Real Life - A Weekly Blog Devotional

From the Word:
Click and read Joshua 4:1-9

Key Verse:
In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:6-7

I discovered hidden treasure in my closet this weekend.

The “treasure chest” is an old stationary box. On the lid is a 3×5 card with the words “Thy Will Be Done” handwritten on it, and inside are scraps of paper notes. It is my “God Box,” something I made after reading a devotion years ago. The devotion recommended making a box to place your worries into, giving you a physical representation of letting go, of leaving the worry in God’s hands, and trusting Him to take care of all of your needs.

This weekend, when I took the lid off, I realized the notes inside were written over six years ago, and I hadn’t read them since I put them into the box. Standing in my closet, I read every piece of paper. Some were one or two words, while others were full page letters pouring out my concern and anxiety to the Lord. All of them were legitimate needs and worries of the past, bringing back memories of lost sleep. But the me of today stood there realizing that every single need in that box had been met. There wasn’t one worry written down that was a current worry today.

Finding the box truly was a treasure arriving at the perfect time. I’ve been dealing with anxiety lately, and it was so good to be reminded of God’s faithfulness to me. My discovery allowed me to see my anxiety through a proper perspective. Left in His very faithful hands, God will work out the issues of today just as He has so faithfully worked out the issues of yesterday.

Personal Application:

Consider making your own God Box. It can be something as simple as a shoe box. Whenever you find yourself fretting over an issue, write it down, leave it in your box and walk away knowing you have left it in God’s capable hands. Don’t take worries back out of the box. You have my permission to read them six year later, though, so you can see how well you’ve been taken care of! : )

Throughout the Bible God asks us to remember His goodness to us. After God parted the Jordan River for the Israelites, Joshua instructed men to take stones from the middle of the river and to construct a memorial for future generations to see and know of God’s faithfulness to Israel. Are there ways you can make memorials that point to God’s goodness in your life?

More of God’s Word:

1. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us.” - 1 Samuel 7:12 (NIV)

2. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? - Matthew 6:26 (NIV)

3. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. - 2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT)

I will be taking the next two weeks off to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. The next devotion will be posted Monday, January 5th. Feel free to browse through past posts. There is a list of topics on the sidebar that you can use to search the past posts. Enjoy reading any you may have missed. I hope you will be blessed by them. Have a very merry Christmas!

Love,

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” - Matthew 2:2

Christmas is on its way! Preparations for the season are happening around my house, too. I’m excited to have my Christmas cards ready to go weeks earlier than I did last year, and my husband and I are working through our shopping list. Only a few more gifts to go! I love Christmas, and I’m having so much fun.

But as much fun as it will be to bake gingerbread cookies with my mom while she’s visiting this week, or to decorate our tree on Tuesday night, I know preparing for Christmas needs to start in my heart. These traditions and memory making things are great, but this year I want to make worship a top priority.

These videos came to my email inbox just in time to help me with that priority. I hope you’ll watch them, too. I’m praying they will touch your heart as much as they did mine. They left me in awe of how great God really is and in awe of what Christmas means. This great God, the One who is beyond all we can comprehend, came to Earth as a tiny baby to give us hope. The God who created the stars, cares about little me and little you. How small we are, yet how great is His love and faithfulness. Worship Him!

This is only Part One and Part Two of a five part series. Here are links to view the message in its entirety:

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

I hope you have a wonderful week worshipping our great God!

Love,

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16

I’ve been distracted this week by the silliest thing. It’s a computer game called Scramble. Letters are placed in a 5×5 grid, and you have three minutes to find as many words inside the grid as possible. It’s a part of the Facebook web page, so many of my friends have been playing the game as well. I can see their scores on the side of my computer screen, and each time I beat one of their scores, my pictures moves up the ladder.

I’m currently in second place behind my friend, Rachel, who has 220 points compared to my 162 points. Man has it brought out the competitive nature in me! Every free moment this week, I’ve been hunched over my computer typing away, desperately trying to beat Rachel’s score. I knew I was in trouble when I closed my eyes to go to bed, and all I could see was the Scramble board.

It hit me how bad this addiction had become when my five-year-old daughter walked by me sitting at the kitchen table, looked at my laptop screen with a critical eye and said, “Oh good, you aren’t playing that STUPID game!” Ouch!

If I died tonight, my tombstone could read, “Here lies Becky. She played Scramble. Over and over and over again.” : )

Seriously, is that the legacy I want to leave? There is nothing wrong with a little entertainment now and then, but there is something wrong with placing such high priority on such a trivial thing. I’m coming to the end of my week feeling so far away from God, so spiritually blah, and so disconnected. And no wonder! Instead of quiet times this week, I played Scramble. “God, I’ll be right there. I know you want to spend some time with me. Just one more round!”

How easily my attention can be shifted away from what matters. I’m so thankful for a new week, with a fresh start, and an opportunity to prioritize my life wisely.

Personal Application:

Who or what has had your focus this week?

How easily little distractions can move in, shifting our focus, and sending our hearts and minds on spiritual detours. If something has taken your eyes off of Jesus this week, confess it now, and ask Him to help you prioritize your life according to His priorities for you.

Father,
It is so easy to become distracted and dulled by the things of this world. So many things compete for my attention, taking my eyes off of those that have eternal value. Please reveal to me where my priorities and thoughts have shifted off course. I want to be in the center of your will. Help me to choose wisely how to spend my time and my mental energy so I can be effective for your Kingdom and able to hear your still, small voice.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:

1. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. -Colossians 3:2 (NIV)
2. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. -Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

Love,