Daily Devotional for June 30, 2022 – Living and loving as God designed…it’s time to preach and live Jesus!

Romans 8:29-30
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

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.

As a four-year-old little girl, I prayed, “God, let me have a little brother.” Somedays, I felt like I got more than was bargained for in my answered prayer! Like most older siblings, I found my little brother to be quite pesky at times…particularly when I was a teenager and he was an irritating 6th-7th grader who loved to meddle and aggravate his older sisters and their boyfriends. But I never stopped loving my brother and my sister.

 

My sister was only eleven months younger than I, so I really did not have the wisdom and maturity to pray for her arrival. But by the time we knew my mother was expecting a third child, I had enough understanding of God to know that I could ask Him for anything – and He would deliver perfectly. Perhaps in my 4-year-old mind, I thought this meant God would answer as I wanted…but in this case, my request happened to line up with His will – and I was completely enthralled with “my” new baby.

 

As an adult with much fuller understanding of how God works, I prayed before each of our nieces, nephews and cousins was born and asked God to bless us with healthy babies that would grow into kind, loving, productive human beings. I also asked God to prepare the perfect “loves” for each of them…life partners who would help them to be the best versions of themselves. I am still praying for these people. I know they are “out there,” and God is molding and preparing them – just as He created my husband, Greg, for me.

 

I recently watched a lecture by respected religious leaders*, including Sarah Wilke, whose parents served in ministry for many decades as United Methodists, and her father was a Bishop of the Arkansas Annual Conference for over a decade. Sarah noted that her mother prayed for her children before they were born and asked this of God…”Lord, grant me a child, and be preparing a partner in life for them.” Sarah went on to add that when she went to her parents at age 27 (she is now 60) and told them she had found her life partner, Nancy (to whom she has been married for 32 years), her mother said, “Well, if we are going to preach Jesus, we need to live Jesus.”

 

God knew and named each of us before we were even formed. He has been planning and preparing for our lives forever. God does not make mistakes. He sent Jesus to not only atone for our sins and save us for all Eternity…God also sent Jesus to be the perfect model for how to live and love. In the words of Sarah Wilke’s mother, “If we are going to preach Jesus, we need to live Jesus.”

 

This is about so much more than just loving and accepting the LGBTQIA+ community. Look around and see who you have disparaged or discounted in some way. Maybe you disagree with his/her politics. Maybe you have a bias against a person based on skin color, ethnic background, education level, social status – or even “Scripture interpretation.” Maybe you just simply do not like someone because they rub you the wrong way! But God loves that person. He created every one of us with the potential to live and preach Jesus.

 

How we treat others matters. It is not our job to change anyone…it is our job to love them. Pure and simple…Jesus told us to “Love one another.”  As Sarah Wilke pointed out, people took vows before God to love others and serve Jesus. At her own infant baptism, the congregation repeated vows to nurture and protect her…to love her and encourage as she grew in faith and service to Jesus. You have likely taken those same vows at least once for someone. You may have even prayed for an unborn baby, as I did, and asked God to shower them with His abundance and blessings.

 

“If we are going to preach Jesus, we need to live Jesus.” This is the day to ask yourself, “How well am I doing at both?”

 

©2022 Debbie Robus

 

*The LGBTQ+ Community and the Future of the American Church

Daily Devotional for June 29, 2022 – There’s a “whole lotta judgin'” going on – and we need to quit trying to do God’s job!

Romans 4:1-3
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, then he would have something to boast about. But from God’s point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us Abraham believed God, and that is why God canceled his sins and declared him “not guilty.”

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

It seems like there’s a whole lotta judgin’ going on these days. From legislative bodies to courts to churches, people are deciding who “belongs” in certain settings – and who does not. And yet, we learn from scripture that there was only one “qualifier” in the eyes of God – believe in Him. After Jesus came to earth and lived, died and rose again, the command was to confess our sins and ask Christ to forgive us…then serve Him with our whole heart and follow His commands. I’m not talking a long litany of requirements…Jesus told us to love God and love all others as He loves us, then go share the Good News of His generous offer of Eternal Life with everyone we met. So why are we trying to pick and choose who is worthy – and who isn’t?

I am seeing a lot of comments from people who claim that they are made to feel “Second Class” in several settings. They are told by their churches and communities that their rights are different from those of others. I watched an online meeting of an area church last week in which gay members who had given and served for decades asked why they were not afforded all the same rights and privileges as their straight brothers and sisters. The answer was, in a nutshell, that “We appreciate your service and your contributions…but some of us just don’t believe God sanctions your love for each other in scripture, so we cannot allow you the full ‘benefits’ of membership.”

Today would be my brother Tim’s 61st birthday. He left us in 1998, after a lengthy battle with liver failure. My brother was a baptized believer in Jesus Christ, a servant, and the best cardiac nurse I’d ever known. He was also gay. I found it absolutely disgusting that the people who would declare him “less than” in the sight of God were the same ones who would request his care if they were suffering a heart attack or other cardiac crisis. And I find it heartbreakingly familiar – and equally disgusting – that Godly men and women who have given so much to a church body would be basically told, “We’ll take your money and your service, but you are not entitled to marriage in the church – or certain positions of leadership.”

God created all of us, and He never said, “I’m going to create some people sexually different in a way that will cripple them all their lives as they try to function in general society.” The God who made all skin colors, ethnic groups, tall people, short people, and everything in between did not make a single person better than another. The God who canceled Abraham’s sins because he “believed in God” is the same God who sent Jesus to die for the sins of all mankind – ANYONE who would call on Him and repent of their sins and ask forgiveness.

If you do not like what I am saying, you are free to stop reading my devotionals. I pray that instead, you will search your heart and see where you have decided to play “judge and jury” and decide who is “entitled” to the fullness of God’s love and care – and who is basically relegated to Second Class status in so many circles, including the church. On this day when I remember my brother, I stand firm in my conviction that He is seated at God’s table in Heaven, where I will see him again someday. God welcomed Tim with open arms and said, “Come and rest, faithful servant.” And God will have plenty to say to those who have tried to do His job on this earth and decide who is worthy of “full benefits” – and who is not.

The love of Christ is offered in equal measure to those who confess their sins and call on Him to forgive them and guide and guard their steps. Jesus makes no distinction – so why should you?

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 28, 2022 – Lessons learned from a grandmother – serving as the parts of Christ’s body of believers

1 Corinthians 12:25-26
The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.

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.

One year ago today, Greg’s brother, sister-in-law, and great-niece drove from Little Rock to Heber Springs to help us celebrate the 95th birthday of Grandma E. We made our first venture to a local restaurant since the outset of the pandemic and enjoyed a meal together. Then we spent the afternoon visiting at Grandma’s house before snapping some photos to mark the occasion. If you had told me that this would be Grandma’s last earthly birthday, I would not have believed it. She was amazingly healthy and well for someone her age…and indeed, she remained so until the September day when she fell in her kitchen and broke her hip. Two days later, she would be in Heaven.

In these verses, Paul compares personal relationships to how we should relate to one another as the church. And by church, I don’t mean a four-walled building – or even a particular church congregation. I am talking about all of us who are believers in Jesus Christ…the “church universal.” Counting the three years Greg and I dated, I knew Grandma E for 50 years. She and I hit it off quickly, and we became not only “family,” but also dear friends. Grandma was so much more than a mother-in-law to me, and I have missed her dearly.

I have tried to take the lessons I learned from Grandma E and use them to “be the church” to others. Greg and I have shared numerous memories – and physical items – with our nieces and nephews and told them, “Grandma E did such-and-such with this tool,” or “These items were very special to Grandma E.” We have reminded them that Grandma E was impressed with all they were learning and the people they were becoming. We’ve shared poems and scriptures she wrote in journals, and dozens of photographs she took and carefully labeled.

We have called on Grandma’s expertise and experience in some way nearly every day as we go about our lives together – and as we interact with the world. We have tried to be sensitive to the hurts of others who have lost a precious mother…and to laugh and cry with them as we remember these dear souls. Grandma cared about others, and we have tried to “carry the torch” and live with love in her honor and memory. There are countless ways to “be the church,” and many have given us a clear demonstration of how to do this. Each part is dependent on the other…and each person is important both in the giving and receiving of care and encouragement.

As we think of our dear mother/Grandma today, we are reminded to do our part in the body of Christ…to honor and glorify Him as we celebrate her influence and impact in our lives. We will see her and others who have gone before us again. Meanwhile, we have work to do. So let’s get busy!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 27, 2022 – Following God’s way to Heaven…are you trying to change the “recipe?”

Romans 3:21-24
But now God has shown us a different way to heaven — not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us “not guilty”—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.

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

I was watching a cooking competition on one of the cable channels, and a contestant prepared a dish that was familiar to the judges. I believe it might have been shrimp and grits. Whatever the dish, the contestant “added his own spin” on it – it seems like he included a soft-fried runny egg. The judge said, “We all know and love this classic dish – don’t be adding anything to it!”  By the same token, imagine if you decided that you would make a cake, cookies or bread – but salt was not necessary because you didn’t like salt for some reason – so you left it out. I doubt you’d be very happy with the outcome!

So many people want to add to this passage – or subtract from it. By including the surrounding verses, we get a bigger picture of what Paul was telling us. We all know this verse – probably from the King James Version… “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. But have you taken a hard look at verses 21, 22, and 24? Yes, we are all sinners. Some folks want to declare that “He is a bigger sinner than I am,” or “Her sin is worse than mine.” Others have decided that only select persons who confess their sins to Jesus and follow Him will be guaranteed Eternal Life in Heaven. It doesn’t work that way!

Notice that in this passage, the path to salvation is explained, and Paul declares, “we can all be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ,” and “now God declares us ‘not guilty’ of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ.” I didn’t see a single qualifier in that statement regarding the color of a person’s skin, his/her ethnic background or social status. I didn’t notice any distinction between male or female – or those of a particular sexual orientation or gender identification. In the words of the judge on the cooking contest, “don’t be adding anything!”

In order to fully grasp the declaration of Paul in this passage from Romans 3, I believe you need all the verses I have shared to get the full picture. I also believe that this declaration is complete and doesn’t require any qualifiers, addition or exemptions. Consider where you may be trying to “change the recipe” or “add your own spin,” bias, judgment, or selfish preference of some sort. Jesus has this all under control without our meddling. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 26, 2022 – Love does no wrong to anyone. Are you loving others as Christ loves us?

Romans 13:10
Love does no wrong to anyone. That’s why it fully satisfies all of God’s requirements. It is the only law you need.

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

There have been many events recently that have me thinking about when, where and how we act in love toward others. We are selfish beings by nature, and far too often we choose our own desires over loving others as Christ loves us. In other words, many times love loses – or at least takes a back seat. And we are all guilty of this. Hear the words of Paul…“Love does no wrong to anyone.”

When we share gossip, love loses and people can be wronged. When we “juggle the books” or look the other way when someone is dishonest or deceitful, love loses – and people may be wronged. When our first question is, “What is in this for me?” love loses – and there is potential for others to be wronged. When we decide that we are superior in some manner to certain people or groups, love loses and others are wronged. Remember, “Love does no wrong to anyone.”

At every turn, we must ask Jesus, “What do You say?” We must learn to check ourselves all day long, every day, to ensure that we operate in Christ’s love. Again, I remind us all…“Love does no wrong to anyone.”

Search your heart and see where you are failing to operate in love. Where are you judging others, speaking or acting in a manner that could be hurtful, or making selfish choices that do not consider the rights and feelings of others? Where are you indicating that your thoughts and desires are superior to those of another? Where have you fallen short in your faithful obedience to Jesus Christ?

Make this the day that you begin to operate completely in the love of Jesus. “Love does no wrong to anyone.” This is the only law we need. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 25, 2022 – Letting Jesus guide and guard our thoughts, words and actions…who do YOU trust?

Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”

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

Imagine if a certain person or group got to decide whether you are “right in God’s sight” and “ready for Heaven.” I know…right? That’s crazy! Yet we allow mere mortals to decide a lot of things in our lives – sometimes even how we trust and serve Jesus! We “go along to get along” and compromise what we know Jesus has commanded. We tamp down the “Inner Voice” that suggests what we think, say, or do is not right – or isn’t in line with the teachings of Jesus. We choose to trust human beings more than our Heavenly Father.

Don’t misunderstand me. God often uses human beings to bring us important, wise counsel. I firmly believe God guarded the words and actions of scientists and medical professionals who told us how to protect ourselves against COVID19, such as “wear masks, practice social distancing, and get the vaccine.” I believe that God guides many of us in our missions and ministries to “teach, preach and heal” in the name of Jesus. I also believe that a lot of people use God as a scapegoat or like the “get out of jail” card in a Monopoly game. They do as they please and then say, “God (or my faith) told me to do this!” Or they shrug and say, “God will not let anything bad happen to me!” While I am convinced it is not God’s will that any of us suffer harm…I don’t take this as a license to go about life willy-nilly – and call on God to pick up the pieces and fix my messes!

My point is that God sent Jesus to straighten out the confusion…to be the One who is truly trustworthy and gives us the facts. God wants us to sift and sort all the information and demonstrations presented to us by mere mortals – and to consult with Jesus about how to interpret all of this and incorporate it into our lives as He desires. He offers this gift to all of us equally – every single person who will trust Him and call on Jesus is entitled to Salvation by the blood of Jesus and a seat at the Heavenly table for all Eternity.

I’ve said many times that we are all going to be surprised at who we meet in Heaven. Some are going to be shocked to see people there that they didn’t feel were “worthy” in some way. Others are going to find themselves left behind because they did not truly believe that Jesus Christ was our Lord and Redeemer. Paul is telling us that all who trust in Jesus Christ and depend on Him to guide and guard them are Heaven bound – and welcome there! And he is warning us to know who we are trusting – and following! Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 24, 2022 – Citizens of High Heaven – preparing for residence in your real “home town”

Matthew 3:20-21
But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.

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.

This morning, a Little Rock television station focused their entire morning show around my hometown. The host visited with our mayor and area businesspeople, including a local banker, manufacturing company manager, and realtor – and showcased the features that make our little lakeside town so appealing to many, including tourists. Some of those interviewed are natives, as am I. Others moved here because they loved the area so much and wanted to call it “home.” I would venture to suggest that anyone who watched this hour-long program would either be proud to live here – or they would wish they did!

I love my community. Greg and I chose to return here to live in 1987, after making the city where we attended college “home” for over a dozen years. My “roots” run deep here…both my maternal grandfather AND my father-in-law served as mayors of this community “back in the day.” I love reminiscing with other “old-timers” about local history and the way things were when we were younger…and sharing the history of this area with others via photos and comments on Facebook.

Let’s be clear…all is not perfect. You won’t find a truly unflawed community or group of people anywhere. We have divisiveness and other issues here. Permanent “splits” have resulted from such events as the pandemic, political elections, and more. Several area churches are undergoing major upheavals, and while these have been kept relatively “hush-hush” by some…they are nonetheless happening – and hurtful. Again, there is no such thing as a perfect earthly community – although some would argue that certain places get close!

My point is this…as much as I love my “home,” I take great comfort in knowing it is not permanent, and that a truly perfect home awaits me in Heaven. On the days when I am discouraged and disheartened by events that are divisive and hurtful to so many, I know that the day is coming when all will truly be well. And in the meantime, I am making an effort to live every single minute of the day as if Jesus might arrive or call me home in the next. There is no time to waste on dissension. Momentary sadness over unloving events must give way to efforts to make things better…to encourage others in the love of Christ – and to remind them that He is coming back!

As much as I love my home – and my home community – I know this is all temporary. I know that my true, perfect HOME awaits me in Heaven, and I want to do all I can to prepare well for the day when I take up residence there. I must do this! And so must you! Live for Jesus every day and make Him proud. When He comes for you – be ready! People are watching. They see how you move and breathe in your present situation – and they need to see Jesus in your words and actions. You are the best ambassador for the Kingdom of Heaven…make others want to reside there for all Eternity, too. Love others, serve Jesus – He is preparing your forever Home! Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 23, 2022 – Calling all “harvest workers”…it’s time for us to get busy!

Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus traveled around through all the cities and villages of that area, teaching in the Jewish synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And wherever he went he healed people of every sort of illness. And what pity he felt for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know what to do or where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

“The harvest is so great, and the workers are so few,” he told his disciples. “So pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more workers for his harvest fields.”

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

My friend Lana posted a request on Facebook today for people to share ideas for an upcoming sermon she is preparing on hopelessness. She asked, “Do you ever lose hope? And if so, what do you lose hope in?” I read through some of the responses and thought about my own life. I like to think that I am a “hopeful” person. And for the most part, I believe this to be true – for both myself and for my husband. But there are moments when the issues of this world – and news reports on any given day – make our hearts sink. For at least a moment or two, we ask ourselves, “How will this ever be even the least bit better?”

Hear me…our faith in Jesus is strong. We fully embrace the confidence that with Christ Jesus, all things are possible. And because we trust Jesus, I believe our “moments of hopelessness” cause us to rely on Him even more. This is where today’s scripture passage comes into play. First, I was struck by the wording of these verses as presented in The Message, where the phrase about Jesus healing people of every sort of illness says that Jesus “healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives.”*

A lot of people are battling diseased bodies. I would suggest that even more of us have “bruised and hurt lives.” And Jesus says in this scripture passage that we need “harvest workers” to help with the healing. He is calling to you and me! We are to be “harvest hands” – to do what we can to heal and encourage others in the name of Jesus Christ. What does this look like? It is different for every situation. A good place to begin is with loving others and earnestly praying for them – regardless of your affiliation or relationship with that person. Even if you are worlds apart in your thinking, pray for others.

Another thing we can do is simply be present. Listen when others need to “vent.” Don’t try to fix their problems. You don’t have to agree with their opinions. Just listen…and be kind and caring with your attention and responses. Another way to serve as Jesus’s “harvest hands and feet” is to demonstrate His love as you go about your day. Guard your words and actions…react and respond with love. Demonstrate inclusion, compassion, genuine empathy and acceptance of others. Speak positively. Don’t participate in gossip or divisive talk. When the news is troubling, try to avoid assigning blame and participating in hand-wringing talk and action. Instead, do your dead level best to prayerfully seek a way forward. Trust Jesus to handle what we cannot. Make it known to all who observe you that He is in charge of every aspect of your life – and this is readily an option for them, as well.

It seems to me as if the devil is tossing one “missile” after another at us these days. Are these causing you to fall apart? Or are you tackling every volley with the strength and hope – and a determination to serve as a “harvest worker” for Jesus? If we focus more on the work and less on the worry, we might be astounded at what is accomplished. So let’s get busy!

©2022 Debbie Robus

* 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.

Daily Devotional for June 22, 2022 – Building your foundation on the Rock of Jesus Christ…how firmly are you affixed?

Matthew 7:24-25
“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

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.

Fifteen years ago, Greg and I built our house on Lot #3 in a subdivision with eleven lots. At the time, there were a couple of other lots available, but we did not consider them to be “buildable.” These included Lot #4, a wooded space between us and the house that set on the fifth lot. Our builder insisted that someone would build on this piece of land someday – that they would do whatever was necessary to shore it up and put a structure there. I was dubious…and today, it’s a non-issue. Friends of ours bought the home on lot #5, and together we bought Lot #4 and split it- making each of our yards a bit larger.

Our neighborhood is situated along a river bluff line. You don’t have to dig very far to hit rock in most places. I don’t think the houses that have been erected here are going anywhere! But on Lot #4, the bluff divides, and water runoff has created a wet-weather creek and waterfall. The first time we had a heavy rain and saw what happened on that lot, we were more than convinced that it would never safely support a residential structure! I shudder to think what might have happened had someone actually tried to build a home there. I also have no doubt that our builder was right – and someday, someone would have attempted this. They would have put in culverts and French drains and done whatever they could to divert the water and build a dwelling there.

Some people ignore all signs and warnings. Others simply are down for a challenge. Tell them they can’t do something, and they will try to prove they can! When it comes to our relationship with Jesus, we often see the storm waters swirling and rushing over the boulders, and we say, “That doesn’t phase me…I’ll be fine!” This has nothing to do with faith in Jesus to sustain and protect us – and everything to do with selfishness and arrogance. I recently talked about things that are not actually in the Bible and mentioned the phrase…“The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Scriptural or not, this statement offers some truly sound advice!

Jesus has told us to build our “faith foundation” on Him, the Solid Rock. What does this entail? It’s very simple…love God, love one another as Christ loves us, and introduce everyone you encounter to Jesus via your words and actions. Jesus doesn’t require us to add any “culverts” or “French drains.” You don’t have to go to any extraordinary measures to bolster your “attachment” to His foundation. All you have to do is build your “house” on the “Rock,” and follow His lead. Trust Jesus to hold you steady and secure.

Greg has been working for months to make our new “yard” pretty – and to channel any water runoff over the bluff and ultimately into the river below. He has enhanced the beauty of our waterfall when heavy rains ensue – and made what we feel is the best use of some fairly “shaky” ground. Look around and see where “shaky situations” in your life could be shored up or used for good. Build a solid relationship on the Rock of Jesus Christ, and follow His commands with faith, hope and confidence that He will always guide and guard you. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for June 21, 2022 – Calling on Jesus to enter your heart, mind and home – did you hear the doorbell?

Matthew 6:9-10
You should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
help us to honor
your name.
Come and set up
your kingdom,
so that everyone on earth
will obey you,
as you are obeyed
in heaven.

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

When our children visit, they love to ring the doorbell. In particular, Nathan is disappointed if we happen to open the door before he presses the bell (and he will often ring it several times anyhow, just for good measure!). Sometimes, I am watching for the children to arrive, and I try to wait and let them ring the bell, but there are times that I get ahead of them. When I read this passage, which we commonly know as the beginning of “The Lord’s Prayer,” I thought of Jesus coming to “set up His Kingdom,” and my mind immediately went to the doorbell. Jesus is eager to “ring that bell!”

I’m not saying we are ready for Jesus to return for His church and end life on this earth as we know it – although this is certainly not up to us, and I’m ready whenever He is! What this phrase says to me is echoed in scripture. Jesus stands at the door and knocks (or rings) – and you and I need to invite Him to come into our hearts, minds, and every aspect of our lives. When we pray this prayer, we are calling on Jesus to “ring the bell” and step through the door.

Some of us are so eager for Jesus to be with us that we open the door before He can even reach out to press the button. Other times, we are “busy” or pre-occupied, and Jesus “rings” to announce His arrival – and get our attention. Still other times, we are so distracted or disinterested that we don’t even hear Jesus when He rings the bell. I don’t know about you, but I want to live in the land of the first camp! I want to be eagerly watching and waiting for Jesus. I want to always feel His Holy Spirit with me…and I want to be so attuned to His word and will that I know He is near – no “doorbell ring” required.

Search your heart and mind – and examine your priorities. Are you anticipating Jesus? Do you recognize His presence, and are your word and actions reflecting this? Are you fully operating in the love of Christ – and sharing His unconditional grace, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, kindness and more with all others? Do people see Jesus as an invited guest in your “home” – i.e. your heart, mind, and every aspect of your life? Have the words of The Lord’s Prayer become so rote and second nature to you that their meaning – and your sincerity when you utter them – been all but lost?

Make this the day that you truly stop and think about Jesus and this prayer. Consider the meaning behind these petitions…and how you are treating Jesus in your own life. Are you eagerly opening the door to whatever He brings ahead of His “ring,” or are you standing back and waiting on Jesus to give you a nudge? Have you completely ignored Jesus…and if so, don’t you think it’s time you started to pay closer attention? I urge you to carefully examine your relationship with Jesus – and make all necessary adjustments. Throw open the door and ring the bell yourself to celebrate. “Our Father in Heaven…the door is open…come on through and dwell in my heart and mind forever and ever.” Amen!

©2022 Debbie Robus