devotions – Page 17 – Pot of Manna

Book Review: The Message 100 Devotional Bible

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Each time a new Bible is printed, the question that typically gets asked is, “Why?” Do we really need another Bible?

In our Twitter crazed, cut to the chase world, it’s not easy to convince people to take or make the time to study a book that’s centuries old. They struggle just maintain a 30 second devotion—how will they ever commit to 30 minutes?

Enter The Message 100 Devotional. Readers are invited to partake of a story: the Story of God. The point, of this devotional, according to the introduction, is to draw the reader in, right into the unfolding Story of God.

At the beginning of each reading there is an intro or explanation. They are inviting and encouraging. They seemed conversational and I liked them.

Many are looking for a new and fresh way to read scripture, and The Message 100 provides both. Reading out of the traditionally presented order is challenging. It’s enough of a jolt to push the typical Bible reader out of their familiar rut.

People often resolve at the start of the year to read the Bible all the way through, but burn out by the end of March. The beauty of this format is that readers will be almost done at the end of three months. A double accomplishment! Not only will they have realized a goal, but they will also gain knowledge and growth in their faith.

That’s a win-win in my book!

I highly recommend this Bible devotion.

I was given a copy of the The Message 100 in return for an honest review.

Ordinary Moments with God: Laughing at the Unexpected

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I get the munchies sitting at my desk. I’ve been trying to eat better. I was debating between baby carrots and banana chips this morning. Banana chips won.

I reached into the cupboard looking for the opening bag, but I couldn’t find it. So I threw this bag in my lunch bag and headed out the door.

Later when the munchies hit, I pulled out the bag. I kept trying to rip off the top. Isn’t that the way most of these bags open?

Where was the tab? I didn’t want to ruin the zip closure. I like zip closures.

Why wouldn’t it it open?

I was about to grab my scissors when I realized: I already opened the bag. The pull tab couldn’t be found because it wasn’t there.

I opened the bag and poured out some chips to snack on–all the while laughing at myself.

The bag didn’t open the way I expected. I’m used to tearing off the top–so something must be wrong with the bag.

The answer was staring me in the face, but I couldn’t see it.

How many times do I respond the same with God?

Truth be told? Way more than I care to admit.

The verse that came to mind as I contemplated not trusting in my expectations was Proverbs 3:5-6

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If I want to get things right, surrendering my way of thinking, expecting, and understanding is the way to go. His path not mine.

PRAYER: God, I get so used things being certain ways. I’m comfortable with the familiar. Turning loose of what I know and understand is not easy, but it makes the most sense in the long run. Direct my paths and help me to be more “open” to the unexpected. Amen.

Ordinary Moments with God: Making the Most of Time and Opportunities

This year I’m focusing on finding God in the ordinary stuff of life. Each day I will take a picture of something common and consider the spiritual implications.

Here we go…

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I get an email on Monday morning telling me the battery on my Fit Bit Charge is low.

I like that it comes on Monday. I’m in the office and it’s not hard to plug my Charge in while I’m sitting and working at my desk.

So while it charges, I sit at my desk. I commit to an hour of sitting still. Not because I’m being spiritual, or even attempting to be productive in other ways.

I just don’t want to take any steps that aren’t going to be counted.

There. I said it. I own my superficiality. I need the external verification. I’m working hard at this weight loss, get healthy thing and I want everything I do to count, to matter.

At one point this morning, I was about to leave my office and I sat back down and checked how much time was left in the charging process. Not much longer.

What would I do with that time?

Time? Make the most of time.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 5:4

“Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Ephesians 5:16

How interesting that my Fit Bit can help me decrease physically and increase spiritually.

PRAYER: God as you help me develop habits to improve my health, make me aware of developing my spiritual muscles as well. Help me make the most of time and opportunities. I don’t want to sit around wasting time. Keep filling my ordinary life with your presence. Amen.

Protecting Baby Jesus

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I found this on my Facebook news feed. It seems a little boy was concerned when he heard the pastor describe Herod’s rage and plan to kill all the baby boys born around the same time as Jesus.

This was his solution. Baby Jesus needs protecting.

And maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Have you heard? Thieves are stealing Baby Jesus from nativities everywhere.

Watch this

Companies are offering insurance. People are putting GPS tracking devices in statues so they can find Jesus.

Have you been trying to protect Baby Jesus?

The question sounds ridiculous until we think about how we also try to protect God. How in the world would we do that, you ask.

Have you ever decided not to take your needs to God because they’re too small to matter or too big for Him to handle?

Have you pulled a “Sarah” and provided God with your plan to help Him out–and get what you want when you want it rather than waiting on His timing?

Do you ever protect God’s reputation from ridicule or scrutiny by leaving him out of your conversations and choices?

Perhaps rather than “protecting” Him, we would be better off knowing Him better. If we had a clearer perspective on who He is and how he sees us:

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
    Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and infants
    to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
    and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
    and crowned them^[e] with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
    putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
    and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
    and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! (Psalm 8, NLT)
That God doesn’t need me to protect Him. But, I definitely need him!
How about you?

What Season Is It?

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Here we are in the season of Advent. For years I have written a daily devotion, focusing on different aspects of preparing for Christmas.

This year I didn’t…couldn’t.

I’ve felt like the child in the picture above. Watching. Feeling separated from whatever else was happening. My mind scattered, feeling unable to focus on what was necessary.

Waiting. Surely something is coming. It’s right around the corner. Anticipating. Daring to reach out and take hold of hope.

But hope is fragile, fleeting, and confusing.

Do I really want what I think I want? Can I handle it? Or will it disappoint again…will I?

Yes, it’s Advent. Are you watching? What is around the corner for you?

(More Advent thoughts to come…let’s walk the road to Bethlehem together.)

Rebuilding With Nehemiah, Chapter 13 Day 1

Monday: What Happens Without Leadership?

Text: 6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission 7 and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.

Teach: As promised, Nehemiah returned to Babylon. While he was gone the people lost sight of the promises they had made. Nehemiah was mostly likely gone for ten to twelve years. That’s a long time to be without leadership.

Take: When I read of the behavior of the people, their spiritual amnesia, I wasn’t surprised. It reminded me of when Moses went up to the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments from God. He was only gone forty days, a little over a month, and look what happened: the people created their own god to worship made from gold. The hymn writer put it well, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, O take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above.” (Come Thou Fount)

Task: Godly leaders hold us accountable. We may not always like it, but we need it. Today let’s pray for those whose responsibility is to keep us on track spiritually.

Rebuilding With Nehemiah, Chapter 9 Day 7

Sunday: Put It In Writing

Text: 38 “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.” (Neh. 9:38)

Teach: Our God is a god of covenant. A covenant is an agreement between two parties. There are 321 references to covenants contained in the Old and New Testaments. Covenants follow a standard pattern: first whoever initiates the covenant lists who he is and what he has done; then the obligations/expectations between the parties are identified; and finally the positive and negative results of keeping or breaking the covenant are defined.

Take: For many years my husband was in business for himself. At times it was construction and then in restaurant work. One of the hardest lessons for him to learn was to get things in writing. Creating a contract seemed to smack of distrust, but actually ended up providing the means for clarity and accountability. Both parties knew what was expected and could perform to their best.

Task: What covenants do you have with others and with God? How are you accountable? Journaling is one way to keep track of those things. I know I tend to forget things and writing things down helps me stay on track. Oh look, we’re back at remembering.

Rebuilding With Nehemiah, Chapter 9, Day 6

Saturday: Never Abandoned

Text: 31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. (Neh. 9:31)

Teach: Occasionally, I will ask a gathering of believers to share a Bible promise. Inevitably, someone will mention Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” This is what God told Jacob. It’s also what Jesus told his followers: “be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end” (Matthew 28:20).

Take: Psalm 139 is one of my favorites. I remember when I discovered it. I was in high school and our teacher had us read the poem, “The Hound of Heaven.” The author, Francis Thompson, is described as a tortured soul, one who battled addictions. But he, like David, and the rest of us, realized that God is a relentless pursuer. But he is also gracious and merciful. No matter what we’ve done, how arrogant or disobedient we are, he will never abandon us.

Task: Make time to read Psalm 139, or the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) and thank God for his gracious mercy. He will never leave you. Ever.

Rebuilding With Nehemiah, Chapter 9 Day 5

Friday: Do We Learn From History?

Text: 16 “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands. 17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. (Neh. 9:16-17a)

Teach: Reading through Nehemiah 9:16-30 we find the ups and downs of God’s people. Their experience is summed up pretty well in our text for today. What was the root of their up and down relationship? Arrogance, disobedience, and lack of remembering. They forgot how they got to where they were. They began to think they could handle things all on their own. And as a result the walked in disobedience.

Take: Remember. So often we live as spiritual amnesiacs. Some of Jesus’ final words to his followers came at the Last Supper: this do in remembrance of me. Don’t forget. Daily Bible reading isn’t merely an exercise to cross off our “to do” list. It’s the process by which we keep on remembering.

Task: What miracles has God performed in your life? Take time to remember, and give thanks.

Rebuilding With Nehemiah, Chapter 9 Day 4

Thursday: No One Like Our God

Text: 6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. (Neh. 1:6)

Teach: When Moses gave the people God’s commandments, he began by telling them to acknowledge that there were no other gods before the LORD. He is the creator, the one who breathed life into everything. As a young teen I learned this truth. We would sing a chorus that said, “There is enough of God in nature, His power is clearly shown. A man has no excuse for wondering. God and heaven are known (see Romans 1:20).”

Take: When I sit out under a clear sky and see the multitude of stars above, I can’t help but think of God speaking to Abraham or David penning Psalm 8. And I want to break into a chorus or two of “How Great Thou Art.”

This verse in Nehemiah speaks to me of perspective: how great God is and how small, or insignificant, I am. And yet he loves me. He loves us. It really is amazing.

Task: We will have God’s perspective when we are aware of our position in relation to him. Psalm 8 tells us that God’s majesty fills the earth, but that he made us to care for his creation. There is trust and relationship implied throughout his Word. Pray through Psalm 8.

LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?[c]
5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]
and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their[g] feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

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