Thursday Devotional...12/1/11

A Party Girl

I love parties. Fun, food, and fellowship! Even if it’s a casual evening I still dress up my jeans by rifling through the jewelry tray looking for some sparkling addition. Then it’s a bright evening of meeting new people, catching up with old friends, nibbling on lots of goodies, laughing and celebrating that we are here and it’s that time of year again.

Christmas is here! I’ve been thinking about it since September. Well, not exactly thinking, more like worrying about it. I can do the math. Income that barely covers the month in September isn’t going to miraculously stretch to cover every corner of a winter month that includes family presents, special foods, gift exchanges, warm clothes, and boots.

After I consider all the things I need to make Christmas happen, I daydream about what it might feel like to buy whatever I want without limit. Then I finish off this fantasy by going to a party. It is a very special event just for me: a pity party.

Perhaps the last time you saw a pity party take place it was in the life of a toddler who wasn’t getting her own way. Well, I am older than a toddler, but it hasn’t kept me from engaging in these private events whenever I am feeling sorry for myself.

“Are you mad?” my mother asked as she gave me a sideways glance while steering the car on to our next stop. My 8 year old arms crossed and my chin down I would shake my head no. “Are you feeling sorry for yourself?” she continued. As I nodded my head yes and tightened my arms, I sunk deeper into the seat. “Well, you can feel sorry for yourself if you want. Just let me know when you are done.” After what seemed like 5 minutes she would ask me, “Are you done yet?” Sometimes I said yes and we went on to talk about other things. Sometimes I wasn’t done and she’d let me wallow in silence for another 5 minutes before asking me if I was ready to come out yet.

In a bible study lesson humorously labeled “My life is so miserable; I feel sorry for myself because my life is wretched!” the author describes self-pity as the God- given gift of compassion turned inward. Anytime we take something God intended for us to give to others and turn it on ourselves it won’t produce good fruit. For instance, if we take God’s gift of love and focus it on ourselves more than we pour it out on others, selfishness and self-centeredness are the result.

I hadn’t thought of my lapses of sorrow as misusing God’s compassion. God blessed my mother with the insight that she needed to train me to choose how I thought when I was young. Now I am the grown up and I need to let God help me choose the right focus.

Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘
What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’

These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers,

 but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

Seek the Kingdom of God[d] above all else, and live righteously,

and he will give you everything you need.

It isn’t pleasant for me to discover that I am doing something that is not only bad for me but displeases God. But I would rather He show me my sin so that I can be free instead of leaving garbage inside of me.

Proverbs 28:13 (CEV)

If you don't confess your sins, you will be a failure.

 But God will be merciful if you confess your sins and give them up.

Dear Lord, please help this party girl to turn away from feeling sorry or disappointed. You know everything that is going on in my life and the world around me AND You have it all under control. Please help me to choose to be happy with my circumstances. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by
Mary M. Wilkins

Bible study: Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyers.
More insight at: www.joycemeyer.org

Devotional for Wednesday...11/30/11

"Jehovah Rapha"

Early this morning the Bible story out of 2 Kings Chapter 5 came to my mind. Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Syria. He was also a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master and the Lord had given him great victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but had one major problem. The problem he faced, was that he was a leper. The good news is that the Lord indeed wanted to heal him of his leprosy. A messenger was sent to him, saying "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." Naaman became furious and sarcastic for a time and even argued there were better rivers than the Jordan he could wash in. Finally after being convinced by his servant that if his father, the prophet had told him to do something great, would he not have done it? Then he went on to say, how much more then when he says to you, "Wash and be clean."

We all know the end of the story that Naaman went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan and his flesh was fully restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. He was so overwhelmed by God's goodness and realized the beauty of the Lord and all His splendor. His heart was greatly moved and he was overflowing with gratefulness that he wanted to bestow gifts to the man of God that heard from the Lord to help him.

One of the names of God is Jehovah Rapha which means; he heals our bodies and heals and restores our spirit and soul. Truly God was Naaman's Jehovah Rapha and God desires to be the same to us as well. The Lord desires to restore us completely. That is the wonderful God that we serve!

Blessings,
Sandy Billingham

God's Sovereignty...Wednesday

5/7/14

Do all things

without murmurings and disputings:

That ye may be blameless and harmless,

the sons of God, without rebuke,

in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,

among whom ye shine  as lights in the world;

Philippians 2:14-15

Comprehending God's sovereignty should begin to produce another necessary yet difficult quality: complete resignation to God's will. We Israelites have gained quite a reputation with God for being unwilling to accept life without griping.

Human nature naturally complains when it feels it has been deprived of what it had its heart set on. We think that our possessions are ours unconditionally. We feel that we are entitled to success when we have done something well. We believe that, when we work hard and competently, we deserve to keep what we have accumulated. We hold that, when surrounded by our happy family, no power may enter our beloved circle and strike down a loved one. We can even think that we should be immune from bankruptcy because God must honor our obedience! 

However, understanding and accepting God's sovereignty includes His right to do or allow anything He wills.

Written by 
Annie Allen

The Reason for the Season..His Birth from Luke 1, 2

Monday Devotional for 11/28

LUKE 1

26 ............God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LUKE 2

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Shared by
Corinne Mustafa

THANKS-LIVING

devotional for Sunday 11/27/11

Today ends the Thanksgiving weekend and begins the Advent and Christmas season of our church. But our thankfulness does not stop just because this weekend is ending. It is pleasing to God when we live truly thankful lives year-round, praising him for all his benefits to us. In fact, we can thank him for EVERYTHING we have, because it is all just on loan from God. We can even be thankful for the difficulties of this life, for the lessons learned and the experiences shared with others to help them see God's mercy and hope. This constant thankfulness is called "thanks-living."

Thankfulness to God not only pleases Him, it also enriches our own lives as we develop a true attitude of gratitude. Beyond ourselves, we also show thankfulness by sharing a portion of what we have with others. Then those others in turn can be thankful to God, and so on. The most important thing we share with other people is the Good News of the free gift of salvation to all who believe in the one who's birth we are preparing to celebrate!

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. -- 2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV

written by Jan Andersen, thankful child of God

Devotional for Saturday...11/26/11

A Little More Money

What makes a day perfect for you? Not waking up already tired? Having a clean house? Bills all paid and current? How about a day where you have nothing to do for anyone else? Perhaps, you wish there was someone who would make you feel good about you? Or a cheerful friend who wants to spend some time with you doing something relaxing and fun? It might even depend on the day as to what would make it perfect!

Perfect days are pretty elusive to most of us. Some of the more optimistic among us find a perfect day in just one item in spite of what the rest of the day holds. The nature lovers are satisfied with a stunning sunset or some beautiful glimpse into creation. The relationally oriented are content when a good connection has been made with another person on a meaningful level. The helpers are fulfilled when something has been accomplished to alleviate a difficulty or trouble in another’s life.

Is there really a way to have a perfect day? The reality of this world is that no matter what wish is granted or what desire is fulfilled it will not satisfy the deepest need of our souls. The millions of people in our country who suffer with depression in spite of having spouses, children, friends, health, jobs, money, clothes, cars, houses...are proof that these things do not bring happiness. Yet the detail of my day to day life tempts me to think a little more money would make everything perfect.

Then there are those people who, in spite of horrific circumstances, live in peace and have true happiness. What do they have? They have contentment. Where can we get it? We get it from choosing to trust God in everything.

Hebrews 13:4-6 (AMP)

Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous. Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

Dear Lord,
It seems beyond my reach to make sure my character
is free from the love of money. Please be my strength for I am weak.

 Please search my heart and help me to recognize

when I am not being content. I desire to have a heart

that focuses on the good things for I know
that every good thing in my life is from You (see James 1:17).

In Jesus name, amen.

Written by

Mary M. Wilkins

Friday Devotional...11/25/11

 A Thanksgiving Prayer

Has the Lord ever taken you back to a time in your life that you may have forgotten about, but when the image comes back to you… you have a whole new perspective on that particular event.

Our devotionals for this week was to reflect on “Thanksgiving” and it seemed as though as soon as I heard this request, my mind was immediately transformed back to Thanksgiving of 1974.

My four year old son Ronald had been released from Stanford Children’s Hospital that very day from a serious bout of asthma. I can remember being so weary from the mental and physical exhaustion that we had all just gone through with my precious little boy. I recall being nervous about going to my cousin Brenda’s house for Thanksgiving dinner as there would be lots of kids running and playing like all children do and I was worried that Ronald would try to keep up with his friends which could throw him right back into an asthma attack.

I remember the women bustling around in the kitchen making the last minute preparations for our big day. The kitchen windows were steamed up as potatoes were being mashed, gravy was being thickened and the delicious aroma of turkey filled the house. Finally everyone was called to gather around the tables that were set up for our Thanksgiving feast!

There was lots of chatter and laughter while Moms were trying to gather all their broods around the tables, and finally the bell rang “Every One Dig In” !!

My heart instantly felt burdened because no one stepped up to say “Let’s offer Thanks”. The sting of all that we’d just gone through with Ronald was fresh on my heart and my thoughts were on how thankful I was that God had once again seen us through. I can remember my eyes tearing up as I discretely left the table and went into the bathroom, closed the door, got on my knees and crossed my arms over the toilet seat cover and began to cry. These were mixed tears of thankfulness that our little Ronald was home with us, thankful for all the blessings that God had given to us and yet sorrowful of heart that no one offered “Thanks”. I prayed and cried for a while, but soon stood to my feet as I knew in my heart that I had stood in the gap for our family. Since recollecting that scene, I believe God was in my presence and proud that someone offered “Thanks” even if it was at the foot of the toilet.

Written by
Glenna Williamson



Thanksgiving Devotional...11/24/11

A Completely Christian Holiday

As a home schooling mom, I take breaks from our regular teaching to incorporate holiday lessons. As a Christian mom, I choose my lessons carefully. So, a few weeks ago, when Halloween was quickly approaching, I got out my book that explains the true roots of the festivities engaged in on October 31st. It wasn’t a new teaching. We’ve done it before, so it felt like the same ol’ same ol’ history lesson. My children had the attitude of, “Been there, done that…can’t we learn about something else?”

I decided to discuss the roots of other holidays. So, they learned that not only does Halloween traditions have pagan roots, but so do many Christmas and Easter traditions. Ok, this was a little bit more interesting to them…and disappointing as well. Christians don’t usually like to hear these things, but I’m not bothered. I like that the church was successful in changing the focus from pagan rituals to glorifying our Lord and Savior.

Why write about this on Thanksgiving? Because the next part of our discussion was a question I posed to them.

“Instead of becoming upset that many of our traditions at Christmas and Easter have pagan roots, why don’t you tell me if you can think of a holiday that’s been completely Christian right from its very first celebration with absolutely no pagan traditions?”

That’s right! The answer is Thanksgiving!

Though you won’t hear this taught in public schools, it is taught in Christian private and home schools. And even though it wasn’t declared a national holiday until many years after the first, that doesn’t change the fact that the small group of individuals who survived their previous brutal winter, celebrated their first successful harvest by giving thanks to their Creator, and they praised Him in the name of their Savior, Jesus Christ.

I’d like to point out that there have been numerous ancient cultures from all over the world with their own longstanding tradition of celebrating a successful harvest. In fact, a thorough study of all the roots of Halloween shows that even the Celts marked November 1st as (among other things) the end of harvest and so October 31 festivities was a harvest time celebration, though their traditions were pagan and many of them sad and evil. No scholar of ancient civilizations would deny this aspect of history, that all ancient societies had some form of a harvest celebration where they would bring homage to their god or gods. This is even true in the Old Testament, for the Israelites had several religious celebrations instituted by God Himself including one marking harvest called, Sukkot, and it included bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to God for providing for His people.

What makes Thanksgiving any different? Nothing, except the secular world has done their best to take God out of it and make it a day to remember how the pilgrims thanked the Indians. Wait! What? Oh, no, no, NO! It was not a day to mark and commemorate the help of their neighbors, but how God’s hand was in the whole process. Yes, their neighbors, the friendly natives of the land, befriended the settlement and helped them to learn how to plant successfully so they would have peace and security during their next winter. However, the celebration of their harvest focused on giving thanks to God for using the Indians for their benefit. These kind neighbors joined in with the Pilgrims in their celebrations of thanking God.

Now as I said, ancient cultures celebrated by not only a feast, but sacrifices to their god or gods…this includes the Israelites. However, our culture is not ancient, and the first harvest celebration occurred in the New Testament Era. That means animal sacrifices were no longer required to our God because Jesus already made the final sacrifice of His own life. So, the pilgrims did exactly what they were supposed to do. They gave instead a sacrifice of praise, and we call it Thanksgiving.

They began a new thing…a celebration of the harvest of God’s loving provision for His people by a gathering together for a feast in His honor, offering a sacrifice of praise because of their thankful hearts for what God had given them.

So does this mean that because Thanksgiving is a Christian holiday that only Christians should celebrate it? Absolutely not! That small group of survivors welcomed their non Christian neighbors to join them in their feast. Though the truth is, we know that at least of them was a Christian. His name was Squanto.

It is because of this Patuxet believer in Christ that the two people groups were able to join together and with God’s merciful blessing, they worked to make their settlement into a productive society of Christians in a new land.

So, gather together with family and friends, Christian and non Christian, enjoy your feast, help someone unfortunate, like the friendly neighbors of the pilgrims had done many years ago, so they can have a reason to celebrate and thank God, but do everything you can do to make sure everyone you’re with knows that Thanksgiving is about thanking God for His provision by giving to us. And don’t forget to offer up your sacrifice of praise with a thankful heart to the God who gives. In fact, he has given to the world more than many people realize.

He has given His only Son.

For God so loved the world

That He gave His one and only Son

that whoever believes in Him

shall not perish,
but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Amie Spruiell

11/23/2011

Wednesday Devotional...11/23/11

"God Is My Stronghold"

Recently when I was spending time with the Lord, I felt Him impressing upon me how He wants to be our Stronghold. I was reminded how often the enemy puts thoughts into our minds, and as we dwell on those thoughts, they can become a stronghold to us.

The Webster's dictionary defines stronghold as; fortified place,a place of security or survival. Isn't that just like our Lord? As we embrace and trust Him totally and meditate on His word, then He becomes that fortified place and a deep place of security.

On the other hand, when we allow incorrect thinking to dominate our thoughts, those thoughts become a stronghold to us. The more we dwell on the thoughts and allow them to be ingrained in our mind, the tougher the stronghold is in our life.

Only when we choose to take captive of our thoughts, and bring them to obedience onto the Lord and His truth to penetrate our minds, can those wrong strongholds be torn down.

                                                

                   God's word says in Psalm 18:2

"The Lord is my rock

and my fortress and my deliverer;
my God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
my shield and the horn

of my salvation, my stronghold."

Above all I desire for the Lord to be my Stronghold. I want His strong arms holding me and watching over me and that my thoughts would be completely absorbed in Christ alone. Keeping my mind stayed on thee, I can find great peace, trust and strength in Him.

Rich Blessings,

Sandy Billingham

Tuesday Devotional...11/22/11

The Clock is Ticking!

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;
for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge,
nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

===========================================

Solomon is teaching us that now is the time to work with care, energy, and purpose to get the most and the best from life and to prepare for the hereafter. His basic reason is that the clock is ticking. Time is running out.

We let our requests for what we think we need from God be made known to Him with ease. In other words, they are at the forefront of our minds, and it is very likely that before we actually get down on our knees—or however or wherever we pray—we have been thinking about what we are going to request of God for a long time. We have many reasons to give to God why we want or need what we are asking Him for.

Thanksgiving in prayer requires prior preparation too. It is not something most of us tend to work at with all of our might. This is because of the human proclivity to merely accept things—especially things that we might consider as blessings—as due us. In other words, in some cases we go to God with the thought that we deserve it. This attitude is there, and this is what makes so many of our prayers nothing more than "the gimmes." Other vital elements that are needed to make an effective prayer before God are often overlooked, forgotten, and neglected, and sometimes never used, or maybe they are just brushed over in the rush to get to whatever we want to ask Him for. Nevertheless, true thanksgiving—an expression of sincere gratitude for what we have been given undeserved—needs to be a part of every prayer.

submitted by 
                Annie

Monday Devotional...11/21/11

Uniquely You

Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

         Psalm 1:1-3, 6

 Uniquely You

Oh,
be uniquely yourself

The other has been done

It is a cool breeze

Across a withered soul

When one is true to themselves

It brings freshness

And hope

That they too are acceptable

Just as they are

And can be

Uniquely them.

Kathy B.

Psalm 1,

Psalm 139

DETOURS

for Sunday 11-20-11

There is always a lot of road construction going on in big cities - on the highways and the city streets, etc. I was traveling on a highway this weekend that circles around the city on 3 sides. First I had to travel south on the western-most portion, and later I was going to travel back north on the western part and then east on the most northern part. They are in the process of re-doing the entire highway, adding lanes etc. Each weekend they close a different portion at different times. I always forget to check what part is being closed before I make my weekend trek. As I was traveling this road rushing to my first destination, I saw a changeable highway sign that had posted on it an upcoming closure. It said it would be closed that day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. I quickly checked the time on my watch - 6:11 a.m. - and I thought - "Oh no! Now I'm really going to be late - to both my destinations!" I also thought the last time I tried to just follow the traffic through to the closure and follow the detour, the backup was horrendous. So this time I figured I would take the exit before the point where it was closed. So off I went, onto a side road, with stop lights, lower speeds, etc. Luckily it was close enough to the highway that I could see at the next exit/entrance it actually was NOT closed! So I jumped back onto the highway and had only lost about 5 minutes. Then on my way to my next destination I saw a sign that the other direction was reduced to 1 lane in the same area. so I took a different highway to pick up this route on the north side. But wouldn't you know it, the highway was closed at that spot also! Now I was getting frustrated. I took an alternate road again and finally made it, though half an hour late.

In the Bible we find an example of a time when God detoured someone, but they fought that detour. The Lord told Jonah to detour to Nineveh to tell them their evil ways were not pleasing to God, but Jonah had different plans. He thought he could escape that detour by making his own changed route, to run away from God's plans. But it was futile. The Lord made sure he had a fishy experience that put him back on God's track! Jonah's prayer was still heard, in spite of his trying to run away.

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry." Jonah 2:1-2 NIV

Our lIfe can be a lot like that of Jonah's. We travel our road, through it's twists and turns, stops and starts, and sometimes we run up on an unexpected Detour. God may have a certain path laid out for us, but we are unable to fully see what his plans are. So, sometimes we make decisions to go around the detour - not follow the path God has mapped out for us in advance. We may think we are right, or feel as though we know a better way than what faces us ahead. But many times when trying to avoid the detour, we only make things harder or worse. Sometimes we may even be able to look in the rear-view mirror in retrospect and understand it. There is nowhere to run away or to hide from God and his plans for us.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10 NIV

So through the twists and turns and detours of your life, remember to always leave the guiding to God!

written by Jan Andersen

Saturday Devotional...11/19

A Simple Heart’s Desire

Do you remember your first time? No, not that first time. I mean the first encounter you had with Jesus? I do. A lot of people have what they call a spiritual birthday, but I really don't remember the date. I know it was summer, I was four years old, and it was unmistakably not only my first encounter with Him, but the first time I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.

It happened a week after a Sunday school class where we colored a picture of Jesus knocking on a door of a giant heart. For about a week after that, I was having dreams of someone knocking on our front door. It was a little scary. During one of those middle of the night dreams of knocking, I woke up and thought for sure that someone really was knocking at our front door. I wondered why my dad was not getting up to answer the door. As I lied in bed, I suddenly remembered the picture I colored and wondered if Jesus was at our front door. I squinted my eyes in the dark at my messy room wondering where that picture was and then realized that I had not heard any knocking for awhile, so I drifted back to sleep. The next morning was Saturday. My dad was up at the crack of dawn and so was I. I jumped out of bed, and searched for the picture. After a few minutes of rummaging through clothes and toys, I found it. I stared at it for a little bit trying to understand it all. Then my attention span was up and so was I doing other things.

Summer Saturday mornings usually began with dragging my sleeping bag out into the living room and unfolding the sofa bed so I could snuggle up and watch tv in bed. My brother would soon join at the sound of Saturday morning cartoons. Before long, Dad would have Willie Nelson or Marty Robbins singing on the stereo drowning out the cartoons while he made pancakes and bacon. By around 8, he'd be done with cooking and already doing yard work before the heat would set in. During all this time, Mom was sleeping in.

On this particular Saturday morning, my brother and I were already out back playing by 9am still in our pajamas. Mom had just started to wake up. Dad was finished by 9:30 and ready to go to the dumps. We loved going to the dumps with him, but the rule was that we had to be dressed. I decided I'd rather stay in my Holly Hobby nightgown and play with our dog, Mush, in the backyard. Mom was slowly moving, getting her coffee, and lounging on the already opened sofa bed. The back door was open and brother and I were pretty loud out there with our husky, but every now and then I could hear singing. I went over to the door to see what Mom what doing.

Peering thought the screen with grimy face and stringy hair, I watched my mother sitting on the bed with her Bible open in front of her singing and praying. Sometimes she spoke in tongues, her heavenly language. Of course, I didn't understand what a heavenly language was, but I'd heard it enough to not be alarmed by it. Watching her intrigued me especially after the dreams I had been having. So, I slowly and quietly opened the screen door and crept into the room until I was standing at the side of the bed staring at my mom. I'm sure she knew I was there, but she didn't say anything and she did not stop singing. I carefully climbed up onto the bed and crawled over to where she was. That's when she stopped and opened her eyes to look at me. As soon as she opened her eyes, I asked her the question, "How do I get to be born again?"

It was a phrase I had heard quite often and I just knew that I was supposed to ask her. I think she was surprised to hear me ask it; after all I was only 4 years old. Never the less, within a moment or two, she realized that I was old enough to understand certain things such as sin and forgiveness. So, she began to explain.

I don't remember exactly how she explained it to me, but I wanted to do whatever she told me to do. I wanted to open the door for Jesus. I wanted to do it right away. So, she told me how to talk to Jesus. She told me what to say and I said it. As soon as I started my prayer, tears started streaming down my cheeks. It wasn't a cry I had ever cried before. I didn't feel any sadness or anger. It didn't even feel like a cry. My voice was normal and I wasn't out of breath. I couldn't understand it. I even said to my mother after our prayer, "I don't know why I'm crying, Mommy, I'm not sad." She said to me, "That's alright. I know why."

Well, as soon as she said that, I must have decided I was done. Either that or my attention span was up again, so I jumped off the bed and went out to play. I didn't have the dreams anymore, but I went back and forth thinking, "There's a little bitty Jesus living inside of my body, or was there? Had something really happened? He heard me right? What if He didn't really hear me and that's why I was crying during that prayer?" All I really wanted was for Him to be with me all the time and be my best friend. So, that wasn't the only time I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. It was only the first.

I asked Jesus to come into my heart every single night for I don't know how long. I would say, "Just in case you didn't hear me...." It was probably a few years before I realized that I didn't have to ask Him over and over again. He heard me the first time and would never leave me. So, then I started praying differently. I started asking for everyone in the whole wide world to become a Christian. I guess I always had an evangelistic heart. Several years after that, as a teenager, I guess enouh "stuff" had happened to me, that I became discouraged and wasn't even praying at all.

Of course, God brought me back around to Him as an adult, but I've wondered why is it we don't come to Him with the pure love and innocence of a child just wanting the basics...for Jesus to just forgive us, be our best friend, and bring everyone else to that same place? It seems sweet and cute to ponder on the way I prayed as a child. Of course I know we don't HAVE to keep asking Him to be our Lord and Savior. Once He is, He is. But I think there was something else happening during those prayers. I was really asking in the words of child for Him to examine me. I was really expressing my desire to please Him. That is what we are supposed to do right? …ask Him to examine our hearts? We're supposed to ask Him to show us where we need to change. I realize now how pleased God was to know and hear that my heart only wanted to please Him. Our words sound different as adults, but we have the same heart’s desire. Sometimes, I feel that my life has just become too complicated. Sometimes, I just need a break. I need the simplicity of a child...to simply communicate in a few words my heart’s desire to my Lord. Then maybe I can just skip off to my day and have the same joy I had as a child.

Amie Spruiell

       11/18/2011