Saddle the Donkey

August 31

Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.

Genesis 22:3

Carl and Ruth were tired. Working tirelessly for twenty-six years, they had

served on almost every board and committee in the church. Someone had told

them early in their Christian walk, “God wants us to be spiritually exhausted at

the end of each day!” They had taken it to heart, and many times they had sac-

rificed personal activities in an effort to be where they thought God expected

them to be; they just wanted to please God.

Then one fall Sunday morning, on a rare vacation, they attended worship

at a quaint little church in a picturesque little town in the South. The pastor

brought a message regarding purposeful service. He explained that our reason

for being is to serve the Lord.

Amen, thought Carl and Ruth.

Then he said something they’d never heard before. “When God calls us to

service, it is to be His call, on His terms, for His purpose. We are not to serve

for the sake of service. When God called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, it was

God’s call. Abraham did not awaken one morning and tell Sarah, ‘I think we

should sacrifice Isaac. What do you think, Sarah?’ He would never have set out

to do that on his own!” The pastor went on to say, “We set out to please God

by doing things in His name. Many times those things are not what He would

have us do.”

h

It is our reasonable sacrifice to serve God. He created us for service. But what

we do is as important as why we do it.

How many times have we found ourselves serving God only to be com-

pletely frustrated and at wits’ end? If we were to ask, we might hear God say,

“I appreciate your hard work, but that’s not what I wanted you to do.” Many

times we begin an act of service, not inspired by God, asking Him to bless it,

never connecting our frustration to the fact He wants us doing something else.

Our self-assigned sacrifice may look good, but we really should make sure

God wants us to saddle the donkey.

Prayer

“Lord, please show me what You want me

doing right now. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Conscious Effort

August 30

Think on these things.

Philippians 4:9

Another using dream. Gibb wondered what was going on and what it meant.

He couldn’t get the images out of his head.

He’d been free from addiction for over five years and hadn’t had to deal

with the seduction or obsession since then. Yet this dream felt so real; he’d

been searching through medicine cabinets in houses that weren’t his. When he

awoke, his relief was profound. But he was disturbed that he’d not only found

pills during his search, he’d taken some! Knowing it would end in him hurting

those he loved and terrorizing people he didn’t know, he couldn’t figure out

why, after all these years, the dreams had surfaced again.

Searching for a reason, Gibb realized he’d slacked off in his morning devo-

tions recently. He’d begun to hurry through the readings. He hadn’t been as

consistent in his prayer time either. Getting out of bed, Gibb decided to change

his devotional routine to see if the dreams stopped.

After brushing his teeth, he headed for the living room. Bending his heart

to God, Gibb simply asked, “What are the dreams about, Lord?” He received

an astonishingly immediate response. “Your life of leisure, Gibson. You have

taken things for granted lately, and the enemy has responded. When I told

you to think on these things, I meant all the time.” Grateful that God had redi-

rected him, and knowing this would end the dreams, Gibb bowed his head in

thanksgiving.

h

We can become neglectful of our relationship with God and end up losing the

closeness where we find refuge. It may not necessarily be a fatal mistake, but

left unchecked, it can cause needless suffering. Prolonged distancing will cause

us to cut ourselves off from our shield of protection. When that happens, we

must return to the basics, recommitting our hearts in an effort to draw closer

to God. Having gotten sloppy in our approach, it will usually require conscious

effort to reestablish our relationship without establishing just a familiar routine.

Paul advised the Philippians to think about wholesome things in order to

keep their minds stayed on God. We would do well to do the same and not

allow ourselves to become slipshod in our spiritual discipline. Conscious effort

will be rewarded with closeness in relationship.

Prayer

“I’m prone to becoming lazy, Lord. Help me

recommit my heart and mind to Your care. Draw

me ever closer. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Divine Q-tips

August 29

And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

1 Kings 19:12

“Did you hear what I said?” Kelly broke in on his wife’s reverie.

“What? Did you say something?” Her startled response told Kelly that

Denise hadn’t heard a word he’d said.

Always the jokester, Kelly decided to have a little fun at his wife’s expense.

“You never listen to me!” he wailed in mock frustration, wiping a pretend tear

from his eye. “You need to clean your ears out with Q-tips!” He forced himself

to keep from laughing, “You don’t give me the time of day anymore! I slave my

life away for you and what do I get in return? I’ll tell you what: nothing! A

great big nothing!” He couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore.

“You big doofus!” she said, swinging and missing her prankster husband.

“I’m sooooo sorry!” She almost touched the floor in a benevolent, servant-style

bow, as if humbling herself before her master. “What, pray tell, can this lowly

waif do for his highness?” The words dripped with sarcasm.

“Okay, okay,” he surrendered. “We could do this all night. But I seriously

thought you were listening when I asked if you minded that I go golfing with

the guys tonight? I mean, I know you don’t care. I was just wondering if you

had any plans.”

“Nope, nothing that would require the king to stay home guarding his

kingdom.” She teased. “Have fun, my dear. Hey, would you call Bruce and have

him ask Patty to come over while you’re gone, please?”

h

We complain about never hearing from God when, in reality, we haven’t been

tuned in to the sound of His voice.

We desire some ground-shaking form of correspondence, something more

tangible than a whisper and easier to recognize. God, in His sovereignty, would

rather we learn how to listen for the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit.

In truth, there are times when we can’t hear God because we don’t want to,

so we pretend He is mute. The truth is we are deaf, and what our spiritual ears

need a good cleaning with divine Q-tips.

Have you ever dug too deep with a Q-tip? It hurts! The more attentive we

are, the less digging is required.

Prayer

“Clean my spiritual ears, Lord, so I can

hear You when You speak. Amen.”

 Let Me Help

August 28

So after ten years … Sarai his wife took … Hagar and gave her to her

husband to be his wife.

Genesis 16:3

“I don’t care what you say,” Grace challenged. “I think we need to give Stepha-

nie the money.” Ralph, on the other hand, felt their daughter needed to learn

from her carefree lifestyle and rampant spending.

Protection mode kicked in. “I can’t believe you could possibly want her to

have to suffer through the long process of reestablishing her credit!” she said

diplomatically.

But Ralph felt he needed to stand firm on this issue. “Grace,” he began,

reining in his frustration in light of her opposition. “What would we be telling

her by bailing her out? The truth is,” he blurted, “that’s just what she believes

we’re going to do!” Sorry he’d momentarily lost the battle over his emotions,

he regrouped, saying, “Honey, she’s been way too cavalier about doing as she

pleases. I believe she needs to resolve this issue on her own.” Attempting to

lessen Grace’s heartache, he pulled her toward him and held her close as he

said, “We had to learn on our own too, you know. No one could tell us what to

do at that age either.”

“Oh, Ralph.” She sighed in resignation. “She’s my little girl. I just want to

help.”

“Me too,” he said with an affectionate squeeze.

h

It can be tremendously difficult to stand aside and allow our children to suffer

when any interference on our part would be wrong.

Restraint at a time when someone wants our intervention requires wis-

dom. Only by seeking God’s guidance will we make the right choice.

We might actually be doing our children a disservice by taking action. We

may be helping them out of the very situation God intended to use to bring

them to an understanding of their improprieties.

When we get in God’s way, as Abraham did when he fathered Ishmael, we

are taking matters into our own hands instead of allowing God to work things

out in His way. Abraham’s disobedience has caused two nations to remain in

constant contention. We can hurt our children if we’re not careful.

Prayer

“Teach me the difference between hindering and

helping, Lord. Show me when to stay out of other

people’s business. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 We Are the Prodigal

August 27

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Luke 15:18

Shell had kept her distance from the zealots in her family for years. Her

thought? If you want to believe in Jesus, fine. Just leave me alone. Then something

had happened that she couldn’t explain in rational, humanly possible terms. It

had God’s handprint all over it; she could no longer deny the truth. “There is

a God, and He cares!”

With this newfound realization came understanding: she’d been selfishly

doing as she pleased because she wasn’t going to live by anyone’s rules but her

own! Now she understood how blatantly she had snubbed her nose at God! Oh,

what have I done in my arrogant belligerence, she thought. Not knowing what to

do, she called her mom. Through tears of joy, her mother assured her that God

could and would forgive her of everything if she just asked Him.

In stark contrast to how she had lived her life, she knelt beside the couch

and said through tears, “I know now that I’m a sinner, Lord Jesus. And you

have no reason to forgive me, but everyone who knows You says I can ask and

You’ll forgive every wrong thing I’ve done. So I’m asking now that You for-

give me and come into my heart and make me clean, show me how to live a

life worthy of Your sacrifice. Amen.” Mother and daughter alternated between

laughter and tears, both thanking God for His infinite mercy and grace.

h

Each of us has sinned against God and need His forgiveness. Many of us have

made a lifestyle of it, thinking we could escape judgment. Others want salva-

tion but are under the impression they don’t deserve another chance. Neither

statement is valid.

We cannot unashamedly reject Jesus Christ and expect mercy, nor are we

beyond the depth of His grace if we turn and invite Him into our heart.

As in the story of the prodigal, we have been separated from God by sin.

And as the prodigal’s father, God is waiting to run to us the moment we turn

and head in His direction.

Prayer

“Lord, sometimes I do foolish things and get lost. Lead

me home to where You are. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Assembly Line Christianity

August 26

Be imitators of God.

Ephesians 5:1

Jessie’s passion meter was stuck on “I’m here” and didn’t seem to register any

higher. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want a deeper relationship with Jesus;

he just wasn’t sure how to go about getting it. And six months of attending this

church hadn’t helped. It was “Come as you are, we’ll accept you. Do as we tell

you and everything will be wonderful!” Yet, he didn’t seem to know any more

about Jesus than he had when he’d first started here.

“Everything here seems tailored to mold people into some kind of autom-

aton,” he’d shared with another newbie, as they were referred to in the mem-

bership class. “Doesn’t this feel kinda plastic to you?” he suddenly asked.

“I guess I never thought about it,” was the man’s casual reply. “What do

you mean?” he countered.

“Well,” Jessie began, “I feel like we’re all on this big assembly line headed

for the final production stage with nothing but superficial understanding. It’s

like a cookie-cutter mentality. As if they’re just trying to turn out Christians,

and there’s no understanding required to graduate.” Feeling the need to qualify

his comment, Jessie added, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they don’t love

Jesus, but it’s like there’s nothing required for membership. We’re not required

to share what we believe or why. Do you know what I’m getting at?” Jessie

asked.

h

Whose likeness are we trying to imitate? Are we looking for the truth, or are

we playing follow the leader, regardless of where the leader is headed?

Many of today’s churches offer a brand of religion that falls short of God’s

example in Jesus Christ. And people blindly follow, thinking, “If it walks like

a duck and talks like a duck, it must be a duck,” never understanding they are

ignorantly tempting hell.

It absolutely matters what we believe and why because simply saying the

name of Jesus will not gain us entrance into heaven. If we do not confess Jesus

as Lord and are not required to ask forgiveness through repentance where there

is no turning from sin (understanding we will not do this perfectly), then we are

deceived. We will be held accountable, regardless of our professed ignorance.

Prayer

“Lead me on the one true path of salvation, Lord.

Show me the way. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Beetle Boots and Levis

August 25

If anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ … do not believe it.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear.”

Matthew 24:23

It was two days and counting; summer vacation was over. “You never get us the

original!” Elliott said with the frustration of a fifteen-year-old. “Everybody else

in school will have genuine Levis and Beetle Boots. Not some lame knockoffs

like these!”

“Honey,” his mother began, “we can’t afford the originals. Those boots and

jeans are three times as much as these, and they don’t fit our budget. This is

the best we can do.” Had Elliott been thinking about anything but himself, he

would have been able to see the hurt in his mother’s eyes. But he wasn’t, and he

didn’t. All he could see were cheap imitations that would elicit ridicule from his

peers at school. They’d take one look at these off-brand jeans and low-heeled

boots with the zipper on the side instead of in the back, and they’d say what

they always said, “Whutsamatter, Bennett? Mommy still dressing you?” Kids

could be cruel, and these lessons seemed unfair.

With that thought in his head, Elliott headed for his room. I’ve gotta

figure a way to get what I want or everyone’ll think I’m uncool! And with that, he

slammed his bedroom door on the world.

h

There is a knockoff for everything; someone has counterfeited the original and

is looking to profit from it. And in most cases it’s not life threatening.

However, there is one counterfeit that we must not buy, and regardless of

the cost, we must purchase the original!

Satan has staked his claim to the throne of God and comes deceiving

those who would listen to his sales pitch. His minions tell us we’re uncool and

won’t be accepted unless we buy what they’re selling.

Jesus, knowing sin is tempting in the early stages because it feels good,

warns us so we will be on guard, because there are always consequences. To

make the wrong choice in this case will be eternally fatal.

Jesus is the original; there is no other way to salvation.

Prayer

“Lord, help me see past all the bells and whistles

when Satan comes to deceive. Help me discern the

lies and seek the truth. In Jesus’ Name, amen. “