Monday’s Devotion: The Big Difference between “In” and “About”

John 11:25-27 (CEB)  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die.  Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.”

This dialogue between Jesus and his friend Martha demonstrates at least two kinds of belief.  There is a theological difference in believing in Jesus and believing facts about Jesus. I can believe a lot of different things concerning a particular leader.  But to believe in that leader means to put my trust in him or her. It means that I want to align myself with their ideals. Note that Jesus promises eternal life to those who believe in him, not to those who believe he is the Messiah.  Satan believes Jesus is the Messiah. We cannot have true faith in Jesus without living into what he asks of his followers; to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves and to be his witnesses everywhere we go.  To claim that our faith is personal and private is to admit that we haven’t yet “gotten it.”  We are to share the light that Jesus gives us, not hoard or hide it from others.  The good news is that sharing the Good News is easier than we think because God empowers us as we do it. When is the last time you shared the Good News with someone else beyond the walls of the church?

Gracious God, help us to overcome our fear or embarrassment of talking about your love and grace given us in Jesus Christ. Guide us to people who need so much to hear the Good News that Christ offers to all who would believe in him.  We ask in His holy name. Amen.

Have a Blessed Week!
Paige

Friday's Devotion: Missing My Prayer Walks

Mark 1:35  “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”

While we’re waiting for my foot to heal from tendonitis, I’ve been instructed to “baby” it.  I told the doctor that I had reduced my three to four mile morning walks to only two and a half miles.  He said that’s not babying my foot. Ugh.  I miss my walks but more than just the walking I miss my morning prayers. There’s something about praying while walking that works better for me than trying to pray in the house. So I’ve found myself praying in short spurts during the day instead of having that long conversation with God. I can tell a difference in my days.  Let’s all pray for my foot to heal!  Do you have a time each day for your conversation with God?

Holy God, thank you for the gift of prayer.  Help each of us find time and the best way to have that time with you each day.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have a Great Weekend!

Paige

Thursday’s Devotion: Tumbling, Tumbling Down.

Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

It was pretty cool to actually get to be in Jericho this year after having read about it in Scripture all my life.  And who hasn’t sung “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho?” I just watched a video of a university jazz choir in Turkey singing it!  But I digress, what I really want to talk about is the walls we build around ourselves.  Some are physical walls to protect our privacy, yet others are emotional walls that we build out of fear of being hurt or being judged if we reveal truths about our real feelings.  There is One from whom we cannot hide.  No wall is high enough or thick enough to keep us from the all-knowing God.  Both open sharing and privacy can be beneficial when it comes to our relationship with other people. It depends on the circumstances.  But God is truly one with whom we can share our deepest fears, regrets and hopes.  When you feel you have to talk to someone but have no one to turn to, try talking to God.  God always understands.  Sometimes by working things out in a conversation with God first, it becomes easier to open up to another person.  By faith let those walls come tumbling down so that others may share your joys and concerns.

Dear Father God, we know that you listen with love and compassion to all we share with you.  Help us to find those special friends with whom we can also share.  Especially surround us with them when trials come our way.  We ask in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Have a great day!
Paige

Wednesday’s Devotion: Are We Benevolent Rulers?

God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature    so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."  - from Genesis 1, The Message

Other translations put the text in ways similar to the Common English Bible, “28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and master it. Take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and everything crawling on the ground.”  I think that we sometimes forget that to rule does not mean to do as we wish without regard to our subjects – in our case all of nature - earth, sea and sky and the living creatures that populate it. I’m reading an interesting book by Barbara Kingsolver on her family’s attempt to spend one year consuming only food that they produced themselves or purchased from other local producers.  She is correct in saying that most people aren’t aware of the amount of energy and resources it takes to produce, process, package, promote and transport the foods we eat. If we take God’s charge to us to care for His creation, perhaps we should each consider learning about ways in which we can better care for and preserve this marvelous gift that sustains our life as we sustain its life. 

Loving God, thank you for placing us on such a beautiful and bountiful earth. Forgive us for the abuses it has suffered from our ignorance, greed and complacency.  Be with us as we seek ways to better care for your creation.  Amen.

Have you changed anything about your lifestyle in order to be more ecologically responsible?

Be blessed today,

Paige

Tuesday’s Devotion: The 3D Eyes of Faith

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV) For we walk by faith, not by sight.
(NIV) We live by faith, not by sight. (GW) Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.

I’ve brought several different translations today of this familiar verse to show that it is very helpful when studying scripture to look at different versions.  I rarely go a day without using Biblegateway.com to look up scripture or to do word searches.  When I chose this scripture for today I immediately thought of our date night Friday when we went to see Men in Black III in 3D.  I discovered that I could watch the movie without the 3D glasses although things were slightly out of focus. But when I put on the glasses the picture became very sharp and clear, showing a completely different dimension that I couldn’t see without them.  That’s what happens when we live by faith; when we look at the world through the eyes of our faith.  We see things differently, more clearly and hopefully more lovingly.  The Pharisees’ eyes saw sinners, people they considered scum. Jesus saw beloved children of God with the potential for a better life.  Let’s all put on our faith eyes today.  What might you see differently if you did?

Thanks for answering my question about hoarding yesterday.  I always welcome feedback and further conversation.

Holy God, a favorite hymn says, “Open our eyes that we may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me.” That is our prayer today. We ask in the name of the One in whom we have our faith. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Paige

Monday’s Devotion: To Keep or Not to Keep

Philippians 4:18-19  (NLT)  At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

I stopped at a friend’s house recently and as we walked through the yard he said to excuse some stuff we had to walk around. He said he was a hoarder. I don’t think he’s a real hoarder but like most of us sometimes saves things that could be used in future projects.  I remember my mother had a large collection of old panty hose that she intended one day to use to make a braided rug. I’m sort of glad that didn’t happen. Downsizing has caused me to take a harder line about what I must give away or throw away although I admit that I still have too many books.  Real hoarders find it hard to get rid of anything.  They continue to acquire and acquire and acquire with no real need for the items they are bringing into the house.  I can’t even watch the reality program on hoarders!  Perhaps they have some deep sense of insecurity.  We should be smart about providing for ourselves, but we also have a need to look to God for provision.  God will open doors for us – not always as we expect or when we expect but scripture tells us over and over to trust in God not in ourselves and not in earthly riches. I’ve learned that it’s not always in acquiring but instead in giving away that we feel real pleasure.  What do you hoard?

Creator God, Thank you for providing for our needs even when we’re not aware of your hand in our lives.  We pray that you will help us trust your care for us so that we may use our resources to help care for others.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have a great week!
Paige

Friday’s Devotion: Fully Awake, Fully Alive

 Proverbs 20:13 Don’t love sleep or you will be poor; stay alert and you will have plenty to eat.

My alarm didn’t wake me up when it went off this morning. I used my iPhone set to Big Ben.  I was dreaming about getting ready to go out on a mission project with a group of fellow church members.  I worked that ringing into my dream wondering whose alarm was going off and why they didn’t turn it off.  As we went from one location to the other I could still hear that ring.  Finally after it had rung for seven minutes, I did wake up. I think that a lot of people sleep through life.  Yes they get out of bed every morning, but their life is sort of on automatic pilot.  Everything is so planned, so routine that they really don’t have to invest much of themselves to make things happen. Instead of living in the present, their minds are constantly daydreaming about other things.  I picked this scripture for the words “stay alert and you will have plenty.” Life will be richer if we pay attention and put our focus on each moment – savor life instead of sleeping through it.

Ask yourself – Am I really awake today?

God in Heaven, Thank you for this day of life and all that it may hold. Please help us to pay full attention to this wonderful gift and to be fully alive each day.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Have a blessed day and great weekend.  I hope you will join me or attend a church near you this Sunday.

Paige