Daily Devotional for June 30, 2019 – To infinity and beyond…living with the protective arm of Jesus across our chests…

Exodus 23:20-22
“Now get yourselves ready. I’m sending my Angel ahead of you to guard you in your travels, to lead you to the place that I’ve prepared. Pay close attention to him. Obey him. Don’t go against him. He won’t put up with your rebellions because he’s acting on my authority. But if you obey him and do everything I tell you, I’ll be an enemy to your enemies, I’ll fight those who fight you.”

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Greg and I took the children to see “Toy Story 4” today. The movie is darling…and we all enjoyed it immensely. But I will tell you, there are some parts that are a little scary. Once when something happened unexpectedly, I know I jumped. I looked at Zola, and she was wide-eyed. She said, “My heart is POUNDING!” I patted her leg, and she grabbed my arm and clutched it to her chest for a while.

There are times when we all need someone to go ahead of us and guard us in our “travels”…if only to guide our words and actions on any given day. Or we need to feel a protective arm across our chest! And we have this in Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit! While God was telling the Israelites about a protective angel who turned out to be God himself…we know that Jesus left us with the Holy Spirit to act on God’s authority and guide us.

God is completely in charge. And just as this passage reminds the Israelites, He will not put up with rebellions and disobedience. But when we follow Him and listen for His voice, He fights for us and defeats any and all “enemies”. Our young children trust us to keep them safe – even from scary characters and scenes in a movie. But we trust God and His “angels” even more to protect us from the evils and “enemies” of this world – or we should!

I am so grateful for salvation in Christ Jesus…for the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit. I know that my sins have been forgiven and that I am redeemed forever. But the privilege of being Christ’s redeemed disciple comes with a commitment to obey Him. Just as God commanded the Israelites to guard their hearts and minds, we are called to pay close attention to the Holy Spirit and never to go against Jesus’ commands. He is fighting for us every single minute of the day…why wouldn’t we want to honor His care and protection?

I am thankful for the “protective arm of Jesus across my chest” each and every day, and I am glad that He leads the way when things are scary or daunting. I hope that my efforts to obey and serve Him demonstrate how much I honor His commitment to me. Because of God’s gift of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I live with hope and courage, secure in the knowledge that He is leading me to the place which He has prepared – both in this earthly lifetime, and for all Eternity. What about you?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 29, 2019 – Stop the madness! Learning to let go of bias, bitterness and bad attitudes – and love others with the love of Christ

Ephesians 4:31-32
Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don’t yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Last week when the children visited, Nathan decided that it was his turn to ride in the back seat of our vehicle when I took the kids home. That was fine, except Zola got into the back seat ahead of him. In all honesty, neither Greg nor I had told Nathan that he could ride in the back (it’s a big deal)…but he insisted that we had. And the whole world went wrong. He cried and was terribly upset.

Reluctantly, Nathan did get into another seat…but he kept talking about how unfair it was and how angry and upset he was with everyone from his sister and brother to Greg and me. After about a half mile of driving, I said, “Nathan…it’s over. You can ride in the back seat next time, I promise. You’re in another seat and we are headed home. Let’s drop it.” And to his credit, he pretty well did just that.

We.all.need.to.read.this.passage from Ephesians 4 and do a better job of implementing these directives. We have all seen what bitterness, anger and hatred can do to us. We all know in our hearts that yelling, cursing, and rudeness are wrong.

We all know that Jesus forgives us and treats us with kindness and mercy that we can never deserve. If we wish to be like Jesus…and to spend Eternity in His presence…we have to do everything we can to emulate Him in our daily living. It is time for us to let go of bitterness, anger and hatred…to stop treating others so unkindly and start looking at each and every person as a precious child of God – regardless of who they are, what they have done or not done, or any preconceived biases we may hold.

We need to look at each individual and say, “Jesus loves him/her…and I must find a way to do so, as well.” And we must do this even when we don’t get to ride in the back seat – or have our own way in whatever manner we desire. This is not about us…it’s about Jesus and how He see us. And it’s time that we start looking at others in the same way.

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 28, 2019 – Facing our “enemies” and fears…God’s got this!

Deuteronomy 20:1
If you have to go to war, you may find yourselves facing an enemy army that is bigger than yours and that has horses and chariots. But don’t be afraid! The Lord your God rescued you from Egypt, and he will help you fight.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

God knew I needed this message today – and maybe you need it, too! We are all facing “enemy armies” that seem so big at times that it can feel like there is no solution. From children in cages at the border to climate change that literally flooded our state a month ago to illnesses and diseases that appear to defy all medical treatment, and much more…we wake up every day to new challenges. And many can seem at least somewhat insurmountable.

We cannot live in defeat. Deuteronomy 20:1 assures us that the Lord our God has rescued us and will help us fight. We are told not to be afraid. So living with anxiety, fear and despondency is not an option for those of us who believe in the sanctity and certainty of God’s Holy Word.

I don’t know about you, but I take my Christian discipleship seriously. So there are thoughts and ideas that I simply cannot entertain, because to do so belies everything that Jesus did – and does – for me. In Mark 4:40, Jesus asks His disciples why they are so afraid. He poses the question, “Don’t you have any faith?” I remind you again, people.are.watching! Are you demonstrating faith and trust in the power of Jesus to care for every aspect of your life?

This is not a license to sit on our hands and do nothing. To the contrary, we should be seeking Jesus’ will and wisdom in all situations and circumstances every single day. But we must also give Him room to work…and this means that we have to stop wringing our hands and massaging our worries over and again. We have to stand straight and tall and confidently say, “My God is more powerful than any ‘enemy’ I can ever face.” And we have to live out this confidence in the words and actions we demonstrate to others.

Some days are better than others…we are human, so we will all have times when we falter and succumb to our fears. But this is when we must double down on our prayer and communion with God…to ask for His supernatural strength to tamp down these fears and rise up in hope and faith. I am a work in progress on this front, but I am determined to do better…what about you?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 27, 2019 – Let heaven fill your thoughts and always be joyful…learning to always live in the hope and promise of Jesus

Colossians 3:1-4
Since you became alive again, so to speak, when Christ arose from the dead, now set your sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where he sits beside God in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here. You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God. And when Christ who is our real life comes back again, you will shine with him and share in all his glories.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Everywhere I turn today, I am getting signals to stay positive. My desktop daily quote calendar cited 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NLT) – “Always be joyful.” This passage from Colossians 3 admonishes us to…“let Heaven fill your thoughts.” I need these reminders as I see images of the dead bodies of a young father and his toddler daughter, floating in the murky waters along the American banks of the Rio Grande River. I need these reminders as I think of loved ones with cancer that I cannot cure…children who grieve over parents mired in the ravages of addictions, financial woes and more…an opioid crisis that has made its way into the halls of our middle schools. I need these reminders as I receive news reports of imminent threats of destruction from war, climate change, and a world that at times seems to have gone stark raving mad!

I need to be reminded that this earthly life is not the end goal…and that God is still in complete control. And when I stop and take a breath and focus on Heaven, I see abundance everywhere I turn. God has blessed me with an amazing husband…a more-than-comfortable home…a loving family…great friends…brothers and sisters in Christ who are joining me in sharing the GOOD NEWS. I walked into my pantry this morning and saw more food than I could eat in a month or better. I remind myself daily of the blessings of excellent health…a wonderful neighborhood and community in which to live…a sense of freedom – and relative safety and security…and so much more.

But even if I did not have all of this abundance and countless good things in my life, I would still have Jesus and the promise of His constant spiritual presence in my earthly life. More importantly, I have the assurance of His physical presence for all Eternity in Heaven. This is the end goal…and must color everything I say and do. And if you are a redeemed believer in Jesus Christ, the same holds true for you.

Here’s what I want us to do…let’s remember who we are…and WHOSE we are! Let’s do everything we can on this earth to serve Jesus faithfully and further His missions and ministries. Let’s take a collective breath and demonstrate genuine faith and confidence in Christ to handle all things. Let’s focus on what lies ahead, not behind. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be concerned about what is happening all around us. Of course we must remain awake and alert! But we must do a better job of giving our burdens to God – and trusting Him to handle them.

We have to do better at living like Christians who know that this is not the end – that by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are destined for Heaven and all of its glories. We must show others by our words, actions, and confidence that our God is bigger than anything we are facing on this earth…and that He wants us to trust Him with our burdens and every outcome.

I will be the first in line to admit that I struggle with this sometimes…but I am determined to do better. The stakes are too high – and Christ’s sacrifice for me was too great for me to offer Him anything less than my very best efforts and a daily demonstration of joy and gratitude. What about you?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 26, 2019 – What happened to the flea?

Colossians 1:26-29
This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

A Sunday school teacher was reading a Bible story to her class. “The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and turned to salt.”

A little boy softly asked, “What happened to the flea?”

This was the daily quote on my desktop calendar today. I do not know the author of this quip. But as I read Paul’s message to the Colossians, I thought about God’s admonition to Lot to leave the city without a backward glance. We all know that Lot complied…his wife (and possibly an actual flea or two) did not! The message I am receiving from Paul’s words to the Colossians and this calendar quip is…”Don’t go backwards!”

To serve God and honor Jesus, we cannot turn back. We cannot fall back into our old ways. We must continually look forward…to Jesus, toward Heaven…to the work that God has called us to do. We must preach Christ, which means we must love others – all of them! We must never add to God’s message or put our own spin on it…and we must encourage others not to do this, either. This means we cannot pick and choose. We cannot love only those who are Christians, heterosexuals, upper class, well-educated, popular, and pretty.

We must not condone bad words and actions…but we must not condemn others. We must love the parents who are hooked on drugs, can’t stay out of jail, and lost their children to foster care. We must love the politicians who make us want to scream and pull our hair out on an hourly basis. We must love the people who lie, cheat, and steal…and stop calling them names like “scumbag” or “lowlife”. Remember…these are God’s creatures, too! We must find a way to love the persons who belong to another political party or practice other religions, and those who are thoughtless, hateful, or cruel – even to children and animals. We must share the love of Christ with those who purport to hurt us in some manner.

You and I have one job…to simply and consistently share the love of Jesus Christ with others. We must keep our focus on Jesus and fully commit to operating in the confidence that there is nothing too big for Him to handle. We must quite literally “let go and let God” have complete control…and we must demonstrate to the world the joy, peace, safety and security that comes from this surrender. We must do our best with the energy that God so generously gives us…and we must keep it simply and totally about HIM!

We must share the message of Jesus Christ and emulate His love, grace, mercy and compassion to everyone we encounter…and we must do this with complete faith and obedience. We must not be like Lot’s wife…we cannot turn back to our old life, even if Jesus has promise us eternal freedom from our sins when we confess them to Him. We may not be turned into pillars of salt…but we will not be fulfilling the mission and ministry to which God called us – and for which Jesus gave His very life.

I challenge you to pick out three situations or people for whom you have not fully demonstrated the love of Christ – and pray for them today. Don’t ask God to change them…ask Him to change you and your attitude toward them or the situation. Keep it simple, and give God the room (and your confidence) to work everything out according to His will. Try looking at the world and other people through God’s lens…to see what and who He sees. Don’t ever be the “flea” that has other people wondering what happened! Be mature, basic, and simply keep moving forward. Share the love of Christ with all others…and let this be enough!

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 25, 2019 – Christ brought everything together for us…are we tearing it apart?

Colossians 1:15-23
Christ is exactly like God, who cannot be seen. He is the first-born Son, superior to all creation. Everything was created by him, everything in heaven and on earth, everything seen and unseen, including all forces and powers, and all rulers and authorities. All things were created by God’s Son, and everything was made for him.

God’s Son was before all else, and by him everything is held together. He is the head of his body, which is the church. He is the very beginning, the first to be raised from death, so that he would be above all others.

God himself was pleased to live fully in his Son. And God was pleased for him to make peace by sacrificing his blood on the cross, so that all beings in heaven and on earth would be brought back to God.

You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. But you must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith. You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the good news. It was preached to everyone on earth, and I myself have become a servant of this message.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Last night, Greg and I watched the first two episodes of NATGEO’s “Yellowstone Live”…an up-close look (thanks to amazing advances in technology) at the ecosystem of Yellowstone. This included amazing views of geysers and mud pools, an infra-red camera viewing of baby beavers inside one of the chambers of their dam, and incredible footage of bear, bison, eagles, mountain goats and more. This 35,000-square-mile area in the western United States contains countless examples of God’s creations, forces and powers, and authority.

As I write this message, I am watching a pair of Eastern Phoebes take a break from their nesting duties on our front porch. We can only assume that the babies have hatched, since both male and female are now “on duty”. My observations of this couple have reminded me of the intricacies of God’s love and care for even the least of His creatures…and how much more He must care about the “inner and outer workings” of your life and mine.

I consider the unbelievable attention to detail that God demonstrates every single day in the care of His creatures – all of them. Then I look at the inhumanity that is happening on our nation’s southern border…and I am perplexed. How can people who have been redeemed and made holy, faultless and innocent possibly think that this abhorrent treatment of other human beings – particularly helpless children – honors the sacrifices of Jesus and the blessings of God? How can we treat each other with such hatred, disparity, and disgust…and say that we are living deeply rooted and firm in our faith?

How can we say that our thoughts are pure and we no longer do evil things, when we are treating each other with such unkindness – and even cruelty? If we do not love others, how can we possibly love God and be a servant of the message of Jesus Christ? This is not what God designed. It is not His intention that we treat each other unkindly – much less in an inhumane manner. We can do better – and we must. How will you begin?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 24, 2019 – Out of the pit and into the hope of Heaven…sharing the Good News of a better life in Christ

Colossians 1:13-14
God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Yesterday at Sunday school, one of the children asked, “When we go to Heaven, do we become angels?” I told him I wasn’t sure…but the Bible says we get new bodies. I added that we will be healthy, whole, and happy there. Another child said, “And we get a new house!” Quickly, our Zola added…”But you already have a great house!” I agreed, but I told her in Heaven, we ALL get mansions with all sorts of neat things. I teasingly suggested that there might even be perpetual ice cream fountains! The kids decided that there will surely be unlimited Netflix and other streaming services!

Just so you don’t think we went off the deep end…we did talk about how we are to live as Christians and what God did for us by sending Jesus to save us. I have to tell you, I look at the world at large – and then at these precious children – and I don’t even want to think about the dead-end alleys and dark dungeons that some of them have already visited. I listen to their prayer requests each Sunday and hear them talk about their families and experiences, and my heart breaks. And I know that there may be more tough times to come.

I know that many in our own community will spend time in “the pit”…and more than a few are there already. When I think of situations and circumstances throughout the world, I know that there is a lot of work to do before we get to the “mansions” of Heaven! And I am so, so grateful that God loved us enough to send Jesus to save us! I thank God that these children are hearing the message of love and redemption through Jesus Christ…how He can equip them to handle whatever “life” throws at them. And I am reminded of how critical it is that you and I share the love of Christ with others and demonstrate His teachings in our daily living, so that others have an example of hope and redemption to follow for themselves.

I am thankful that God is merciful and kind…that His grace and forgiveness are abundant. I am astounded – and humbled – that no dungeon is too dark, no pit is too deep for Jesus to rescue us. I am forever blessed to know that because of Jesus, we never have to face a dead-end alley. God has called me to share this news with others…to offer hope and reassurance that when we call on Him, we can be rescued and redeemed and set on track to dwell with Him for all eternity in our Heavenly mansion. And He is calling you this same mission!

I don’t know your story. I don’t know the depths to which you may have plunged…or what sort of relationship you have with Jesus. But I know that He desires to give each of us a better life than what we can ever envision…to rescue us from any fears, angers, judgments, or despair that may befall us. God sent Jesus to give each of us hope, courage, strength, wisdom, and joy in the knowledge that we never have to face anything on our own. We may still have troubles and challenges…but there is nothing that God cannot handle on our behalf…if only we will call on Him.

I know that for many, these earthly days are anything but easy. And perhaps this is the case for you. But know that Jesus is working on our behalf…and when we call on Him, He answers! Share this Good News with everyone you encounter…and live in the hope and promise of Eternal Life in His presence. Who knows…there may actually be perpetual ice cream and Netflix in Heaven! Regardless, I know that Eternal Life with Christ will be glorious and perfect…and I thank God for this promise! Meanwhile… we have work to do in this lifetime. Are you doing your part?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 22, 2019 – Working hard in “God’s orchard” to share the love of Christ…are you making Him proud?

Colossians 1:9-12
Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

I don’t know about you, but lately I find myself somewhat “in a slump”. I want to be informed about current events…but at the same time, what is happening in our world is so depressing and disgusting that I feel terrible after just listening or reading to news reports – or looking at social media – for even a few minutes. My nephew Nathan informed me yesterday that our phones are rotting our brains. I tend to think that the current state of our world is doing the same thing! And yet, I know that God wants us to be informed and educated citizens.

I trust God’s perfect plans…and I realize that none of this is new…we can easily document that history repeats itself over and again. I continue to pray and believe that God is working behind the scenes in ways that we cannot even envision. The more I spend time with Him and learn about how He operates – and how He has worked out the difficulties of this life for countless generations before me – the more I am encouraged to “work hard in His orchard”. I know the stakes are high – but the “dividends” will be greater than I can ever imagine.

The last sentences of this passage stuck out to me today…”We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.” Indeed, we are in it for the long haul. And I know that when we persevere, stand up for what is right in God’s eyes, and continually love others – all of them – with the love of Christ, we will be blessed with “glory strength”, joy, and the privilege of taking part in all of the bright and beautiful goodness that God has in store for us.

Several days ago, I shared a meme on Facebook that said, “Never look down on anybody…only God sits that high.” So while I continue to be saddened by our current “state of affairs” – and thoroughly disgusted by the words and actions of more than a few – I am hopeful and happy, and determined to love others – all of them! I know that God is in complete control …that by loving even these “stinkers” I am honoring God’s love for me. I know that He will strengthen and bless every effort I make to remain faithful and obedient – and reward me with joy and peace.

It’s time to stop gritting our teeth – and operate in God’s strength with love and joy. The more that we pray for one another, love each other, and work hard in God’s orchard, the more we can take part in the good stuff He offers. Are you ready to get started?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 21, 2019 – Lessons from a Phoebe…are you focused on loving and serving Jesus?

Acts 7:51-60
“And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you’re just like your ancestors. Was there ever a prophet who didn’t get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you’ve kept up the family tradition—traitors and murderers, all of you. You had God’s Law handed to you by angels—gift-wrapped!—and you squandered it!”

At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed—he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. He said, “Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God’s side!”

Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede, they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them.

As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, “Master Jesus, take my life.” Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, “Master, don’t blame them for this sin”—his last words. Then he died.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

We have an Eastern Phoebe nesting in a crook above a rain gutter near our front porch. For over 2 weeks, she has diligently worked to build her nest – and now to sit on it every day for hours on end. Greg, the children and I have been watching her attentiveness. She pretty well has a one-track mind. She only leaves the nest when startled by one of us entering or exiting…or to take brief breaks to stretch, preen, and feed. But always, her focus is on the nest and what must surely lie there (although we cannot see the eggs).

I’ve watched this little bird sit atop our front porch railing and fluff her feathers. Sometimes, the male even joins her, although she is not all that glad to see him. But I have noticed that she keeps a watchful eye on the nest at all times. She will turn her head in the nest‘s direction to ensure that nothing has disturbed the site. If I didn’t understand her mission, I would dub her a “Nervous Nelly”! But I know the purpose of her single-mindedness, and I admire her devotion.

Let me ask you…where is your focus? Does your mind flit from one thing to another without a real purpose? Today I suggested to our kiddos that we look up the local heat index on my phone. Nathan replied, “Your phone is rotting your brain!” And indeed, for many of us, phones and other electronic devices have stolen far too much of our attention and time. Many of us don’t even keep one eye trained on Jesus…much less think of Him so much and so often that we completely tune out the rest of the world, as Stephen did when the crowd ridiculed and berated him.

We can all do better. We can spend more time with Jesus and devote less energy and effort to things that the world has told us are important. We can be so busy serving and loving others that we don’t have time to pay attention to trivial pursuits and minor insults. For the most part, many of us have forgotten how to pare down our focus. Multi-tasking has become such a “thing” in our culture that few among us seem capable of paying attention to a single issue or task at a time…much less tuning out the rest of the world. But when it comes to our relationship with Jesus…this is exactly what we need to be doing!

You don’t have to jump in with both feet. Start small. Begin by setting aside time every day to spend with Jesus. Set up some “reminders” on your phone that will nudge you throughout the day to stop and whisper a little prayer…until it becomes second nature to pray often. Turn off the television, put away your phone, and spend a few minutes looking out the window at what God has created…and thank Him for it. Start taking stock of your surroundings and living more attentively and intentionally as Christ’s disciple. Look for ways to share His love and message with others as you tune out the “noise” of the world at large.

A focus shift will not happen overnight. And we may never be as diligent and/or faithful as Stephen was. This is okay. Christ is not looking for perfection – He is looking for humble service, faithful obedience and unwielding trust. The more we focus on Him, the easier it will be to cultivate these in our daily living.

“Phoebe” has wriggled into position back on her nest now. Her mission and aim are crystal clear. As Christ’s Disciples, we are each called to a focus on a clear calling and purpose. Do you know what yours is?

©2019 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 20, 2019 – Loving others with the love and kindness of Christ…it’s a matter of life and death!

1 Peter 4:8-11
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Last Sunday at church, an almost-third grader was having a rough day. Her mother said she had discovered this child awake past midnight – making shadow puppets in her room. So she was tired and a little out of sorts. The mother said to me, “She might need some extra hugs.” I replied, “I always have plenty of hugs.” This tearful little girl let go of her mother and wrapped her arms around my waist. I signaled to the mom that “We’ll be fine”, and she smiled and left the room. And indeed, everything was perfectly fine after that…the little girl had a great time with her friends. As I left the classroom later, a preschooler came barreling down the hallway toward me, her arms outstretched – and she gave me a giant hug. I’m telling you, those impromptu “I love you” hugs are the best!
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Anyone who knows me knows that I love children…and I love teaching children. I am quite certain that this is a ministry to which God called me. It seems to me that I am called to love children as if our lives depend on it…because in many ways, they just might. People are watching. The hug you give a child might be their most important hug that day – or the only one they get. The smile you flash at a complete stranger in Walmart might be the difference maker in whether they have a good day or a bad one.

The word of encouragement you speak to someone you don’t know all that well might be what keeps him/her from making a poor – and life-changing – decision. The expression of compassion and comfort you offer someone as you share your own experiences to show them you truly do know how they feel might be the difference maker in more ways than you can count.

I recently saw a video in which an officer had been called to an interstate overpass bridge in Chandler, Arizona. A 26-year-old man had scaled a wire safety fence and was dangling precariously above passing traffic. His intention was surely to jump and end his life. Instead, Officer Aaron Little, (he told the young man, “Most people call me Ron”) was able to persuade this person to crawl back over the fence – for a hug. Officer Little told this man, “I’ll hug you, man. I don’t care. I just want to talk to you. I swear.”

After several harrowing minutes, the young man finally climbed back over the fence and approached Officer Little, who admonished, “Come get that hug. Just don’t grab my gun!” The two embraced, and the young man dissolved into tears and sobs. Arm in arm, they walked to the police officer’s car.

Because one grown man loved as if it were a matter of life and death (and literally, it was!) – and offered another man a hug – TWO lives were likely forever changed. God often puts us in the right place at the right time to love others in His name. He calls us to missions and ministries where we can step out in faith and offer love, kindness, compassion, acceptance, grace, mercy, forgiveness , and more to those in our midst. It is our job to be awake, alert, open and obedient to His call to love others without question.

I know for certain that the young girls who hugged me Sunday get plenty of love and affection at home. But maybe they just needed a little extra. I know that there are likely children in my Sunday school class on any given Sunday who will get their only hug of the day from me. I am certain this is the case for countless children and teachers in classrooms around the world throughout the school year. I am betting that some of the people we smile at in Walmart don’t get a single other smile all day. Imagine what this must mean to them…just think about the power of a single smile and how God can use it to bless others.

We have no excuse. Even the most introverted and reserved Christian in the world can smile and treat others with kindness and respect. God will do the rest. He will take your best efforts, no matter how meager they may seem, and multiply them thousands of times over. We just have to take the first step of obedience and walk in love. You can do this…we all can! How and where will you begin?

©2019 Debbie Robus