God’s Billboard Company

By Cheri Cowell –

I love to read billboards. Of course, there are some vulgar and inappropriate things on some and I have to quickly turn my eyes. But for the most part, I find a lot to think about on these giant-sized commercials. A few anonymous Christian businessmen banded together several years ago to create the now famous God-sayings on billboards across America. Some of my favorites are Let’s meet at MY house Sunday before the game, That Love Thy Neighbor thing…I meant that, and Have you read my #1 best seller? There will be a test. Did you know that God invented billboards? He sure did!

Today’s scripture includes the instructions given for the first sanctuary on Mount Schechem. Later, the Samaritans would rebuild a sanctuary there to their God, and Jesus would tell the woman at the well that He was that God. In this passage the instructions are given for a sort of billboard. God must have really wanted them to make the writings clear so all would see them and be reminded of them, and not be able to dismiss what they said. Likewise, God’s Words need to become so familiar to us that they become like a billboard in our souls.

“And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister” (Deuteronomy 27:3-4 KJV).

PRAYER: O Lord, help me make Your words and promises like a billboard in my heart so I will always be reminded and not be able to dismiss Your greatness.

Millstones

By Cheri Cowell –

At the ruins in Petra lie a large set of stones. This “mulos onikos,” literally, a mill turned by an ass or donkey, is what the Bible refers to as a great millstone. On top of the conical-shaped stone rode a second hollowed-out stone or handstone. The upper stone was probably turned with handspikes in much the same way as an old-fashioned ship’s wheel was turned. The material to be ground was fed into the upper cone which formed the hopper. As our parable for today states, the upper millstone of a handmill would be more than sufficient to sink the condemned, and the punishment would be more easily carried out.

The occasion of this discourse was an unbecoming contest among the disciples for precedency. “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1). Hearing this Jesus offers the following parable. The connection is clear: pride is a millstone around our necks and if we don’t remove this weight, it will sink us.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell” (Matthew 18:6-9 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for such wonderful visual examples in Your Word. Help me identify prideful attitudes in my own heart that not only weigh me down but have the potential to drown me in the sea of sinfulness.

Swayed

By Cheri Cowell –

“Cheri, you must practice what you preach,” my mother would warn me. She recognized my leadership skills and wanted me to know that my words must be backed up with actions. If I preached honesty, I needed to be honest in my own dealings. If I talked about compassion, then I needed to be compassionate in my own life. We hear a lot of “talk” about virtue in the world today, but for all of the talk there is little proof that people are living it out. Jesus warned us about this very thing. But this warning takes a slightly different turn with the scribes and Pharisees. They boasted as much about the goodness of their works as of the orthodoxy of their teaching, and hoped to be justified by them.

Although this is wrong, this scripture was not an indictment on them. This was to warn us about being swayed by those who do not practice what they preach. Jesus says to beware of those who, in the name of God, place heavy burdens on your back while not lifting a finger to do the same things they are demanding of you.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them'” (Matthew 23:1-4 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for being a God who is who He says He is, who does what He asks us to do, and who sets the example for us to follow—not only in word but in deed. Help me recognize those who are not practing what they preach so I won’t be swayed by their boasting.

Crumbs

By Cheri Cowell –

“Cheri, even the dog deserves your crumbs,” my mother would warn when I was being stingy and judgemental. Once again, unbeknownst to me, she was delivering a biblical truth. The first indictment in this statment is the division in my own mind of people into categories. We all do this, but it isn’t biblical. The second indictment was even more stinging. Without saying it outright, my mother was calling my attitude into question. I was judging some to be lowly like a dog, and therefore undeserving of my respect, love, and compassion. Jesus used these same points in this parable lesson.

The Gentiles were looked upon by the Jews with great contempt. They were called and counted as dogs. But see how the tables are turned. After the bringing of the Gentiles into the church, the Jewish zealots for the law are here called dogs. This parable cautions us to beware of our own tendencies to divide people into categories and to label some as worthy and some as unworthy. God has a way of turning tables on us and we may be the ones begging for crumbs from His table.
“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, 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 said. 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 at that moment” (Matthew 15:21-28 NIV).
PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive me for the times when I’ve bowed to the tendency to categorize people and thus label some as more worthy of my love, respect, and compassion. Help me to respond more like Jesus who views all as worthy and valuable children of God.

Getting Technical

By Cheri Cowell –

A while back I decided it was time to merge my e-mail list into a program where I could send my e-mailed devotions while I’m on the road. Even though they touted this program as being user-friendly, I was about as friendly with it as a porcupine is with a dog. My first step was to import all the e-mail addresses- so far so good. Then I cut and pasted my devotionals into the text box- again, so far so good. Then I was asked to whom I wanted to send the test message? I inserted my own e-mail address and clicked, “send test message.” It then gave me a happy smile with the words, “test sent,” so I went to my e-mail and, you guessed it, no message. I figured I needed a break so I left the computer and when I returned my in-box was filled with messages from my readers. Over a hundred people signed up for my new e-mail program, and I don’t even know what they received! I am so glad God does not have a technical abilities test before we can enter heaven. There is only one test.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the do’s and don’ts of the faith journey that we forget the simplicity of it all. And just like my frustrations with the technicalities of a newsletter program that is supposed to make things easier, we can get lost in the technicalities of the Christian faith. But let us be reminded today, there is only one test, Christ Jesus in us. That’s as technical as it gets.

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for providing the test and the answer to the test. Help me remember when I get lost in the technicalities of the faith, that there is only one test and one answer- Christ Jesus in me.

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Cor. 13:5 ESV).

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