Category: devotional

This evening in class a student asked me, “What is a diphthong?” I didn’t have a clue. I did not know if it was some form of phoneme or morpheme so I did what any wise man would do. I asked my wife. She was teaching in the classroom next door to my room. My students, 23 women out of 26 students, cheered when they realized where I was going. It was a great moment for feminism. My wife and I figure between the two of us we have one good brain. Genesis 2:24 says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” In this particular incident it is one brain.

She told me a diphthong was a complex speech sound that begins with one vowel and gradually changes to another vowel within the same syllable, as (oi) in oil. Returning to class I realized we were like a diphthong. We combine to produce a unique one out of two. Together we are not what we would be if we each stood alone.

Via the Holy Spirit Jesus desires to live in us. That union produces a new creature capable of doing things and being something far beyond our learned expectations of ourselves. The old U.S. Army slogan was, “Be all you can be.” This really is true when one becomes a diphthong with Christ.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 24, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I am sitting here looking at a list of movie reviews. I am fascinated by the stars used to rate the viewing value of a film. It must be very satisfying to be in a five star film. And, how horrible it must be to be in a one star movie. Actually I see one here that has a half star. Wow that has to be really crummy.

I grew up singing a song in church called, “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?” I was told we would get a star in our crown for each person we won to Jesus. I used to think famous preachers would have lots of stars. I was worried I would not have any and I would have to go around heaven forever with a starless crown. To allay my fears I was told I would have one for me. As if I got to heaven by my own efforts.

The whole concept is like a military thing with rank by symbols displayed. I find myself hoping it is a myth. I don’t want to spend eternity feeling inferior to someone with more stars than I. The truth is I will be so grateful for the gift of life and the chance to spend eternity learning more and more about God’s creation and the secrets of life I could care less about any crown other than a very plain, very unsimple crown of life itself. That will suffice.

“When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” I Peter 5:4

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 23, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

It has been more than fifty years since Dale Carnegie wrote his classic, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” In it he tells us six ways to make people like us. However, Mr. Carnegie is not the first to pass on such counsel. Paul beat him to it by 1900 years. In Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

So often when we listen to others speak we are not really listening to what they are saying, we are waiting for them to take a breath so we can jump in and tell our story or state our opinion. We want to look knowledgeable and we want others to listen to how wonderful we are. Paul would have us do just the opposite. We should be full of grace, thus making others shine. We should listen to them so we can ask them questions that would enable them to have the biggest fish story and the longest surgery scar. We should be the catalyst for another to stand out and never cut them off.

I know this is sometimes difficult, especially when our experience was wonderful. However with God’s help we can learn to be quiet. It is a rare experience for people to have others really listen to them. If we do they will be amazed at what a great conversationalist we are when we say little and let them talk. When we season with salt we use just a little. Let another be the main course.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 22, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

At the risk of getting lots of irate e-mail I will state that men have a difficult time understanding women. Men and women have two different sets of needs and two different ways of communication. Research says women come home at night and want to talk about the problems of the day. Men come home at night all talked out. When their wife tells of something horrible that happened at work he says, “Quit.” She is frustrated. She did not want him to solve her problem. She just wanted to talk. Communication between sexes is often a mystery.

When I ponder this I become aware of how difficult it then is for us to understand God. He even says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, . . .” (Isaiah 55:8) One of the great passages of Scripture is Ephesians 1:9 and 10. In it Paul, one of the smartest men who ever lived, declares to us “God made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.”

Sometimes we wonder what in heaven and earth is going on here. The answer to the mystery is it is God’s pleasure to make everything right under Jesus. Whatever it is He is waiting for has obviously not yet happened. When it does He will act quickly lest He be guilty of prolonging the pain He is so often accused of causing.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 21, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

A hundred years ago Francis Thompson wrote “The Hound of Heaven.” It is a poetic tale of God in pursuit of a man. Like a hound dog God gets on the trail of a man and will not give up the chase. God wants so badly to catch us. He will take us in whatever condition the capture occurs. Old, wrinkled, it matters not. He wants us. The accumulation of sins matters not. He has already dealt with those at the cross. What He wants now is the joy of redeeming us and restoring us. He has this marvelous ability to see us not as we are but what we can be. Once He has us He has all the time in eternity to polish and shine us.

I was thinking of this this evening as my dog keeps nudging me with her cold black nose. She cocks her head as if to say, “Don’t you know it is time for our evening walk.” I can tell her I am busy and create all manner of reasons for not going but she just keeps after me.

God would not let Jonah alone. Since God treats us all the same the quest for you and me is just as intent. In Jesus’ story of the prodigal son the Father went each day to look down the road and when He saw His son coming back He did not wait but ran to meet him. You can tell God you are busy and create all manner of excuses for not accepting His offer. However, He is persistent. He wants you.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 20, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

Last evening I left a half full can of pop in the refrigerator. This evening upon return from walking the dog I opened the frig and spotted it. Sitting down at the computer to write I put it to my lips and poured it in my mouth.
I am trying to find a word to describe it. I don’t know at what hour the last bit of fizz departed into the atmosphere but what it left behind is insipid, flat, yucky, uninspiring, tame, unexciting, bland, dull, dreary, monotonous, lackluster and boring to my taste.

It is sort of like Christians who have lost their zeal and never give a thought to the meaning of the name they carry around. In Revelation 3:15 God says to the members in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
This could be compared to either ice tea or hot tea. Both are good but room temperature tea just doesn’t do it. If there had been carbonated beverages when John wrote Revelation would he have added, “I wish you had fizz.”

Fizzless Christians are such a disappointment. There is no sparkle or joy in his or her walk with the Lord. They inspire no one to come and see the reason for their abundant life. I am assuming they have an abundant life. It is a big assumption because they most likely do not or they would fizz.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 17, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

One of my favorite games is Scrabble. There is a real sense of satisfaction being able to take seven scrambled letters and to rearrange them into a word, and of course the bigger the word the greater the satisfaction. It is a real boost when you can put your word along side another word and simultaneously form four or five other words. Another enjoyable event is putting down a word that is so unusual your opponents think you just made it up and they challenge you to open the dictionary and justify your play. You almost feel like expressing that childhood taunt, “I told you so. I told you so.” (Now you can see how immature I really am.)

One of my latest was “melsh” which means “mellow, soft, tender.” It is interesting how words come and go in a language. “Melsh” really has gone. In order to find it you have to go the huge Oxford English Dictionary.

I am often reminded that God gives us an array of talents, skills and abilities and it is up to us to form meaning for our lives. He could have scripted everything for us but He allows us the joy of making plans and pursuing the character we desire. If we keep Him in our lives He will bless our choice. If we choose to be a teacher He will help us be a good teacher. If we choose to be a carpenter (that was Jesus’ choice) He will help us be a great carpenter. The skills are from Him the creation is ours.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 15, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I have a card in my hand inscribed with the name and phone number of a really old friend. I have not seen him nor talked with him for over forty years. I want to call him but I don’t know what to say. How do you catch up with someone who you no longer know? I don’t know if he has children. I don’t know if he ever married. I don’t know what he has done for a career. All I know is what he looked like when he was a boy.

I wonder if some people feel this way about God. Perhaps they knew Him when they were a child but they have not communicated with Him for a very long time. What do they say? How do they begin the dialogue? Do they say something like, “Hello God, this is Bill, remember me? I was thinking about you and decided it was time to check in?”

If I was talking to my long ago friend I would most likely ask him how he is, but do you ask God how He is? God can’t be sick so maybe it is a stupid question. However, we can hurt from more things than a cold or a headache. We can suffer from heartaches and they are the worst. Just as parents suffer when their child is hurting I am sure God suffers. So maybe asking Him how He is, is not such a stupid question. Every good parent rejoices when his or her child calls. So go ahead and call Him. You will make His day.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 16, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

In the nursing home where my mother resides there is a lady who is loudly verbally abusive of the people who so lovingly care for her. I am amazed how very patient are the caregivers. They take it with a smile. Last evening as I came by her door I heard her yell, “Hey God, what are you doing up there?”

At first I remembered Elijah on Mt. Carmel mocking the priests of Baal. Because they could not get a response Elijah asked them if Baal was on a journey or taking a nap. As a child I thought that was very funny. But I grew up and learned the people on their way to the death camps during WWII wrote on the walls of the cattle cars, “Where is God?”

And so it has been throughout the ages, men have struggled to answer the question, “If God is loving why does He allow such pain?” I along with you have heard many preachers bravely try to defend God with a variety of reasons.

Perhaps the only thing that we can say for sure is God decided to bear it with us. In Isaiah 53 we read, “Surely he has born our grief and carried our sorrows. With his stripes we are healed.” No one can ever say, “God you don’t understand.” He was here. We tortured Him to death. He knows the pain. And He promises when this is period of sin and death is over He will make all things new. Sin and death will be no more. It’s a promise worth clinging to.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 14, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

Last summer while walking in the forest we found a teddy bear sitting in a tree. We wondered how he got into the woods. It is difficult to imagine a small child dropped him there because it is not a place a small child would be unless he or she was with an adult and surely the adult would retrieve something as important as a lost teddy bear. The only semi-rational thing I could come up with is a dog picked it up in a yard and transported it.

I will never know for sure. Well, this afternoon, an entire year later, we saw a brown lump under a tree and sure enough it was the teddy. He survived an entire year out there without having a raccoon, a skunk or a porcupine rip him to shreds. We had snow cover from mid-November until mid-April. All that time he must have slept under the snow. He does look a bit worse for the wear.

But then we all look a bit worse for the wear of another year. And we did not spend the year outdoors under the snow. There is more gray hair, a few more wrinkles and heavier bags under our eyes. It is a bit more difficult to retrieve names of people we have not seen for years. However, this is all temporary. There is a wonderful promise in Revelation 21:5. Jesus says, “Behold I make all things new.” “All things.” That means us. We get all new parts this time manufactured to never wear out or break. It is such a grand promise.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 13, 2003
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453