Life-giving Voice – Devotion for 1/28/09
Have you ever noticed the way the words you say can take on a life of their own? You may have said something to a friend about someone or something, and before long, what you said has been twisted and turned in such a way that you know that you didn’t say that. A few years ago someone stole Mary and baby Jesus out of the church nativity scene, and it began to get a bit of news coverage. I didn’t mind the TV coverage so much, because most of the time instead of someone quoting me they simply showed me saying it. However, I have learned you have got to be extremely careful when talking to a newspaper reporter, because those words become so easily twisted and turned into something you never actually said. It reminds me of a game I used to play with my youth groups, a game called Rumors. As the group is sitting in a circle, one person turns to the person on their right and they whisper something – anything – to that person, who subsequently turns and is supposed to whisper the same thing to the next person, and so on. Inevitably, someone will change the message, and by the time it gets back to the person who originated the message, the message has taken on a life of its own. The words we say everyday have the potential to take on life.
In my devotion time this morning I was reading once again from Genesis 1, and in particular focusing on the passage of verses 20-31. In these verses I am reminded of God’s voice not just being distinct and powerful, but his voice is also life-giving. In these passages God speaks, and there is life. Today, let our voice give life in a Godly way – giving life to those that are down – giving life and hope to those who fear – giving life to the oppressed.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Powerful voice - Devotion for 1/27/09
Powerful Voice – Devotion for 1/27/09
In Genesis 1 we have this amazing creation image where God speaks, and something happens. In my devotion time this morning I was to read from Genesis 1:1-19, and it made me think about how I have the power and ability to create with my voice as well! In fact, several years ago I could create a sleeping baby with the gentle sound of my voice singing a lullaby to my sons. Moments later I could create a crying baby as I exclaimed too loudly, “I finally got him to sleep!” With my voice, I can create feelings of satisfaction, as I give praise to my wife over the meal she made. And with my voice I can create feelings of resentment, as maybe I offered up too much criticism on something. Without a doubt, I have a powerful voice. Unfortunately I am not always mindful of how I use it.
As God spoke, “Let there be light,” and then there was light, God was mindful of the power of His voice. Through His voice and His word, He created things that would benefit others. Today that is going to be my goal - that I will ever be cognizant of the ways that I use my voice, and that I may use it in such a way as to create something of benefit for someone else.
In Genesis 1 we have this amazing creation image where God speaks, and something happens. In my devotion time this morning I was to read from Genesis 1:1-19, and it made me think about how I have the power and ability to create with my voice as well! In fact, several years ago I could create a sleeping baby with the gentle sound of my voice singing a lullaby to my sons. Moments later I could create a crying baby as I exclaimed too loudly, “I finally got him to sleep!” With my voice, I can create feelings of satisfaction, as I give praise to my wife over the meal she made. And with my voice I can create feelings of resentment, as maybe I offered up too much criticism on something. Without a doubt, I have a powerful voice. Unfortunately I am not always mindful of how I use it.
As God spoke, “Let there be light,” and then there was light, God was mindful of the power of His voice. Through His voice and His word, He created things that would benefit others. Today that is going to be my goal - that I will ever be cognizant of the ways that I use my voice, and that I may use it in such a way as to create something of benefit for someone else.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Distinct Voice - Devotion for 1/26/09
Distinct voice – Devotion for 1/26/09
Everybody has a distinctive voice. Each one of us has something about our voice that makes it unique: maybe it is the tone, the clarity, or even the subtle nuances of the accent. Some people seem to think that their voice is so distinctive that when they call someone they don’t even have to say who they are (don’t you hate that?). However, to this day, I know that there are certain voices that I recognize every time. Even if it has been months since I had talked to him, I would recognize the voice of my buddy John saying, “What’s going on, Ad-man?” I certainly would recognize the “What up, dawg?” from Jay. I even recognize the voice of my dad as he still calls and tries to crank me. It is because we all have a unique, distinct voice, and if you know someone well enough you will recognize the voice when they call.
This morning in my devotion time I was reading Psalm 29, and many of the verses in the Psalm speak of the voice of God. Some of the attributes of the voice of God, as given by David, are:
• The voice of the Lord is upon the waters
• The voice of the Lord is powerful
• The voice of the Lord is majestic
• The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars
• The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire
• The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness
• The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everything says, “Glory!”
Now that’s what I would call a distinctive voice! So the question I have is this: If God’s voice is so distinctive, how come it is so difficult sometimes to recognize it? If God’s voice is so powerful and majestic, how come it is so difficult sometimes to hear it? I think the answers to these rhetorical questions would differ for each one of us. Some don’t want to hear it; some are striving to hear it, but are listening to the wrong things. We could each have hundreds of different answers to these questions. However, whatever our answers may be, today I want to encourage you to join me in simply trying to listen for that distinctive voice.
Everybody has a distinctive voice. Each one of us has something about our voice that makes it unique: maybe it is the tone, the clarity, or even the subtle nuances of the accent. Some people seem to think that their voice is so distinctive that when they call someone they don’t even have to say who they are (don’t you hate that?). However, to this day, I know that there are certain voices that I recognize every time. Even if it has been months since I had talked to him, I would recognize the voice of my buddy John saying, “What’s going on, Ad-man?” I certainly would recognize the “What up, dawg?” from Jay. I even recognize the voice of my dad as he still calls and tries to crank me. It is because we all have a unique, distinct voice, and if you know someone well enough you will recognize the voice when they call.
This morning in my devotion time I was reading Psalm 29, and many of the verses in the Psalm speak of the voice of God. Some of the attributes of the voice of God, as given by David, are:
• The voice of the Lord is upon the waters
• The voice of the Lord is powerful
• The voice of the Lord is majestic
• The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars
• The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire
• The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness
• The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everything says, “Glory!”
Now that’s what I would call a distinctive voice! So the question I have is this: If God’s voice is so distinctive, how come it is so difficult sometimes to recognize it? If God’s voice is so powerful and majestic, how come it is so difficult sometimes to hear it? I think the answers to these rhetorical questions would differ for each one of us. Some don’t want to hear it; some are striving to hear it, but are listening to the wrong things. We could each have hundreds of different answers to these questions. However, whatever our answers may be, today I want to encourage you to join me in simply trying to listen for that distinctive voice.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Exciting Advent(ure) - Devotion for 12/3/08
Exciting Advent(ure) – Devotion for 12/3/08
I came across a quote in one of my books this week that has really had me thinking. The quote is from Abbie Jane Wells, and the quote is attributed to her book, The Gospel According to Abbie Jane Wells. I was reading an excerpt from her book, and she was reminding us that “it took a ‘yes’ from Mary before God could ‘send forth his Son.’” I buy that part hook, line, and sinker, because I have always loved how God calls on people to do his miraculous work (such as Moses leading the people of Israel out of Egypt, the prophets delivering God’s word, even the men who had to roll away the stone for Lazarus to come forth). But the part that has really had me thinking this week is this:
For all I know – for all anybody knows – God may have proposed (or propositioned). . . through the ages but, as far as we know, Mary was the first one to say an unqualified “yes.”
When you think through the Biblical tradition, many times when God calls someone, the initial reaction at least is an unqualified “no.” Moses tried to weasel out of his call by proclaiming that he couldn’t talk well; Isaiah explains to God that he has “unclean lips”; Jeremiah posits that he is “just a child.” But Mary, when called upon by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:38 proclaims, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary said “yes.” Which makes me wonder – just as it seems that Abbie Jane Wells wondered – were there others who were approached and propositioned before Mary, but Mary was only the first one to say yes? No one actually knows the answer to that question, but it is the kind of thing I love to think about. Could there possibly have been someone to have turned down such an amazing journey?
The answer to my last question is simple really. Of course there is the possibility that someone could have said “no” to such a thing. By virtue of us having complete freewill, we freely choose whether we will or will not do the things God proposes us to do. So I guess now the question becomes, What is God proposing to us? Will we, like Mary, be the first to say an unqualified “yes”? What exciting adventure is God calling us to that our first impulse is to say “no”?
I came across a quote in one of my books this week that has really had me thinking. The quote is from Abbie Jane Wells, and the quote is attributed to her book, The Gospel According to Abbie Jane Wells. I was reading an excerpt from her book, and she was reminding us that “it took a ‘yes’ from Mary before God could ‘send forth his Son.’” I buy that part hook, line, and sinker, because I have always loved how God calls on people to do his miraculous work (such as Moses leading the people of Israel out of Egypt, the prophets delivering God’s word, even the men who had to roll away the stone for Lazarus to come forth). But the part that has really had me thinking this week is this:
For all I know – for all anybody knows – God may have proposed (or propositioned). . . through the ages but, as far as we know, Mary was the first one to say an unqualified “yes.”
When you think through the Biblical tradition, many times when God calls someone, the initial reaction at least is an unqualified “no.” Moses tried to weasel out of his call by proclaiming that he couldn’t talk well; Isaiah explains to God that he has “unclean lips”; Jeremiah posits that he is “just a child.” But Mary, when called upon by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:38 proclaims, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary said “yes.” Which makes me wonder – just as it seems that Abbie Jane Wells wondered – were there others who were approached and propositioned before Mary, but Mary was only the first one to say yes? No one actually knows the answer to that question, but it is the kind of thing I love to think about. Could there possibly have been someone to have turned down such an amazing journey?
The answer to my last question is simple really. Of course there is the possibility that someone could have said “no” to such a thing. By virtue of us having complete freewill, we freely choose whether we will or will not do the things God proposes us to do. So I guess now the question becomes, What is God proposing to us? Will we, like Mary, be the first to say an unqualified “yes”? What exciting adventure is God calling us to that our first impulse is to say “no”?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Debbie Downer - Devotion for 11/17/08
Debbie Downer – Devotion for 11/17/08
A few years ago there was a skit on Saturday Night Live that was called “Debbie Downer.” In these skits, there would be a gathering of family or friends who were having a great time, and then the title character would add share some horrible news which would completely bring down the whole mood, subsequently followed by the comedic “Wah-wah.” For example in one skit, Debbie was with family at a Disney World theme restaurant, and when Pluto comes and visits at their table, Debbie remarks, “Oh, hey Pluto. Boy, it must be fun to work here ... although, the biggest drawback to working at a theme park is that you must live under constant fear of deathly terrorist attacks." Pluto responds by immediately storming off, leaving the family trying to call him back to cheer him up again. “Wah-wah.”
Have you ever known a “Debbie Downer?” Sometimes there are people around us who just seem to have something negative to say, and sometimes we really just don’t want to hear the negativity. I thought about that this morning as I was reading Matthew 16:21-28. Just before this particular passage, Jesus had asked his disciples who other people said he was, and then he asked who they said he was, and Simon had answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”(Matt. 16:16) Jesus seemed to be thrilled with his answer, and basically said, “Simon – you Rock!” That’s really just the Adam Seate paraphrase, but Jesus did say that his name would be Peter (rock), and on that rock he would build his church. Everything seemed great – everyone seemed happy. But then verse 21 comes along – “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” Can’t you almost hear the “wah-wah?” As you can imagine, that’s not exactly the kind of happy, good-feelings stuff that some of them wanted to hear, so Peter took Jesus to the side and began to rebuke him, saying “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” In one way, I sort of feel like he was trying to tell Jesus to quit being a “Debbie Downer.” Jesus then says, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your might on God’s interests, but man’s.”
We all may have known a “Debbie Downer.” Maybe it is someone who always says something that you ultimately know, but you really just didn’t want to hear it. For me it’s kind of like enjoying a piece of pizza, only to have someone mention how many calories are in that one piece. “Wah-wah.” However, as much as we don’t want to hear these types of things, sometimes I think that if we don’t hear them we might miss something. Jesus was able to go on and explain that as great as life was, there is something better. Without his rebuke of Peter we might not have learned how necessary it is for each of us to sacrifice, to take up our cross and follow Him. Next time you have a “Debbie Downer,” before we so quickly dismiss them or ignore them completely, maybe we need to recognize that it might be something we need to hear – even if we don’t want to. Wah-wah.
Debbie Downer video clip: http://media.putfile.com/SNL-Debbie-Downer-WDW
A few years ago there was a skit on Saturday Night Live that was called “Debbie Downer.” In these skits, there would be a gathering of family or friends who were having a great time, and then the title character would add share some horrible news which would completely bring down the whole mood, subsequently followed by the comedic “Wah-wah.” For example in one skit, Debbie was with family at a Disney World theme restaurant, and when Pluto comes and visits at their table, Debbie remarks, “Oh, hey Pluto. Boy, it must be fun to work here ... although, the biggest drawback to working at a theme park is that you must live under constant fear of deathly terrorist attacks." Pluto responds by immediately storming off, leaving the family trying to call him back to cheer him up again. “Wah-wah.”
Have you ever known a “Debbie Downer?” Sometimes there are people around us who just seem to have something negative to say, and sometimes we really just don’t want to hear the negativity. I thought about that this morning as I was reading Matthew 16:21-28. Just before this particular passage, Jesus had asked his disciples who other people said he was, and then he asked who they said he was, and Simon had answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”(Matt. 16:16) Jesus seemed to be thrilled with his answer, and basically said, “Simon – you Rock!” That’s really just the Adam Seate paraphrase, but Jesus did say that his name would be Peter (rock), and on that rock he would build his church. Everything seemed great – everyone seemed happy. But then verse 21 comes along – “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” Can’t you almost hear the “wah-wah?” As you can imagine, that’s not exactly the kind of happy, good-feelings stuff that some of them wanted to hear, so Peter took Jesus to the side and began to rebuke him, saying “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” In one way, I sort of feel like he was trying to tell Jesus to quit being a “Debbie Downer.” Jesus then says, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your might on God’s interests, but man’s.”
We all may have known a “Debbie Downer.” Maybe it is someone who always says something that you ultimately know, but you really just didn’t want to hear it. For me it’s kind of like enjoying a piece of pizza, only to have someone mention how many calories are in that one piece. “Wah-wah.” However, as much as we don’t want to hear these types of things, sometimes I think that if we don’t hear them we might miss something. Jesus was able to go on and explain that as great as life was, there is something better. Without his rebuke of Peter we might not have learned how necessary it is for each of us to sacrifice, to take up our cross and follow Him. Next time you have a “Debbie Downer,” before we so quickly dismiss them or ignore them completely, maybe we need to recognize that it might be something we need to hear – even if we don’t want to. Wah-wah.
Debbie Downer video clip: http://media.putfile.com/SNL-Debbie-Downer-WDW
Thursday, November 13, 2008
My right hand man - Devotion for 11/13/08
My right hand man – Devotion for 11/13/08
Last month my family and I went to the North Carolina State Fair. Exciting carnival games, fried food, fried food that was then subsequently fried again – and then covered with sugar, sideshows (although some of the best were the free ones where you got to watch the natives eat some of the fried food), all the animals (no – I don’t mean the natives), and last but not least – the rides! I did not ride too many of the rides this time, but the boys had a blast. There was one particular ride that one of the boys wanted to go on, however the other did not want to ride it, and he absolutely would not ride it. Neither Jenn nor I had any real interest in riding it either. But the thing was that as bad as he wanted to ride it, he didn’t want to ride it alone.
We take great comfort in knowing that we are not alone. We want someone to be with us when we ride the scary rides, and we want someone to ride with us to the doctor. We want someone to be with us when we go to eat at a restaurant, and we want someone to be with us when we are driving in the car (if you don’t believe me, pay attention to how many people are driving alone yet are talking on the cell phone). We want to be with someone. Being with someone make the experience more complete. Being with someone makes the experience more real. Being with someone makes the experience more bearable. Being with someone makes everything more.
I referenced Psalm 16 earlier this week, but as I’ve read that Psalm each day this week, I continue to be drawn to two particular verses – verses 8-9: “I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.” We need to be reminded that we are not alone in any of our endeavors. We need to be reminded to “set the Lord before us.” And we need to be reminded to rejoice that we have one who desires to be our “right hand man.”
Last month my family and I went to the North Carolina State Fair. Exciting carnival games, fried food, fried food that was then subsequently fried again – and then covered with sugar, sideshows (although some of the best were the free ones where you got to watch the natives eat some of the fried food), all the animals (no – I don’t mean the natives), and last but not least – the rides! I did not ride too many of the rides this time, but the boys had a blast. There was one particular ride that one of the boys wanted to go on, however the other did not want to ride it, and he absolutely would not ride it. Neither Jenn nor I had any real interest in riding it either. But the thing was that as bad as he wanted to ride it, he didn’t want to ride it alone.
We take great comfort in knowing that we are not alone. We want someone to be with us when we ride the scary rides, and we want someone to ride with us to the doctor. We want someone to be with us when we go to eat at a restaurant, and we want someone to be with us when we are driving in the car (if you don’t believe me, pay attention to how many people are driving alone yet are talking on the cell phone). We want to be with someone. Being with someone make the experience more complete. Being with someone makes the experience more real. Being with someone makes the experience more bearable. Being with someone makes everything more.
I referenced Psalm 16 earlier this week, but as I’ve read that Psalm each day this week, I continue to be drawn to two particular verses – verses 8-9: “I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.” We need to be reminded that we are not alone in any of our endeavors. We need to be reminded to “set the Lord before us.” And we need to be reminded to rejoice that we have one who desires to be our “right hand man.”
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Call on me! - Devotion for 11/12/08
Call on me! – Devotion for 11/12/08
There seems to be a natural instinct in us that when we are in a class and the teacher asks a question, almost everyone does everything they can to avoid eye contact with the teacher. I’ve seen this even when I’m teaching Bible Study, and I’m not even giving grades! We have this built in fear of embarrassment, and answering the question incorrectly in front of the whole class would be embarrassing, so we do what we can to avoid having to even try. I always had a fear that maybe I somehow misheard the question, and so if I answered the question that I thought I heard then I would be completely wrong. I eventually developed a tactic that never quite worked: I would initiate eye contact with the teacher when the teacher asked the question, and then I would suddenly glance at someone else as if that person had the answer. Yes this tactic actually worked a time or two, but not nearly enough for my liking (however, it was more than enough for the poor saps that the teacher did call on).
Christians know that we are called to share our faith with others; however we don’t always know how to do it. So sometimes we live as though we are trying to avoid being called on by God to share what we have. Truthfully, there are a lot of so-called Christians that I wish would try to avoid their sharing tactics a little bit more, as it seems they almost do more harm than good. However, this morning in my devotion time I read from Colossians 4:2-6, and I was reminded that we need to earnestly devote ourselves to prayer, and pray that “God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3). We need to pray for the opportunities to be called on, and when we are, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”(Colossians 4:6)
There seems to be a natural instinct in us that when we are in a class and the teacher asks a question, almost everyone does everything they can to avoid eye contact with the teacher. I’ve seen this even when I’m teaching Bible Study, and I’m not even giving grades! We have this built in fear of embarrassment, and answering the question incorrectly in front of the whole class would be embarrassing, so we do what we can to avoid having to even try. I always had a fear that maybe I somehow misheard the question, and so if I answered the question that I thought I heard then I would be completely wrong. I eventually developed a tactic that never quite worked: I would initiate eye contact with the teacher when the teacher asked the question, and then I would suddenly glance at someone else as if that person had the answer. Yes this tactic actually worked a time or two, but not nearly enough for my liking (however, it was more than enough for the poor saps that the teacher did call on).
Christians know that we are called to share our faith with others; however we don’t always know how to do it. So sometimes we live as though we are trying to avoid being called on by God to share what we have. Truthfully, there are a lot of so-called Christians that I wish would try to avoid their sharing tactics a little bit more, as it seems they almost do more harm than good. However, this morning in my devotion time I read from Colossians 4:2-6, and I was reminded that we need to earnestly devote ourselves to prayer, and pray that “God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3). We need to pray for the opportunities to be called on, and when we are, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”(Colossians 4:6)
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