Past Devotions

Ephesians 3 is an interesting section of Scripture. Give it a read today if you get a chance. It begins with Paul describing God’s mysterious plan that is now revealed. Though hidden in previous generations, it is now openly seen.

“And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.” [3:5-6 NLT]

Paul goes on to pray for God’s people for spiritual growth. He prays for empowerment and inner strength, trust in Christ, roots that grow deep into God’s love, and power to understand how wide, long, high, and deep God’s love is. He prays that we might experience that love and that we be made complete – finishing with a beautiful doxology glorifying God.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” [Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT]

Did you notice that phrase in the doxology – “God, who is able … to accomplish infinitely more than we ask or think”?  Did you notice that phrase directly follows Paul’s prayer for our spiritual growth? What exactly ARE we asking or thinking for? How often do we ask infinitely more for our own spiritual growth?

Too often we see ourselves primarily through our flaws and limitations. Maybe we need to think and ask infinitely more for ourselves than even Paul prayed for us!

God is able!

I was physically tired last week after returning from Montana. I expected that so I had very little on my “list of things to do” for the week. One was a small grocery store run. The other was prayer at the church on Thursday morning.

As I got ready to go, I was fussing about a bunch of stuff, partly because I was tired, but mainly because I was letting my flesh (my old sinful nature) have full reign.

I knew I needed to be at prayer … when I got there, I told Pastor Paco that I needed an attitude adjustment. As Paul put it to the Ephesians, I needed to “let the Spirit renew [my] thoughts and attitudes.”

“…throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” [Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT]

As I listened to the praise and worship songs in the background, as I prayed about the needs that flashed on the screen, I could feel the Spirit work in my heart and mind.

All the things I was fussing about flowed out of me, and a renewal from the Spirit of the Living God flowed in. My old sinful nature bowed to the power of God’s Spirit.

I am so thankful for corporate prayer at church. Even though last Thursday was just Pastor Paco and me, being in the presence (where two or more are gathered) of other saints makes “attitude adjustments” so much easier.

I found a pile of mail waiting for me when I got home Monday night. Also waiting was a pile of laundry. Then there was a suitcase to empty and things to put away. I did the suitcase first, which added to the laundry pile. Then the laundry (and spent a bit of time cleaning the kitchen which had not been cleaned since I left.)

The mail waited until Wednesday. There was a letter for Bob and another one for me from our Medicare supplemental insurance company. It was an announcement that its Medicare coverage will no longer be offered in our area. My heart sunk as I read the letter. I knew I would now have to look for another company, a task I dreaded.

This would be a new experience for me. This company was one that I had when I was an employee at St. Luke’s Health System. When I reached Medicare age, I just slid from one side of the company to the other.

So, I put it off. Then I got a phone call Thursday from an independent agent. The company going out of business recommended him and before I could reach out to him, he reached out to me. It was all settled in 15 minutes. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I remembered a Scripture in Isaiah.

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” [Isaiah 65:24 NLT]

God is so good! He knew that my mind was stressed, and I was drained emotionally. He knew my heart was not ready to deal with this now … so He dealt with it. Not only was it handled in 15 minutes, but I would not have to live with it hanging over my head in the days ahead.

God, You are SO good!  Thank you.

I was aware as I left on this trip to Montana for Patty’s Celebration of Life that I would be grieving the loss of my friend while I would be ministering to others who were also grieving.

I know Patty’s faith was in her Savior Christ Jesus. I know where Patty is now, in the arms of her loving Good Shepherd. I know that my grief is for my loss, not for her gain. I would not wish her back here just to make me feel better.

I will grieve but with hope.  “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.” [1Thessalonians 4:13 NLT]

I know that even amid that abundant hope, I will still have to mourn. The hope I have does not remove the pain of loss. It does not overrule the sadness or tears, nor eliminate the journey I must walk as I mourn my loss.

But I also know that the pain, sadness, and tears will never be strong enough to overpower the hope I have that I shall one day be with her, in the same place, in the arms of our loving Good Shepherd.

I have taught about and walked alongside others through the journey of loss and grieving and mourning. Now it is, once again, my turn to walk that journey.

I have been to Harlowton, Montana, twice for Celebrations of Life. Both times were challenging because the deaths were unexpected. Both times required the discomfort of airline travel (although this time was much easier).

Both times a lovely couple, friends of Patty’s who attend the same church, invited me into their home for breakfast on Sunday morning. The breakfast was wonderful, the coffee just right, but more than that, it was a precious time that allowed me to relax and find peace.

Traveling, doing eulogies and messages for people you love, is difficult and often distressing. Not knowing where to find things in unfamiliar towns adds to that.

This couple exemplified a gift spoken of in Romans 12. “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” [vs 12:13 NLT]

My need for peace and strength and support was met by their graciousness. They tenderly welcomed me into their home and lives.

Hospitality may not seem to some like the greatest of gifts, but when it is bestowed on you with grace and love in those trying times, it IS the greatest of all.

Thank you Brad and Julie!

I have read, memorized, quoted, and had some Scriptures quoted to me so many times they tend to have become “common place.”

They rest in the back of my mind as “words.” And they stay there as “words” until I really need them. Then those words (those promises) come alive and become exactly what I need in that moment. One such verse dominated last weekend.

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” [Philippians 4:13 NLT]

You never know how much you need those words to be true, alive, empowering, enabled by the Holy Spirit of God until you find you cannot do something in your own strength.

I was not sure I could do the eulogy and salvation message at Patty’s Celebration of Life. Just writing and reading what I wrote left me emotional. It was not easy, but I have done the “not easy” things all my life.

I knew I could this “not easy” thing … BUT ONLY BECAUSE … I can do everything, even the “not easy” things, knowing that my LORD and Savior will give me the strength to do them.

And He did. Amen

October 4 – October 9

Offline: Traveling to MT for a Celebration of Life for a long-time friend. See you on the 10^th. Appreciate your prayers for traveling – not my favorite thing to do. Thank you!

October 3

Age: Does It Matter?

A lovely friend recently messaged me Scriptures from a Bible Study she is attending. Reading them one theme became apparent … age. Here are parts of each verse. (You might want to read the entire passage.)

Isaiah 46:4: “…until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you.”

Psalm 71:18: “Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God.”

Psalm 92:12-15: “…Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.”

Acts 2:17: “In the last days, God says, ‘your old men will dream dreams.’”

I enjoyed reading those verses, but it was the one from 1 Timothy 4:12 that really had me thinking. “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”

Aged Paul wrote to young Timothy in a time when the aged were highly regarded, often thought of as wise. In our generation, we would have to revise that verse and replace “young” with “old.” “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are old….”

Our society highly regards the young. We have teenagers speaking to climate change groups, young entrepreneurs developing new technologies, young adventurers reaching into space. On and on it goes.

The elderly are often simply people to be cared for, sometimes shut away. Our voices often go unheard. We are ignored as irrelevant, our opinions and insights as old-fashioned. BUT GOD … He not only cares for those of us exploring old age, He invites us to share our wisdom with those coming after us.

My long-time friend, Patty, died Sunday. I have known Patty for decades. She and another friend, Vaunda, are the sisters I never had and always wanted.

I am the oldest, Patty was the youngest (by about a decade) and Vaunda is in between. I always figured that I would be the first “to go.” Shortly before she died, Patty said, “It’s not fair that the youngest should go first,” and I agreed with her.

I still agree with her days later. But I also know that Patty lived all the days that were “recorded in [God’s] book.”

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” [Psalm 139:16 NLT]

And she lived her days well, touching many lives with her humor, her enthusiasm and her compassion. She loved her Savior, she loved her family, she loved her friends. She loved life.

And now, I will begin the work of mourning. Every time I want to tell her something, or call her to laugh or cry, I will mourn.

Each of us who loved her will mourn our loss, but we will rejoice in her gain – to be present with the LORD she loved so much.

A.A. Milne wrote: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

I would revise that a bit, “How blessed I am to have someone that makes saying goodbye so hard.”