Daily Devotional for March 31, 2024 – Sound the bugle and wake up – Christ is Risen…and we have work to do!

John 20:16-23 
Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to him, “Rabboni.” The Aramaic word “Rabboni” means “Teacher.”

Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God.” Mary Magdalene then went and told the disciples she had seen the Lord. She also told them what he had said to her.

The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the evening of that same Sunday they locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them and showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they became very happy.

After Jesus had greeted them again, he said, “I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they will be forgiven. But if you don’t forgive their sins, they will not be forgiven.”

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

Christ is Risen! Happy Easter! If you are like many believers, you are spending a good portion of today reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross – and the hope and promise of His resurrection from the tomb three days later! You are also probably hiding Easter eggs, eating a big feast, and gathering with friends and family to revel in this day that holds both Spiritual significance – and commercial celebration.
 
Tomorrow will begin a new month – and a shift in focus for many. Holy Week and Easter Sunday will be in the rearview mirror…now on to the Solar Eclipse, school graduations, spring dance recitals and other springtime festivities! But here’s the thing…if you read these verses in John 20 carefully, you see that the significance of “Easter” is not over. In fact, it’s just beginning. The Easter Sunday Sermon I listened to this morning included a brief playing of “Taps” to signify that “day is done”…followed by the playing of “Reveille” – a call to “Wake up!”
 
Indeed, Jesus tells His disciples to “get up and get going!” He appears before them and breathes the Holy Spirit into their hearts and lungs. Jesus tells these followers to go and share the Good News with all others…to serve as His hands and feet as they minister and encourage more to believe and follow the Risen Savior. Jesus authorizes His disciples to forgive others in His name. And as forgiven, redeemed Believers, you and I must do the same. 
 
This doesn’t mean we are to be “high and mighty” and declare ourselves Holy and authorized to literally forgive the sins of others. But we can share the redemptive story of Jesus Christ – and guide others to seek forgiveness and Salvation from Jesus for themselves. More importantly, we can live and love all people in a way that causes them to want to seek a relationship with Jesus and His Holy Spirit for themselves.
 
Christ is Risen indeed…and His Holy Spirit lives in all who will accept His great gift of Salvation. Easter Sunday is not the end of the story – it is the beginning! “Reveille” has been played…the call has gone forth! Go…love…teach…serve. With every word and action, offer the Good News of Jesus Christ to as many people as you can! Jesus is ALIVE! Alleluia!

©2024 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for November 12, 2023 – Anyone who welcomes another welcomes Jesus…it’s time for a shift in perspective!

Matthew 10:40-42
Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will be rewarded.

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

Last week, we traveled to Little Rock for me to receive my annual mammogram at the Baptist Health Breast Center – this time in 3D imaging, which is considered the highest quality screening method for breast cancer available today. By the following morning, my report was posted…all clear – all benign. I do not take this lightly – my maternal grandmother developed breast cancer at age 79, and my mother died of ovarian cancer – and there is a correlation between instances of these two forms of cancer.
 
Additionally, two of my classmates died from breast cancer before the age 50, and a dear cousin survived 20 years only to have breast cancer return and claim her life. I never fear this annual exam – but I do respect the procedure and consider it necessary…and I hope all women who are over the age of 40 will begin to discuss this procedure with their physician and determine when the best time is to start getting screened.
 
The Baptist Health Breast Center is dedicated solely to breast health. As I mentioned, I am thankful that all I needed was a relatively quick scan, and I was out the door and “good to go” – hopefully for another year and beyond. I observed the other patients entering this facility…mostly women of every age, color, size, and ethnic background. I did not see any men who appeared to be patients, so I will speak here of women. But I do know that men can develop breast cancer, too.
 
Every woman I observed was offered equal treatment and care. Each was there for a similar purpose…and in this regard, we were all the same. It didn’t matter if we were “good.” Nobody asked us about our social status, whether we were a CEO of a major corporation or a clerk in a convenience store. Not one staff member asked me what church I attend – or if I even attend a church. I noted how they treated women younger than I am – and ladies who appeared to be older – and each one was given gentle, respectful, friendly attention.
 
Perhaps the staff is trained to be exceptionally kind and courteous toward all patients. Maybe they are taught the tenet that treating others with kindness, grace, mercy, and tenderness essentially represents treating Jesus in the same manner. Or maybe the staff came to this understanding through a personal relationship of their own with our Master and Savior. Either way, as I read the words of Jesus in this passage today, I was reminded of this illustration of His commands by what I experienced last week. All were treated equally and shown care and respect…not because of who we were or what we had said or done, but because we were all human beings in need of some level of care and treatment for a disease – or the potential of developing one.
 
If we apply this to our everyday living, I believe we can start to look at the people around us with a new perspective. I believe we can learn to see others through the eyes of Jesus – and treat them as He would treat them. This doesn’t mean that you must get cozy with strangers – or try to cultivate a relationship with those who think, speak and act differently than you. Jesus doesn’t want us to be hypocritical. We are called to genuinely demonstrate love, kindness, grace, and mercy toward all others.
 
Jesus is calling on us to offer a “cup of water” to all who are “thirsty.” He is telling us that every age, race, social class, sexual orientation, and physical condition is welcome and worthy of His love and care. Jesus is calling on us to look at every person as the staff at the Baptist Breast Center appears to look at its patients…and see the person and the need, not the “packaging.” The more you start to look at people as precious children of the Most High God, the easier it becomes to address them with kindness, grace, and mercy – and show them a reflection of Jesus. Anyone who welcomes them welcomes Him! Alleluia!

©2023 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 13, 2023 – Loving others as God commands – how easy to live with are you?

1 Corinthians 13:3-8
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.

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.

My “quote of the day” calendar entry for this date says, “Lord, when I am wrong, help me to be willing to change. And when I am right…help me to be easy to live with.” This passage of what I call the “love verses” in 1 Corinthians 13 seems to sum up this quote in four words… “I’m bankrupt without love.”
 
If we operate solely in love, we will never give up. We will care more for others than ourselves and never wish to be like the other guy – or have what he/she has. We will never strut our stuff or puff our chests. We will never demand our own way.
 
This morning, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church Pastor of Community Ministries, Abby Maynard, shared a story about a mission camp she attended with a group of teens. Near the end of the camp, a participant came to Abby and complained that she still had not taken them to Sonic® for treats, as promised. The teen was quite demanding and insulting. Abby Maynard said she retreated to her cabin and shed some tears of frustration.
 
Haven’t we all “been there, done that” – and on both sides of this spectrum? Haven’t we demanded our own way and complained without giving any thought to what the other person was experiencing? And by contrast, haven’t we given until we had nothing left to give, only to have someone tell us, “It’s not enough,” or to demand more from us or be insensitive to what we were experiencing in the moment? Both represent instances where someone operated in “me first mode” – and often, these same people claim to be loving servants of the Most High God.
 
By the same token, this passage notes that those who truly operate in love do not delight when others grovel. We are not supposed to make others pay – and enjoy it! Rather, we are to offer grace, mercy, forgiveness…and second chances. And yes, I get it…this is often very hard to accomplish! We are human beings, after all – and thereby fickle, fallible, and selfish sinners by nature.
 
Still, Paul reminds us that those who love God trust Him, never look back, and keep going…even when belittled, denigrated, disparaged, and even greatly abused. Pastor Maynard noted that the teen did come to her the following day to humbly, sincerely apologize. And of course, she accepted the expression of contrition with love and grace, as God wants all of us to do.
 
I know there are times when it is hard to demonstrate love. There are times when we behave badly “on accident” as our kids would say. We don’t mean to come off arrogant or hateful…but often, our mouth engages without really thinking through what we are about to say. We fly off the handle…or we let selfish desires – or the ideas and opinions of others – control us. And it is often hard to act with love toward those who have “wounded” us in some way.
 
Today, let’s ask God to help us operate in love – and nothing less. Let’s ask Him to help us see areas where we speak and act with our own interests in mind, regardless of what God wants – or how this affects those around us. Let’s make it our daily prayer to always be guided and guarded by love – and to demonstrate this to others with every word and action. In doing so, may we be easier to live with, as we seek God’s will over our own. Alleluia!

©2023 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for April 23, 2023 – Acknowledging the grace and kindness of God – and the “making and saving!” It’s all His idea – all His work!

Ephesians 2:7-10
Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

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.

It happened more than 45 years ago…but I remember it like yesterday. One of my first-grade students, John, came running into the classroom from the playground and opened his fist. “Look, Mrs. Robus!” he said. “It’s a robin’s egg!” I looked down at the little pale blue ball as he put it into my hand, and I said, “Oh, John, I don’t think so!” As I wrapped my fingers around the orb, it smashed into my palm, and a tiny egg yolk smeared across my skin! My heart sank, and John’s little face fell! I apologized up and down, but there was nothing I could do to make this better. And my little six-year-old first grader gave me far more grace than could ever merit. He assured me it was okay. He didn’t cry or fuss. In fact, he went on with his business and didn’t mention it again. But I felt like I had truly failed this sweet boy – and made a huge mistake.

There was a retired lady who volunteered in my classroom one day each week. I am not making this up…her name was Doris Day, and she was every bit as bright and cheerful as the screen actress by the same name. Doris was helping the day I broke John’s egg. She saw how upset I was…and she also saw how sweet my student behaved toward me. When Doris came to help the following week, she said, “I brought something for John.” Carefully wrapped in a tissue was another robin’s egg. Doris “saved” me…and made everything better. I can only assume that God put a robin’s egg in her path at that time, just for Doris to bring to my student to replace his broken treasure.

This is totally how God operates. He loves us and gives us grace and kindness far beyond what we could ever deserve. When we make mistakes and acknowledge them to God – and we all make them – He picks us up and says, “You’ll do better next time.” We deserve blame and scolding for our sins and misdeeds, but so often, we get mercy instead of reproach…encouragement rather than scolding. Though some might try, there is no way to say, “I fixed this!” because it was certainly not our doing!

I don’t know about you, but I know that I fail God daily. I am trying to be faithful, obedient, and “Christ-like,” but I am human, so I often miss the mark. And in his grace and kindness, God lifts me and forgives and says, “Keep trying. Things happen. You will do better next time…and I will be right there with you!” Oh, how thankful I am for this incredible gift. How I want to make God proud every day, and how grateful I am that He sees my efforts and puts people like John and Doris in my path to give me opportunities to experience mercy – and to grow in my own efforts to exhibit grace and kindness to others.

Spend some time today thanking God for everything He does. Thank Him for opportunities to learn and grow from our mistakes – and to still experience the depth of His love and mercy in the process. And ask God to help you to continually improve – in your faith, words, and deeds – and to always give Him the glory! Alleluia!

©2023 Debbie Robus