Devoted

Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'” Mark 12: 29-30 (NLT). He added the second command to “Love your neighbor as yourself” in verse 21.

I have a beloved cat named Spurgeon who will be 15 years old in May of 2023. He has lived with me 13 of those years. The Bombay breed has black fur, yellow eyes, and tends to be docile in temperament. In his youth he weighed 13 pounds. He has been so patient and gentle with each of my grandchildren as they came along beginning in 2009. In 2021 he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and lost weight to about 8 pounds. But with a special renal diet, he had been doing quite well until June of 2023 when he became too sick to live on earth anymore.

I am a pianist and every night when I sat down to practice the piano for church, Spurgeon sat on the bench with me, usually looking toward the music that I was playing from. I think he sat there hoping that as I’m playing my hand or arm would rub his head. He so craved my attention that he was willing to follow me wherever I went, whether it was in bed, in my recliner, on the couch, in the kitchen, wherever. If only I could be so devoted to Jesus as Spurgeon is to me!

Of course Jesus was the epitome of devotion to His Father God. In addition many Bible heroes like Abraham, Moses, Job, Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Paul display true devotion to God (and Jesus) as they lived their faith. David’s Psalm 37:5 (NLT) guides us to “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.”

Our Redeemer left the glory of Heaven to live a human life and take the punishment for our sins. The God of the universe allowed Him to rise from the grave which also gives believers eternal life with Him! How can I not be devoted to Him as I am living my life on earth? I show devotion to Jesus when I pray for others, listen to my friends, spend time with my friends and family (especially with my children and grandchildren), take care of my home, read my Bible and daily devotions, volunteer my time serving others, write in my journal, write devotionals for publication, and write for my blog. Thank you, Lord, for Spurgeon’s lessons in devotion. Teach me, Lord, to be more devoted to You!

What Is Lent?

In 1996 I was startled as I attended an Ash Wednesday service when a pastor placed ashes on my forehead to remind me of my mortality. “All come from dust, and to dust all return.” Ecclesiastes 3:20 NIV

In my childhood as a Methodist, nothing like this had ever been done. Tears formed in my eyes that day since I had already lost my dad in 1990 to cancer. Sometimes we “church people” just plunge into Lent on Ash Wednesday without really helping people understand the “why.”

For centuries, Lent has been a season of repentance and self-sacrifice for Christians as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It is the 40 days leading up to Easter (excluding the Sundays). Many Christians give up something during the 40 days and replace it with prayer/meditation.

In the last 10-15 years, many creative people have suggested new ideas for the observation of Lent:

• adding a daily prayer walk
• committing to a regular act of service to a charitable organization
• giving a household item of some sort to a charity box (delivered after Easter)
• helping a person or family in need
• volunteering at your local church.

Christ took the punishment of our sin on Himself so that we would not suffer the punishment that we deserve. God actually ordained that for His only son! Absolutely unbelievable!!!

Let’s commit during this sacred season to grow in our devotion to this amazing God who was willing to send His only son to die for our sins, breaking the bondage of sin for us to give us eternal life!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that You have loved me enough to send Your son to take on the punishment that I deserve. Thank you that Jesus was obedient to fulfill that destiny for me and all humans. May His transforming power through the Holy Spirit empower me through the next 40 days of Lent. May I become a more devoted disciple and show that through my actions to other people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Worship song suggestion: “Graves into Gardens” by Elevation Worship & Brandon Lake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwX1f2gYKZ4

Blessings to you and your family this Lent,

Genie French Shaver

Lent Devotional 2021 #1

Let There Be Peace

Big Texas snow!

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.

To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me!

by Sy Miller & Jill Jackson, 1955

Ephesians 2:14-15

“For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.” (NLT)

Jesus emphasized loving God and loving others above following the Jewish law. At one point a Gentile woman challenged Him about needing his help with her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus told her that He must feed (help) the Jews first. At first it seemed that Jesus had not planned to accept Gentiles into His believers. But this was actually a test of her faith. She pointed out to him that “even the dogs (Gentiles) under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s (Jews) plates (Mark 7:27-30 NLT). He commended her faith and healed her daughter, even though she was not present at that time. He accepted many Gentiles during His ministry, healing them, listening to them, caring for them. Jesus united all believers into one body.

Romans 5:1-2

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (NLT)

Though we humans still battle sin and do not deserve the favor that God has shown us, Christ brings us peace and joy so that we can have confidence that we will someday share God’s glory!

Hebrews 2: 1-2

“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.” (NLT)

As faithful Christians we must hear and live the truths that scripture teaches through Bible study, prayer, and worship. If we do not persevere in these activities, we are likely to stray from God’s teaching. Similarly, 1 John 2:15 teaches us : “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” (NLT)

God’s law delivered to Moses through angels is a new revelation to me. But clearly in several other books of the Bible (Galatians and Deuteronomy) this is revealed, although it is not directly mentioned in Exodus. I was at first puzzled by the last part of verse 2, but after consulting a study Bible, I realized what the writer of Hebrews meant. The disobedience and punishment mentioned likely refers to the punishment we will receive if we do not accept the salvation Jesus brought to us from the cross.

Hebrews 12:1-2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (NLT)

This is one of my favorite verses because it reminds us that those Christians who have gone before inspire our individual walks of faith. What a comfort that is! I pray that I may strip off every weight that slows me down and every sin that trips me up, even at 71 years. Help me run the remainder of my life with endurance and help my children and grandchildren do the same.

It is almost incomprehensible that Jesus would give up His place with God to become a man and endure our human frailties as well as the mistreatment that He had to endure for our salvation. Praise God that Jesus did so and now sits next to God’s throne in heaven! Our champion forever!

1 Thessalonians 5: 4-7

“But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.” (NLT)

“These things” in verse 4 refers to the second coming of Jesus. Jesus told the disciples that even He did not know when His second coming would be, but it would be as unexpected as a thief. Jesus brought us into the light of God and therefore, we must always watch and be ready. Christians must turn away from darkness, which symbolizes the evil one.

Acts 5:41

“The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.” (NLT)

Peter and other apostles’ teachings offended the high council of the Jewish leaders who told them to stop preaching about Jesus. They refused, claiming that they must follow God’s orders, not “human authority.” The Jewish leaders would have killed the apostles for this had it not been for Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who advised the Jewish leaders to let the apostles go based on prior incidents with rogue preachers.

The leaders chose to let the apostles live as Gamaliel advised, bu not until they had them flogged. This is the rejoicing after suffering for the name of Jesus that is mentioned in verse 41. Oh, that we in this century, may also be so faithful to preaching, teaching, and witnessing as these apostles were!

John 15:10-11

“When you obey my commandments you remain in my love, just as I obey my FAther’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

Obey and live with love like Jesus had for all people. This will bring us great joy forever! No one can take our salvation away from us!

We may not be happy with our situation or circumstance, but the joy of the Lord will sustain us through any and all trials.

Isaiah 9: 6

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (NLT)

The enormity of God’s love for his creations shocks me again and again. I know I could not willingly give up one of my sons, even to save humanity. It is beyond my understanding how God could do that. But He knew that we as sinful creatures could not save ourselves. Someone had to pay the price of our sin. Praise God that He sent Jesus to do that for us! How can we not love Him in return?

Psalm 105:42-43

“For He remembered His sacred promise to His servant Abraham. For He brought His people out of Egypt with joy, His chosen ones with rejoicing.”(NLT)

God fulfilled His promise to Abraham when He brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. This brought great joy to the Israelites even though they later repeatedly questioned God’s plan for them.

Don’t we as Christians often do the same? As long as everything goes to our liking, we rejoice. But the first time something doesn’t go our way, we also question God’s plans for our lives.

However Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'” What an amazing promise to remember when we feel discouragement or depression! “God will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6d NLT)

Romans 15:13

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”(NLT)

Paul sets a great example for us in prayer. He prays for his fellow Christians to trust Jesus which will bring them joy and peace.

Peace is defined as “a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations.” This is our ultimate goal, in spite of differences of opinion or disagreements.

Joy is defined as “the source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated.” Happiness is defined as “good fortune, pleasure.” Joy is different than happiness in that happiness depends on one’s circumstances. Christians have joy because of the salvation Jesus brought us on the cross, no matter what the circumstances.

The Bethesda Methodist pastor Joey Wilbourn listed three types of peace in his sermon on December 3. Peace with God, peace with others, and peace with ourselves. When we intentionally foster peace in all of these areas, God will give us perfect peace.