Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The Lord is my strength

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

After safely crossing the Red Sea and watching God decimate the Egyptian chariots and troops, Moses and the Israelites sang, “The Lord is my strength” (Exodus 15:2).

Even before the fall into sin, people were not all-powerful. Only God is omnipotent. We were designed to be connected to his strength. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29).

Having said that, most of us work on being strong, capable, and independent. I’ve done this my whole life. So have you. With great pride we learn to feed and get dressed by ourselves. We walk, run, and drive anywhere we want to go. If we work at it, we can become stronger and smarter.

There’s nothing wrong with any of that. And there’s nothing wrong with asking God for strength.

But that’s not just what God does. It’s who he is. He is our strength. The strength he gives is meant to bring us closer to him, not enable us to live apart from him.

When Moses asked God, “What’s your name?” God replied, “I am.” He is God. There is no other. Yes, God loves. But he’s more than that. He is love. It’s a dangerous world. But he is a refuge. He is creator, father, provider, light, and life. Along with a whole lot of other things.

Much of daily renewing my mind is remembering who God is. With that in place, I remember who I am. I’m his child, I’m loved, I’m alive, and I’m strong.

Because he is my strength.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Will this be on the test?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” (Exodus 16:4-5)

A teacher can’t test on everything that’s in the book. No test will cover everything in the lecture. With that truth in mind, students ask, “Will this be on the test?”

I’ve watched classmates attempt to write down everything spoken in a lecture. I’ve seen highlighter stain every line of a textbook page. How is that helpful? Is everything important? Will everything be on the test?

God tests his people. Will they trust him? Will they follow his instructions? God’s faithful provision is on the test. Did you write that blessing down? Did you highlight that abundance?

Will that moment be on the test?

Whenever you feel like grumbling, it’s a test. Whenever you want to have a heart-to-heart with God, it’s a test. When you desire a come-to-Jesus moment with Jesus, it’s a test.

Is he faithful? Do you trust him? Can you lean on him? Is he dependable?

Those are the test questions. It’s not about what you know about God. It’s not about your performance. It’s not about your potential.

It’s just one question.

Do you trust him?

Woman sitting cross-legged on a blanket meditating by a tree in a forest
Posted in Life

Situational transcendence

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I came across this phrase the other day: Situational transcendence.

I read it in a First15 devotion about contentment. “God longs to draw you into a lifestyle of situational transcendence.” In this context, it’s about the gift of contentment, whether you have a lot or little.

But I could apply this to many areas of my life. God’s gifts of joy, peace, kindness, forgiveness, faithfulness, and grace are constants, not circumstantial. I can be joyful in all situations, I can forgive with no strings attached, and I can trust God when life is great and when it sucks.

I like to believe I have pretty good situational awareness. I like to notice and pay attention to the people around me. What do they look like? What are they saying? (I enjoy eavesdropping) Why are they here? What’s going on in their lives? There is so much to observe and listen to.

No one is paying attention to me. No one is paying attention. I can take pictures of anyone and everyone. No one notices. No one cares.

That’s a whole different kind of “situational transcendence,” isn’t it? For many, life is what it is. They really don’t care what someone else is doing, what they have, where they go, or how much they’ve accomplished. Their lives are totally separate. In other words, nothing else matters.

For the rest of us, it’s a game of comparison. We notice who possesses more, looks more attractive, is happier, or gets more attention.

None of that really matters, does it? We may pretend that it does. But it doesn’t.

So I want to be aware of what’s going on around me, but also what God is doing around and in me. That is what truly transcends the situation.

That’s the key, isn’t it? The ultimate situational transcendence. Focus on God, not the situation. Don’t look at the waves and the wind, Peter. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Posted in worship

How was church today?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by City Church CA on Unsplash

“How was church today?”

I’ve asked that question. Others have asked me that question. Just as we review a product or business, we evaluate worship experiences.

  • “I enjoyed the music.”
  • “It was too hot/too cold in the sanctuary.”
  • “The sermon was long.”
  • “Why so many announcements? They’re printed right here.”
  • “I love those banners.”
  • “I love/hate it when people bring babies to church.”
  • “Not many/lots of people attended today.”

News alert: God isn’t trolling for a five-star review. His feelings are not hurt if you weren’t inspired, challenged, or fed during the worship service. He will be the same tomorrow as he was yesterday whether you praised or criticized Sunday morning experience.

All God wanted was to be with you. If you were there, it was a five-star moment for him. If you heard his life-giving word, it was a win. If you believed the good news, it was a good day.

If I wouldn’t give Sunday morning worship five-stars, who needs to improve? The preacher? The musicians? The custodians? Late arrivers? Ushers?

Or is it me? What’s going on with me that made worship seem blah, so-so, and forgettable? Why was I distracted, unenthusiastic, non-responsive, preoccupied, comatose, uninterested, and critical?

Instead of reviewing worship after the fact, perhaps I should ask myself a few questions in advance.

  • Do I believe God will speak to me today? Am I ready and prepared to listen?
  • Will I be amazed by God’s grace today? Why would I ever take that for granted?
  • What will I learn about God today? What new thing will he reveal to me?

Someone suggested praying these petitions before any private or collective encounter with God:

  • Give me knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
  • Teach me something new about you.
  • Direct my steps according to your word.

Maybe worship will be convicting, eye-opening, and instructive. Maybe it will reinforce truths you’ve always known. Maybe it will bring you to tears. Or put a smile on your face.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

God is good

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

“God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.”

I don’t hear it as much as I used to, but it’s still pops up here and there.

It’s a truth right from the pages of scripture:

  • “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever.” (Ps. 100:5)
  • “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Ps. 34:8)
  • “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34)

There’s plenty more where that came from.

But here’s my question. What does it mean that God is good? Ever ponder that? Ever doubt that statement? What’s so good about God. And if God is good, what difference does that make? How does that statement affect the way I view the world and people around me?

If something or someone is good, that means it’s not bad, right? That’s not much of a definition. Dictionaries offer up “of a favorable character or tendency.”

But that makes goodness subjective. Food tastes good. A tennis serve that is inside the line is good. A dog who sits on command is good. Someone who stays fit is in good shape. Someone who is happy is in a good mood. In stores you still see products rated good, better, and best, depending on how much money you want to spend. In that case, good isn’t all that great.

God’s goodness isn’t based on his performance or my opinion of him. It’s one of his attributes, just like all-powerful, all-knowing, eternal, and merciful.

God’s goodness doesn’t vary. He is still good whether you’ve had a good day or a bad day. It’s doesn’t matter if you feel good or not, he’s still good. If bad things happen, he’s still good. If you really mess up, nothing has changed. He’s still good.

In what ways do I experience the goodness of God? When do I catch a glimpse of his goodness?

A good place to start might be John 10. While there are those people and things that kill, steal, and destroy life, the good shepherd comes to give life (John 10:9,10). If sin, which we know is bad, takes life away, whatever gives life, brings us to life, and preserves life must be from God. It’s not a perfect explanation, but it’s a good place to start.

Being disciplined, learning hard lessons, and having to confess that we’re wrong never feels good. But they’re all expressions of our Father’s love for us. That’s good. Blessings that go beyond what we ask or imagine are good too. A day when nothing eventful happens might be good when the previous nine days were stressful.

How did God reveal his goodness today?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

An unusual classroom

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (Genesis 22:1-2)

No matter how many times I read this passage of scripture, I come away with questions. How could God ask Abraham to do something like this? How could Abraham even consider going through with it? What did Isaac think about this moment?

From our point of view, little about this makes sense. But I could look at it from a different perspective. What does God reveal about himself in Genesis 22? What do I learn about God?

God does not want human sacrifice. Other Canaanite religions sacrificed their children as a way of appeasing their gods. God is not like those gods. His love does not come in response to anything we do or not do. His love is who he is.

God does provide the substitute sacrifice, just as Abraham knew he would (22:8). A ram is the substitute for Isaac. Ultimately, God provided his own son as a substitute, atoning sacrifice for us. How could he do that? We are that important, that valuable to him.

God had promised Abraham that Isaac would be his heir, the beginnings of a great nation. God keeps his promises. He is faithful. I can trust him.

It takes a long time to learn obedience. It took Abraham twenty-five years to get to this point, where he knows, trusts, and obeys God. It’s a process. It takes time.

We’ll never understand everything about God. He is far beyond our comprehension. But he has revealed a lot about himself in creation and in the bible. That I can understand.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A relentlessly faithful God

Posted on by William Douthwaite

On his way back to back to his homeland and family, Jacob encounters a camp of angels. But even with the backup of a heavenly army, Jacob is afraid of his brother Esau’s approaching force of 400 men.

Jacob starts planning for the encounter, preparing gifts, dividing his family into two groups, and praying. That’s right, Jacob prayed. At least he’s learned something these past twenty years working for his uncle Laban.

George Mueller wrote, “The most important part of prayer is the fifteen minutes after ‘Amen.'” What you do next speaks volumes about you and who you trust. Jacob is thankful for God’s provision, recalls God’s promises, and asks for his protection. So far so good. But the next day, he continues lining up gifts to pacify his brother.

That night, Jacob wrestles all night with God (Genesis 32:24). He’s determined to get a blessing from him. Really? Jacob is on his way home with wives, children, servants and livestock. God has shown him kindness and faithfulness, given him the covenant promises, and dispatched the angel army to protect him. How much blessing will it take to get through to you, Jacob?

The world has taught us not to trust anyone. Anyone. I know most of our email, texts, and phone calls are scams. Stories and images are AI generated. Marketers manipulate me to like, desire, and buy things I don’t need or even really want. I understand completely why Jacob is cautious and has a backup plan.

However, God is relentless. He tirelessly shows us that we can trust him. He displays his faithfulness by fulfilling promise after promise. If there is anyone we can trust, it’s the Lord.

It just takes me people like me and Jacob (and probably you, the reader) a long time to take that truth to heart.

Posted in Easter, grandparenting

A resurrection worship craft

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We didn’t make it to church with the three granddaughters last Sunday. But we did a worship craft, which kind of counts, right?

I got out the stack of construction paper, crayons, glue sticks, and scissors. “So,” I said, “Let’s make a bible story craft.” One granddaughter immediately said, “Yes. We need to make one showing the cave, the stone, and Jesus who is risen.”

Great idea. We started by choosing a background color.

What’s next? “We need a dark cave.” I folded the paper over a few times and cut out the black shape of a cave entrance.

“Now we need the big stone.” I didn’t have any gray paper, so I cut out white circles and gave everyone a gray crayon.

Next is Jesus. “He has to have a white robe and a red sash.”

I asked, “How do you know he had a red sash?” They just shrugged. I cut out a Jesus and a red sash.

“What else?”

“Mary, of course.”

I cut Mary out of some pink paper, with an orange face, brown hair, and a blue scarf. Perfect.

The tomb was in a garden, so we added a bush, a tree, and some flowers.

And an angel. “Why do we need an angel?”

“The angel told them Jesus wasn’t there.”

“Oh. That’s right.” I cut one out. “But where’s the halo?”

“You can draw one in.”

I think the three-year-old’s, five-year-old’s, and seven-year-old’s worship project turned out great.

I did notice that the younger you are, the more glue stick you apply to each piece. Her pieces weren’t going anywhere!

Posted in grandfather, grandparenting, Jesus

A little Jesus

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I and the grandchildren have a lot of fun with the one hundred Jesuses I got for twenty bucks.

I put a few in my pocket and leave one wherever I go. I’ve left a little Jesus in restaurants, stores, homes, parks, and churches. Once the grandkids discovered one at home, they set out to find more. When they’ve found them, they re-hide them so they can search for them again and again.

A couple of folks from South Carolina, Erin and Emrie, came up with the idea in 2024. It’s a variation on the ducks people leave on Jeeps or painted rocks I see everywhere I go. A month ago I got into “A little Jesus goes a long way.”

The batch I bought has seven different color sashes, giving the grandchildren something to fight about. (Some colors are better than others?)

They constantly ask me, “How many did you hide?” “Where else did you hide them?” I have no idea. I just leave them here and there and everywhere.

Of course, you can get tiny Mary, all sorts of different animals, dinosaurs, food items, gnomes, insects, and just about anything else you can imagine.