Daily Devotionals | The Wilson Times

<p>A few years ago I retired from ministry after about 40 years, and then four months later my husband died after a long illness.  He had also been in ministry over 40 years.  My grief continues to be monumental.  As time goes by I ask myself, What now?  Day by day I wait for the Lord to lead me.  Volunteer opportunities abound, but at this point in my life, my scoliosis limits my physical activities.</p>

<p>One day recently it came to my mind that I have written sermons and articles for years; what about trying to write devotionals?  So here I am writing devotionals, hoping to continue a new way of ministry.</p>

<p>Isaiah asks, &#x201C;Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth&#x201D; (Is. 40:28, NIV).  Those who faint and grow weary are given power and strength regardless of our age.  The prophet reminds us, &#x201C;Those who wait for the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.&#x201D;</p>

What Now?

<p>English ivy climbed the exterior walls of our house and spilled out over a small garden beside our garage.  The ivy added character to our home and ground cover to our garden, but I knew it was time to trim it back.  After gathering my tools, I knelt in the cool grass to dig up some of the roots, weeds, and grass that had crept into the garden.  It wasn&#x2019;t long before I hit something hard.  Scraping through the black soil, I discovered it was a red brick.  I kept scraping and found another and another until I had unearthed a brick walkway lining the garden.  I wondered how long that old brick pathway had lain hidden by neglect and overgrowth.</p>

<p>As I scraped soil from the bricks, I thought of Jeremiah.  The prophet&#x2019;s people were turning away from God and following their own paths.  In response, Jeremiah warned them to stop and seek &#x201C;the ancient paths&#x201D; long hidden by their rebellion against God&#x2019;s ways.  Jeremiah called them back to God&#x2019;s ancient paths of justice and faithful devotion.</p>

<p>God&#x2019;s ways may be ancient, but they hold meaning for us today.  Those red bricks reminded me that I had been neglecting God&#x2019;s timeless paths.  I vowed to walk them again, knowing they would lead me into eternal life with God.</p>

The Ancient Paths

<p>The loneliest Christmas I ever spent was when my spouse had to work outside the city, leaving me alone with our baby who was sick at the time.  So when my neighbor asked me to watch her 12-year-old daughter because she wanted to go to the hospital, I agreed.</p>

<p>After putting my baby to bed, the girl and I read the story of Jesus&#x2019; birth.  She had never heard about Jesus, but she was interested, so I gave her the book.  Her mom picked her up the next day, and I lost touch with them because we moved away.</p>

<p>David also experienced loneliness.  But in David&#x2019;s loneliness, he said, &#x201C;My hope, Lord, is in you&#x201D; (Ps. 25:21).  As God did for David and for me, God can change loneliness into something valuable.  </p>

<p>Seven years later, I met the girl on the train.  She told me that she and her mom had since become Christians.  After that night when she stayed at my house, her heart wanted to know more about Jesus &#x2014; she still keeps the book I gave to her.  She is now taking theology classes and feels called to be an evangelist.  As she spoke, I cried tears of happiness.  My heart rejoices because God is in me, and God is my hope.</p>

My Hope

<p>When I was in high school, I tried to spend time with people from different friend groups and backgrounds.  I spent time with my friends from my church youth group.  But I was the captain of my cross-country team and spent a lot of time with my teammates too.  When I was around my cross-country friends, I would sometimes catch myself acting differently than I would when I was with my friends from church.  My behavior got to a really bad point during my junior year.  In my senior year, the Lord opened my eyes to see that I was not modeling Christlike behavior.</p>

<p>We need to pay close attention to the people we spend the most time with.  When I was spending time with certain people, I was moving away from the Lord.  Today&#x2019;s verse says that if we surround ourselves with like-minded believers, then they will support us as we grow toward the Lord.</p>

<p>I know that I cannot go through my Christian walk alone.  The book of Acts reminds me that we are called to be in community with other believers.  Our lives of faith are richer when we surround ourselves with faithful companions.</p>

Choosing Community

<p>When I think of God&#x2019;s blessings, I think of family, friends, sunshine, or even my morning cup of coffee.  Until recently, I never considered tears a blessing.  For the past three years I have struggled with one son&#x2019;s cancer, another son&#x2019;s diminishing eyesight, and, finally, the loss of my husband of 58 years.  Through it all I found I was unable to cry.  I kept everything within me &#x2014; like a heavy weight attached to my ribs.  I had always been private with my tears, but now I couldn&#x2019;t cry at all.  Finally, after the death of my husband, I have begun to cry.  It happens unexpectedly, at odd moments; sometimes just a trickle, sometimes seemingly endless sobs.  But whether my tears flow like a stream or a waterfall, they leave me refreshed, with the weight in my chest becoming lighter and my spirit cleansed.</p>

<p>As we walk through life, we often miss blessings hidden in calamities.  But while tears can blur our vision, they can also clarify our sight to reveal new truths.  Perhaps we can see our way to reach out to someone in pain.  I believe that when we have walked through pain and grief, we may be the only ones able to see clearly another person walking the same path &#x2014; and there our tears can meet.  Truly, tears can be God&#x2019;s blessing for this life.</p>

The Blessing of Tears

<p>When I was in primary school, I remember several children talking about having to give up candy for Lent &#x2014; and not being at all happy about it.  But we don&#x2019;t just have to give up things we enjoy for Lent.  We can also give up bad habits like putting ourselves down, thinking badly of others, gossiping, or having unrealistic expectations of ourselves.  These habits restrict love, rather than help it grow.  And who knows, when we give up negative thoughts, words, or behaviors for Lent, we may find that we enjoy it so much that we wish to give them up forever!</p>

<p>But Lent is not just for letting go of things; it can also be about taking something up.  After all, Jesus took up his cross.  Perhaps we could take up reading more about Christ during Lent, try new ways of praying, or take more time to enjoy simply being in God&#x2019;s presence.  Maybe we could choose to reach out to someone we don&#x2019;t know well.</p>

<p>God can lead us in all sorts of ways.  Instead of feeling resentful about giving something up for Lent, we may find ourselves looking forward with anticipation to the new experiences God is calling us to in this season.</p>

Something New

<p>When I was eight years old, I fell on a broken bottle; the glass cut my knee to the bone.  The doctors stitched up my wound and wrapped my leg from my hip to below my knee.  Every night my dad had to carry me up the stairs to bed.  The first morning when he carried me back down, I looked at the bottom of the stairs and grabbed his neck tightly.  Dad said, &#x201C;I&#x2019;ve got you.&#x201D;  The fear let go, and so did I.  I don&#x2019;t remember the trips up or down for the next six weeks.</p>

<p>Before I accepted Christ into my life, I was living with the same sense of panic I felt that first time my dad carried me down the stairs.  I was wounded and figuratively immobile.  There seemed no way for me to simply rest &#x2014; no place to be at peace.  But when God called to me, &#x201C;Do not be afraid,&#x201D; my sense of relief was profound.  I let go, and God has carried me ever since.</p>

Carried

<p>Making decisions can be tough &#x2014; especially life-altering ones.  When I chose my college, I made the safest decision possible.  Friends, finances, and proximity to family were my considerations, all of which were designed to help me play things safe.  Twenty years later, when I was choosing a seminary, those same concerns emerged.  Then, I heard this question: What decision will require you to trust God the most?</p>

<p>Walking by faith and not by sight is seldom easy.  Security seems to be one of our most basic priorities.  If only we understood that we can never secure our lives and futures on our own!  Imagine what would happen if we trusted God&#x2019;s words from Jeremiah 29:11: &#x201C;I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to give you hope and a future.&#x201D; </p>

<p>God&#x2019;s love for us is truly greater than our fears and insecurities.  Every day we get new opportunities to make decisions not rooted in our fears but grounded in God&#x2019;s love.</p>

Faith Not Fear

<p>The other night my young daughter was talking on the phone with her cousin.  As she got ready to get off the phone, she said to him, &#x201C;I&#x2019;m about to get off of here; is there anything else you want to tell me first?&#x201D;  I have thought often about her way of ending her call &#x2014; it struck me as a rather unique way to end a conversation.</p>

<p>As I thought more about it, I realized how wise I would be to follow my daughter&#x2019;s approach &#x2014; not necessarily on my phone calls but during my prayer time.  What if before ending my prayers, I asked God, &#x201C;Is there anything else you want to tell me?&#x201D;</p>

<p>Sometimes I am guilty of forgetting to stop and listen to what God may be trying to say to me when I pray.  What if, instead of just &#x201C;hanging up&#x201D; on God, I stopped to listen to what God might have to say first?  Instead of my doing all the talking, I want to learn to give God plenty of time to speak to me.  From now on, I am going to see what God has to say before I &#x201C;hang up.&#x201D;</p>

Open Ears

<p>I had returned from the city of Natal, where I had spent seven long years with my family.  I was almost 50 years old and was starting over after a failed professional experience.  The prospects were not promising.  As I was praying about my situation, I noticed that a large tree in the complex where I lived was extremely dry.  Sometimes branches fell, putting at risk those who happened to be passing underneath.  I saw no hope for that tree and thought it should be cut down.</p>

<p>Spring came, and one morning I went to the balcony to look at the tree again.  It was leafy and beautiful, with a huge green canopy!  At that moment, I felt God speaking to my heart: &#x201C;I will do with your life just as I did with this tree.&#x201D;  My heart was filled with laughter, hope, and trust in God.</p>

<p>Today, I am a renewed and successful professional.  I was reborn after a period of drought.  God brought a miracle into my life that turned my story of failure into victory, to the glory of God.  God is faithful, immensely good, and delights in the well-being of his children.</p>

Hope of New Life

<p>In the months following my mother&#x2019;s death from ALS, I started my first semester of college, began a new job, and painfully continued life without my mom here to be a part of it.  As unbearable as life without her can seem, I still somehow manage to find moments of joy that the Lord offers me in my grief.</p>

<p>Jeremiah 33:3 was my mom&#x2019;s favorite verse.  Throughout her life, I never saw her doubt that the Lord was with her.  When her final days were coming, I know she was filled with peace and joy because she knew in just a matter of time she would see her Savior.  She called out and God answered her &#x2014; daily.  She didn&#x2019;t know exactly what God was doing amidst her suffering &#x2014; only that God was present and would never abandon her.</p>

<p>Even on days when my grief seems unbearable, I remember that God walked through the ALS with my mom, walked with me as I witnessed her life ending, and still walks with me today.  I sometimes struggle to be joyful and to live in the present.  But the Lord is right here next to me &#x2014; sustaining me through it all.</p>

Joy amidst Grief

<p>Mary made her way to Jesus, poured costly perfume on his feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.  The house was filled with the fragrance.  The perfume was worth about a year&#x2019;s salary for a skilled laborer.  She expressed the depth of her love and devotion to Jesus with an extravagant gift.  Others misunderstood her act, but Jesus accepted it.  He honored her gift and told those around him to leave her alone.  In Mark&#x2019;s Gospel, Jesus told the others that her sacrifice would be remembered forever (see Mark 14:9).</p>

<p>Mary wasn&#x2019;t bothered by others&#x2019; opinions or comments.  Showing her thankfulness for Jesus &#x2014; who had accepted, loved, and valued her &#x2014; mattered most.  Mary showed us that the best form of worship is the one that most genuinely represents our love for God.</p>

<p>In the same way, we can pour out the praises of our hearts.  We surrender our lives fully to Jesus through sacrifice and service.  When we pour out our hearts to give fully of ourselves to Jesus, the fragrance of our love and devotion will fill our surroundings.</p>

The Costly Perfume

<p>Twice a year my church picks up trash along two miles of roadway.  We divide into groups and start at each end, working until we meet each other.</p>

<p>I remember the first time we went out.  I was scanning the sides of the roads while riding to our starting point.  Upon our arrival, I made the statement, &#x201C;This shouldn&#x2019;t take long; there&#x2019;s not much trash along this section.&#x201D;  We gathered up our bags and equipment and started out.  About two minutes into picking up trash, I changed my mind.  What I could not see riding by at 25 mph, I could see now that I was slowly walking.  Where did all these pieces of plastic, foam, paper, and glass come from?</p>

<p>It then occurred to me that this same problem of perspective applies to other aspects of my life.  How many people do I come in contact with each day at church, at the store, the bank, or at work, only to say, &#x201C;How are you&#x201D; and barely wait to hear the response, &#x201C;Fine and you?&#x201D;  If I&#x2019;m so busy with my own life that I quickly pass others by, I may be missing an opportunity to bear someone else&#x2019;s burden.  It could be as simple as a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a prayer.  When I slow down enough to hear or see the struggle in another&#x2019;s life, I can &#x201C;fulfill the law of Christ.&#x201D;</p>

A Closer Look

<p>Being a parent doesn&#x2019;t come with a job description or manual.  It is on-the-job training all the way.  As a father, I am always learning.</p>

<p>I am no superhero or mighty pillar of strength.  I am only a parent.  When my child hurts, I react.  When my child cries out, I hear.  When my child asks for assistance, I do what I can to help.</p>

<p>So why don&#x2019;t I let my heavenly Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?  Why do I try to do it all myself?  I am finally learning to go to my heavenly Father when I am frightened, lonely, bruised, or hurt. </p>

<p>God reassures us: &#x201C;The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing&#x201D; (Zeph. 3:17, NIV).  I&#x2019;m learning that God is waiting to give me comfort as a parent who wants the best for me, a father who will pick me up and hold me in his arms.  God our Father won&#x2019;t go away &#x2014; ever!</p>

Heavenly Parent

<p>When I was eight years old, my teacher told me I was a gifted writer.  That was the first time someone had told me I was good at something.  As a teenager I wrote in a journal occasionally, while dreaming of being published.  But each time I felt a nudge from God to write something meaningful, I found other things to do &#x2014; distractions that kept me from doing what God wanted.  By the time </p>

<p>I finished high school, I had convinced myself that no one would read what I wrote.  For decades, I gave God a lot of excuses.  Yet through prayer and support, I made a decision this year to follow God&#x2019;s leading.</p>

<p>In Luke&#x2019;s Gospel, Jesus tells a story about a great dinner party.  One by one invitees give reasons why they cannot attend.  One has a field to tend, while another has animals to care for.  Haven&#x2019;t we all given God similar excuses?  Someone may love to cook, yet avoids volunteering at a shelter.  People skilled in business or technology decline to help with a church project that requires those skills.  Imagine all that can be accomplished if we stop making excuses!  When we give all that we are, we create a world that is closer to resembling what God desires for us.</p>

No Excuses

<p>When my parents became Christians, they spent time reading the Bible and praying daily.  My father gave me my first copy of The Upper Room when I was 13 years old; my mother, now 95 years old, continues to use this devotional guide each day.</p>

<p>I am grateful for my parents&#x2019; example of regularly spending time with God&#x2019;s word.  Over the years, I have tried to make spending purposeful time with God a priority each day.  Time spent studying scripture not only leads to a better understanding of who God is and God&#x2019;s purposes but also builds faith, brings joy, and creates hope.</p>

<p>The Upper Room has been a part of my devotional time throughout my life.  I have been blessed many times by meditations or Bible readings for the day that were just what I needed.  I am always amazed by God&#x2019;s timing and love for me when it feels like God is speaking to me personally through the devotional.</p>

<p>What a blessing it is to build the disciplines of prayer and Bible study into each day!  What an encouragement to be part of a praying community of believers from diverse countries and cultures!</p>

What a Blessing!

<p>After a night at the children&#x2019;s hospital with our daughter, I did not welcome the telephone ringing at 7:00 a.m.  I saw that the call was from my oldest son, Barry, who had been in another hospital for a few days with the flu.  Irritated by the early hour, I answered the phone sleepily &#x2014; but it wasn&#x2019;t Barry on the phone.  It was a nurse calling to tell me that Barry had died.</p>

<p>Barry was a diabetic and in renal failure, but he had recently made great strides in taking care of himself.  Set to graduate from college after working at it for 17 years, his sudden death seemed particularly cruel in light of his recent progress.  Grief compounded by concern for our daughter threatened to overcome me.</p>

<p>Our pastor pointed out in a sermon that though God didn&#x2019;t take Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the fire, God did protect them.  I finally understood that God does not promise freedom from difficulties.  In fact, Jesus specifically said that his followers would have distress (see John 16:33, CEB).  But God promises to be with us through whatever we face.</p>

<p>Whenever grief wells up, I draw strength from knowing that God is here with me and will work things together for good (see Rom. 8:28).</p>

Not Alone

<p>Our church college group has been transformed through acts of service to residents and transients in our city.  We were studying the book of Leviticus, and we were discussing the practice of leaving the gleanings (a portion of the harvest) as an act of loving our neighbor.  One woman asked, &#x201C;Why just the gleanings?  Why not more?&#x201D;  Since we live in an urban setting nowhere near a farm, we created our own garden and named it Harvest of Hope.  Seeds grew along with our love for our community.</p>

<p>We came up with the idea of a &#x201C;reverse tithe.&#x201D;  We kept the gleanings and gave away most of the produce.  On our first distribution day, the woman who originally posed the &#x201C;why not&#x201D; question handed a box of produce to someone and said, &#x201C;I am so glad to meet you; we grew this for you.&#x201D;  Her comment reflected her joyful obedience to God&#x2019;s command to love our neighbor.  For the college group, it was the gift of love that kept on growing!</p>

Love Grows

<p>Years ago, I knew a little girl who collected used cans on the street.  She liked to write on used papers and put them in the cans.  Most people on the street ignored her, and she was often insulted and called &#x201C;used-cans girl.&#x201D;  What she did was considered stupid and meaningless.</p>

<p>When she grew up, she remembered that she had been invited to church when she was young.  She felt the Holy Spirit encouraging her to go to church, so she went.  There she heard the story of a man who was an outcast &#x2014; unclothed, living in a cemetery, possessed by demons, and considered insane.  Yet Jesus helped him, and God&#x2019;s love saved and changed the man.  No one is meaningless for Jesus.</p>

<p>In the same way, even when people did not respect the girl and considered her worthless, Jesus sought her, loved her, and changed her life.  The &#x201C;used-cans girl&#x201D; is now used by God to teach, write, build mission houses, and preach the great love of God.  That little girl was me.  Even when we feel worthless like used tin cans &#x2014; thrown away and trampled on &#x2014; we can shine the light of Jesus for God&#x2019;s glory.</p>

Used Cans

<p>For much of the year, bushes known as &#x201C;broom&#x201D; appear to be a mass of bare, green sticks.  During its dormant period, a broom bush may go unnoticed.  When its twigs are cut in even lengths, tied together, and attached to a long wooden handle, they can be used as a household tool to sweep debris.  In spring, buds appear on the bush and then burst forth into bright yellow blossoms.  Their glorious fragrance summons passersby to inhale their lovely scent.  Doing so makes those long months seem worth the wait.</p>

<p>When I pass by bare broom bushes in winter, I remember that Abraham and Sarah waited years for God to fulfill the promise of a son.  David, the shepherd, must also have felt the difficulty of waiting between the time of Samuel&#x2019;s anointing of him and his eventual crowning as king. </p>

<p>Then, like blossoms on the broom bush, the waiting was rewarded.  Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah.  David was crowned king of Judah first and then Israel.</p>

<p>As we wait through seemingly barren times, we can remember the lesson of the broom bush.  The bare, green sticks of our lives can blossom, making the wait worth it.</p>

From Sticks to Blossoms

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Devotionals

What Now?

The Ancient Paths

My Hope

Choosing Community

The Blessing of Tears

Something New

Carried

Faith Not Fear

Open Ears

Hope of New Life

Joy amidst Grief

The Costly Perfume

A Closer Look

Heavenly Parent

No Excuses

What a Blessing!

Not Alone

Love Grows

Used Cans

From Sticks to Blossoms

Trending recipes

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