Sitting On A Hill

I just heard a news report that parents and their young children are not getting enough sleep.  I hope they didn’t pay a lot for that research, because we could have told them that.  My husband and I require different amounts of sleep, but both of us need our down time.  As Christians we also need God time.  Not only time to study and pray, but also time to just sit and be still.  Our spirits plea for us to take time to simply listen and be renewed.  Jesus needed the same thing.

It would have been easy for Jesus to keep preaching, knowing He only had a few days left.  This easily overlooked passage tells us, in the midst of it all He went out and sat on a hill.  How many times have I said, “I have so much to do before I can rest tonight”?  Even Jesus, the Son of God, the Holy One Himself, knew He needed renewal each night.  Yes, parents, children, and everyone else are most likely not getting enough rest.  And every Christian can probably use more time to sit on a hill and be still with God.

PRAYER: Dear God, help us set aside the big to-do list each night and spend a few minutes with You in stillness, sitting on a hill.

“So every day Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, but at night he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives,” Luke 21:37 NET.

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, a student at Asbury Theological Seminary (Orlando).  Cheri writes and speaks on the deep questions of faith.  Her first book Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life (Beacon Hill) is described as a biblically sound, no nonsense approach to making God-centered life choices.  For comments or to inquire about her speaking schedule, visit www.DirectionAndDiscernment.com.

The First Mystery Writer

Do you like a good mystery?  I love to watch mystery movies; you know the ones that give clues along the way but don’t give the whole picture until the very end. The really good ones toss some turns in there to throw you off so when the mystery is finally revealed you say, “Ohhh, I missed that!”

Did you know that God was the first mystery writer?  Yes, and just like in a good movie, He gave the real clues all along, but many people missed it. And just like at the end of movies, we turn to our friends and say, “Did you get it?” Paul is saying that now. In fact he explains the whole mystery to us because so many missed the clues. People began to think that God might have tricked them with some of His turns, but Paul explains that God’s timing is perfect. He was not withholding the mystery from past generations, but was revealing it in His perfect timing. Praise God, the mystery is revealed: God’s plan includes all the people of the world.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that from the beginning of time You have scripted the greatest mystery ever written to include all the people of the earth.  We praise You today for revealing the mystery to us and for giving us a role to play in revealing the mystery to others.

“Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.”  (Ephesians 3:5-6 NET)

Today’s devotion is written by Cheri Cowell, a student at Asbury Theological Seminary (Orlando).  Cheri writes and speaks on the deep questions of faith.  Her first book Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life (Beacon Hill) is called a biblically sound, no nonsense approach to making God-centered life choices.  For comments, or to inquire about her speaking schedule; visit www.DirectionAndDiscernment.com.

Whistle While You…

I envy those who can whistle. I couldn't whistle a tune if my life depended on it. Nothing can lift one's spirit more than listening to someone whistle his or her way through the day.  Whether it is a ballad or a joyous tune, the whistler's way eventually makes it into the heart of everyone who is listening. Many an old black-and-white movie depicts the spell a whistling beau can place upon an unsuspecting woman. So, too, can a whistling man or woman, diffuse an angry scene, and soon every one is humming along. I often wonder if God whistles? He may. Jesus probably whistled while He worked in His father's carpentry shop, or while He walked from town to town. We are instructed, even commanded to whistle through the psalms. Really!

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In the Image of God

Slamming the front door, I'd march into the house shouting, "I hate you!”  My sweet, even-tempered mother would calmly walk into my room, and say, "Now Cheri, I can see you are angry, but you really don't hate anyone.  You may dislike or even hate what they do, but you don't hate them.  After all, they, too, were created by God.”  I hated that.  She was right, but when you are really angry, it takes all of the punch out of your anger to admit you loved the person God created, but not who they have become.  There are a lot of people today who fall into this category.  They no longer are the people God created them to be.  Some are even downright evil, yet we know from Scripture, God created everyone to live in union with Him.  So how do we stop evil from overcoming the world, from overcoming us?  I believe we begin with this premise, and then teach it to our children, and their children, and their children's children—that everything was and everyone is created by God.

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A Symphony of Praise

There was a commercial a while back that I just loved.  It showed a dad getting breakfast for a toddler who was being occupied on the kitchen floor with the pots and pans.  The Dad was getting annoyed with the child's attempts at music until he came up with a solution.  He put on earphones and listened to great music composers as his child looked happily on at Dad, who was now enjoying his son's musical talent.  I see God doing the same thing for us.

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