Category: devotional

My dog has an interesting quirky behavior. When I leave the house in the morning I give her a Milkbone. When I come home, sometimes twelve hours later, she is standing at the door with the Milkbone in her mouth. Only then will she eat it. I have no idea what this strange behavior is about but it does remind me of a statement Jesus made during the Last Supper with His disciples.

In Luke 22:15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

Does this mean Jesus will not eat or drink certain items until after the second coming? Perhaps a more meaningful question would be when will God’s Kingdom come or is God’s Kingdom already here in the hearts of His children?

While I certainly do not have definitive answers to this I do know we do not have to wait until some future date to begin receiving many of the benefits of being a part of God’s family. We might call them rights of citizenship in God’s Kingdom or the fruits of the Spirit. It really does not matter what we call them. What matters is that we realize they are available now and that we begin to enjoy them now.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 26, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.

Each night our black lab follows me up the stairs and goes directly into her warm blanketed nest. Often she does not stir again until the morning sun peeks in the window. However, last night she would not come upstairs. Last night she slept by the door to the garage. My wife was gone for the night. My wife tells me the dog does the same thing when I am gone. She will only tuck herself in for the night when the rest of us are tucked in. Otherwise she waits by the door.

In Mark 13 Jesus counseled us regarding His second coming. He said, “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back–whether in the evening, or at midnight or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'”

Two thousand years have passed since Jesus warned us. While that is a long time for us it is nothing in the great scheme of eternity. It is but a day for the one who is eager to retrieve us from this world and have His whole family tucked in not just for the night but forever. Jesus promised us He would return. Jesus always keeps His promises.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 26, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I had a great time this afternoon. While my wife went grocery shopping for our family I got to take my four-year-old granddaughter grocery shopping just for her. I carried the basket and she picked out the things we needed. The following is what was in our basket when she declared we were finished.

1. A bag of Doritos
2. A small helium filled balloon
3. Two Pez dispensers (one for her and one for her sister)
4. A box of animal crackers
5. A card filled with hair clips with happy faces
6. A card filled with heart stickers
7. A big sticker of a soccer ball
8. 5 super balls
9. A pair of star shaped sunglasses
10.A bag of popcorn
11.Silly shaped drinking straws

Now I understand why the Bible refers to God as our Father and not our Grandfather. God does not give us everything we pray for because like human fathers He knows better than to give a child carte blanche. Just as a human father fills the grocery basket with nutritious food God responds to our prayers by supplying real needs. A human father puts things in the basket a child would never dream of and our heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom puts marvelous things in our basket. He gives us things we need before we know we need them.

Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, . . .”

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 24, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

We call her the busy lady. She lives across the hall from my mom. She is always active folding clothes, making her bed, doing her nails or visiting with people in the hallway. She always is dressed very nicely and has a lovely smile for everyone passing her way. This evening as I greeted her she asked me to help her find her room. She was standing in her doorway.

I have never learned to swear but tonight I wanted to. I wanted to curse whoever or whatever had stolen this lovely lady’s mind. She looked at me and asked me to pray for her. She knew she was confused. How ironic the very moment I felt like cursing she asked me to pray.

Annie sang, “The sun will come out tomorrow.” Thank God there is always a tomorrow. There is a never ending supply of tomorrows for all those who will accept the gift of His grace which promises an eternity of never forgetting anything accept the things we want to forget. There are many things we should forget. We should forget the slights, the insults and the disappointments of life. I used to say the “good old days” were really not that good. But why not make them so? It makes for a much better present and a wonderful future. Even God forgets. He does so because He chooses to never remember our sins. Once forgiven we are cleansed and looked at as if we had never sinned. How very grand! I John 1:9

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 21, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

Sometimes the difference between a so-so photograph and a really good one is two tiny points of light. You take a nice picture of someone but the angle is wrong and his or her eyes are a solid dark color. If you add a tiny white spot on each pupil the picture comes alive. The light appears to come from within and light that comes from within is vivacious and beautiful.

Because of the Holy Spirit given to us as a gift from God we can have Jesus living in us and Jesus declared in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” And in 1 John 4:13 we read, “We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” Talk about having a light inside to shine out our eyes! How grand. We can really be vivacious for this light is life eternal. Oh, how we can sparkle! With Jesus inside we can light up every room we enter for Jesus is the omniscient one and when He lives inside we get smarter and smarter. Knowledge is power and power is light.

Don’t you love it when you see someone whose lights are turned on? It is so exciting to talk to someone who has something to say other than, “How’s the weather?” Talking about ideas and goals is so much more rewarding than talking about people and Jesus truly gives us something worth talking about.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 20, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

If one is to live a successful life one must have positive self-regard. This must not be confused with thinking one is superior to others. It is recognizing the gifts God has given. It is recognizing one’s gifts as well as the gifts God has given to others. Each of us has a special intelligence and when we utilize it we can have a sense of accomplishment and pride in a job well done. Pride is only detrimental when one basks in it to the point of denigrating others. Sometimes I hear people refuse to take credit for a job well done thinking it would be wrong. However, God is glorified when His children do well. We should acknowledge a job well done with a “Thank you very much.” Not only is it good for self it also recognizes another’s kindness to compliment us.

In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our light could not shine if we did not excel. Who would be attracted to Christianity if God’s children were all a bunch of bumbling dolts? People are drawn to excellence. People want to emulate those who stand tall and achieve great things. It is nigh impossible to achieve anything great if we fail to recognize the gifts and talents God has given us.

Let us take a good look at ourselves. Let us take inventory of the good things we can do. Let us take pride in our work and when others know of our love for Jesus He will then be glorified.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 19, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

In 2001 the cholesterol drug Lipitor grossed 5.22 billion dollars in the United States. Prilosec, a heartburn medication, grossed 4.6 billion dollars. Zocor, another cholesterol drug, grossed 3.68 billion. We could add to this list Celebrex, Epogen, Procrit, Paxil and Zoloft for a truly staggering amount of money. I am sure years are added to our lives by these wonder drugs but the reality is they do not stop the biological clock from doing the inevitable. Given enough time even the most health conscious people in our midst die. We can exercise, eat right, get enough rest and sunshine but ultimately we will die. It is the fate of all.

But wait just a moment. Even though our bodies grow old and ultimately give up like an old car with a few hundred thousand miles there is a remedy and it does not come in the form of capsule or tablet from a drug company. It is something that has been with us for thousands of years. It is the wondrous story of a man who declared He is the resurrection and the life and then proved it by resurrecting back to life a man named Lazarus. The shock waves from that cry, “Lazarus, come forth” have been reverberating around the world ever since.

Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24. “. . . everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.” John 3:15. The prescription price is already paid.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 17, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I listened to someone sing today. It was so bad it was beautiful. The singer was very old and sitting by a window watching it rain. Maybe once upon a time her voice was lovely and lilting but no longer. Now it was raspy and weak. In her voice I could hear joy and pain, both excitement and disappointment. Life is like that. One day our cup overflows and the next takes it away. It is such that makes us human. It is such that fashions within us the divine.

It was like that for Jesus. One moment the crowd was enthralled with him and the next they were clamoring for His demise. I am tempted to say during the down times we need the presence of God to carry us but I am thinking perhaps the good times are equally or perhaps more so the dangerous times. Most likely it depends on the person for each of us is so distinct there is no other like you or me.

Yet despite our uniqueness there are common bonds that tie us to each other and we feel other’s pain and joy. I believe that is why I enjoy “The Price is Right.” Even though I don’t know the contestants there is joy in seeing them win. I think the word for that is empathy. Jesus certainly had it. Isaiah said, “Surely He has born our grief and shared our sorrows.” Let’s add to Isaiah’s message and say, “Surely He laughs when we laugh and smiles when we smile.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 11, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

I noticed her obituary in the local paper. She was 91 and described as a good bingo player. “A Good Bingo Player.” That was it. How can you be a bad bingo player? The numbers are drawn randomly. She was 91 and all we could say about her was she watched her bingo card carefully as to not miss a number. Was she a mother? Was she a grandmother? Was she a great-grandmother? Was she a good wife? Did she like to cook? Had she ever volunteered for community service projects? Did she ever write anything or read a good book? Did she raise a family? Was she a Methodist or a Catholic? So many questions that could be asked. But her last line in life was, “She was a good bingo player.” It is obvious the last people to care for her and to notify the newspaper never really knew her.

But then again does anyone ever really know us? Do we ever know ourselves? Fortunately the one who counts the most really does know us.
Jesus said, “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:30-31) And Paul reminds us in Romans 2:16, “This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ.” I rejoice in knowing the one who knows our secrets also loves us.

What would we want the newspaper to say about us when reporting our demise? How about he was a good dad or mom?

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 10, 2002
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453

Three of my students came to class today with new hairdos. I probably would not have mentioned it but two of them were guys. I said, “Well, it appears that I also need a new hairdo.”

The following is a list of the immediate response from around the room.

“What you need is hair.”
“What you need is Rogaine.”
“Egghead Professors are not supposed to have hair, let alone a hairdo.”

It was the first time to my knowledge I had ever been referred to as an egghead. I must confess I was flattered because the term refers to academics who are bald and wise. Up until now I have been referred to as being a “Wise Guy” instead of being wise. I like the latter.

The truth is I have often been very unwise. Most of us have been unwise a few times in our lives. Some of us more than others. However, there is hope for everyone. There is a source of true wisdom available to all who ask. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Should we get three wishes from rubbing a bottle the first and only wish needed would be for wisdom. Once obtained everything else falls into place. Of course the wisest thing anyone could ever do is allow Jesus to save him or her. For Jesus wisely said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 7, 2002.
Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453.