Category: Through the Bible Devotions

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why is this happening to me?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by John Fornander on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Job 4 and 5.

After seven days of silence, Job and his friends spend lots of chapters trying to figure out why his life is in shambles.

The first friend to weigh in is Eliphaz. He has a simple explanation:

Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
    Where were the upright ever destroyed?
As I have observed, those who plow evil
    and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:7,8)

Eliphaz, like a lot of people, believes in some kind of spiritual karma. If bad things are happening, you must have done something to deserve it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He goes on to say,

Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
    so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. (5:17)

While there is a kernel of truth in his words, we know there’s a whole lot more going on. Job hasn’t done anything to deserve so much loss in his life. In fact, his suffering at the hands of Satan was because he was extraordinarily faithful. Remember God’s evaluation of Job? “He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).

So what’s going on when you want to scream, “Why is this happening to me?”

  • Sometimes you know why. You screwed up. Plain and simple. You opened your mouth (again). You smoked for years and years. You lied. You ate the whole box of donuts (again). You built your home in a flood area. You didn’t floss.
  • Sometimes someone else screwed up. They backed into your car but never left a note. They lied to you (again). They stole your identity. They spilled red wine on your light gray carpet. They didn’t tell you that house you bought was in a flood area.
  • Sometimes stuff happens. Volcanos erupt. Cold weather freezes pipes. Viruses spread. Cancer cells multiply. Pregnant mothers miscarry. Rivers overflow their banks and flood communities. Bugs eat your garden vegetables.
  • Sometimes God kicks you out of paradise. Sometimes he sends plagues. Sometimes God raises up foreign armies for invasion. Sometimes his own son is executed.

It’s a broken world filled with broken people, so broken bones, broken hearts, and broken promises shouldn’t surprise us. Even if we do everything right.

When it’s a really good day, why not ask the same question? Why not wonder, “Why this happening to me?” Or, “What did I do to deserve this?” It wasn’t because you were exceptionally good. It’s because God is. Every good and perfect gift comes from him.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

So do you trust, really trust, him?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Job 1 and 2.

In the opening chapters of Job, we know what’s going on. Job doesn’t have a clue.

We know that God appreciates Job’s faithfulness. We know that Satan has asserted that Job is faithful only because his life is good. God allows Satan to take everything from Job: animals, children, and his health.

What is Job’s response to all this? “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Job says to his wife, “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (2:10). Job only sees the hand of God in everything he has experienced, both the good and the bad.

What do you think of that? What do you think of Job’s assessment of God? How do you feel about a God who takes life away. What do you do with a God from whom we experience bad things?

In the Old Testament, God floods the earth, wiping out all life that isn’t safely on board the ark.

God lets his people get hungry and thirsty in the wilderness. Why? To get their attention. So he can show them that he provides what they need.

When King David calls for an unnecessary census, the consequences from God are a plague that kills thousands of people.

In Revelation, disastrous things happen when the wrath of God is unleashed on an unbelieving world.

Many will ask, “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” What about asking, “Why does God cause bad things to happen?”

It’s not an easy question to answer. And I doubt I’ll be able to answer it very well here. But I’ll share what I’ve learned and how I’ve worked through this. I’ve got a logical brain, so this works for me.

God is good, all-powerful, loving, and sovereign. If he allows something to happen, even if we think it’s bad, it’s for a good reason or purpose. Nothing happens outside of his control or his knowledge. Nothing surprises him or catches him off-guard.

Think about it. In hindsight, you learned a lot from and even benefitted from experiences you thought were terrible in the moment. You’ll never figure it out in that moment. Only later will you understand.

God sees the much bigger picture. And he cares. He knows how much it hurts, how unfair it is, and what it’s like to weep. He’s been here. He’s done that. That’s what Jesus did.

The bottom line is, “Do you trust him?” You have faith, but do you trust him? Do you trust him to bring you through a flood, or fire, or “the valley of the shadow of death” to a new, different, and better place?

For the next 36 chapters, Job and his friends will try to figure all this out. In the end, there is no other path than trusting God.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Good news and bad news: a hedge

Posted on by William Douthwaite

On the one hand, a hedge is good. On the other, it’s miserable.

That’s what Job experiences.

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?” (Job 1:9,10)

Job’s life was “hedged in” by God’s protection. Job was surrounded by God’s blessing. It was a great place to be.

On the other hand, once Satan has a chance to torment Job, it’s a different story.

Job asks, “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?” (Job 3:23)

He feels trapped. Everything good he had is gone. He doesn’t know why. He can’t do anything about it. He’s stuck. He’s trapped. He wishes he had never been born. But here he is. He’s boxed in by the miserable life God engineered for him.

Do you feel protected or trapped by God? Is your faith a force field or a cage?

On the one hand, God is confining. He has some strict guidelines for our lives. On the other hand, those guidelines set us free from things like sin and death and the power of the devil. Hmm. How can confinement actually be freedom?

So, what hedges has God put around your life? How has he protected you? How has he kept you on a short leash?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Is good enough good enough?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on pexels.com

Yeah, I’m still at it. Here’s another “through the bible” devotion from Job 1.

The book of Job starts like this:

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1).

Was Job perfect? No. “None is righteous” (Romans 3:10). “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23).

So what kind of a person was Job?

What’s the difference between being “blameless” and “sinless”? Here’s one explanation. Sin is vertical, blame is horizontal. Sinful is what you are like in the presence of a holy God. Blameless is about life with others. Think portrait vs. landscape mode.

Blameless? Everyone thought of Job as a good guy. But Job still needed God’s grace as much as anyone else.

No criminal record. Perfect attendance. Excellent credit score. Employee of the month. All lab results normal. Most likely to succeed. 4.0 GPA. A horizontal righteousness, blameless and upright in the eyes of most.

Angry. Jealous. Holds a grudge. Bitter. Lips honor God; heart is far from him. Selfish. A vertical unrighteousness in the sight of the one whose opinion counts.

Some of us claim that we don’t care what others think of us. That’s a lie. Of course we care. We work hard to look good horizontally. Do we care about what God thinks of us? Probably not as much as we care what others think of us. How much effort goes into that vertical relationship?

Good enough or God’s enough? That’s a good question, isn’t it?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Tears of repentance and shouts of joy

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash

Once the walls of Jerusalem were repaired, Ezra publicly reads the scriptures (the Book of the Law of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) to a crowd gathered at the Water Gate. It was an emotional moment. “All the people wept as they heard the words of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:9).

I’m curious. When’s the last time you wept when you heard God’s word. How often do tears run down your cheeks during your morning devotion? Look around on Sunday morning. How many are weeping in church while scripture is read?

Why was this such an emotional moment in Jerusalem?

It’s been a long time since the last reading of scripture. These people have been in exile in Babylon for seventy years. Some in the crowd may have never heard God’s word before. The last time it was read may have been during Josiah’s reign in Judah, before the destruction of Jerusalem, nearly one hundred years ago. When King Josiah heard the words of a scroll they found when cleaning up the temple, he torn his clothes in grief and repentance, too (2 Chronicles 34).

When the word became flesh in the person of Jesus, some were brought to tears. A woman forgiven much would wet Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:38). Peter would weep bitterly after denying his Lord. Paul would write about admonishing the people in Ephesus with tears in his eyes (Acts 20:31). He wept as he wrote to the the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 2:4). An encounter with the Lord who comes with great love can make us very aware of our great sin, which should touch our hearts in some way.

Apparently there was a little too much weeping as Ezra read. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the scribe had to tell everyone to cut it out. “Quit sobbing!” It’s a holy day, a “holiday,” and that calls for eating, drinking, and rejoicing. There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Plus, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Let’s circle back. When’s the last time you saw smiles and heard laughter when God’s word was read? Look around on Sunday morning. Is anyone filled with joy when the Lord speaks? Is anyone grinning or chuckling?

Why not? Okay, here’s a challenge. Let’s make an effort to respond to God’ word with tears of repentance or shouts of joy. I’m not talking about the sermon. Any preacher can stir emotions with stories and examples. If the reader stops and says, “Hey, can you tone it down a little,” you’re doing it right!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Not everybody who wants to be your friend should be your friend

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by NONRESIDENT on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Nehemiah 6.

My dog Winston (the White Westhighland Terrier) believe that everyone is his friend. His tail is up and wagging for the vet, the vet tech, the front desk receptionist at the vet, the Rottweiler who often walks by our house, the three little terriers who walk down the street, grandkids, in-laws, our small group, and anyone else who will let him jump up in their lap.

Nehemiah has gone out on a limb to ask for time off from his cupbearer job in Susa to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. It was a huge project, made more challenging by enemies who did everything they could to stop the work. Rather than taking an allowance, he fed hundreds of people at his own expense.

As the walls and gates near completion, a few of Nehemiah’s enemies try to buddy up to him. Four times Sanballat and Geshem invite him to a little get-together, and all four times, Nehemiah declines, answering, “I’m busy. I have a lot of work to do.”

He knows. He knows “they intended to do him harm” (Nehemiah 6:2). Nehemiah was loyal, brave, hard working, and discerning. He knows that not everyone who wants to be your friend should be your friend.

That last statement is hard. I don’t like that truth. I’ve always operated under the notion that if you want friends, you should be a friend. So if someone befriends you, you ought to welcome their friendship.

Many of you reading this have learned the hard way that this doesn’t always work out.

  • Some befriend us to take advantage of us. It’s just a matter of time before they ask for money.
  • Others want to be our friends so they can tell others that they are our friends. These folks will broadcast their relationship with us in their promotional material. Yes, I’ve had people join the church so they can add that to their resume.
  • Some will be friends for a while, but at some time and for some reason they will turn. They will turn on you, to make you the bad guy, so they look like the good guy.
  • There are those who jump into friendship, but immediately disappear into the ether. They literally disappear, and you never see them again.

By this time you’re thinking, “Wow, he’s gotten cynical.” You are right. And you’re thinking, “Yeah, I’ve had friends like that.” You’re also wondering, “So who should I be friends with?”

That is a very good question.

  • Don’t let betrayal, disappointment, or threats deter you. Just be a friend with anyone and everyone. The only way to know is to dive in and do it. You can’t predict who’s going to be a keeper and who you throw back.
  • Don’t expect too much from a friend. They will not live up to your expectations. No human does. They will let you down. Just remember: they are your friend.
  • Do invest a lot in friendship. You be the one who is there, who cares, who gives, who gives, who goes beyond expectations.

It’s a lot easier to make friends when you are in school. The friends I remember the best are from elementary, junior high, high school, and college. After that, it’s a lot harder. Why? I don’t know. It’s different when you’re an adult. But it’s no less important.

Must you be friends with everyone who befriends you? No. Be discerning. Be open to new friends. Be a friend. But sometimes it’s okay to walk away.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

He had my back

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Martin Podsiad on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Nehemiah 4.

Jack worked in a prison before he retired and moved to our community. He was a faithful member, always greeting folks as they arrived for worship, and serving as an usher. I had to remind him on several occasions, “These are members, not inmates.” Yeah, he got a little carried away sometimes.

That wasn’t always a bad thing. He worked part-time for the sheriff’s department serving warrants, so he had a badge. If a suspicious person came to the entrance of the church, he would simply hold his suit coat to the side, flash his badge, and ask, “How are you doing?” Message sent.

When Nehemiah supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, there was plenty of opposition from the locals. When they slowed down the work, “Each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built” (Nehemiah 4:18). In other words, stand back, buddy.

I was thankful for guys like Jack who were watching the door while I led worship. In the course of a worship service, I could see everyone who came and went. But I knew he had my back.

Sometimes you’re working on faith. Sometimes you’ve got a weapon in your hand. Most of the time, it’s both.

But by the grace of God, we get the job done.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Trusting God or testing God?

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

A “through the bible” devotion from Ezra 8.

It sounds like Ezra painted himself into a corner with God.

King Artaxerxes sent Ezra back to Jerusalem to teach and reestablish worship in Jerusalem with plenty of resources to get the job done. But when it’s time to go, Ezra faith is put to the test.

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” (Ezra 8:21,22)

Ezra told the king that he had God on his side. True enough. But Ezra also has a whole bunch of gold, silver, and bronze to take back to Judah. Without some soldiers to accompany him and his fellow travelers, they would be sitting ducks for robbery along the way. But he can’t ask for that. Ezra went all in on God’s protection. There was no going back.

So was Ezra faithful or foolish? Well, they made it, and Ezra gives God all the credit. “The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way” (Ezra 8:31).

It’s really easy to second guess Ezra. Remember when the devil tempted Jesus to leap off the top of the temple, with the assurance that angels would catch him before he hit the ground? Jesus declined, reminding the devil, “You don’t test God.” Of course, you don’t take advice from the devil. He’s a liar. But how do you know if you’re trusting God or testing God?

First of all, Ezra was a priest steeped in the word of God. He knew the promises of God, and knew that the exiles’ return to Jerusalem had been promised by God. This was God’s plan, not his own. If God says it, it’s the right thing to do.

Second, is it about you or about God? If it glorifies him, it’s trust. If it’s for approval from others, you might be going out on a treacherous limb.

Finally, you don’t know. Our hearts are deceitful. We lie to ourselves. We say it’s all about God, when it’s really all about us. Lord, have mercy.

Okay, here’s my conclusion. You’re probably testing God not trusting him. Admit it. Repent. He knows. He forgives. Learn something. Don’t go out on that limb again. Next question?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just like riding a bike

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jonny Kennaugh on Unsplash

I was asked to substitute preach last November at the church I retired from two-and-a-half years ago. While I’ve done a few memorials and funerals, this was my first time back in the pulpit for a Sunday morning worship service.

A few months before, someone who knew I was scheduled to preach teasingly asked, “Do you think you’ll remember how?” But it’s a good question. It should be like riding a bike, right? I might be a little stiff, but preaching muscle-memory ought to kick in.

And it did. In some ways it felt like I had taken a couple of weeks off rather than two years. I could have resurrected a sermon from my archive of messages. I didn’t because old messages include things that aren’t relevant. Plus, the discipline of preparing a message assures that it will touch my heart before it reaches the ears of others. I need and appreciate that blessing.

I do not write out my sermons. I outline them using Keynote (Apple’s version of Power Point), putting a picture on each one to help me remember. That way I can preach just using my bible, freeing me to better engage the congregation.

I also volunteered to lead the praise service that day, since the leader would also be away. And teach an adult Sunday School class between the two morning worship services. In hindsight, I should have just preached rather than dividing my efforts between all those things. I enjoy doing all of that, it just takes a little more preparation to spin that many plates on a Sunday morning.

The week before I noticed that my mind was continually filled with the upcoming sermon. I would think my way through the outline, introduction, illustrations, and applications throughout the day. I had forgotten how sermon preparation moves in and occupies a lot of space in my mind. It requires a lot of mental and spiritual energy.

That’s the part I don’t miss. It sounds terrible, but I don’t miss the weekly grind. As soon as you’re done one, the next one looms. Sundays come around with precise regularity. As much as I love preaching and teaching, I don’t miss it that much. Does that surprise you? I read those words and it surprises me. It’s one of those love-hate things, I guess.

Thanks for lasting this far through a rambling post. Here’s one last thought. I am grateful for the honorarium paid for my Sunday morning efforts. I do want to mention that this is one place where inflation has not spun out of control. I received the same amount as we were paying substitute preachers thirty years ago. I know, I know, you don’t do it for the money. I’m just putting it out there.

I suppose I’ll preach now and again in the future. We’ll see what happens. I still get to teach adults and youth each month, and enjoy that a lot.

I’m still figuring out this retirement thing.