Category: devotional

One of the joys of owning an old house is the continual process of repairing aging everything.  There is always a broken something that needs attention.  One could almost conclude that people who believe in evolution have never lived in an old house.  Things in an old house do not become more organized by themselves.  Rather an old house is a perfect example of entropy.

The whole process is not much different than humankind’s degeneration after the fall of Eve and Adam.  It took just one generation to produce a murderer.  And our history has not been exemplary since then.  But the whole is made up of individuals.  We do not have to look at history as a whole.  All we need to do is watch one person born so innocent and watch the selfish process strip away that innocence.

Thus the horrendous need for the plan of redemption, which is not really so much about materially rewarding the redeemed with mansions as it is about restoration to wholeness.  That is what we need.  Frankly, we can do without the streets of gold.  What we cannot do without is regeneration into the image of the One who originally made us in His image.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 16, 2000

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Fifty years ago children played outside a lot especially on warm summer evenings as the darkness was beginning to fall.  They played “Kick the Can,” “Tag,” “Statue” and “Hide and Seek.”  They ran through the neighborhood screaming and yelling, “You’re it.”  Inevitably someone’s mother would call out, “Time for baths.”  Baths?  Why would anyone want to wash off the salty sweat mixed with the day’s dust?  That was the tattoo of an evening’s fun.

So it was when three grandchildren came to visit.  They wanted to play and grandpa suggested “Tag.”  They had a better idea.  Off they ran for the Monopoly game to get the money.  “Let’s play “Charity,” grandpa,” they yelled.  “Grandpa, you be the poor man and we will give you money.”  In the next few minutes the three grandchildren invented all kinds of ways to help imaginary people in need as they ran from “place to place and person to person”

Grandpa had learned a new game.  He liked the game.  When he was a boy it was “Cops and Robbers.”  He liked “Charity.”  Perhaps the world would be a better place if all children played “Charity” instead of “Cops and Robbers.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 26, 2003 rogerbothwell.org

 

Years ago the media was filled with the dire Y2K predictions of the uninformed.  The New Year came and went and airplanes did not drop out of the sky and our bank records were still less than we desired.  I knew some folk who were actually disappointed.  They were so hungry for Jesus to return they wanted civilization to go down the tubes.  The logic being Jesus would come and rescue us if life only somehow got bad enough.

There are some among us who think we shouldn’t recycle nor drive fuel efficient cars.  Their logic is the sooner we destroy our environment the sooner Jesus will return.  There is something horribly twisted about this catastrophic theology.

All my life I have heard sermons based upon what I thought was Jesus’ message in Matthew 24.  Then one day I read it for myself and was amazed. Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”  I was amazed because Jesus was telling us just the opposite of the hype that fed my childhood theology.  Every time a war or an earthquake occurred I heard that Jesus was coming soon.  That is not what He said.  He said, “Not yet.”

If Jesus were waiting for the earth to get more and more wicked He must have missed the Holocaust and a host of other genocides.  It isn’t about wickedness, nor earthquakes, nor wars.   It is about love and grace.  God, a loving Father, is extremely reluctant to shut the door.  Please read II Peter 3.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 31, 2009

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She’d been caught with her hand in the Cheerios.  The front of the box promised a treasure inside and she could not wait until the family ate their way to the bottom.  She had to have her book right away.  Do you remember how your mother made your wait ‘til the box was empty?  It was awful looking at the cereal box morning after morning waiting for the treasure to come tumbling into your bowl.  No digging was allowed.

Psychologists tell us that teaching people to delay gratification is a good thing.  It enables them in later life to sacrifice for meaningful goals.  Sometimes we think of Christianity as delayed gratification.  If we give enough now, if we sacrifice enough now, if we are good enough, if we deprive ourselves of something now someday we will get to heaven.  While it is true, wonders do await those who allow Jesus to save them, we do not have to wait to begin experiencing the gift of salvation.  Citizenship in God’s kingdom brings privileges that are available right away.

The psychological benefits are readily apparent.  We can stop worrying about the future; we are secure.  We can have peace of mind regarding past sins; they have been cared for.  We can begin to reap better physical health because life’s stresses are reduced.  Our relationship with people around us slowly improves because we are not alienating them with our competitive spirit.  We become nicer and more likeable.  There are a lot of treasures available now.

We don’t have to eat all the Cheerios to experience the cheer.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 18, 2002

We enjoy poetry and prose that best resonates with our inner feelings.  Such work draws us to reread or even memorize so we can carry it with us to give words to our inner feelings, longings, desires and anxieties.  How often do we have a half-formed idea or thought only to read something that brings it instantly to life?  Great poets and great writers have the same feelings as the rest of us.  What makes them great is their ability to find expression for us.

 Paul’s comment in Romans 8:26 is intriguing.  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

How often have you longed to pray the right prayer but did not really know what to say?  It was not that you did not know what you wanted or needed.  It was an inability to find words.  We do not want to bother God with a string of worn out cliches; nor do we want to bother God with repetitious phrases.  That is why Romans 8:26 is so important.  It reassures us that we do not have to find the “right” words.  The greatest author of all finds expression for us.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 6, 2000

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The sounds of words are wonderful when the very sounds of them describe their object or intent.  Words like “roar” or “bark.”  Or the word “maliferous.”  It just sounds dark and evil to say it.  Then there is another, “insalubrious.”  That one sounds unwholesome just to let it come out of one’s mouth.  There are some wonderful Swahili words.  One of them is the word for bugs.  It is “dudu.”  The word for kill is “kufu.”  So “insecticide” becomes “dudukufu.”  Just say it.  It rolls off the tongue so much easier than “insecticide.”  Say it fast and it is even more fun.

The names of people we love are wonderful to say.  Our spouses’ names are music to our ears.  The names of our children and grandchildren are magical.  In the musical “West Side Story” there is a song, “Maria.”  It says it so well.

Now for the best, most marvelous, fabulous, extraordinary set of sounds in the world.  Here goes.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.”  That is music to our hearts.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 16, 2000

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A little seven-year-old granddaughter approached her grandma and invited her to play a game of Twister.  Soon they were in an amazing array of positions.  Finally when granddaughter fell and grandma was declared the winner, the proud seven-year-old turned to her friend and said, “See, I told you my grandma was flexible.”

There is much to be said in favor of flexibility.  We live in an incredible world of change.  Technology has created a global village.  Each day we come across new ideas and have new exposures to different cultures.  We visit with people who do not have the same background and see life through different colored glasses than we.  We need to open our minds to the reality of other people’s worlds and do our best to understand them.

Often we mistake being rigid and uncompromising as standing firm for principles.  That need not be.  It is not necessary to sacrifice one’s own standards to understand that others also believe that their principles are important.  Their principles are as important to them as ours are to us.

The world is changing and if we are not open to change we will become the antiques of society having a faith that is not attractive to anyone other than those who are afraid to change.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 21, 2000

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I have dog treats in the bottom drawer of my desk.  Of course she knows where they are and there is an expectation when I sit down to write that she will receive one.  She stands and stares at me.  It doesn’t matter that I sometimes pretend I don’t see her.  She can outwait me.  I find it psychologically disturbing to be stared at.  I cannot write or even think about anything other than I am the object of her intense attention.  I finally break down and open the drawer.

She reminds me of one of Jesus’ most interesting parables.  It is found in Luke 18.  It seems there was a judge who cared little about people or justice.  He totally ignored the legitimate request of a widow.  She was nothing to him.  But because she persisted and practically drove him crazy with her constant demand for justice, he granted her request just to get rid of her.  Jesus drew the following lesson for us.  If this unjust man will finally give in, how much more will our God who loves us grant us our requests. If she could get justice from a wicked man, be sure we will get righteous judgment from our God.

This parable is for all who feel life has somehow been unfair.  We haven’t received recognition for our hard labor.  We have been unfairly treated by an employer.  We have been falsely accused of something we did not do.  No matter what the issue, Jesus wants us to be sure righteousness and justice will be rendered in our favor.  So hold on.  Don’t give up.  Be persistent in prayer.  Maintain faith and all will be well because we have a judge who really cares.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 30, 2008

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Most of us have seen interviews of people released from prison because DNA testing revealed they were innocent.  The exhilaration of freedom and exoneration must be like waking up from some horrible nightmare to discover it is a new day and the sun has come out.   It is bad enough to be found guilty when you are guilty let alone being judged guilty when you really didn’t do it.   There is a wonderful verse in Colossians 1.  Speaking of God’s love for us Paul wrote, “He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”   Once we accept His grace we are not just forgiven, the scars, the blemishes and the ravages of sin are so completely gone no one can even accuse us of anything.

Paul, as Saul, had the blood of martyrs on his hands.  Here is a man who experienced so much grace and he wants us to share his joy.  To the Romans he wrote, “With God on our side, who can be against us.”  He then goes through a list including everything in heaven and hell and they are powerless to accuse us of anything.  Revel in this passage.  “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Did you really read it?  Or once you recognized the passage did you sort of skip over to this paragraph?  Often we do that.  But this merits a very slow reading.  Let it pour over your brain like maple syrup on pancakes.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 28, 2012

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All of us can dress like a king.   Paul said, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Romans 13:14.  Apparently Paul liked this illustration because he used it in two of his other letters – once to the Colossians and once to the Galatians.  Paul liked nice clothes for what could be nicer than, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12

That’s a very chic wardrobe.  You can go to the closet and say, “What shall I wear today?  Compassion?  Hum, I think today I will wear Patience.”  Well, that will not work.  You don’t have to choose, you just wear them all and you will be the best dressed person in the world.  You will be ripe for the cover of all or any fashion magazine because these are timeless classics that never go out of style.

Paul said to the Galatians, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” 3:27   It is exciting to think that we can wear the righteousness of Christ. All of the blunders, stupidity and deliberate acts will no longer matter because in Christ we are as perfect as He is perfect.  I wish that meant we would no longer do all the blunders, stupidity and deliberate acts.  It doesn’t.  It means we are legally covered as long as we are committed to growing in Him.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 27, 2016

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