Daily Devotional for January 19, 2023 – Learning to follow God’s map – “Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things!”

Psalm 119:17-34
Bless me with life so that I can continue to obey you. Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and your commands are my chart and guide. I long for your instructions more than I can tell.

You rebuke those cursed proud ones who refuse your commands— don’t let them scorn me for obeying you. For even princes sit and talk against me, but I will continue in your plans. Your laws are both my light and my counselors.

I am completely discouraged—I lie in the dust. Revive me by your Word. I told you my plans and you replied. Now give me your instructions. Make me understand what you want; for then I shall see your miracles.

I weep with grief; my heart is heavy with sorrow; encourage and cheer me with your words. Keep me far from every wrong; help me, undeserving as I am, to obey your laws, for I have chosen to do right. I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can. Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things. If you will only help me to want your will, then I will follow your laws even more closely.

Just tell me what to do and I will do it, Lord. As long as I live I’ll wholeheartedly obey. Make me walk along the right paths, for I know how delightful they really are.

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 we traveled to our great-niece’s wedding in Missouri last weekend, we used Google Maps to guide us. For the record, Greg had already studied the maps and did not need this assistance. But I am trying to learn to use such devices to aid me, should I need to travel somewhere alone – and my astute “guide” is not with me to tell me where and when to turn or which exit to take! Greg reads maps as easily as some people read the comics. I am “map challenged!” I have a hard time transferring what I see on paper to what is physically ahead of my car.

There was one point in our drive where Google Maps suggested a “shorter” route. The voice said, “If you don’t want to take this route, say ‘no thanks!’ or something to that effect.” Greg did not hear this command, and when he looked at his online route, Google had changed to the “shorter” – but curvier path. Greg knew this was not correct – or a path we wished to travel. So, at our next stop, he re-entered the original coordinates and changed back to the original route.

When it comes to reading God’s map, I believe a lot of us are challenged. For whatever reason, some of us don’t fully understand what God is telling us – or we don’t hear His voice. For too many, we do not like His “route” and want to go our own way. Sometimes, we listen to the suggestions of others and find ourselves on a path that is wrong six ways to Sunday! Still others have tried and failed so many times – or “life” has been so difficult and disheartening that they have fallen into despair and all but given up on God. And let’s be honest…there are plenty of “bad news” stories these days to send us spiraling downward if we don’t make every effort to remain positive and hopeful.

Wherever you find yourself on this spectrum, God is waiting to help you. He will show you how and where to make necessary adjustments to get back on course. God will guide you and guard you – and give you reasons every day to be hopeful and helpful to someone and/or further His Kingdom. You just have to follow His map, charts and guides by listening for His voice and following His word. There will be others who will tell you that God’s word says something else…or that their way is the right way. As this Psalmist notes, they may even scorn you or judge you for your stance. Do not be deterred. God will deal with those who do this…and He will honor your commitment to Him and His will for your life.

I love how this passage says, “Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things.” Just like correcting course on Google Maps, you and I can “re-set our coordinates” and get back in full communion with God and His will. We can follow His lead and find ways every day to be joyful and productive…to bless others and be a blessing…and to forge ahead toward our Heavenly destination with hope and peace. Alleluia!

©2023 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 13, 2022 – Sharing the love, grace, and peace of Christ Jesus…it’s time to learn to get along!

Romans 12:15-18
When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. Work happily together. Don’t try to act big. Don’t try to get into the good graces of important people, but enjoy the company of ordinary folks. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil for evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through. Don’t quarrel with anyone. Be at peace with everyone, just as much as possible.

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

Last week, I made a trip to Dollar Tree. At the check-out counter, the clerk was especially friendly. The lady in line behind me noticed that I was stocking up on aluminum baking tins, and she said, “Oh, somebody’s getting ready to do some baking! Don’t you just LOVE this time of year and all the baking?!” She was incredibly talkative – but not in an obnoxious way…and both the clerk and the customer wished me a Merry Christmas as I left the store.

Then I got in my car and headed out of the parking lot toward the highway, where I observed a truck that broke my cheerful mood into a million pieces. Attached to the rear bumper of this vehicle was a specially designed hitch that held three flags…our American flag, flanked by a flag for the former President on one side…and a flag containing a vile, foul statement about the current President – as well as an equally vile sentiment for anyone who voted for this man on the other side.

Regardless of who you voted for or how you feel, I couldn’t help but wonder how I would have explained this to our 10, 11, and 13-year-old children if they had been with me. How do we encourage others to get along when such filth is smacking us in the face? And let me be clear…I would have been equally appalled and disgusted regardless of which President was on which side of the center flag. This sort of “freedom of expression” is completely counter to what Paul was telling us to offer in this passage from Romans 12.

There is a time and place to stand up for your opinions and beliefs, and a time to bite your tongue and do your best to get along. I have dear friends and loved ones who disagree wholeheartedly with me about everything from politics to religion to favorite sports teams and musicians. Just a few days ago, a neighbor was telling me that she does not trust a business owner in town that I patronize often. She prefers the competitor…and I feel just as strongly that this businessperson is not always fair and truthful. We both shook our heads and moved on to another subject. This does not affect our friendship and care for each other in the least.

There are so many situations where you and I make an issue when none should exist. We are so determined to be right or recognized that we deem our relationships with others expendable.  I will admit that I have blocked a few people on social media because every time I read their comments, I get upset. But I have also kept some “friends” who ruffle my feathers a little, because there are some areas of common ground between us – and I don’t want to miss out on sharing these.

In many cases, I think Paul is telling us not to “throw the baby out with the bath water.” Don’t let your ego – or petty differences – get in the way of sharing the love, grace, and compassion of Jesus Christ with others. I can tell you that when I have done this, there have been times when someone actually changed – or at least softened – because of the grace he/she was offered. Greg and I have both had people tell us, “I saw how you responded to So-and-so, and I was impressed with how kindly you treated them.” And I have also responded to the love and kindness others extended to me – even when perhaps I didn’t deserve it.

It was easy to return the friendliness to those ladies at Dollar Tree. I will tell you – I thought about how I would react toward the driver of the truck with the flags, were we to meet. I pray that I would offer him/her God’s grace – even as I did all I could to demonstrate human decency and decorum. I doubt I would say anything about the flags – not as an endorsement of them, but rather as a statement that I was not going to acknowledge such hatred. Sometimes, we say more by stepping aside and offering a smile and silence than we do with an all-out confrontation.

In general, people find it easier to be kind to others during this holiday season. But families and friends will be gathering…and tempers are bound to flare as conversations become heated or provocative. Paul reminds us to be at peace with others as much as possible. As you don your Christmas sweaters and deck the halls, remember to put on the love, grace and kindness of Jesus Christ – and do all you can to share these with everyone you encounter. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 8, 2022 – You have to be a friend to make a friend…are you a friend of God?

Romans 5:7-11
Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins—making us friends of 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.

Almost 20 years ago, I was teaching a junior high Sunday school class when I declared that we will likely be surprised by who we meet in Heaven. The children quickly said, “Oh, but there’s no way Adolph Hitler will be there! Saddam Hussein surely won’t be there!” My response was, “I don’t know…I cannot say for sure.” The kids were mortified by my response, but I quickly cited Luke 23:43 that tells of the thief on the cross beside Jesus who surrendered at the last minute. Jesus assured him that “Today you will be with me in Paradise. This is a solemn promise.”

I noted that we have no idea what another person may have confessed on his/her deathbed. We are not qualified to judge who has surrendered their heart to Jesus and received His salvation – and who has not. The only thing I know for certain is that this gift is offered to anyone who will accept Jesus. And when we get to Heaven, we are probably going to discover some “friends of God” we didn’t know would be there!

Here is what I want you to take away from this today…

• No person or group has cornered the market on God’s love – or redemption through the blood of Jesus.
• People are watching. They will see how you react and respond to other people and situations…and they will form opinions about Jesus based on this if you claim to be His redeemed follower.
• Stop it with the “love the sinner – hate the sin” mentality. Jesus didn’t say this. He told us in John 8:7 that “…only he who never sinned may throw the first [stone].” Jesus also told us in Matthew 7:1 “Don’t criticize (judge), and then you won’t be criticized. And in John 13:34, we learn that Jesus commanded us to…“love each other just as much as I love you.” When you attempt to “love the sinner, hate the sin,” you are elevating yourself to a position you will never have and trying to “play God.” You are also acting in “conditional love,” at best…and this is not what Jesus commands.
• We have shifted our focus from loving others with the love of Christ and doing the work to further His Kingdom to trying to create groups that think, speak and act as we do and make us feel secure and at ease. It is time to get comfortable with loving all others as Christ loves us – and making each of them feel welcome and included in His fellowship and friendship.
• If you are representing a God who gives the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ, but making stipulations and qualifications about who can get in on this abundance, you are not serving as a true disciple of Christ Jesus. Check your “witness” and ask God to set you on the right path.

If you have ever been frustrated over a group of children (of any age) who cannot seem to get along, you can only imagine how this must disappoint God. His desire is that we would all come together in the love and grace of Christ Jesus, find common ground, and learn to get along. “When we all get to Heaven” as the old hymn says, some of us are going to discover “friends” we never knew we had. God is calling on us to recognize them here, now…and to gather as many more as we can along the way. Ask Him this day to show you how to start fully operating in unconditional love and grace – and how to make new friends in the process. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for December 2, 2022 – May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you

Revelation 22:21
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen!

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

To the parent who is juggling the schedules of several children, a spouse and himself/herself…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.<

To those who are trying to get it all done and do all of the “holiday things”…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To those who are sick and suffering…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To those who are grieving or lonely…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To those who are ostracized, marginalized, criticized, or abused or persecuted in some manner…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To those who feel like God has turned His back on them (for whatever reason)…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To those who harbor hatred or bias…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To those who are frustrated, stressed, downtrodden, overworked, and simply worn out with life in some manner…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To all who are reading this message…Jesus is calling on us to extend His grace and mercy to every person we encounter. We truly do not know what another person is thinking, feeling, or enduring. But GOD KNOWS, and He loves each of us fiercely and unconditionally. Make sure that every person you encounter knows this.

Offer some grace to the person who is forgetful. Be patient and considerate of those who are stressed and may be curt – or downright rude and insulting as a result. Take a minute to listen to another person and let him know that he matters. Smile and wish others a good day – or a Merry Christmas – and let your words and actions represent the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to each person you meet.

And just in case nobody has told you today…you are loved, accepted, included, and covered in the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The words of John in the Book of Revelation are extended to each of us…and I offer them to you, as well…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 27, 2022 – Acknowledging God’s love, grace and power…it’s time to let Him work!

Ephesians 3:20-21
I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.

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

Friends have been posting for a few years now about a little boy named Gus. I don’t know this child – or his family – although there are family ties to my community and church. Gus was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2019, and he and his parents have spent the last 3 years traveling from one hospital after another in this country in search of treatments – and ultimately a cure. Now 5½ years old, little Gus is getting sicker by the minute. He is in pain as the tumors spread and grow, and his parents have acquired Hospice care for him. Collectively, all the hearts of those who have followed the story of “Augustus the Warrior” are broken. No one wants to think of losing a child. But no one wants to see a child suffer, either. And especially in recent days/weeks, little Gus has suffered.

But wait! These verses from Ephesians 3 say that God’s power at work can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. So can’t He miraculously heal this little boy and others like him? Believe me, many have asked God to do exactly this! In my own experiences, I have learned that God is indeed working…it just isn’t always as you and I think fitting or necessary.

Years ago, I asked my readers to join me in prayer for an 11-year-old boy named Job who endured a double lung transplant, after chemotherapy for leukemia decimated his own lungs. The doctors told Job’s mother more than once that she should sign the “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) papers and let this boy go to God. Job’s mother insisted that God did not confirm this. Today, Job is a young adult. He shares his story and the Good News of Jesus with everyone he can. Sometimes, God does answer “miraculously.”

Why does one boy get a “miracle” and the other doesn’t? I think the better question is, “What amazing things is God doing with little Gus that you and I cannot see?” I know how God has used this child already to bring people together in corporate prayer and hope. How God will continue to use this angel is beyond my comprehension. But I know that He will do this! No life story is wasted…no child is more precious than another. God loves all of us and has a perfect plan for each and every one of us.

In recent days and weeks, I’ve been reminded once again just how precious – and fleeting – life can be. We really must make the most of every minute and be busy sharing the grace, love, and power of God with others. We must ask Him to use us every day, according to His perfect plans, and to bless and multiply our efforts on His behalf. And we must do this for everyone…not just precious children or those who look, speak, think and act like us. The God who brought people from all walks of life – and from all around the world – together to pray for Gus and Job is more than able to do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Isn’t it time we believed Him – and show it?! Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 26, 2022 – Rooted in God’s love and grace…and paying it forward to others

Ephesians 3:14-19
When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth—that out of his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.

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

This morning, I saw a “Facebook memory” from ten years ago that showed our nephew, Timothy, roaring like a lion in his Halloween costume. I had found the “lion suit” at a local thrift store and added a mask fashioned from a paper plate and fabric scraps. In the photo, Timothy is not wearing the mask, and you can see his little scrunched up face as he gave us all his best “ROAR!” We took several photos that day, because we were celebrating the wedding of our niece and her husband, which took place on our back deck.

So much has happened since that day. We recently went out to dinner with our niece and her family to celebrate a decade of marriage.  As we looked at the photos from that day, we realized that only one other person who attended – our niece’s paternal grandmother – is still alive. When I read this passage from Ephesians this morning, I thought about what Paul was saying…how the Holy Spirit has given each of us mighty inner strengthening…how He has cultivated deep roots of love – for Him and for each other.

A lot can happen in ten years. A lot can happen in ten days! Just recently, a dear woman who belonged to my church visited mutual friends mid-week, attended church services on Sunday, and had a heart attack and died the following Tuesday. When we stop and look at all that has happened to us over the years…the only explanation I have for why we are still standing is God’s grace. And lest you think this was not extended to people like my friend who died, let me assure you that she would not return to this earth for anything we could offer her. Sometimes, God’s grace and love plays out in the calling Home of His children.

My point is this…I don’t have a logical, “human” explanation for how any of us have made it this far. And my human brain cannot grasp the vastness of God’s love and grace. But I fully accept everything He offers me. I am His…hook, line, and sinker! While I appreciate all that God grants me…I don’t spend a whole lot of time trying to understand or explain it! God’s love and grace are gifts…pure and simple. And I am so truly grateful. The more He fills me, the more I love Him and want to serve as a disciple of Christ Jesus. The more I grasp God’s intricate handiwork in my life and the lives of those around me, the more I want to tell everyone about this abundance and get in on the blessings for themselves.

The more I spend time with God and try to see His hand in every aspect of my life, the more amazed and humbled I am. I know I will never see the end of God’s love and grace – or fully understand it all. My prayer is that we will accept His gifts and determine every day to make the most of them by showing love and grace to others…all for His glory. Alleluia, and Amen!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 22, 2022 – It’s time to forego the selfies and focus on the love and grace of Jesus!

Ephesians 2:1-6
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

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, I saw a post from a friend who lives in another state. She attended her son’s “senior night”, where the parents of seniors were recognized on the football field at some point during the game. Her son is a member of the band. Someone took pictures for my friend, and in one of them, her ex-husband is turned around in the line of parents, taking a selfie. In another, he is standing so close to the man next to him (and away from my friend) that someone remarked that he looked like he was all but wearing the other man’s clothes!

I wouldn’t normally throw someone under the bus like this, but my friend did post these photos via social media for the world to see. All I could think was that this night was supposed to be about the kids…seniors performing their last halftime show of their high school career. And this dad was doing what he felt like doing, when he felt like doing it…and making the whole event about himself. As Paul says, we all have “been there, done that” – and clearly, some of us are still there!

It is amazing to me that (thankfully) God has not done what Paul suggested…lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. We cannot read or watch a news report without learning about yet another antic by someone who thinks they are above the law or superior to others in some way. We are bombarded with untruths and selfish, hateful notions that pollute our lungs with unbelief and cause us to exhale disobedience. And the scariest part of all is that many of the main offenders stand up, thump their chests, and claim to be serving Jesus Christ as they perpetuate these lies and divisiveness.

Others claim to love and serve Jesus while making every situation and circumstance about themselves.  Too many of us are busy proverbially “taking a selfie on the football field at our child’s senior night.”  Clearly, we still don’t have this right. Even though Paul wrote these letters hundreds of years ago, we are still behaving badly, and many of us remain mired in that old stagnant life of sin.

But we don’t have to stay there. We can make this the moment that we truly “put away the phone” and start to focus on Jesus Christ. We can spend time in prayer, study, and fellowship with grace-filled, humble believers – and we can seek God’s truths and operate in them in our own lives. We can serve Jesus Christ with gratitude and honor – and demonstrate His love and grace to others with every word and action.

People are watching. They see when we behave honorably – and when we act like fools.  Make this the day that you truly come alive in Jesus Christ and serve Him with integrity and grace. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 20, 2022 – God thought of everything…it’s time to live with grace and gratitude

Ephesians 1:7-10
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

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.

Hopefully, at least once in your life, you have experienced an event where someone thought of everything. Maybe a person or group rallied to celebrate your birthday, or you went on vacation to a resort where all the details were attended to impeccably. Greg and I recently attended his class reunion, and the organizing committee had gone to great lengths to make sure that every event was planned to the last element Everything from dinner napkins to t-shirts and ball caps had been emblazoned with a logo featuring school colors and signifying the event. The hostess had even painted paw prints (our school mascot is the panther) on her deck and walkways!

Why do people go to such great lengths? Generally, this is done to make the experience as enjoyable and memorable as possible. As Paul tells us in this scripture passage, God has planned and orchestrated every detail of our lives with the aim of preparing us for Heaven. He sent Jesus to die for our sins so that not a single person has to be excluded from a seat at His table in Paradise for all eternity. Most of us are aware of God’s generosity and grace. But I am not sure we acknowledge it like we should – at least consistently. I am not sure we demonstrate sufficient gratitude in our daily words and actions.

Stop and think about God’s abundance today. Consider as best you can how God has attended to every single detail of your life – even before you were born. It is impossible for us to fully grasp the magnitude of God’s love and grace. But we must make an effort to recognize Him and live in a way that demonstrates gratitude, honor, and respect. God truly has “thought of everything”…and He wants all of us to enjoy every single gift and blessing. There is plenty of room at His Heavenly table for everyone, and I hope to see you there someday.

Meanwhile, let’s do our dead-level best to live with grace and gratitude…to honor and glorify God’s unbelievable and completely undeserved gift of salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ. Let’s focus on the details as we love others and serve as Christ’s disciples in the time we are given on this earth. Now is the time to show the world Who we are living for – and to let them know that they can receive His abundance as well. Alleluia, and Amen!  

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 17, 2022 – Tapping into the treasures of truth and wisdom – it’s time to knit each other together with strong ties of love

Colossians 2:1-4
I wish you could know how much I have struggled in prayer for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for my many other friends who have never known me personally. This is what I have asked of God for you: that you will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love, and that you will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding. For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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 still remember riding with my grandparents and cousins down a dusty country road to visit my grandfather’s sister and her husband. We had such a wonderful time there, and I thought their home was magical – even though by most standards, it was rather ramshackle, with an “outhouse” for a bathroom. But the love and warmth that exuded from its owners was palpable – and permeated everything about our visit.
 
On the way back, we pulled up at another, even more ramshackle abode. A haggard and disheveled older woman greeted us – another of my grandfather’s sisters. The mother of my cousins quickly declared, “Look out! She’s a witch!” And she said it with great disdain…almost hatred. Indeed, my great-aunt’s appearance was quite worn-down – even alarming. And as a child of maybe 10 or 12 years, I could not adequately discern that the words uttered about her by this adult were completely false and evil.
 
I heard similar rumblings about this woman for years…no one every spoke kindly of her until I was an adult. One day, my grandmother told my sister and me that these claims were absolutely false…that my grandfather’s sister was truly a lovely woman who endured a terribly difficult life. It seems that she had a daughter who was badly scalded as a small child of maybe 3 or 4 years of age. The child died from her injuries, and this woman’s husband blamed her for this tragedy. He began to abuse her and make up stories about her that he shared with her children and other family members. He ostracized my great-aunt and denied her access to decent clothing and a means to make herself more presentable. My great-aunt did the best with what she had as her husband convinced many people that this woman was evil – even “possessed.” Some refuse to believe differently even today.

A few years before my grandmother died, one of this woman’s granddaughters came to visit one day. I happened to be present for this visit. My grandmother was losing her ability to speak, but when I relayed HER story about her sister-in-law to my cousin, my grandmother nodded in agreement and was able to confirm with some “yes” answers and a few words. The grand-daughter was astounded, and heartbroken…but also relieved to learn that her late grandmother was not the “witch” others had made her out to be. Over the years, my grandmother had demonstrated great love and care for this cousin, so she trusted that what she was hearing was indeed the truth.

I think we all agreed that the way this woman was treated was tragic. It breaks my heart to think she didn’t know love and acceptance from so many because some chose to perpetuate lies about her. I’m sure my grandparents were kind to her…but I am also sure they had to be careful about their words and actions, so they didn’t make things worse for this woman in their absence. It pains me that more of my great-aunt’s living descendants do not embrace the truth about her today…but I am glad that at least a few have come to understand that she was not the horrible person they thought her to be.

The reason I am sharing this story is to emphasize how wrong we often are about others…and how readily some of us accept the word of one person or a handful and run with it like it is gospel. We judge others – often painting with a broad brush and assuming that things are one way while refusing to consider they might be something else completely. Worst of all, a lot of people who claim to be Christians are the ones perpetuating the lies. Let’s be honest…many have demonized people of other races, religions, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, political parties – or because of some perceived (and often unsubstantiated) grievance or offense. People who have surrendered their hearts to Jesus and love Him every bit as much as you and I do have been ostracized, outcast, and declared to be “evil” or “crazy” because of some perceived difference – or out of a spirit of unforgiveness.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can start to investigate what we read and hear and discover the truths for ourselves. We can stop taking the word of this person, party, pastor, leader, relative, or friend – and start digging to find answers that bring us to the real truth. We can pray and ask God to show us how to find these answers…and how to discern when we are being fooled or led to incorrect conclusions.

We are living in a culture where a lot of people have an agenda they wish to promote. Greg and I watched a news story yesterday about an organization that has begun bringing people from opposite viewpoints together to discuss their thoughts and seek common ground. In many cases, the participants found out that they really liked “the other guy” and found much about him/her to appreciate and value. This is a drop in the bucket for what is needed for healing us and combatting the divisiveness and hatred that have become so commonplace…but it’s a start. And you and I can ask God to equip and empower us to participate in our little corner of the world.

We can look for ways today to speak power to the truth…to stand up for those who have been marginalized or ostracized in some way…to reach out to someone who does not agree with us on every single issue and find even the tiniest shred of common ground – and build on that! We can ask God to renew our strength and resolve to knit each other together with strong ties of love. We don’t have a minute to waste…it’s time to do whatever it takes to love one another…without exception or exclusion. This is the day that the LORD has made. Alleluia, and Amen!

©2022 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for October 15, 2022 – Serving God with love, grace and unity…just as OUR God commands!

Acts 4:32-33
The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.

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.

When I read this passage, I immediately thought of a comment I heard in 2015 after the SCOTUS decision on gay marriage was given. Someone said, “It’s our rainbow…and we want it back!” This phrase stuck with me over the last few years, along with “All lives matter!” and other phrases so vile I will not repeat them here. Suffice it to say, when the people written about in the Book of Acts were described as “united and sharing,” the authors were not talking solely in terms of physical possessions.

According to information found at Brittanica.com, the first rainbow flag was designed in 1978, by artist Gilbert Baker. The original design included eight colors – each with a different symbolism… “hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit.” Later, the pink and turquoise stripes were replaced with an indigo band, and the colors were ordered like an actual rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet).

I was not aware of the representative meaning of the individual colors…and I bet a lot of others aren’t, either. The rainbow flag is not just a symbol of “gay pride”…it is more broadly an expression of unity and inclusion for all. And this is what Jesus has called us to participate in…a unified life of love, grace, service, and discipleship. Too many have singled out one person or group of people – or one “movement” – and decided that this does not “fit” with their concept of Christian discipleship. Just as some have said, “I will write God a check, but I cannot physically serve in His missions and ministries,” others have said, “I will serve God…but not alongside this person or that group.” Both positions run counter to what Jesus designed and commands.

Here’s the thing…it truly is our rainbow…but not selectively. Scripture documents in Genesis 9 that God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign to Noah and his descendants that He would never again send a flood to destroy the earth. God declared the rainbow to be a covenant with all living beings. He did not put limitations or qualifications on this promise…and neither should we. He didn’t say, “I offer this declaration to some, but not all…to this group or person, but not that one.”

If we are serious about serving God, we must embrace His covenants – and the commands of His Only Son, Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean we have to agree on every single issue. That’s where grace comes into the picture. We are called to love all others…to see them as God sees them…and to figure out a way to get along and work together to further the Kingdom of Heaven. We can’t have our church or our rainbow…unless “our” means everyone is included. Our God requires this, and we must make it so. Alleluia!

©2022 Debbie Robus