Thursday Devotional - God is With Us to Forgive Others 2/17/22

 It’s difficult to forgive others, especially when they do the same sin over and over again (like a kid that keeps lying to try to get out of trouble).

Matthew 18:21-35 ²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Sadly, I can relate to the wicked servant, especially when it comes to certain sins or repeated sins that my kids commit. However, if I’m honest with myself, I’ve committed sin(s) over and over against God and He’s forgiven me!!! I need to remember that everyday so I’m quicker to forgive my kids. It doesn’t mean I will naively trust them going forward, but I can genuinely forgive and not hold a grudge. I can rely on God to be with me and help me when it isn’t natural. Where do you need to do the same?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Our Desire to Worship 2/10/22

Yesterday James was talking about Valentine’s Day and how he wanted to buy flowers for various people, including me. Later in the day, I mentioned that I would rather he show his love through action, by listening and obeying, rather than buying flowers.  

Similarly with God, we often want to worship Him and show our love how we want. However, have we confirmed with Him how He wants to receive love and worship? 

At the Transfiguration, Peter had his own idea for worship and honor, but God cut him off.  

Matthew 17:3-9 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 

God wants our worship and has clear ways He wants to receive it from us. Let’s listen to Him on how we can best love and honor Him! 

Alice 

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Our Confusion

Sarah got a positive COVID test result yesterday and James was beside himself. He questioned  why God allowed it and why I wasn’t upset. (I think he’s also scared about getting it himself, since he has asthma).

I told James I didn’t know why God allowed it, but I know He’s in control, has a plan and will be with us through it.

Similarly, Peter was confused and angry about Jesus’s upcoming suffering.

Matthew 16:21-23      From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

As much as it didn’t make sense to Peter in his limited human understanding, God had a much bigger and better plan.

God was with Peter through his confusion and anger. God is available to be with you and me through our confusion. We can take our questions to Him. Then, let’s look beyond our “merely human concerns” and look for God’s plan.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Our Desperation

When was the last time you cried out to God in desperation? 

There have been numerous times I have cried out in desperation, whether it was for the salvation of someone, the healing of a relative, parenting wisdom in a crisis, or while caught in a terrible storm driving or running or climbing Pike’s Peak.

Sometimes it might seem like God isn’t listening, but He always hears and has a plan, just like when the Canaanite woman desperately called out to Jesus to heal her daughter.

Matthew 15:22-28          “A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him [Jesus], crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.’ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, ‘Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.’ The woman came and knelt before him. ‘Lord, help me!’ she cried. He replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’ ‘Yes it is, Lord,’ she said. ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”  Matthew 15:22-28

Jesus used this time of desperation in the woman’s life to teach her, the disciples and us today some valuable lessons. So, the next time you and I are desperately crying out to God for help, let’s remember He may have several lessons for us to learn as we await His answer. He isn’t ignoring us, but there with us!

Alice

Proverbs 10:13 and 12:11

In lips of one being perceptive (bin) is found skill,
  And a rod to the back of one who lacks heart.

One serving his ground bread satisfies,
  And one hunting empties lacks heart.

These two proverbs are only linked in the use of the phrase, “lacks heart”. It’s a phrase that occurs in Proverbs eight times in the Hebrew (chaser-leb), a combination of Strong’s H2638 and H3820. This phrase serves as part of the definition of “heart” in Proverbs. People who behave or think in certain ways don’t have heart.

Heart, in this sense, can’t be the seat of the emotions, as is commonly used in English. It is more consistent with Scripture to consider it the “core” of a person, or their ability to continue in the face of adversity. This is brought out through these two Proverbs.

In the first one, Proverbs 10:13, one lacking heart is contrasted with one who is very perceptive in what they say (lips). The perception might be one who understands how words affect others, and they use that as a “skill” (chokmah). This positive statement would imply a positive use of words, not for manipulation. So, this person understands the power of words, and uses them to “heal”, or at least for good moral purposes.

The second Proverb, 12:11 contrasts two people pursuing different goals. The first serves his ground. This is one who sees himself as the servant, not master, so there’s an attitude difference. It does not require the resentment that a person from our culture would naturally feel. It doesn’t exclude it either. This person serves his ground, which is different than serving another person. In this instance, the service directly benefits the servant (which is kind of the point).

The benefit is that this person is satisfied with bread, a common Hebrew euphemism for food in general. The work serving the ground reaps the benefit of being fed. The obvious direct correlation between work and provision is what is contrasted with the next line, one “hunting empties”.

The problem with the person described in the second line is in what they pursue or hunt. The focus of their effort is “empties”, a plural Hebrew word (H2638) referring to empty holes or lives, literally or figuratively. What they are actively trying to achieve is without value. Perhaps this can be seen in one who collects things no one else wants and are therefore without value. They end their lives with junk. The “evil” in this has more to do with the opportunity-costs involved. In this contrast, they didn’t choose to pursue service to their ground. There can be other options which would better serve their Creator. Whatever they chose ended up being without value.

The result of this pursuit is an empty heart, in a sense. More accurately, they lacked heart altogether. If the sense of heart here is the ability to persevere, then the pursuit of empties robbed them of the desire to continue. They didn’t do anything because they couldn’t gain satisfaction with what they had pursued. They truly failed to realize that the problem was their choice of what to pursue. The result of such an end is a rod for their back. They are prodded, violently, into action, which they don’t “feel” like doing. Their heart isn’t in it. They don’t “feel it”. Which, in biblical perspective, gains them beatings.

So, the difference between the person of discerning speech and those lacking heart is the choice of goals. Once chooses to pursue work resulting in bread, and the other chooses effort resulting in…well, nothing. Perhaps the rod will inspire a different choice of goal. More likely it will result in resentment of activity. They will do the least in bitterness, receive the least in bitterness, and justify their bitterness without regard to the attitude difference.

These two proverbs serve as a challenge to me, because, left to my own desires and devices, I will tend toward the pursuit of things that do not result in food on the table. I want to fill my time with things that no one would pay me for or to do. They’re “hobbies”. But hobbies are not supposed to be the focus of a life. Whatever their importance, the focus of a life is for the One having given that life to begin with. What purpose our Creator has given us includes our “occupation”.

What empties have you pursued? How are you “serving your ground” these days? How can we encourage each other to greater pursuits?

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Our Doubts

Sarah was devastated last Friday! We found out her desk-mate at school came down with Covid, which meant she couldn’t go on the mini weekend trip we had planned as a family. After praying for wisdom, Joe and I decided he could still take the other 3 kids. I told Sarah we could plan some fun things at home together, but she doubted we would have as much fun. However, towards the end of the weekend she declared it was like we were on Mackinac Island! I was shocked and praised God for answering my prayers beyond my expectation!

God is with us in our doubts, disappointment and discouragement.

Matthew 14:25-33 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus graciously handled the disciples’ doubts. He can graciously handle our sincere questions and doubts, too. In fact, like with Peter, He can pick us up when we fall on our face due to our own doubts.

In what situation have you and I taken our eyes off Jesus and lasered in on the present circumstances? He’s ready to pick us back up as we turn our focus back to Him.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us as We Live Among Wickedness

 Wickedness abounds in our world. I don’t have to consume very many news articles to come to that conclusion. It’s on a global scale and among small circles of people. Last night Sarah shared how a teammate at gymnastics continues to speak cruelly (so Sarah emphatically told her to stop).

All this isn’t a surprise to God. Jesus said over and over this is how life would be here – the righteous living side-by-side with the wicked. Some of Jesus’s parables in Matthew 13 draw the same picture.

Matthew 13:47-50 ⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God will bring justice in the end. Until then, believers will share the same lake with the wicked. We will both die physical deaths, but eternity will be vastly different!

When you and I are overwhelmed by the wickedness around us, lets review and cling to God’s eternal promises! Feel free to share some below.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in our Search for Understanding

A few weeks ago I was trying to figure out a customer request, but their question wasn’t clear. Fellow co-workers even had different thoughts on what the customer meant. After lots of research and re-reading the customer email a dozen times, I suggested we ask the customer for further clarification.  

Similarly, when the disciples were confused by Jesus’s teaching, they went to Him for understanding (instead of making assumptions based on their limited understanding).

Matthew 13:1-3, 10-15         That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ² Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed…¹⁰The disciples came to him [Jesus] and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” ¹¹He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹²Those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance.  As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ¹³This is why I speak to them in parables: …¹⁴In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. ¹⁵For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’”       Matthew 13:1-3, 10-15

As the disciples went to Jesus with their questions, He gave them greater understanding! He can do the same for you and me! If we start with a small understanding of God and DO use it, apply it, and seek to understand more, He will give us an abundance of His secrets (knowledge of Him, His purposes, and His wisdom)!!! On the flip side, though, if we don’t ever use it, apply it, or seek to understand more, Jesus says even what we already know and understand will be taken away (verse 12).

In the New Year, how will you and I set aside time to seek greater understanding of God’s secrets? He is ready and waiting to give us that next layer!

Alice

When You Don't Know Where To Go

 Uncertainties abound for me right now. I'm not even sure what to write. Usually, I write from what my Master is doing in my heart. I don't think that's such a good idea right now. Right now my hope is that my Creator is greater than my heart (1 John 3:20). I'm not sure what that means, though.

What I do know is that Jesus is King of kings, and Lord over all other lords. I know that Jesus' arrival within human history is the most historic event of that history. And I know that His death, burial, and resurrection is more than sufficient for any action on my part to separate me from my Creator. That much I know, and with that I can worship, I can celebrate this season, and I can praise my Creator.

If you know that, then you can worship, celebrate and praise as well. When we do those things together, we approximate the experience which will be ours eternally in heaven. I know that too. Because my Creator is precisely who He says He is through Scripture. And Scripture confirms these things.

Those things I know are the encouraging things for us, for you, for this season, They are the things that transcend trees, wrapping paper, and stockings. The things that are sure about the Savior are those things that begin in a stable and continue through a cross and empty tomb to the throne of our Creator. Truly, they begin with the words, "In the beginning..." and continue through "Amen! Come Lord Jesus!"

Celebrate, sing, pray, weep, laugh, and enjoy a glass of cheer. Eat, and share with those who have less. Drink, and bless those near and far. Forgive, and release those indebted to you.

Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!

Thursday Devotional - 2021 Rea Christmas Picture and Note

 

With many of you possibly taking days off next week, I thought I would include our Christmas card picture and note this week…

Studying Jesus in the book of Matthew (through Bible Study Fellowship), we all memorized Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Sarah gets to join James and me for in-person BSF Tuesday nights! The twins get special time with my Dad those nights, while Joe works. 

Speaking of salvation, Edmund and Alexis became part of our spiritual family this year, before they were officially part of our earthly family! After re-signing stacks of papers and re-doing the entire adoption hearing, it was finally final in July!

James (3^rd grade) and Sarah (1^st grade) continued tennis lessons with my Dad and increased a level at gymnastics. James enthusiastically continued Spanish with my Mom, choir with his aunt and cousins, and (not as enthusiastically) piano with me. Sarah was on cloud nine for horse-back riding lessons with cousins! 

All four kids proudly completed several running races this summer and fall. They amazed Joe and me with their perseverance! Now, sometimes one of them asks me to go running (instead of the other way around).

I pray you enjoy time celebrating Jesus this season!!!

Merry Christmas!

Alice