Past Devotions

One thing I noticed as we drove from southern Utah to Salt Lake City was sheep, lots and lots of sheep. There were some cattle, and we spotted some horses, but sheep seemed to be the predominant livestock. They seemed to be contented sheep, grazing away in pastures next to the busy highway. Their caretakers had put a fence around them to keep them from wandering into the busy road, and probably to keep dangers from entering their pastures. They had food and water.

A little further into the Psalm that we looked at yesterday, Psalm 95, after the psalmist invited us in the opening verses to sing for joy and shout to the Rock of our Salvation, he invited us to also bow down and kneel in worship.

Ps 95:6-7: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

 The psalmist is quite clear in his reasoning for his instructions to bow down and kneel … we do so because the LORD our Maker is our God and we are His people, His flock. And, the best part of all, we are “under His care.”

The LORD our Maker, our God, takes care of His flock, us. He has put us in His pasture where He provides everything we need for “life and godliness.” [2 Peter 1:3]

He has put a fence of protection around us. He has provided us with spiritual food and living water. He watches over us constantly. No matter what might happen in this world, in this life, our Shepherd will take us into glory. Man may come against us, man might even kill our bodies, but he can do no lasting harm to us … we go straight to the loving arms of the LORD our Maker. We have divine and eternal assurance that is ours because we are the “flock under His care.”

I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that made me think. It was simple. “What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today.” Oh my!

I hope that made you think as much as it did me. My thoughts immediately went to the day before – “What did I thank God for yesterday?”

Was my praise and thanksgiving rich, or was it weak? Did I look at the wonders around me and glorify God for His amazing creation? Did I thank Him that day for my salvation? My daily bread? My family and friends? My church family? Did I thank Him for His Indwelling Spirit in me? For His guidance, discipline, encouragement and compassion?

Or did I go about my merry way totally oblivious to God’s presence around me?

As I sorted through my attitude, I realized that my thanksgiving is probably greater now because of the approaching holiday. But, but, will it be that robust in February or June or August? I need to make certain that thanksgiving for all God has done doesn’t disappear with the passing of the season. I need to be certain that my praise and thanksgiving is for every day, no matter the date on the calendar or the circumstance that surround me, or the condition of my body.

The Psalmist invites us to “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” [Ps 95:1-2]

That’s an invitation for every day – not just for one special time of the year.

I am going to be 73 in a couple of days. At the TSA screening in Boise I not only had to go through one of those big screening machines that shows everything, I got patted down by an agent. (Did I tell you I am almost 73 years old? And that if I am outside or walking any distance I carry a walking stick to help me keep my balance?)

In Salt Lake City, the TSA agent just waved me through a simple metal detector. So apparently, to the Boise TSA I look like I might cause trouble, but to the Salt Lake City TSA I look like an old woman unable to cause trouble. I’m not sure what changed in four days; I know I didn’t.

Even though I was the same, TSA saw me and treated me differently at different times at different places.

That reminded me to thank my LORD and Savior, for He does not treat me differently at different times at different places. We are reminded in Hebrews that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” [13:8]

That should bring us great comfort. We never need to worry that Jesus will be fickle. From day to day, He is the same. We may change (hopefully for the better), but He never changes. We know that whenever we go to Him, those same outstretched arms that reached from the cross to our soul will still be reaching out and welcoming us.

Meditate on that today. Maybe if you have not already, memorize Hebrews 13:8. It will bring great comfort to your soul in difficult times to know that Jesus is the Rock that is always there for you, and that He is always the same, yesterday, and today, and forever. Amen!

I seldom travel by plane. Most of my traveling is in a car and mainly to visit family. Bob and I have taken one long vacation to the Southwest but usually, we simply go see our grandsons in California. This time, however, Patty and I took a flight to Salt Lake City, Patty from Montana and me from Idaho. We rented a car there and drove the remainder of the journey to Cedar City in Southern Utah, reversing the trip on the way home.

I’m not much of a fan of air travel. I’m not afraid of flying, I just don’t care for the TSA hassle or waiting around in terminals. So, of course, now that I am home, my news feed posted an article titled “16 Airport Mistakes to Stop Making Before Your Next Flight.”

Thankfully, when I reviewed them, I found that I didn’t make any of those mistakes. Still, it would have been nice to have been warned about them before I flew just in case.

That’s one thing about our loving Father God … He has given us plenty of warning. He doesn’t want us to make mistakes but to always live pleasing lives before Him. Paul reminded the Thessalonians to “warn [any] as a brother,” who do not heed the instructions given. [2 Thess 3:15]

Throughout the Scriptures God has set forth His Holiness. He invites us to be holy because He is holy. We are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit who leads us and guides us into that holiness of God. We strive to be pleasing to our Father in Heaven. God doesn’t leave us in the dark and then tell us what we did wrong. He brings us into His Light. We see Jesus, and we know without a doubt what we are to be and do.

How richly blessed I am! Yes, I have some problems; yes, I have some physical issues, but oh, am I blessed! I have such goodness flowing through my life. God loves me. I have a great family. I have good friends. Some I’ve had for many decades and some more recent. I have a wonderful church family that loves me and loves each other. I am sitting this morning just thanking God for how good He has been to me, and how good He continues to be to me.

I am so blessed. I heard the Gospel invitation five decades ago, and I responded. God brought me into His loving arms and family and gave me what Paul describes as a “good hope.”

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17: “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

Good Hope – doesn’t that have the most delightful sound. It’s almost as if light emanates from those two little words. God loves us. By His grace He has given us eternal encouragement and Good Hope. His Good Hope strengthens our hearts and flows from us in good words and deeds.

I have been living in God’s Good Hope for almost five decades now. I can barely remember what it was like to live without hope. I know there were times before I met the LORD that hopelessness flooded my soul, but since Christ Jesus moved in by the power of His Spirit, and brought the Good Hope of the Father to abide in me, even the memory of hopelessness has been wiped away.

Now I live in Good Hope and Good Hope lives in me. I know with certainty that God will work out all things to my good no matter what they may look like in the present. I rejoice today in God’s Good Hope!

Solomon was right when he said, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven … a time to weep and a time to laugh.” [Ecclesiastes 3:1-4]

Last week was a time to laugh, and that is exactly what I did with my two friends, Patty and Vaunda. We laughed and sang and talked about old times and about present times. Each of us is facing physical challenges, but still we laughed.

Laughter is good for the body, the soul and the mind. Science has proven the benefits of laughter. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, reduces pain and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. HelpGuide.com says that “Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others and keeps you grounded, focused and alert.”

It also says that it helps you “release anger and forgive sooner.” (There is a link to the HelpGuide.com article at the end of this devotion.)

Of course, God knew this before science caught on. We are reminded in Proverbs 17:22 that “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” [NKJV]

I think the enemy of our soul hates healthy, delightful laughter. He knows if he can keep our focus on all that is wrong in life, he can keep us under his nasty little thumb, unhealthy, stressed and hopeless.

So today, friends, get healthy – laugh! Laugh loudly, boldly, and joyfully. I think God loves hearing us laugh. I know I could feel His delight as old friends laughed together last week.

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm#content

November 19

I was reading in Luke the other morning when I came across Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He called them “Foolish ones,” and then uttered a number of “Woe’s” regarding their behavior. One phrase caught my attention right away in verse 42, “the love of God,” because we are studying the attribute of God’s love on Sundays. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God.” [Luke 11:42 NKJV]

Jesus rebuked them for paying more attention to their religious observances than to the love of God. Some of the translations say that that they neglected the love of God, others that they passed over it. I like the way the NKJV says it … they passed by.

God’s love was and is openly displayed. Mankind has seen it from the beginning in the Garden of Eden, all the way through the Old Testament and into the New. We see it in His grace, His mercy, His goodness. God has never hidden it away. And yet, far too often we walk right past it.

Just as the Pharisees paid more attention to things they thought would please God, we do also. We think we can win His attention or approval by religious rites or doctrines. We include or exclude people. We serve up our own brand of what we think God wants. And we walk right past Him.

What God wants is for us to stop, to embrace His love and justice. He wants us to accept His invitation of grace and offering of mercy found in the work of His Son, Christ Jesus. He wants us to bow our knees at the name of Jesus, the One the Father has set at His right hand. He desires us to come into His Family, to be His sons and daughters.

Let’s not get so caught up in doing things we pass by the love of God. Let’s stop. Let’s embrace His love of us. Let’s experience today, right now, His blessed mercies and grace.

I’m leaving on a jet plane (tomorrow) but, I do know when I’ll be back again. I’m flying to Salt Lake City where I will meet my friend Patty who is flying in from Montana. Then we’ll rent a car and head south to Cedar City to celebrate with our friend Vaunda on her birthday. It’s been a while since the three of us have been together. I anticipate lots of laughter, music, talking about our love for the LORD, and just relaxing in the presence of people who love each other.

At our ages, (I’m the oldest at almost 73, Patty is the spring chicken, and Vaunda is the middle child) we treasure these moments knowing that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Each of us has experienced health issues. Yet each of us is still going strong, still loving the LORD.

It is wonderful to see how God orchestrated our friendship. Vaunda was born in Oregon, Patty in Washington, and my birth state is Pennsylvania. God brought us together at a church in California. We come from different family backgrounds, but God put us together in the family of God. Vaunda and I around 1978 and Patty a few years later.

I am so thankful to God for friendships that endure the tests of life and time. I am so thankful that God is concerned about such things. David declared God’s concern in Ps 68 for the fatherless, the widows, the prisoners, but he also declared God’s concern for the lonely. “God sets the lonely in families.” [v6]

God knew I needed friends, friends that would become family, sisters in the LORD. He blessed me and put me in a family, His family. He has continued to bless me with more friends down through the decades. I am surrounded by people to love and who love me in return. Isn’t God good!

Today is Veterans Day. Veterans Day is a U.S. legal holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars. In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, then known as “the Great War.” Commemorated in many countries as Armistice Day the following year, November 11 became a federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became known as Veterans Day. (This according to History.com)

Today we honor our veterans, those men and women who have served in all branches of the Armed Forces, who have given of themselves to keep us safe and free. They served in wars, conflicts, police actions, covert operations, and during times of peace. They and their families sacrificed much, sometimes giving the ultimate sacrifice of life itself. We should give them honor today and every day. Take time to thank a vet, buy their coffee, pay for their meal, pray for them. It is the very least we can do.

Veterans Day always reminds me, however, that while mankind oversees this world, there will be no lasting peace. No matter how much we try, no matter how much our men and women sacrifice, peace is a temporary pause between conflicts. We have home-grown and global terrorists. We have conflicts among groups, tribes and nations which always threaten peace. Some countries have nuclear weapons, other countries want them. We proclaim peace, peace, as God reminded Jeremiah, “when there is no peace.” [6:14]

Yet, we can have true, eternal, ultimate peace if we want it. It is available to us, God Himself invites us to partake of it. “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” [Rom 5:1-2]

Peace with God is ours because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. We gain access to this lasting peace by faith through grace. In that peace, we can stand now … even in the midst of this unpeaceful world in which we live. Glory.