many who were called to use the gift of words.

God told Isaiah—
“Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen.” Is. 8:1
God told Jeremiah—
“Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.” Jer. 30:2
God told Ezekiel—
“Write these down…so that the people may be faithful.” Ez. 43:11
An angel bellowed at the Apostle John,
“Write this down!” Rev. 21:5

I’m here to say
everyone should record the stages in their journey,
like Moses did.

I know, I know—
not everybody likes to write.

I’m only suggesting that you are an interesting person with a life story that might be more riveting than you think. You don’t have to report on every place you pitched a tent, but a few thoughts written down in a spiral notebook that reveal a little of your heart have the potential to impact future generations.

“Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created
may praise the Lord.”
Psalm 102:18

Evening and Morning

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Sometimes newborn babies get their mornings and evenings mixed up. They sleep all day and stay awake all night. This behavior often cycles back around when those babies turn into teenagers.

Most of us operate on the concept that the day begins when we wake up in the morning. As daylight disappears into the darkness of night, we perceive that the day is done.

But that’s not the way God sees it.

At the end of each of the six days of creation God said,
“And there was evening and there was morning—” in that order.

God wasn’t mixed up. That’s the way He intended it.

Based on Genesis 1, the Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday night at sundown, because that is the start of the new day. If we were to adopt this evening—morning format, the first thing we would do at the start of every day is go to bed. Rest. Do nothing. Trust that the world will carry on without us for a few hours. Then, we would continue the day by getting up and working, being productive, taking care of business.

Adam was created on the sixth day and given the assignment of tending a garden. But the new man didn’t get right to work the next day because the seventh day was for rest, declared to be holy. The first thing Adam did was rest and enjoy creation. God set it up this way because we have great value in His eyes based on who we are—created by God in His own image—not because of what we do. He loved us before we could accomplish anything.

Culture shouts:
“Get to work. Be efficient. Create output.”

God says,
“Start with rest. Trust Me to take care of you. Then go and do.”

It seems backwards.
Or maybe we’re the ones who have our days and nights,
I mean, nights and days, mixed up.

Evening, morning and noon, I will pray.
Psalm 55:17

Grandkid Lineup

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They are another year older, a few inches taller, and increasingly delightful.

Lord, make known to them the path of life and fill them with joy in Your presence. Psalm 16:11

Surround them with Your favor as a shield. Psalm 5:12

Keep them as the apple of Your eye and hide them in the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 17:8

Oh Lord, hear the prayers from this Nonnie’s heart. Amen.

Roommates

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When PB and I were raising four small children, we lived in a three bedroom house. You’d think that the two boys would’ve bunked up together and the two girls would’ve been roomies. But somehow, the oldest sibling talked the other three into sharing a room so she could dwell in peace and quiet all by herself. She had some strong negotiating skills.

Later, when we moved into a four bedroom house, there was more maneuvering among the sibs. Not surprisingly, once again the oldest managed to nab a private room. Every so often, the other three would switch around, depending on who was annoying whom.

I thought of this when reading Numbers 2 this week. (See my Bible Reading Plan.)

The twelve tribes of Israel needed to get organized. They had just been delivered from 400 years of slavery and it would take some time for them to learn how to make their own decisions. So God divided them into groups and told them where to set up camp.

That’s where it gets interesting.

Which families should camp together?
Which ones should be kept farther apart?
God had a brilliant plan.

The tabernacle was smack-dab in the middle of the camp, with the Levites surrounding it. Then God picked three tribes to set up on the east side of the camp, three tribes on the west, three on the south, and three on the north.

The families of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun were assigned the east side of the encampment. These boys were full brothers, all sons of Leah. These tribes would be the first to march out when the camp moved.

Across the way, on the west side, the full-blooded sons (and grandsons) of Rachel were together. They were the youngest of Jacob’s boys and dearly beloved by their father. Remember Joseph and the amazing technicolor dream coat? Baby brother Benjamin camped out with Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh.

Situated on the south were the tribes of Reuben and Simeon, sons #1 and #2, whose mother was Leah. Gad was placed with them even though he was a half-brother, the son of Leah’s maid.

And last but not least were the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali encamped on the north end. They were the middle children, all sons of the maids belonging to Leah and Rachel. These families brought up the rear when marching out.

The arrangement was so well thought out. God knew exactly where each tribe should be and who they should be with. He knew who should take the lead and who should bring up the rear. The Israelites didn’t question the plan or try to trade places. They let God organize them.

These kinfolk were going to spend a lot of time in the desert together.
Picking the right campmates was crucial to keeping family harmony.
And nobody got a tent to themselves, except maybe Moses.

Honorable Discharge

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With deep appreciation and a heavy heart,
I hereby discharge my 1978 NIV Holy Bible
after 46 years of honorable service.

PB gave me this Bible the Christmas before we got married. It has provided comfort, teaching, correction and training through every stage of my adult life. This book has seen me through seven moves, four babies and thousands of early morning quiet times. The pages have received coffee stains, children’s scribbles and an untold number of tears.

There are dates written in the margins next to certain verses. Like,

  • “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Ps. 27:13-14 —March 2001, waiting for bypass surgery
  • “When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.” Isa. 43:2 — Dec. 1991, Marshfield Hospital
  • “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.” Isa. 58:11 — March 22, 1988, appointment to first church
  • “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” Ps. 46:5 — April 2018, Granddaughter born at 28 weeks, Meriter Hospital

So much of my heart is entwined in the words of this holy book. But, alas, the binding is coming loose and pages are falling out so I am resigned to move on.

There are other Bibles on my shelf, but none of them feel right.
I searched Ebay and found a 1978 NIV Holy Bible
exactly like my retired copy.
I’m gonna try to wear out another Bible.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Isa. 40:8

Peace Signs

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I was a child of the 60s, but I didn’t pay much attention to what was happening in the world. I was too busy riding my bike, playing down by the creek, and setting up paper-doll families all over the living room. I overheard adults talking about the anti-war riots, the civil rights marches, and the hippies, but the first decade of my life was about as peaceful as a lazy afternoon in the haymow.

One thing I do remember from those days: the peace sign.
It was everywhere.

I was in my actual 60s when I learned that the famous sign was based on the letters N and D, and stood for Nuclear Disarmament.

Two flags down at a 45 degree angle = N
One flag up and the other flag down = D

Long before this symbol was created, the ancient Jews had a peace sign of their own, also based on a letter of their alphabet.

“Shin” is the twenty-first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It is the first letter in the word “Shalom,” so it is associated with peace.

When the temple priests gave the Priestly Blessing at the end of the service, they lifted their hands and made the sign of Shin while reciting, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Num. 6:24-26)

As a child, Leonard Nimoy went to synagogue services with his grandfather. He was intrigued by this sign of “shalom” or peace. As Dr. Spock, Nimoy used the gesture on Star Trek to mean “live long and prosper.”

Maybe it’s time for a new peace sign.
Something we can plaster on t-shirts and billboards.
A universal symbol, easily recognized.
Something cool, groovy, far-out.

Or maybe it’s time for an old peace sign.

God made peace through his Son’s blood on the cross.
Colossians 1:20

Perfect Peace

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Shalom, my friends!

“Shalom” is a Jewish greeting that can mean both hello and goodbye. The word is translated as “peace to you.”

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” I love that verse.

Isaiah wasn’t just talking about any old peace – he was talking about perfect peace. In the original language of Hebrew, the word perfect is “shalom” and the word peace is “shalom.” It’s like Isaiah is saying, “God will keep you in shalom shalom—perfect peace.” Or put another way: “Double peace to you.” In Jesus’ day, the Jews greeted each other with the words “Shalom Shalom.”

In our day, there is a great need for perfect peace. Especially now, as we enter a season in our country that seems to focus on division and anger and all manner of nastiness. These next three months might be challenging, but I’d like to suggest that we double down on peace by speaking peaceful words over each other. Maybe even triple it up.

So, Shalom Shalom, my friends.
May God’s perfect peace be upon you.
Pass that peace to someone today.

Keep the Peace

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I’ve been reading Bible verses on peace throughout the month of July. (See 2024 Bible Reading Plan) It’s been good for my soul. Those familiar verses reminded me of things I knew but needed to hear again.

Philippians 4:6-7 was the most familiar one on my list as it was one of the first scriptures I memorized back in my high school days. I still have to recite it in the King James version.

“Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Such a classic verse.
I heartily recommend putting it to memory,
in the version of your choice.

I thought I knew that verse backward and forward, but as always, there’s more.

It was the word “passeth” that got me. Other versions say “transcends.” It means “to surpass, to rise above, to excel, to be superior in rank.”

Here’s what I wrote in my notebook that morning:

Superior in rank. Hmmm. In the military there are levels of authority, like Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, General. Some soldiers surpass or rise above the others and move up in rank. Each step up calls for added respect. The Sergeant can’t walk into the General’s office and tell him what to do. The Sergeant must comply with the General’s commands.

My anxiety is the Sergeant. God’s peace is the General. God’s peace outranks my anxiety—my anxiety has no authority to overrule the peace of God. I just need to keep the order of command. I need to tell my worries and fears that they are not in charge and it is not within their jurisdiction to dictate my thoughts. In fact, those pesky worries need to stand at attention, give a crisp salute and say, “Sir, yes, sir” to the commanding officer, a.k.a. King of the Universe, a.k.a. Prince of Peace.

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” ~ The Message

Bookkeeping

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This is the only word in the English language (besides “bookkeeper”) that has three double letters— b-O-O-K-K-E-E-p-i-n-g. I guess you could call it a triple-double.

I learned this fun fact years ago in Economics 101. We had a visiting professor from Boston who wrote the word in large letters on the chalkboard one morning. It’s the only thing I remember from that class. I dropped Econ soon after, figuring that at least I learned something. More than forty years later, I still can’t explain supply and demand, but I know the only word with three double letters.

I admit I am a bookkeeper at heart. I have a detailed budget book, I keep every receipt in envelopes by the month, and I balance our checkbook to the penny.

Attention to details is one of my strengths.

It’s helpful when PB needs to be reminded what time his appointment is, or when I keep track of whose turn it is to deal, or when I rattle off all eleven grandkids’ birth dates.

But there’s a flip side.

It’s not helpful when I remind PB of the “right” way to load the dishwasher, or when I keep track of who won the card game last week, or when I rattle off others’ mistakes.

God is big into details.
Just look at that swirly pattern on your fingertip.
Take a close look at the inside a lily-of-the-valley.
Try to call all the stars in the Milky Way galaxy by name.

But God doesn’t seem to be big on bookkeeping.
In fact, God took the sinless Christ and poured my sins into Him.
Then, in exchange, God’s goodness was poured into me. (2 Cor. 5:21)

That kind of transaction really messes up the books.

He remembers our sins no more (Heb. 8:12).
He blots them out for His own sake (Is. 43:25).
He removes them as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).

What kind of a bookkeeper does that?

God reconciled the world to himself through Christ,
by not counting people’s sins against them.
2 Corinthians 5:19

Glory hallelujah!

Peace Plan

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According to my Bible Reading Plan for 2024, a word study on “peace” is coming up next. For those who are slogging through Leviticus with me, hang in there! We’re almost done! For those who lost some traction in the chapters on mildew and bodily discharges, start fresh with us on July 1st!

This is year #3 in my study on the Fruit of the Spirit,
as found in Galatians 5:22.
Six years to go.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
(Kinda glad self-control is at the end.)

Here’s my peace plan:

  • A short passage or verse for every day (Monday-Friday) during the month of July.
  • Write out the verse with the word “peace” in it, using an actual pencil on actual paper.
  • Re-write the verse in my own words.
  • Pray for peace—peace within, peace around me, peace in the world.
  • Extra credit for fellow Bible study nerds: go to blueletterbible.org to look up original language definitions. (You should try it—it’s so much fun.)

Click here or on the link at the top of the page for the passages.