Weekly Devotions

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:10, NKJV.

“It’s not a mistake if you say it’s not a mistake.” Although I was in the middle of watching a tutorial on quilting when the instructor made this comment, my mind immediately took a leap in an entirely different direction than quilting. Pausing the video, I wrote down what she said and then, continued learning about not taking my craft of quilting too seriously, and thus enjoying doing something I love.

This morning I return to the handwritten quotation and ponder how it reflects the broader philosophy of the 21^st century culture. I recently told a friend that if I did not believe in God and that Jesus died for my sins, I would live a very different lifestyle. Just like before I knew Jesus as my loving Savior, my personal choices would be more self-focused and reckless. This is not to suggest that now I live a perfect life—far from it! However, after reading God’s Word for many years, the idea of deliberately choosing a life in conflict with what God tells me is not in my best interest or that of others breaks my heart, because I know it would break God’s heart. When the Holy Spirit convicts me by bringing my sins to my awareness, thus pricking my conscience, then to brush off my new awareness as it’s okay because people aren’t going to care what I do, smacks the very face of my Father Who says He cares. Choices have consequences!

We often focus on Scripture’s warning about the consequences of sin and fail to acknowledge God’s tender grace and mercies that precede His warnings. The Bible verse above is from 1 John 1:10, but let us look at verse 9… “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (NKJV).

So, if God’s Word says our actions are a mistake, a misstep, or a sin, then to say it is not, is to call God “a liar.”

Loving and patient Father, never let it be! Continue to call me into account when my actions and thoughts conflict with Your desires. Regardless of this fallen culture, guide me into all truth and repentance. Thank You for Jesus and the cross He bore on my behalf, “The author and finisher of our faith.” Amen.  (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV).

We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved. Acts 15:11

I once heard a pastor from New York talk about ordering breakfast in Atlanta. When his plate of eggs and sausage arrived, it contained a blob of white mush.

“I didn’t order this stuff,” the pastor told the waitress. “Oh,” she replied, “grits come on every plate, whether you order them or not.”

Grits are just like the grace of God – available to us, in Sweet Monday parlance, free of charge and with no strings attached.

I, of course, am very familiar with grits — the “ice cream of the South” as my father always said.  Being a good South Carolinian, I have grown up eating this porridge made from boiled cornmeal.

I just never associated grits with God’s grace – a concept with which I have grappled.

Why would I be given a gift for no reason and on no special occasion? It’s available every day – not just my birthday or Christmas.

It’s hard to conceive of a totally unmerited gift. God’s grace is truly amazing! Grace is God’s gift to us through the death of his son on the cross. The idea is that by providing us with this gift, God works to effect change in our hearts and lives.

I don’t deserve this gift from God. None of us do. We all are sinners in thought, word, and deed. But through grace, God forgives us Christians and continues offering this gift to all of us, no matter who we are or where we are or what we have done.

What a blessing! Though I need not repay God’s gift of grace, I want to extend it to others. Acts of grace need not be all that lofty – and need not be requested or expected. Such an act can be a cool drink on a hot day. A note to a friend in need. An invitation to church. An act of hospitality. A lessening of a burden. A phone call. A compliment. A smile.

It can even be a breakfast invitation that includes grits, ordered or not!

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

The sign outside the church said, “Treat prayer as your steering wheel and not as your spare tire.” It took me a minute to process this but once I did, it gave me lots of food for thought.

Without the steering wheel in good working order, I am either going to have great difficulty driving my car or I am not going anywhere. The steering wheel is essential to my being able to use my car. (I know there are driverless cars but that is a story for another day.) The steering wheel allows me to choose the direction in which I need to go, keeps me on the road and helps me avoid road hazards. How often do you use the steering wheel in your car? Obviously, every time you go somewhere in your car.

What about the spare tire? How often do you use it? I have never used the one in my car. (I am not even sure if it is usable!) Our spare tires are easy to forget because we only use them in a time of emergency.

Are you beginning to see the parallels with prayer here? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” That is like my steering wheel. I use it all the time just as I should pray all the time. Philippians 4: 6 (NLB) says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” Everything means everything, not just about some things or only in emergencies.

I can choose not to pray about anything. However, when I do, it is like not using the steering wheel of my car. The car is going to go wherever it pleases and will most likely end up in an accident. If I don’t pray and seek God’s wisdom and direction, I am going to go where I please and will most likely end up being disobedient and getting into trouble.

I can choose only to pray when there is a crisis in my life. God hears those “spare tire” prayers but He would much rather that I be in daily communication with Him about every aspect of my life. God wants to hear our prayers and He answers them. Psalm 34:15 says “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry.” Psalm 66:19-20 says “but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

Just as a steering wheel is a must for my car, so prayer is a must for my life. Prayer shows me the direction I should go, it keeps me in God’s will and helps me to avoid temptation and trouble.

What kind of person of prayer do you want to be? A steering wheel or a spare tire?

“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1, NKJV

Probably the most important lesson I learned when going back to school to study Creative Writing is never take credit for the work of others. The official and more serious terminology used for such an offense is plagiarism. The fact that one might inadvertently overlook giving credit to a rightful author in one’s writing is no excuse, and in a college setting might possibly result in a failing grade or even expulsion. Thepurpose behind this precept is obvious. Do not take credit for someone else’s creativity and hard work!

When I first began my studies at Liberty University and read about the severity of plagiarism, the idea of accidentally failing to recognize an author caused tremendous angst. Then, I realized the way to avoid making this mistake is to adequately research and be diligent in noting immediately when quoting the work of others. No sloppiness. No shortcuts. Always strive to put forth my best effort in writing or any other craft, giving credit where credit belongs.

Every time I am inspired to write, the realization from where the inspiration comes is clear. Whether waking to a beautiful sunrise, or the downpouring of rain soaking the ground to revive the earth, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm above). The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is nothing new under the sun” (1:9). Every song. Every poem. Every piece of beautiful art form begins with the Creator of the universe. Look into the night sky; God’s “canvas” is vast for our pleasure.  

Therefore, let us give thanks to the One Who created all things from which we draw upon for breath, life, hope, and the inspiration to spread goodness to those around us. God is the Author of creation, and all that is good and right in the world; without Him, words would not exist. Indeed, without Him, you and I would not exist!

Thank you, God, for being The Word to us and through us, that we might enjoy and share in your creative nature. Amen.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27, NKJV

Excitement is in the air! A few months ago, I made the difficult decision to leave my larger home of twenty years that sits in a small neighborhood for a smaller home in a large neighborhood. While I have wrestled with this idea that began brewing eight years ago after the death of my precious husband, the dream house he and I built is not the same without him. When growing up, my family always lived in communities with sidewalks and lots of friendly neighbors all around; the community where the new house will be reflects this same spirit.

The process chosen by the builder of my new home is two-fold: structural and cosmetic. The first meeting is to determine the actual “bones” of the house. Most people do not enjoy this part of the building process, but I do. A little geeky, I guess, I even have my own construction hat from a prior project. Although it may not be the “pretty part” of a work in progress, if the part that lies behind the walls is not sturdy and sound, no finishing touches matter. The house will not withstand the wear and tear of weather and the simple everyday living of the occupants.

Jesus did not mince His words when addressing the religious leaders, who, from every outward appearance looked all put together. What they did not understand was that Jesus saw through the lovely façade into the depths of their hearts and all was not right and lovely.

Whether my eyes are consciously open, or closed for sleeping, I am painfully aware that no matter how hard I work on being presentable to the world, Jesus sees the good, the bad, and the ugly of who I am. Only God can transform human beings from the inside out.

Chuck Swindoll said in one of his Bible teachings, “The strain of depravity that runs through me is the same that runs through others, but it always looks worse in someone else.” Perhaps the Psalmist said it best, “There is none who does good, no, not one” (14:3).

Father God, help me remember, that You are the “General Contractor” of my soul. May I be agreeable to Your construction plan, even when the process takes longer than I desire and requires “change orders” delaying the finish. In Jesus’ name, Amen.      

“Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.” Psalm 108:2-3

If you’re an early riser or have ever been awake just before sunrise, then you may have noticed the energetic, loud and nonstop singing of several birds. This phenomenon has been named The Dawn Chorus and occurs in many different species of birds all around the world.

Some scientists believe male birds sing before dawn to defend their territory or use it as a mating call. These birds are demonstrating how strong they are by how loudly they can sing. It is also believed that they choose to do this just before sunrise because it is too dark to find food and because it is quiet enough for their voices to travel far.

I was first introduced to The Dawn Chorus when my daughter and I decided to have a camp out in our backyard. We spent the night in a tent, and I realized the next morning that you do not need an alarm clock in nature. I was awakened by what sounded like a hundred birds trying to out sing one another.

At first, I was very upset by my early morning wake up call, but as I laid there and listened, I began to enjoy their beautiful song. I thought about how much more our God in Heaven enjoys this beautiful song every morning. His creation doing what they were created to do and singing praise to their Creator for the start of another day. If the birds of the air can wake up and give praise to the Lord, then I should too.

I hope that if you are ever abruptly awakened by this beautiful chorus, you too will be reminded to sing the Lord’s praise each morning when you rise.