Tag: bible

Posted in Advent devotions

From Stump to Savior: An Advent Devotion

Posted on by William Douthwaite

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1,2)

Where I live in Florida, winter means cooler temperatures, but certainly nothing like the cold I’ve experienced when I lived further north. The temperature might dip below freezing one or two days in January or February. When it does, all the leaves fall off my Hibiscus, Mandeville, and Bougainville plants.

That’s my cue to get to work. I cut everything down to the ground and fill up bags for the trash guys to haul away on Wednesday.

Within a week, though, small green shoots with leaves will begin to grow from the stumps I left behind. As the weather gets warmer those shoots will grow inches overnight until a new vine is reaching towards the sky. I gather the new vines and use some twine to keep them close to the backyard fence.

It’s not a wintry blast of cold air that freezes God’s people in the Old Testament. It’s the loving discipline of the Lord for his people who have forsaken him to worship idols. Foreign nations and kings destroy and disperse God’s people.

When God decided that someone with a heart like his needed to be on the throne of Israel, he chose David, the son of Jesse. Not only would David be king, but his descendants would always be king over God’s people.

But once a pagan ruler exiles the people to a pagan place far away from Jerusalem, there doesn’t seem to be much hope. All that’s left to hold onto is the promise that “a remnant will return (Isaiah 10:21). And “there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,” a king descended from David infused with the Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 11:1,2).

This is a messianic promise. That shoot would not be just any king. “The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32,33).

That’s right, it’s not over till it’s over. God has the final word, and his word becomes flesh to rule and reign over his people. From that dead stump of disobedient and unfaithful people would come the one who would save his people from their sin, overcome death, and defeat the adversary, Satan.

When Jesus is born, a fresh green shoot starts to grow from the stump of Jesse, rooted in the promises of God. All that Jesus comes to be and do results in life, growth, and fruit. And guess what? By grace, you’ve been grafted into his family by faith. This isn’t just his story. It’s yours. You are part of God’s family.

In the song “Made for More,” Josh Baldwin sings, “I know who I am ’cause I know who You are.” Did you ever stop to think what a wonderful Christmas gift it is to know who you are? By grace you’ve been adopted into his family by faith.

If you’ve forgotten your identity, don’t just get out your wallet and look at your ID. Remember the shoot that comes forth from the stump of Jesse!

Since it’s December and Advent, I thought it would be fun to write some devotions for the season. Some decorate a Jesse Tree in the month leading up to Christmas, so I thought it would be interesting to write about the symbols that hang from its branches to remind us that Christ’s coming begins a long time before his birth in Bethlehem. In fact, we know that God had that day on his calendar before creation. “[God the Father] chose us in [Jesus Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4,5).

When I searched online for a list of Jesse Tree symbols, I found many variations. These devotions are based on one list I found from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. You can find more here: mlc-wels.edu/publications/the-jesse-tree.

I really want to up my readership, so please share this post with anyone you think might be (or needs to be) blessed by some Advent devotions!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Name after name after name

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Chronicles 1-9. (1 Chronicles? Yep.)

One of the more time consuming administrative tasks in a church office is keeping records of congregational membership and official acts. Weekly updates reflected the transient nature of the community. Families joined, members died, couples got married, moms gave birth, youth were confirmed, young and old were baptized, families moved away or joined other churches, and individuals moved, changed phone numbers and email addresses. We constantly updated the membership database, a spreadsheet to record the changes, mailing lists, and a directory for the congregation.

From time to time I would look through the list of names. Some brought back wonderful memories. I didn’t remember some. A few joined and left within months. Some disappeared without a trace. A small collection of names were charter members.

This information came in handy. A mother came in one day to get a copy of a misplaced baptism certificate so her son could enroll in a parochial school. Another was surprised that they were not an official member of the congregation. The lists highlighted those who hadn’t been to worship for a while, who had stuff going on in their lives.

The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles are not action-packed. They are endless lists of names, from Adam to the flood to the exile and back again. Yes, my eyes glazed over as I skimmed the pages til I got to the words, “So all Israel was recorded in genealogies” (1 Chronicles 9:1). This was their version of membership records.

Those who returned from exile needed to connect with God’s people of the past. They needed to know they belonged. They were blessed to be a part of a chosen people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and a people belonging to God. We’re blessed to be a part of those people, too, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Imagine page after page of names, including yours.

And maybe someone you will tell about the Savior.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Where’s my bible?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Josiah was a good king.

That’s saying a lot, since his grandfather Manasseh and father Amon were kings who did what was evil, worshiped idols, and brought on Judah the certainty of God’s judgment.

Josiah ascended to the throne at the age of eight. When he was twenty-five, he initiated repair of the temple.

Guess what they found?

Hilkiah the high priest said, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord” (2 Kings 22:8).

I’ve always thought it amazing that they could lose their bible, which would have been the Pentetuech (the first five books of our bible). Clearly it hadn’t been read in a long, long time.

Imagine someone asking, “Where is your bible?” And you have to say, as you rummage through boxes of books, “I know it’s around here somewhere.”

In some churches I go to, most people have a bible with them. In others, hardly anyone does. I wonder why?

In some churches they project the bible passages on a screen. In others, they print out the readings in a handout. So I guess it’s not essential to have a bible with you at a worship service.

But it’s helpful. Here’s why:

You can easily read the context of a passage of scripture. Context is so important. The before and after of a verse makes a verse come to life!

  • You can underline, circle, highlight, and make a note in the margin to read later.
  • You can look at other notes, highlights, circles, or underlines you’ve made in the past.
  • You can quickly look at other verses that come to mind or are mentioned in a sermon or by a teacher. Yes, you can do this digitally, but I find it easier to do with paper pages and a thumb to keep my place.

I find it amusing to imagine a couple scrambling around, trying to find their bible so they can leave it out on the coffee table when the pastor comes to visit. Have to make a good impression, right?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Get some rest

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Shane on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Kings 19.

The puppies and small grandchildren who run around our house seem to have limitless energy. They run full out until I tuck them into bed. That’s when they crash and immediately fall asleep.

After the fire of the Lord consumes Elijah’s sacrifice and he slaughters the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:38,40), Jezebel threatens his life (1 Kings 19:2).

After a day’s hike in the desert, Elijah prays, “Lord, take away my life” (19:4). I’ve had it. I quit.

He falls asleep and wakes to find an angel encouraging him to eat. After a second nap and meal, he takes a forty-day trip to a mountain called Horeb. Here, God speaks to him in a low whisper instructing him to anoints kings and a successor to be prophet in his place (19:15,16).

I think this is a great example of what we would call “self care.” Of course, it’s God who provides the physical and spiritual restoration. It was a great day on Mount Carmel. But even a prophet crashes when the adrenaline wears off. We weren’t designed to run full throttle forever. We were created needing rest. Without it, we get sick or our bodies break down. So will our souls, unless we take some time to rest.

Never feel guilty about taking care of yourself. Never feel guilty when God sends someone else along to care for you. He knows you need it.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The God of free refills

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Kings 17.

The amount of food my friends and I could eat in college was impressive. Since meals were only served during the week at the fraternity house, we had to fend for ourselves on Saturday and Sunday. One favorite spot was Roy Rogers, a burger and fried chicken restaurant which I’m surprised to learn is still in business in the PA-NJ-MD area. Our go-to order was the all you can eat chicken and fries plus a bottomless drink.

I don’t think they offer that deal any more, but there are other places where you can eat as much as you want (or can). Olive Garden offers a never-ending bowl of pasta from time to time. You can go back as often as you like at a Asian buffet. When Chick-fil-a opens a new restaurant, the first customers can get a free weekly meal for a year. In 1981, American Airlines sold a lifetime first class ticket for $250,000. Some who bought that flew over 10,000 times.

The original “free refill” story is from scripture, when a widow in Zarephath uses the last of her flour and oil to make bread for the prophet Elijah. During that time of severe famine, the Lord promised her, “The bowl of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil become empty, until the day that the Lord provides rain on the face of the earth” (1 Kings 17:14). And that’s exactly what happened.

If I give away what I have, I won’t have it anymore, right? Not necessarily. God’s promise of provision is described as “daily bread.” There’s more tomorrow. Just like there was yesterday. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). He’s the God of free refills.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Who abandoned who?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by cottonbro studio on pexels

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 28.

In the middle of a phone conversation, I realize I’m talking to myself. Either my phone has dropped the connection. I take connectivity for granted until I drive through a dead zone with little or no cell service.

King Saul experienced the same thing. When the enemy gathers for attack, Saul is shaking in his boots. It gets worse. “Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him” (1 Samuel 28:6). The prophet Samuel has died, so Saul tries everything he can think of, from prophets to dreams. Nothing. Crickets.

Saul turns to the occult. He finds a medium. When she conjures up the spirit of Samuel, the prophet wants to know, “Why are you bothering me?”

Saul replies, “God has abandoned me and no longer answers me” (18:15).

What did you expect, Saul? Samuel reminds him, “The Lord has done just as He spoke through me” (28:17). Remember, Saul? “You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel” (15:26).

You never listened to God before. And you’re not going to hear from him now, either. You got exactly what you wanted.

What hinders our prayers? Here’s a few things:

Insincere worship. “Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high” (Isaiah 58:4).

Unconfessed sin. “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18).

Wrong motives. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:3).

Ignoring God’s word. If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9).

Saul’s experience reminds me that if I feel like God has abandoned me, I need to consider how I’ve abandoned him.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The Spirit of the Lord and Saul’s Troubled Heart

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Nathan Cowley on pexels

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 16.  

“Why are you in such a bad mood?”

Hey, it happens to all of us, right? We’re grumpy, sullen, grouchy, agitated, irritated, anxious, or depressed. Or all of the above.

It happens to people in the bible, too. “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him” (1 Samuel 16:14).

I’ve always struggle to understand what’s going on here. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of the Lord seems to come and go. And an “evil” (or harmful) spirit from the Lord doesn’t sound right at all.

Maybe it’s the writer’s way of describing someone who responds to the promises and the presence of God – or not. King Saul hasn’t exactly been on the same page as the Lord lately, so rather than living with assurance, he’s got nothing but fear, jealousy, and depression.

It’s kind of like your reaction to the return of Jesus. You might dread it or you might be excited about it. It just depends on your faith or your lack of it.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

God’s Perspective: The Heart Over Appearance

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Randy Jacob on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 16.

I watched him walk into the church during the first hymn and sit in the back. He looked nervous and uncomfortable. He made me nervous and uncomfortable. I got the attention of an usher and said, “Make sure that guy has a worship folder.” In other words, “Keep an eye on him.”

Do you know what happened? Nothing. We had nothing to worry about. He was visiting family in town, stopped by for worship, and we never saw him again. But I’ve been taught, “See something, say something.”

In the aftermath, I remembered that while we look at appearances, God looks at someone’s heart. I am so shallow.

Having said that, I am also confused. First, when Samuel thinks he’ll anoint Jesse’s oldest son to be the next king, God says, “Nope. That’s not the one. Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

When they finally bring David in from tending the sheep, the author describes him as “glowing with health and…a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; this is the one'” (16:12).

I would have written something about David’s “heart.” I would have mentioned something about David’s character, his personality, or his faith. All of this will come out later. But why not sooner?

A few chapters ago, Samuel told a foolish and disobedient Saul, “the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart” (13:14). Well guess what? David’s that guy. Not perfect. But on the same page. Makes mistakes. But runs to grace. Fights hard. Prays hard.

So what’s God want from me (you)? Pray hard. Pursue grace. Be on the same page (scripture).

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Making the rounds: Samuel judges Israel

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 7.

Pastoral ministry was my second career. With a math degree in hand, I programmed computers for a few years before I went to seminary.

Once parishioners got wind of my background, they assumed I’d be able to give them technical advice when their devices malfunctioned. While they wanted me to have solid theological credentials, they also wanted me to diagnose a printer that wouldn’t print, wifi that wouldn’t connect, or some malware that paralyzed a laptop.

Eventually, when someone asked, “Can I ask you about something?” I’d reply, “I hope it’s a bible question.” They would chuckle and ask me how to find a downloaded document on their computer.

I never did it, but I’m convinced that if I taught a Sunday School class on how to use your smart phone I would fill the room.

Everyone knew that the Lord spoke to Samuel and established him as a prophet. So Samuel “went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places,” as well as his hometown of Ramah (1 Samuel 7:16,17).

I would have gone to see Samuel when he was in my town. I love hearing from people who have spent time with the Lord. You can tell when someone spends time with God in the word and in prayer. Those folks see the world differently. They see God at work in both joy and heartbreak. Their gentle faith, contagious hope, and genuine love fill any room they’re in. Their conversation isn’t about them. It’s either about you or Him.

I’m thankful for folks like that. I hope you get to know some, too!