Category: devotional

There is a flat toad on the street in front of my home.  I checked our begonia basket to see if it is “our” toad.  All summer we have had a toad hide in our begonia basket each day.  In the evening it jumps out to forage for whatever.  It wasn’t in the basket this afternoon.  Could Mr. Flattoad be ours?

I  am concerned and remembered something Jesus said about His Father and birds.  “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.”  Did God care about the toad?  Would He care about it more if it was “our” toad?  Does loving someone add value to them?

Several years ago I had a graveside service for someone.  I mean “someone” because we did not know his name.  We were burying him in the anonymous section of the cemetery.  It was a very plain section off to the back edge of the cemetery. There were no flowers or shrubs, only numbers.  The only people there were the undertaker, me and two grave diggers waiting for me to finish.  Did he have less value because there wasn’t anyone there that cared?  You might ask, “Didn’t you care?”  Sorta.  I needed to because no one else did?   I wondered if he had a child or grandchildren somewhere?  Would they care if they knew?

If loving someone gives added value then he had a lot of value because the most important being in the universe cared.  Just in case you have ever wondered about your worth, just ask what price was paid for you.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only son for you.  Talk about added value.  You are something wonderful.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 15, 2015

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

On a very regular basis I hear my students say, “Your truth is different than my truth.”  It is a reflection of modern philosophy which denies that there is an absolute truth.

Those of us who believe there is an absolute truth would have to concede there is an element of truth in what they say.  Because each of us has a unique mind and egocentric thought patterns each of us sees everything in a very unique way.  Therefore, what I think is truth and what you think is truth is very real to each of us but very different from each other’s view.  As true as that is, it does not mean there is not an absolute truth.  What it means is each of us is seeing the truth but we see it with self-made distortions. The absolute truth does exist, but none of us see it clearly.  We each see it through our biases and preconceived ideas.   This is what Paul meant when he said in I Corinthians 13, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; . .”

The smudges on your glasses are different than the smudges on my glasses.  That does not mean what I think is truth and what you think is truth and thus there are two different truths.   There is one absolute truth and then there are our distorted versions.  Because we have distorted versions does not negate the reality of an absolute truth.

It is reassuring that Paul tells us someday we will see clearly.  Someday we will understand God’s love and His purpose for each of us, which is as unique as we are unique.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 17, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I passed a Mennonite family this morning on my way to school.  I am making an educated guess they were Mennonite and not Amish because most Amish do not drive but most Mennonites do.  The car was black with the chrome painted black so they didn’t appear flashy.  I wondered as I passed them if they thought they were “witnessing.” I wondered that from my many encounters with other conservative Christians who refused to eat something they were offered and they told me by doing so they were “witnessing.”  Is “witnessing” showing what we don’t do or could “witnessing” be better done by showing what we do, like being kind, generous, helpful and empathic?  Jesus once said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13

If Mennonites proselytized, I wonder what they would say to convince me to join with them.  Would they give me a list of things I couldn’t do anymore?  When we evangelize do we tell people things they can no longer do?  Or is there a way to convince them that life will be better if they join with us?   Or do we only offer something after death with nothing for the present?  I am not discounting an eternal life of growth.   That is wonderful to look forward to.  But do we have anything to offer today?

I think we do.  I could wax eloquent about the psychological benefits of forgiveness.  Not only is it grand to know we are forgiven but also the benefits of forgiving others is downright fabulous.  We sleep better.  Our digestion is better and our dispositions are better when we no longer harbor ill feelings about others.

That’s just a sample.  Yes – we have a lot of positives to offer.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 16, 2014

Spring of Life , PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I just received a message informing me that a Java update was ready to be installed on my computer.  I needed to click okay.  Somewhere in the process it informed me I had to close my browser for the update to complete installation.  After a while I was instructed to click okay indicating my agreement.  And finally my computer said, “Congratulations you have the recommended Java Version 7 update number 71.”

Today I received a message informing me that God has a virtue update ready to be installed in my character.  “I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10   I said, “Okay.”  In the process I thought of something I needed to change for the update to complete installation.  I agreed.  Then I received a message saying, “Well done!”  Matthew 25:23.  I now have Virtue Version 7 update number 26,370.   I need a daily update.

What I find excitedly satisfying is unlike my computer that can be impaired by a power shortage my heavenly connection isn’t dependent on manmade grids with wires and transformers.  The heavenly transformers are always online ready to supply my every need.

You might have noticed that I did not quote all of Matthew 25:23 which would have referred to me as “good and faithful servant.”  That would have been grossly presumptuous.  I would be more comfortable with “grateful servant.”   One day in church I heard someone pray, “Lord, keep me humble as I already am.”  I about choked on that personal comfort with a virtue that is most difficult to maintain. Isn’t it grand to have updates so readily available?  Each update makes us more like God wants us to be.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 15, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I am on a quest for the perfect autumn leaf.  Billions of brightly colored leaves are falling all about me and somewhere lying on the ground waiting to be found is a perfect leaf of pure red or pure gold.  This afternoon while blowing golden leaves out of my yard my heart thrilled as I reached down to quench my quest.  But alas this bright red leaf I plucked from the pile of gold was flawed.  It had tiny specks of black amidst its crimson field.  I feel like quoting Joyce Kilmer with just a twist. “I think that I shall never see a leaf as perfect as can be.”  It was Voltaire who wrote, “Perfection is the enemy of the good.”  There in my hand was an almost perfect leaf but my mind was not satisfied.  My quest for perfection devalued this marvelous work of art.

Could it be that we do the same with people?  Jesus’ mother Mary had to be an incredibly marvelous person to be selected by heaven for her important task.  But as wonderful as she was there were always those who whispered, “Yes, but she was pregnant before she was married.”   I have sat on committees where someone was passed over for a promotion because we knew of a tiny flaw in his life.  We then hired someone we really didn’t know and ended up with twenty flaws.

The Book of Job begins, “And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”   Alas, as the story unfolds Job was not perfect, almost but not.  We shall give only Jesus the praise for perfection.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 14, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

________

There I was straining and twisting, wrenching and grunting.  I was making a valiant effort to open a bottle.  The harder I squeezed the more permanent that cap remained.  Then it happened.  My manhood was gone.  Decades of pride vanished in less than a second.  My wife came over and opened it with one small twist. It was not my finest moment and I have no idea why I am sharing this with you.  I must have some inner masochistic urge to denigrate myself.  The thing is I could have understood had she strained, wrenched and grunted.  But no, it was a matter-of-fact turn of her wrist.  I think I detected just a slight uplifting of the corners of her mouth as she handed it back to me.  Just call me Casper (not the friendly ghost).  Life is cruel.

It’s the same way with hot dishes.  She can hand me something she was holding with her bare hands and my eyeballs roll up into my head as it sears my hands and my nostrils fill with the scent of fried flesh.  I have to laugh when I hear men talking about themselves as the stronger sex.

For those who want to keep women in a subordinate position I urge them to read Genesis 2.  God took a rib from Adam’s side not his foot.  She was to be by his side as an equal.  Blessed is the man who has a Proverbs 31 wife.   King Lemuel had it right when he wrote, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. . . . Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 13, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I had another phone scammer call today.  He claimed he was from Microsoft and he wanted to fix my computer which unbeknownst to me was sending out dangerous signals.  All I needed was to download some software he had for me. Very nicely and very calmly I said to him, “You should be ashamed of yourself.  You know you are going to go to hell if you keep doing this to people.”

Wow, I don’t think I ever said anything like that to anyone prior to today.  Later as I was raking leaves I wondered if I was wrong to say that.  I didn’t wish him to go to hell.  I didn’t tell him to go to hell.  I merely made an observation that should he continue trying to scam people that is where he was going to end up.  I was merely telling his fortune.

In Matthew 23 Jesus was very forthright about telling the future of the religious leaders in Jerusalem.  He said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.”   That’s pretty frank language.

How very interesting chapter 23 closes with Him saying something so very poignant.  “. . . how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”  As upset as He was with them He still loved them.  He still wanted them to change.  So the question is did I love the scammer whose fortune I told?   I have a long way to go.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 9, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

Mark Twain said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”  If you haven’t seen it yet go to You Tube and search for bulldog vs. bears.  There you will see Jules, a twenty pound bulldog, chase two large bears out of its California yard.

When I was a little guy someone really frightened me with I Peter 5:8 which says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  I thought it would be hopeless to do battle with him.  I knew he was a fallen angel but now he was described as a roaring lion.  What could I do when he showed up?

We need to be careful when we talk to little people.  It was years before I discovered Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” and verse 37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

While it would be foolish to be cocky in this battle for our souls, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”  (I Corinthians 10:12)  it is not necessary to be afraid.  “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”  2 Kings 6:16

So let God be our bulldog.  Satan is no match for us when God is on our side.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 6, 2015

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

I’m sitting here looking at a bonsai elm tree.  I realize bonsaiing is an ancient art that produces some beautiful plants, but I could not help myself from feeling sorry for this tiny elm tree.  It was supposed to be 50 feet tall and make shade for weary travelers.  But here it was stunted and gnarled.  It reminded me of bonsaied Christians who never grew into the giants God planned for them.

The world is full of bonsaied Christians who have never experienced the joy of salvation because they are so focused on self-perfection at the expense of understanding while they are growing they are covered by Christ’s perfection. They have never been taught or worse have been taught the opposite.  They don’t know that salvation is a gift that begins the moment they give their hearts to Jesus.  The perfection that is necessary for salvation is and always will belong to Jesus.  They never understand God is a good parent.  Good parents don’t expect their 18 month old child to drive a car.  God knows what we can and cannot do and He has no expectations of us to be something far beyond our developmental stage.  I am an old man who has been a friend of Jesus for seven decades.  His expectations for me are so much more than for a twenty year old.  But sometimes when I morally act like a twenty year old He is disappointed with me but certainly doesn’t throw me out of His family.

Certain churches and specific pastors unknowingly bonsai their members.   Fortunately we are not saved by knowledge and so millions of bonsaied Christians will someday understand. They will be freed to grow into everything God wants for them.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 8, 2015

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

We’ve a bumper crop of acorns this year.  I can’t recall an autumn with more.  As my dog and I were walking this afternoon I never gave it a thought as we traversed the terrain under a wonderful shady oak.  And then it happened.  Right on top of my not-protected-by-hair head – kerplunk!   I was acorned.  It must be the reason we call October Fall.

Acorns are the promise of another generation of oaks.  They are heralds of hope as well as a present banquet for our squirrels.  One of my favorite authors wrote about acorns.  She said, “As surely as the oak is in the acorn so surely is the gift of God in the promise.”  When we hold acorns in our hands we hold giant oak trees.  When we read “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” we can start planning on what furniture we want where.  John 14.

Just in case I was beginning to forget I got hit on the head this afternoon by a promise.  I can start planning my heavenly library.  It’s real.  It’s mine.  My name is engraved on the bottom right hand corner of all the book covers.  They are mine.  I have the bump on the top of my head to prove it.

What’s your acorn?  What’s your promise?  Could it be John 3:16, I Thessalonians 4 or I Corinthians 15?   Actually the Bible contains a bumper crop of promises.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 9, 2015

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org