Devotions

I came across that old African Proverb this past week … “It takes a village to raise a child.”  That proverb has been adopted by a lot of people as a slogan. It’s been revised and used to suit the purpose of politicians, corporations, and others.

Reading it made me laugh as I admit I am also revising it … “It takes a village to get one old lady through spinal surgery!”

It has taken a husband, children and their spouses, a brother, friends, prayer warriors, and don’t forget doctors, RN’s, CNA’s and many more.

I needed (and still need) not just medical personnel, but cooks, drivers, someone to transfer clothes from washer to dryer, grocery shop, lift and pick up heavy things … the list is endless! Galatians 6:2 was in operation all around me. “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” [NLT]

I also was reminded during these last two weeks about the “Grace to Receive.” It can be tough to “receive” when we are used to “giving.” But if no one ever asks for help – no one will ever be given the blessing that comes with “giving.”

A little while ago I highlighted part of a prayer by Max Lucado in his book “God is With You Every Day, 365 Day Devotional.” “May it never be said of my life that I almost listened and almost followed you. I will follow.”

I picked up the book once again as I am recovering and re-read that prayer. It touched me when I first read it. It touched me even more as I prayed it this morning.

I thought of some of the things I hope are never said of my life. Almost listening and almost following are certainly two of them, but there are more.

Lord, may it never be said of my life

… that I cheapened Your grace by ignoring my sin

… that I failed to acknowledge You before others

… that I failed to be grateful for Your love

… that I quenched your Holy Spirit

… that I failed to love You as I should

There are so many things that I hope are never said of my life. I pray when I finally end this journey that my life will bear fruit and leave a testimony of all that the LORD has been to me.

Acts Chapter 8 is an amazing chapter. It begins with persecution which drove the church out of Jerusalem and scattered them throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. Philip (the Evangelist) was one of the men on the move. After preaching in Samaria, Philip got a message from an angel to “Go south!” There he met up with someone from Ethiopia who was on his way home.

“As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and walk along beside the carriage.’”  [Acts 8:26-29 NLT]

Divine appointment. I had a divine appointment Wednesday night in the hospital. It was a rough night, and my CNA was a young man from Georgia. He was a traveling nurse and said that Idaho was as far west as he had ever traveled.

At some point this young man found out that I was once a hospice chaplain. At my 2 AM checkup, he asked if he could talk to me. He asked if I was “religious or spiritual.” I told him I was “relational.”

Then I explained that to me religious meant rules and regulations. Spiritual could mean anything from Christianity to Buddhism to following Bubba Free John and the Way of Divine Ignorance (as my cousin did). Relational meant I had a relationship with God through Christ Jesus my LORD. I was a child of God! We talked for 30 minutes at 2 AM. At my 6 AM checkup he asked if he could hug me.

Divine Appointment, me in the hospital for a spine fusion and a traveling nurse from Georgia. God is still in the business of Divine Appointments!

I had anterior spinal decompression and fusion surgery on Tuesday, July 22. I was released from the hospital on Thursday, July 24. Initially, I did well with the few things I needed to accomplish before being released.

Because the surgery was done from the front of the throat, one of the main milestones was making sure I had the ability to swallow. I was able to eat lunch that first morning following surgery – a grilled cheese and fruit cup. That night I had cream of potato soup, fruit cup and ice cream. Wednesday was more of the same. By Wednesday night I could not swallow.

Someone forgot to tell me to stay away from bread and dairy because those two things were the worst for swallowing. That was pretty much all I ate – bread and dairy! And that resulted in a massive dose of steroids to reduce the swelling. Had I been warned, I would have made better choices.

Warnings help! That applies to our walk with the LORD also. I often hear Christians say that we no longer need to pay attention to the Old Testament. Those old Ten Commandments are outdated and irrelevant.

Granted, those old Ten Commandments cannot accomplish our salvation. Jesus alone did that. But those old Ten Commandments rightly serve as warnings of things that we need to avoid, because if we don’t, we can surely make our walk with Christ more difficult. [Exodus 20:2-17]

I am struggling with this neck brace. I can only remove it to eat and shower. (I have contemplated eating eight meals and taking four showers, but I think that might undo the purpose of the brace!)

While it is uncomfortable during the day, it is extremely difficult at night. The reason I struggle so much at night is that it forces me to sleep on my back – and I am most comfortable sleeping on my side. I am blessed with an adjustable bed, but even with that, I am still unable to sleep.

Last night I thought I might try something different – not a different bed or position. I thought I might try praying about it and asking God’s help. I probably should have thought of that first, but my only excuse is that I’ve had surgery and I’m still a bit weak and wimpy.

I can’t say I was more comfortable on my back, nor that I didn’t wake up as many times. What I can say is that I was not frustrated like I have been. I expected my LORD would answer my prayer and that His peace would be with me through the night.

This morning, I remembered Psalm 4. That song begins, “Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” [vs 1 NLT]

And it ends, “You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” [vs 8]

Sometimes, we just need to remember to ask!

July 20 – Offline for a few weeks! Hopefully it won’t be too long. I appreciate your prayers for my surgery Tuesday. God Bless You ALL!

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever. [NLT]

God amazed me last Sunday – not only through my own message to the Dream Team about surrender, but also through Pastor Paco’s message in the service.

Pastor Paco talked about “Miracle Mentality.” He talked about how our thoughts shape our actions and that if you elevate the way you think you can elevate your life. Miracle thinking will lead to a miracle lifestyle.

Then he said something that went straight to my heart – miracles don’t start with what you see, they start with what you think, and how important it is to remember how good God is and all that He has already done.

Oh my, did I need that. I have been focusing on so much that has brought my thinking down. It has diminished my hope and expectation. I really needed to hear this message.

As I face what is ahead, I know that I need to surrender all my will to God, and I need to remember all that God has done. I need that miracle mentality rebirthed in me.

Amen!

At 78 years old I should not be amazed by God anymore – but I still am, perhaps even more so because I can see His Hand better than I used to do.

Last Sunday God showed His Gracious Hand twice. First when I was given the privilege of bringing the Dream Team devotion before service. I had written three devotions for that morning before I settled on the one about Surrender.

Paul speaks of surrender in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” 

I spoke about surrendering our will and picking up God’s will. There are many challenges to do that, such as fear of losing control and lack of courage. Letting go of our will is a choice and also means we leave the outcomes in God’s Hands.

As I am “preaching” to the beautiful volunteers gathered around, I realize that I am also “preaching” to myself – remembering that “You have to live it to give it.”

I came home from Sunday Service and began to look at what I have failed to surrender. I trust the LORD to show me and help me through that process. Amen

We’ve been looking at Peter and John in Acts 3 and 4 and the marks of a true follower of Jesus, first, the courage to act and the courage to speak; second, the change that takes place in someone who has “been with Jesus.”

Yet if there is one bedrock mark of a follower of Christ, it would have to be obedience. When Peter and John were brought in for questioning by the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law, they were commanded not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. These commands were accompanied by threats of punishment, perhaps imprisonment, or even death.

 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” [Acts 4:19-20 NLT]

OBEDIENCE. It’s not an easy thing. In fact, there are times when obedience is just plain difficult, especially when obedience to God comes in direct conflict with obedience to man. Man’s punishments and rewards are immediate; God’s sometimes appears to be less so.

Jesus had commanded his follower to go into all nations, to make disciples of all men, to heal the sick, to baptize, to cast out demons, to tell all men what they had seen and heard from Him. To do so brought them in direct opposition to the rulers of the day that wished to silence and forever still any mention of the name or work of Jesus.

Peter and John chose obedience to the command of their Master over obedience to the command of the rulers. Eventually that obedience to Christ would lead them to imprisonment, banishment and even martyrdom. It would also lead them one other place, right into the arms of their Master who had gone before them to prepare many mansions in the presence of their Father God.

Without obedience we are just playing games.

Peter and John in Acts 3 and 4 were full of courage. First there was the courage to act, to speak to the crippled man at the Gate Beautiful and in the power of Jesus, command him to walk. Then there was the courage to appear before the Jewish authorities and tell them not only was this done in the name and authority of Jesus, but that salvation is found in no one else. One of the primary marks of a true disciple is the courage to act and the courage to speak.

But courage is not the only mark. Another follows closely on its heels, and that is found in Acts 4:13: “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” [NLT]

The second mark of a true follower of Christ is that they spend time with Jesus and it shows.

Maybe it was just that the rulers suddenly remembered seeing them when Jesus walked in their midst, but I think it was more than that.  When Moses met God on the mountain and returned to the people, his face glowed with a radiance that testified to the fact that he had been with God.

I believe that there is radiance about those who “have been with Jesus.”  It is a supernatural glow that testifies to time spent walking with the Master.

I want to be a courageous servant to my Master, but perhaps even more, I want those who see me to know that I “have been with Jesus.”