Devotionals

Colossians 1:9-10

Have you ever been in an area of the country where there was a lot of fruit ripening in the sun?

Maybe on some cool September morning you've taken a walk through the apple orchards of the Hood River valley or along the Columbia River in Oregon. It is pleasing to the eye to see such an abundance of sweet, delicious fruit hanging on branch or vine, ready to be plucked.

A fruitful Christian life is like that—sweet, refreshing, nourishing, fragrant, sustaining, delightful to be near. But such a life requires careful cultivation...

Proverbs 17:6

We cannot change the past...and that includes the way we reared our children.

All of us—yes, every parent I have ever met—would love to step into the time tunnel and return to the Island of Second Chance. We would give anything to relive those years and correct the failures and mistakes we committed the first time around.

All such fantasy wishes need to be erased. They can never be fulfilled! The parenting process offers only one try per child, one day at a time, never again to be repeated.

Psalm 62:8

You and I could name things, specific things that we've gone through in the last several years that make no logical sense whatsoever...but that's OK. We can't figure them out.

But let me assure you, God is at work doing His mysterious plan (mysterious to us), which defies human logic.

So quit trying to make it humanly logical. Trust Him...

Do you realize what a peaceful life you can live if you decide to live like this? Do you realize how relaxed you can be, how free of stress?

Honestly.

Proverbs 13:4

A young fellow rushed into a gas station to use the pay phone. The manager overheard his telephone conversation as he asked: "Sir, could you use a hardworking, honest young man to work for you?" [pause] "Oh...you've already got a hardworking, honest young man? Well, thanks anyway!"

The boy hung up the phone with a smile. Humming to himself, he began to walk away, obviously happy.

"How can you be so cheery?" asked the eavesdropping manager. "I thought the man you talked to already had someone and didn't want to hire you."

Psalm 32:7

Providence. We toss the word around. But have you ever analyzed it?

It comes from the Latin, providentia. Pro means "before" or "ahead of time"; videntia is from videre, meaning "to see."...Put them together and you have "seeing ahead of time," which is what Almighty God does. He sees the events of life ahead of time—something that we of course can never do.

We're great at history. Our hindsight is almost always 20/20. But we're lousy at prophecy, that is, the specifics of the future.

Isaiah 26:3

Disillusionment is a dangerous, slippery slope.

First, we become disillusioned about our fellow man. Then we move on to cynicism. Before long, we trust no one, not even God. We've been burned. We've been taken advantage of; we've been mistreated...

The cause of disillusionment and the cure for it can be expressed in almost the sample simple words.

Proverbs 25:11

Like Jell-O, concepts assume the mould of the words into which they are poured. Who has not been stabbed awake by the use of a particular word...or combinations of words? Who has not found relief from a well-timed word spoken at the precise moment of need? Who has not been crushed beneath the weight of an ill-chosen word? And who has not gathered fresh courage because a word of hope penetrated the fog of self-doubt? The term word remains the most powerful of all four-letter words.

Colours fade.

Shorelines erode.

Temples crumble.

Proverbs 23:12

Can't and won't. Christians need to be very careful which one they choose. It seems that we prefer to use "can't."

"I just can't get along with my wife."

"My husband and I can't communicate."

"I just can't discipline the kids as I should."

"I just can't give up the affair I'm having."

"I can't stop overeating."

"I can't find time to pray."

Any Christian who takes the Bible seriously will have to agree the word here really should be "won't." 

Why?

Colossians 2:3

From the looks of things, you're pretty impressive. You've got a nice place. And I suppose your neighbours would agree that you're a hard worker...climbing right on up that ladder toward success, right?... 

Your salary is good and your material possessions are growing in number, but...the truth is you are empty on the inside and you're faking it on the outside. Not one thing you own in your "kingdom" has brought you the happiness you long for. 

So you're thinking, "Maybe if I could land that better job," or "get into that bigger house," or...or....

Proverbs 10:12

"I accept you as you are."

"I believe you are valuable."

"I care when you hurt."

"I desire only what is best for you."

"I erase all offenses."

We could call that the ABCs of love. And I don't know of anybody who would turn his back on such magnetic, encouraging statements. 

There is nothing shallow about authentic love. Nor is it a magic wand we whip out and wave over a problem with a whoosh, hoping all the pain will go away.