Embarrassing Gas
February 8, 2019 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Humorous
Today when I left the house on my way to pick up editors from the airport for the Florida Christian Writers Conference, I stopped by to get gas. I was running a little late so hoped the pumps were extra fast. When I jumped out of the car, the wind nearly knocked me over. So, rather than let my hair get whipped into a nest, I decided to flip down that little lock on the pump handle that allows me to leave the nozzle pumping while I go sit in the car. The pump stopped and I jumped out and yanked the nozzle out of the car- you guessed it- without releasing the lock.
Doing Good
February 7, 2019 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Family
There is no job more important or more difficult than being a parent. Several reasons come to mind for this, but one of the biggest is that children are with you 24/7. They see you at your best and your worst. They see the public you and the private. When it gets down to it, they see whether you give lip service to your Christian faith or if you practice what you preach. And it isn’t the big things that matter to children. It is those little choices, the things that most people would write off as just being human. These little things also matter to God. In fact, the Bible spells them out.
Right Angle Right Hand
February 6, 2019 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Worship
Have you ever thought about the phrases, His right-hand man, seated at his right hand, and extend the right hand of fellowship as being anything more than just a clever way to say that someone is important? I never connected the three phrases until the other day when I was sent to the garage to get a right angle for some work my husband was doing at the house. As I stared at the pegboard looking for the needed tool, I began to think about that term and all the other ways we use the word, right. The dictionary defines the word right as conformity with standards or truth, just, set straight, vindicated, or in a vertical position. Then the light bulb went off. Jesus is our right angle, vindicating us, setting us straight with the Father and, when placed alongside our hearts, He connects us to our Heavenly Father. When we extend the right hand of fellowship to someone we are in essence saying, “I am symbolizing, by extending my right hand to you, that we are connected in spirit because Jesus is our right angle, vindicating and setting us right with God.”
Sour Grapes
February 1, 2019 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Life Topics
“Are you enjoying those sour grapes?” my parents would rhetorically ask when I complained about something that hadn’t gone my way. I hated that remark, mainly because, rather than give credence to my whining, a spotlight was shown on my what about me attitude. As I read the last chapter of the book of Jonah and heard his complaining, I was reminded of the sound of my own youthful voice. And, I have to admit, it’s a voice I still use. How often do you or I claim unfairness when God blesses someone whom we feel isn’t deserving, or when God saves a disgraceful person in their eleventh hour, or chooses to deliver someone whom we believe should be punished? God feels compassion for people whom we have judged, and fortunately for us, God also overlooks our sour grapes.
Cross Your Heart
January 31, 2019 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Worship
“Cross your heart?” my friends and I would ask each other after making a promise. Somehow saying cross my heart was enough to ensure the validity of the promise. If the promise was broken we would decry, “But you crossed your heart!”
