Delayed Gratification

By Cheri Cowell –

Over the last few years America has undergone a shift, and I think it is a good one. We’ve learned to live on less, to embrace delayed gratification, and to count the cost before jumping in. I wish my mother-in-law could see us now (she’s living with Jesus) because the excesses of the 80’s and 90’s bothered her a lot.

She grew up during the depression and understood that all the “stuff” was false security. She practiced delayed gratification and counting the cost. She tought those lessons to her son, my husband. And although we didn’t always heed those lessons, they formed a solid foundation for our thinking so that when Jesus used this same principle in the parable below, we got it. I hope you do, too.

Prior to this passage, Jesus has warned and rebuked the leadership for not walking the talk. However, they still wanted to know, what does following Jesus really require? This parable makes it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because success will not come easily. We will suffer, life will be hard, and we’ll need to learn to live on less while delaying our gratification. If we sit down and carefully count these costs, when the bill comes due we won’t be blindsided.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for counting the cost and then willingly paying that cost for my salvation. Help me not only to count the cost but be willing to delay gratification so the cost will be worth it in the end.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’ (Luke 14:28-30 NIV).

Delayed Gratification

By Cheri Cowell –

Over the last few years America has undergone a shift, and I think it is a good one. We’ve learned to live on less, to embrace delayed gratification, and to count the cost before jumping in. I wish my mother-in-law could see us now (she’s living with Jesus) because the excesses of the 80’s and 90’s bothered her a lot.

She grew up during the depression and understood that all the “stuff” was false security. She practiced delayed gratification and counting the cost. She tought those lessons to her son, my husband. And although we didn’t always heed those lessons, they formed a solid foundation for our thinking so that when Jesus used this same principle in the parable below, we got it. I hope you do, too.

Prior to this passage, Jesus has warned and rebuked the leadership for not walking the talk. However, they still wanted to know, what does following Jesus really require? This parable makes it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because success will not come easily. We will suffer, life will be hard, and we’ll need to learn to live on less while delaying our gratification. If we sit down and carefully count these costs, when the bill comes due we won’t be blindsided.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for counting the cost and then willingly paying that cost for my salvation. Help me not only to count the cost but be willing to delay gratification so the cost will be worth it in the end.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’ (Luke 14:28-30 NIV).

Stranger Danger

By Cheri Cowell –

My sister and I rode our bicyles all over our small town as we were growing up. I say small because the downtown was only two blocks long. It was a time when two little girls could safely ride all over town until darkness fell. Although it was safe, now that we are aware, we’d probably have identified the man at the top of the hill where we liked to bike as a sexual preditor. He was creepy, was always talking to us and inviting us to sit with him in his carport. Thankfully, we never did.

Jesus knows about stranger danger.

In Jesus’ time a shepherd would lay his body across the entrance to the walled sheep pen at night. His body acted as a gate. He knew by touch whether an animal was one of his sheep or an imposter. with his own body he was the protector of his sheep. In the other direction, sheep also knew who was the True Shepherd and who the stranger was by listening for the shepherd’s voice. We, like sheep, can sense danger and listen to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit to protect us. The True Shepherd has used His own body to protect us from harm. He has indeed laid down his life for His sheep.

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for being my True Shepherd whose voice can help me detect stranger danger. Help me stay safely in the sheepfold where I am protected as one of Your precious sheep.

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them” (John 10:1-6 NIV).

Fear Not

By Cheri Cowell –

This summer we hosted a tour for a few family and friends of one of our favorite national parks—Yellowstone. One brave friend joined us in spite of her very real fear of heights. Even seeing the ledge to a canyon at a distance made her knees buckle. The first few days she stayed several car lengths safely from any railing. But with the reassuring arm of my husband and words of encouragment from everyone, she little-by-little found her way to the railings of even the deepest canyons.

Her fears were still very real and the canyons were still as freightening as they had been at the beginning of the trip. Yet, by the end of the week she was courageously standing near the ledge.

God knows all about conquering fear. He has some advice for those of us facing real fears in the book of Deuteronomy.

Moses, the fearless leader, was stepping down. The Israelites were standing at the entrance to the Promised Land that was filled with enemy nations. They had every reason to fear. The enemy was huge, ruthless, and all logic told them their chances at winning were slim.

What enemies are you facing right now? Your fear might be justified. But the Lord has a word of encouragment for you…Be strong and courageous for the Lord your God goes with you.

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for being bigger and mightier than any enemy I am facing. Give me the strength and courage to stand near the ledge in spite of my fears, and to trust that You are with me.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).

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).

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