Category: devotional

While lecturing this morning I made myself comfortable by sitting on the edge of the desk. This is not unusual so I was interested why my students started to snigger. Finally they pointed to my socks. They did not match. They were sure this was a sign of old age and creeping senility but I protested that it was a sign of love. I got up this morning before my wife and it was still fairly dark in the room. Not wanting to awaken her by turning on a light I got dressed in the dark. In the dark my socks looked like a pair.

I was reminded of a hymn I grew up singing. It is simply called, “I Love You” and the last line of the first stanza says, “But how much I love Thee my actions do show.” In Matthew 25 Jesus said, “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

When we love someone we do for them. Love shows. Loves does. Trying to hide love is like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. Anyway why would we want to hide it?

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 22, 2003
Spring of Life, 901 Signorelli Circle, St. Helena, CA 94574

We had a truly frightening experience this past Saturday night. We attended a New York Rangers Hockey game in Madison Square Garden. We were so far up in the nosebleed section I needed binoculars to read the numbers on the backs of the players. The frightening thing happened afterward. We got onto an escalator going down that led to another escalator going down and so on. Midway down for some unknown reason an official blocked the entrance of an escalator. He apparently had not thought of what was going to occur because the escalator arriving at his position continued to disgorge people into a very small area. People were piling up with no place to go. People at the top of the still moving escalator did not know what was happened at the bottom and continued to get on for the ride down. We had small children with us and immediately grabbed them to hold above our heads. Obviously the situation was rectified or I would not be writing to you. But it was frightening as dozens more people continued to be delivered onto the pile.

I thought of those mounting the escalator not knowing what awaited them at the bottom. So often we embark on a course of action not knowing where it will take us. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” When wiser people tell us not to do something we really ought to take heed. The reason why the sign says, “Don’t drink the water” could be because the water is poisoned.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 21, 2003.
Spring of Life, 901 Signorelli Circle, St. Helena, CA 94574

After over forty years of marriage I have noted an increase in misunderstandings and questionable glances. At first this puzzled me. It would seem after living life together so long we would be more understanding because we were both present at the same events. But I have it figured out. It’s all about hearing each other. She doesn’t hear everything I say and when I respond with my usual friendly grunts she doesn’t hear me and thinks I am ignoring her. Now I would love to leave you with the impression it is all her fault but alas I have noticed increasing numbers of times when I have to ask my students to repeat a question. So I am sure if she were talking to you now she would say, “He just doesn’t pay attention anymore. I say things to him and he just continues on his merry way.” The key to a great relationship is listening and I am not as good at it as I used to be.

In Psalm 20 verse 6 we are assured that God hears us. Midst the cacophony of the universe and the millions of prayers constantly being sent His way He hears us. You and I can be sure not a sigh goes unnoticed. When we talk to Him He often replies with a friendly grunt and we might not hear Him because of our inattention but be assured He did hear everything. It was, according to Elijah on Mount Carmel, Baal who was hard of hearing or sleeping or on a vacation. But our God never misses anything. So try Him out.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 20, 2003.
Spring of Life, 901 Signorelli Circle, St. Helena, CA 94574

Summer is ebbing away and it’s zucchini time. What a wonderful time of the year. Days are toasty, nights are cool and gardens are reminding us of our heavenly Father’s prodigal ways. I have a friend who planted six zucchini plants and I asked, “Why?” One plant could feed Boston. It’s a good thing the patriots chose to toss tea into the harbor because no one would have noticed had it been zucchini. This afternoon we even had a bagful magically appear on our doorstep and we don’t even have a garden. (Thank you zucchini fairy.)

God’s generosity is not limited to a vegetable. One of my favorite verses is Micah 7:19. “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Please take note of the word “all.” But, you may ask what about the unpardonable sin Jesus spoke of in Matthew 12:31. “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” That verse has frightened many people because they wonder if they are guilty of that sin. As Jesus would say, “Fear not.” The unpardonable sin is one’s refusal to yield to the Holy Spirit’s wooing. The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict us of our sins and urge us to repent. Thus the unpardonable sin is refusing to repent of any sin. If you are concerned that means He is calling you. So just say, “Lord, I am so sorry. Help me.”

That brings us back to all our sins being forgiven. The last time I checked the deepest part of any ocean is 36,070 feet. That is a long way down. God loves mercy and is prodigal.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 17, 2017
Spring of Life, 901 Signorelli Circle, St. Helena, CA 94574

There is something indescribably delicious about a hot muggy summer afternoon that slowly transitions when a thunderstorm cools off the day. Maples leaves, bigger than oak and birch leaves, are the first to catch the approaching zephyr. Glancing up one notices a slight graying of the afternoon’s cumulous clouds. Shapes and forms multiply overhead and deepen in color as far away sounds of thunder announce intentions.

When my Dad and I would hear the first rumblings of an approaching downpour he would tell me angels were rearranging the furniture in heaven. I liked it when he told me fun stories. I knew better but it was fun to hear. My father was full of strange and wonderful tales about our ancestors. He often talked about his grandmother who packed a pearl-handled six-shooter on her hip. I knew it wasn’t true but I would beg him for more and he was
good to deliver.

Stories give substance to our ideas, beliefs and values. Stories help us fit into the world about us. Instead of telling people how to live and what to do it is better to tell them a good story and let them figure out the meaning. The lessons stick because they were generated in the minds of the listeners. Jesus knew that and was a great storyteller. Some of them were true. Some of them were made up. The point was not the veracity of the tale but the meaning that would permanently change the life of the hearer. Jesus loved metaphors and effectively used them as when he warned his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 10, 2008
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd., Leominster, MA 01453.

This past month one could almost have confused New England with the tropics.
Each afternoon the sky filled with giant cumulous clouds; lightening
flashed, thunder rumbled and torrential downpours have filled our reservoirs
to overflowing. That is amazing. All the moisture has awakened a rich
array of mushrooms and other fungi. The forest floor is decorated with red,
yellow, orange, gray and purple caps.

I found myself wishing I knew the names of all these strange wonders. Then
it occurred to me that if I knew the names I still would not know anything
about them. Names are just what some other person decided to call them.
That would tell me more about the namer than the named. I too can name
them; anything I want! It would be great fun to name one after my wife
and two others after my sons and another after my dog. The difficulty
would be communicating to others about the mushrooms that I had named. But
then I cannot think of any time I have ever had a mushroom based
conversation with anyone.

Most likely somewhere in the world there is an official mushroom naming
society just as somewhere in the universe there is someone who has a special
name for you and me. Revelation 2:17 speaks of God giving each of us a new
name. I am sure it will be a perfect match for our personality. When we,
if we tell it to others who know us, they will nod and say, “Yes, that’s
perfect. That’s you.” I’m glad God is the one giving us our new names
because I think none of us would dare to give ourselves as grand a name as
we are going to receive.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 18, 2008
Spring of Life Ministry, 151 Old Farm Rd., Leominster, MA

One of the great things about summer is melons. It is true; melons are shipped to our grocery stores all winter. However, those just don’t taste good probably because are picked while they are green in order to ship them to market. Homegrown melons just taste so much better. Maybe it’s the time of the year. Who wants to eat watermelon for Christmas? But on a hot summer day it is marvelous.

Some people like to put salt on their melons. Others like their cantaloupe with a scoop of ice cream filling the hole in the middle. Do you remember when stores would plug a watermelon for you, and if you did not like the taste they just threw away that melon and let you plug another? Wow, just try that today! Others pick out cantaloupes by smelling the stem end.

According to the book of Numbers one of the foods the children of Israel missed after they left Egypt was melons. The wilderness where they wandered about for forty years was a pretty hot place and melons would have been great. However, they did get manna every morning. But even the best food in the world gets a bit boring when you have it every single day. God has been so good to us. He has filled the earth with a huge variety of good things. What a gracious wonderful God!

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 27, 2000
Spring of Life Ministry, 151 Old Farm Rd., Leominster, MA 01453

We are deep into summer in New England. The greens have lost their newness and have darkened into a lush verdancy. Roadsides are strewn with Queen Anne’s Lace and Daylilies. Purple Loosestrife has filled the wetlands along the edges of the rivers and marshlands. Evening shadows lengthen until 8:30 p.m. before falling away to the night. Eighty-degree days toast the air and herald the coming of sixty-degree evenings. Wood thrushes sing from the
woods the most beautiful sounds of nature.

If one leaves the rush of the highways and slows down on the winding rock fence walled roads that led to calendar picture villages, one is treated to well-mown yards and Edenic flower gardens. Unique houses fly flags as do the light poles in the towns. One can feel the pride of home and country when moving along the oak and maple lined streets. If you turn off the air-conditioning and roll down the windows almost every street fills one’s nostrils with the glory of some backyard chef trying out his charcoal grill. In the distance you can hear the calliope sounds of Pop Goes the Weasel as the local ice cream man slowly moves through the neighborhoods baiting both little and big people to come and buy Snow cones, Popsicles and Eskimo Pies.

Summertime in New England is as good as life gets. It fills one with thanksgiving and praise for the one who made it and closed out Genesis one with “that’s very good.” “He owns the day and the night. He put the stars and sun in place. He laid out the four corners of earth and shaped the seasons of summer and winter.” Psalm 74:16 – 17

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 14, 2008
Spring of Life Ministry, 151 Old Farm Rd., Leominster, MA 01453

In summer the roadsides of central Massachusetts are filled with flowers. The old stonewalls are decorated with day lilies and Queen Anne’s lace. The day lilies come in a vast array of colors while the Queen Anne’s lace is just white but not plain white. If you stop to look closely you will see in the middle of each cluster a tiny purple blossom proclaiming its individuality.

The very last thought of chapter 5 in Galatians is “Let us not…envy each other.” It is so easy to look about and see wonderful features and qualities in others. The next step is to envy. To want be the best looking person at the party. To be the smartest kid in the school. To be the fastest athlete with the best jump shot. To have a car and house like the neighbors. Whole lives can be spent wishing to be or to have something else while failing to appreciate our own gifts and beauty.

God loves each person. In His love He has given each one something unique and wonderful. When we discover what that is and to use it for the benefit of others, we discover yet another gift. For as we utilize what we have, God gives more. Each of us is an original. There is not another like you. We each have something special to offer. Envy no one. Enjoy your uniqueness. Be the purple little blossom in the middle of a Queen Anne’s lace.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 28, 2000
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd., Leominster, MA 01453

In one of my classes today we were talking about the “Make a Wish” Foundation that grants children with life threatening medical conditions one fantastic wish. Many children want to go to Disneyland. Other children want to meet someone special. During the conversation I mentioned that Christianity is a “Make a Wish” faith because Paul says in Ephesians 3:20 that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

At this my students began to tell me all the things they could imagine they wanted. One of them told me she wanted God to pay off her student loans. I assured her God would indeed do that. On a daily basis He would give her the strength to go to class. He would give her the intelligence to learn and if she used what He has given she will someday graduate, begin a career and make all the money needed to pay off her student loans. She was a bright young lady and got the point. God is not interested in granting the wishes of lazy people who don’t bother to utilize the gifts He has already given.

Jesus told a great parable about a man who took a trip and left his servants money to invest. The ones who invested were well rewarded. The one who did nothing with his talent was chastised and impoverished after the master returned. Good things, wishes, come to those who hustle.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 2, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453