A Devotion May Be Someone's Only Bible

Spirit & Mind

Focusing our minds on Christ. . .studying His word, drawing tight into a relationship that is unbreakable. This is when His Spirit lives in our minds helping us keep our eyes focused only on Him.

Being a Servant

I found myself being a servant.

My husband fell once and injured his leg badly enough to need help with everything for three months. He could not stand or bear weight, get into the shower, or safely climb the many steps in our house. I was suddenly the servant in our home. I discovered that servants don’t always get thanked for what they do, nor do they get to choose a convenient time to do a task. Servants just do their job.

Perhaps we have volunteered for a job at church and couldn’t understand why everyone did not praise or love our work. Or, we thought we were doing an excellent job, but someone else took credit for the success.

A servant is not a household member, nor do they get a voice in choosing the job. A servant doesn’t have the privilege of receiving praise. It’s nice when it happens, but a servant isn’t praised by his master for performing his duty.

Servanthood is not popular, so why should we consider it a Christian virtue? The Bible says Jesus became a servant, doing what the Father told Him to do.

It’s humbling to realize the King of Glory took the form of a servant for sinful people so that we could live with Him forever. This perfect One did not ask for praise or attention but taught us to be servants by following His example. He even washed His disciples’ feet.

We can get our feelings hurt when we don’t receive praise for a job well done at church or in our homes, but as a servant, God will praise us with a “well done, good and faithful servant.” And that will be more glorious than anything we receive on earth.

How can you do a better job of being a servant?

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Sonnenstrahl.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)



I’m Not a Puppy

We once had a fun family outing to an amusement park: two mamas, six grandchildren, and two grandparents.

We were laden down with a couple of strollers, diaper bags, picnic lunch food, and lots of water bottles. We mostly stayed together, but when we split up from time to time for the different kinds of rides, we invoked our divide-and-conquer plan.

And this Nana was ready—always mindful of safety, wondering children, and crowded places. I had placed my children’s leash at the bottom of one of the strollers. So, when my three-year-old granddaughter and I separated from the others for a restroom break, I placed the Velcro hand wrap around Amara’s little wrist and clutched the other end to begin our trek.

“Let’s go,” I said. 

But Amara stopped dead in her tracks. With her feisty spirit, she replied, “I’m not a puppy!”

After stifling my chuckles, I explained the purpose of the safety leash, and we went on our way.

Amara’s self-assurance to advocate for herself and her confidence in her identity as a child, not a puppy, can speak volumes to us as Christians. Are we advocating for ourselves with confidence that we belong to Jesus so that others know our identity?

Our identity as Christ followers includes being treasured children of God. We are loved, chosen, and redeemed. We are members of His body, the church. If we’re walking around defeated, demoralized, and depressed, we are experiencing a mistaken identity. Maybe our spiritual facial recognition is not working. Let’s not get waylaid in the ways of the world where a false identity is triggered.

In what ways do you proclaim your identity in Christ daily?

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and geralt.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)



The Weight of Honesty

Once, a mighty king sought the employment of a great warrior to aid him in the battles for his kingdom.

The king knew the whereabouts of the warrior's missing sister and knew the warrior wanted to rescue her. So, the king brought the warrior into his royal court. After some discussion, the two made an agreement. The warrior would fill the request of whatever the king would ask. In return, the king would give the warrior the information he desired.

The king continually sent the warrior out to do his dirty work, but covertly sent spies to sabotage the warrior’s effort so that he would never completely fulfill the task. After some time, the warrior became suspicious because he had never had a problem like this in the past.

On one particular attempt, the warrior caught the king's saboteurs and forced them to tell the truth. The king had the man’s sister the entire time. He used the warrior as his pawn. Filled with rage, the warrior dethroned the treacherous king, released his sister from the royal dungeon, and established his authority as ruler over the land.

The Lord hates differing weights and differing measures. And how we use our words matters to Him. Scripture has a theme that the Lord has a higher standard for those who lead in religious and secular positions. Additionally, the punishment for their sins is much greater.

God expects much more from those who lead His flock. He wants us to lead by example. Leaders must also show impartiality, judge fairly, and honor the Lord with their words.

Do your best to ensure your words and deeds are honest. Seek out the word of the Lord, and delight yourselves in Him.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Peggy_Marco.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)



Count Your Blessings

One Sunday morning, Beverly and I played a captivating piano-organ duet of the well-loved hymn, “Count Your Blessings.”

The stanzas rolled around in my brain in the following days, nudging me to pay attention to all the wonderful ways God continually pours Himself through me.

One, two, three. My feeble brain counts everything, including footsteps. I reset thermostat controls from odd to even numbers. I write dates in the margins of my Bible when I read a section or verse. Why did God create us to count?

Numbers matter to God. In fact, there is an entire book of the Bible entitled Numbers. Here, God directs His people, His work of genius, to be accounted for in an orderly fashion. He gave us numbering systems to help classify the chaos surrounding us.

The Bible is divided into neatly numbered chapters and verses. Its sixty-six books were initially written differently. Translators created the segments and divisions, organizing God’s Word so readers could understand and count them more easily.

As an accountant, I spent my professional hours documenting the existence and depreciation of my company’s assets (blessings). As a musician, I count the beats in a measure, the measures in a score, and the pages of a piece—all musical blessings. 

You are blessed to be a blessing. Count your gifts and give them back to God. You can never thank Him enough for His provisions.

 

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and marybettiniblank.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)



Two Little Hearts on Valentine's Day

February 14 brings out many feelings in people.

Valentine’s Day is a day to express love and affection to that special person. We give everything from heart-shaped cards and chocolate candy to flowers and romantic dinners. Some even give marriage proposals.

For me, it evokes memories from childhood. Growing up, my dad always bought Mom flowers, a large heart-shaped box of Whitman sampler chocolates, and a beautiful card. My sister and I always got a smaller heart-shaped box of chocolates with Charlie Brown on the cover. I still remember how special I felt because we got a box of chocolates.

Dad’s example of a father’s love was even more beautiful since he grew up without his father. While my grandmother was pregnant with my daddy, her husband died. However, my grandmother, who was a true believer in God and a born-again Christian, raised my daddy to love Jesus. She read to him from the Bible and told him stories of Noah and the flood and Adam and Eve and taught him what it was like to be truly loved—just as God loves His children.

John was part of Jesus’ inner circle and often called the “apostle of love.” He knew firsthand how it felt to be loved by Jesus.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we become a part of God’s kingdom and one of His children. God loved us first, and John was passionate about that truth. He referred to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved.”

Regardless of whether we grew up with a loving father, we can still experience true love from God our Savior. When we do, we open our hearts to a love that lasts for eternity.

Would you consider becoming a part of God’s family? If you already are, what do you enjoy about being in His family?

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and JillWellington.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)



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