Daily devotion

Poison Ivy

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So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! James 3:5 ESV

New England may be famous for Vermont cheese, maple syrup and Fall foliage, but one of our lesser-known products, and one which we have in abundance is poison ivy. It sports nice shiny leaves and lovely red berries, which are a favorite snack for birds, who gobble them down and then generously plant them everywhere. In today’s verse, the Apostle James tells us about a far deadlier poison than the one in poison ivy: That poison is found in the poison of malicious words. A single seed of gossip, whether through social media or in person, can destroy relationships, careers and sometimes even lives. The danger of gossip is that it spreads quickly, because, just like poison ivy, once gossip touches our hearts, we start itching to tell others. James says that evil words are like a tiny spark that sets an entire forest on fire. But in the same way that gossip spreads, words of grace can also spread, and in an even more powerful way, In Galatians, we are given the list of the kinds of seeds that God wants growing in our lives:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; Galatians 5:22-23a ESV

Whether we realize it or not, from the moment our eyes open, till we lay our head on the pillow, we will be planting seeds. Since there is already too much of the poison ivy of gossip in the world, let’s instead start planting words of love, joyful praises, peaceful phrases, patient encouragements, kind offers, good suggestions, faithful promises, gentle assurances, and self-controlled responses. These are life-giving words and will lead to a wonderful harvest. But be patient and remember that unlike the lightning speed of the spread of gossip, it takes a long growing season before we can reap a harvest of grace. So, before we say a single word this morning, let’s begin by asking ourselves, “What should I begin planting in my garden today?

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I Love Being Rejected!

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For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:3

If you are a writer, then you know that the most dreaded response from a publisher begins with the words, “Thank you for your submission, but…” We cringe because we know that those nice words invariably begin every rejection letter! However, if your first novel, article or poetry was jubilantly accepted by a large highly acclaimed publisher, then read no further. But, if like many of us, you have written several novels, articles, or oodles of poems and have little to show for it beyond a few meager acceptances and an inbox filled with rejections, then let’s see what the Bible has to say. In today’s verse, James, tells us that it is neither our acceptances, nor our successes that increase our faith but our tests. When our best efforts are challenged, just as heavy work pushes our muscles to the breaking point, so our rejections cause us to dig deeper and focus more clearly on our writing goals. They bring us face to face with the why’s of our ambitions, and the purpose of our message. Are we writing so that we can become popular, or is our true motivation to serve God and our readers? Rejection has pushed me to keep going beyond my frustration, when what I thought was a great poem or article, wasn’t something anyone wanted to read, or a publisher was willing to pay for. But to be honest, it has been my rejections that have motivated me to work towards becoming a better writer, a better editor and most of all a better follower of Jesus. So, I love being rejected! It is those wonderful rejections that have drawn me closer to the heart of Jesus: Who is The Word of God, and the best-selling message of all time!

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God’s Everlasting Arms

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The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; He cries out, ‘Destroy them!’ Deuteronomy 33:23 NLT

In his last speech before he died, Moses began giving both words of warning and blessing to the people. He wanted them to remember after forty long years of living in tents in the desert, that God had been their refuge all along. From their escape through the Red Sea, along the journey to Mount Sinai, where Moses went up to receive the Ten Commandments, God had not abandoned them. Every morning, He had fed them with manna that miraculously appeared and every day He had made fresh delicious water to flow out of a rock. Though they had fallen into sin time after time, God wanted them to realize that at their lowest point, His arms were still underneath them. Yes, there were sometimes severe consequences, yes, they had to repent and pray, but through it all, they remained His people. In so many ways, we are just like them. We who call ourselves Christians have all passed through a Red Sea of the blood of Jesus. And every morning we have access to the manna His words, when we take the time to read them. And every time we go through deserts in our lives, God’s Holy Spirit stays right by our side. In the midst of the hardest and most difficult circumstances, we can be refreshed in His presence that freely flows, as we bow in prayer. Last of all, He assures us, that when we face enemies, whether they be death, doubt, or despair, that He will drive them out, keep us safe and destroy them. Then, because He loves us, we can always count on the fact that everywhere we go that underneath are His everlasting arms!