Ready, Set, Go

By Cheri Cowell –

It seems every advertisement, every commercial, and every store is focused on the second biggest shopping season of the year, second only to Christmas. It’s back-to-school shopping time! Some states even offer tax-free holidays to aid parents in buying clothes and other school supplies. Everyone, everywhere is getting ready, even if you don’t have children. For now is the time to buy office supplies, new sneakers, and clothes because the deals are too good to pass up. It’s time to get ready.

The Bible is big on getting ready.

In our scripture focus, the Kohathites were middle-aged men from the tribe of Levi tasked with moving the furnishings of the tablernacle. Aaron and his family were the only ones who would “see” the holy furnishings before covering them and preparing them for the move. The Kohathites were the movers with very specific instructions: Do not touch the holy things.

What are you doing to “ready” the holy space in your heart today? God is ready to move and He’s given specific instructions to make way for the Holy One. Are you ready to move?

PRAYER: Holy God, please forgive the casualness with which I approach Your presence. Show me the ways in which You want to ready the holy space in my heart for the next move you want to make. And thank You for not only being a God worthy of my reverence, but also a God who welcomes me as a child.

“After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting. “Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles” (Numbers 4:15-16 NIV).

Old Faithful

By Cheri Cowell –

Many people visited our nation’s oldest national park this summer, and our family was among them. The big attraction in Yellowstone National Park is the geyser named Old Faithful. Thousands gather to watch it erupt every 90 minutes. We were told by a park ranger that the reliability of the geyser can be attributed to the fact that it is not connected to any of the other thermal features in the area. It was one-of-a-kind. As I watched one of the predictable steam-powered shows, I thought about the faithful God who created this amazing geographical feature. I thought about the ways in which I have sinned against God and His amazing faithfulness to forgive and forget. His faithfulness is worthy of the ooohs and ahhhs Old Faithful receives every 90 minutes, and so much more.

In the third chapter of Romans, Paul is addressing the question that if the Jews stand on the same level with Gentiles and they are unfaithful what will they then stand upon if not their lineage? Paul answers by pointing out the obvious problem with their logic. If man is dependant upon his own efforts he is doomed from the beginnning. Paul further points out that our faith must be placed in the only One who is faithful. God alone is faithful. Even a geyser named Old Faithful is not as faithful as our God. He alone is worthy of our praise.

PRAYER: Dear faithful and loving God, You alone are worthy of my praise. Thank You for Your faithfulness in spite of my faithlessness and help me strengthen my faithfulness so I might one day be lovingly called “old faithful” by those who witness my steadfast faith.

“Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged” (Romans 3:2-4 ESV).

What Watt Are You?

By Cheri Cowell –

The other day I had to replace a light bulb and did not have the correct wattage on hand. Standing in the light bulb section at the home improvement store, I was lost. There must have been hundreds of choices of 75-watt bulbs. I had no idea it was that complicated. I finally settled on a bulb and headed home to bring light back to my office.

As I drove home I wondered what it would be like if Jesus could label our light-bearing wattage. Would I be a 100-watt, 75 watt, or a 40-watt bulb? Would I be one of those new colored light bulbs that bring out the colors in a room? Would God say I helped to bring out His colors in the world around me? Jesus asked the same questions.

The popular salt and light passage below follows another popular teaching on the beatitudes. Taken in context with the beatitudes this passage is telling the church how they are to take God’s ways as described in the beatitudes and use them to illuminate the path for others to find His way. In modern-day language, we are to be a 100-watt bulb for the world to find its way toward God.

PRAYER: Thank You, God for being full of so much color that You require specially equipped light-bearers to illuminate them. I humbly praise You for choosing me to be one of those light-bearers, and ask You to help me keep an open house and to shine for You in a dark and needy world.

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 MSG).

Chosen

By Cheri Cowell –

I often heard my mother-in-law recall the tragic day they lost all they owned in a house fire. It happened right after Christmas and the children had just received new bikes. Of all the things in the house, they chose to try to save the bikes but were unable to do so. Over the years, however, it was not the bikes she missed, it was the little things. Photos were at the top of the list of things she wished they had saved. Though these things were forever lost, it was her family she cherished the most.

Recently, after watching news coverage of people returning to find what nature left behind after fires, floods, and tornados, I was reminded how blessed I am. Yes, I am blessed to be in a home surrounded by the things I cherish, but more importantly, I am blessed because of my relationships. I am blessed by my family and many wonderful friends. And even more than all of that, I am blessed because regardless what disaster may strike, I have been chosen, and so have you.

What are our spiritual blessings?

Eternal life, freedom in Christ, forgiveness, unconditional love, and the right to be called sons and daughters of God and a brother or sister of Christ, are a few. We didn’t receive these blessings because we live in the right neighborhood, were born into the right family, or follow the rules of faith. We received them because in God’s grace, He chose us. He chose us to walk blameless regardless of how much we deserve to be blamed; and to be holy, even as He is holy–not because we are, but because He is.

How blessed we are no matter what disaster we may encounter.

PRAYER: Thank You, God for Your richest of blessings, including my life in Christ. Thank You for choosing me and help me remember my spiritual blessings when at times it seems all earthly blessings are burning, washing, or blowing away.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:3-4 NIV).

Inside Out

By Cheri Cowell –

Recently I met a friend for lunch and through our conversation she learned that I indeed wore a Southern Belle gown and big picture hat for my wedding. As proof, I pulled the picture from my purse. As she looked at the picture she said, “Funny, I didn’t picture you as the Southern Belle type.” To which I replied, “You’re right. I guess I was filling a role I thought I should play.”

Come to think of it, I have played many roles in my life that were not accurate reflections of my inner self. Jesus can see beneath the surface and calls us to be who we really are.

This Pharisee in the scripture below had invited Jesus into his home, but Jesus knew that the man’s heart (his motives) were not pure. To reveal truth to the man, Jesus speaks of the inside and outside of a cup. True giving comes from what is inside, He tells the man, implying that his invitation to Jesus to dine with him was not given from a pure heart. He was just playing a role; his true character was revealed.

Are you living in a role that does not accurately reflect your true character? Jesus is more interested in lives lived from the inside out, and gifts given from a pure heart.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord for how You tenderly reveal Your inner self to me so that I might live a life that is clean from the inside out. Help me clean the cup from the inside so I may accurately reflect Your image to the outside.

“When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you” (Luke 11:37-41 NIV).

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