Tag: blessing

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Something that lasts

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Maximus Beaumont on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Deuteronomy 29.

How many things have you owned for forty years? I’ve a sauce pan and some mixing bowls that were part of a set of Revere Ware my parents gave me for my first apartment after college. I bought my trumpet forty-five years ago. I’ve got a hammer, some screwdrivers, and a couple of wrenches I know I’ve had in my tool bag for decades.

I like to point out that sometimes God provides by letting your stuff last a long time. Getting seventeen years out of a hot water heater or 80,000 miles out of a set of tires is the kind of blessing God mentions in Deuteronomy:

“I have led you in the wilderness for forty years; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot” (Deuteronomy 29:5).

I know, they don’t make things like they used to. I’ve gotten used to replacing things every few years, not expecting them to last very long. So when something does last, I take note and give thanks!

Another batch of indestructible dog toys is due in the mail today or tomorrow. My dogs annihilated the last batch and the replacements they sent in a matter of minutes. At least they’ve grown out of chewing up my sandals, so maybe I’ll be able to wear them for a while. (But probably not forty years.)

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Bless this loaf

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Deuteronomy 28.

Towards the end of Deuteronomy we encounter a catalogue of blessings and curses, some of which are quite specific.

This one caught my eye and earned a place in my journal: “If you obey the Lord your God, blessed will be your basket and your kneading bowl” (Deuteronomy 28:5). If you choose not to obey, “Cursed will be your basket and your kneading bowl” (Deuteronomy 28:17).

Over the past year I’ve learned how to bake sourdough bread. I’ve figured out the best way to feed the mason jar of starter on the kitchen counter. I use a kitchen scale to weigh out my bread flour, water, salt, and starter for dough. I bake bread in the used cast iron dutch oven I purchased on eBay. I know how many times to stretch my dough before tucking it in for the night in the refrigerator. I have rice flour on hand for the overnight proofing. (Rice flour is inert; it doesn’t react with the dough.)

It’s not an exact science. Every loaf turns out different depending on the weather, how long I let the dough proof, the brand of flour I use, and how the starter is feeling that day. I’ve had some loaves that were impossible to slice because the crust was too tough. I’ve had others that were kind of gummy inside. And I’ve baked some really nice, tasty loaves, too.

Anyway, I would love it if God blessed my kneading bowl! It’s kind of funny to think that he would be a part of the bread baking process. I realize this is an image of God’s blessing in your home. But I still like to picture a really nice loaf of bread cooling on a rack in the kitchen!

The blessings of living as God’s people find their way into every area of life. He wants to bless our families, flocks, fields, homes, and travel. And when I read the much longer list of curses that follow (Deuteronomy 28:15ff), I’m more than ready to repent and get my act together!

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Be blessed!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 14.

I met George and Marie when they brought their son Isaac to vacation bible school every summer. I would run into them every once in a while, and after a quick conversation, George would always say, “Be blessed!”

After Abram makes quick work of the kings who had attacked his nephew Lot, Melchizedek shows up with a blessing,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
    Possessor of heaven and earth;
blessed be God Most High,
    who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” (Genesis 14:19,20 NASB)

We don’t know much about Melchizedek, other than that he was a king and a priest. He shows up out of nowhere, and then he disappears. His name will come up again to help us understand Jesus (Hebrews chapters 5 and 7).

It’s great to have people show up in our lives to remind us that we have been blessed and to credit God for those blessings. It’s easy to forget. It’s easy to allow what someone else has or does obscure the view of the good things in our own lives. What a gift when someone lends us their eyes to see what God has done and is doing in our lives!

Maybe I can bring that gift, too. When I celebrate the good things going on in the lives of others, it’s a great day for God, too. After all, every good and perfect gift comes from him.

Be blessed!

Posted in Grace, Moments of grace

An unexpected blessing: a no-wait week

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Patience may be a virtue, but I appreciate the gift of quick appointments.

  • I brought a book to read while waiting for my wife at her doctor’s office. They called her name and got her in and out in five minutes. I only got to read a couple of pages.
  • I had the first appointment after lunch at my retina doctor. After I gave my name, they called me back as soon as I sat down in the waiting room. Within minutes the staff dilated my eyes, took pictures of my retinas, and the doctor came in to see me. Everything looked good, I had no questions for him, and the receptionist looked surprised when I walked out to make my next appointment. Quick and easy.
  • I brought my computer to sit and write while I waited for an oil change and tire rotation. They finished with my car in less than twenty minutes. I didn’t even have a chance to finish a story.
  • I walked into the barbershop. A few other guys were waiting, but they were waiting for a specific barber. I sat down but heard a voice say, “I can help you.” No wait for me that day!
  • I had to drop off the car to get the windshield replaced. They said it would be a two to three hour job. Before we got back home, I got a text that they were done, in less than an hour. Sweet.
  • For the first time in years the dermatologist had to do a little cutting to remove some skin cancer. Once I was numbed up, he came in, chatted while he made a couple of snips, and was out the door in under two minutes. He got it all. Okay, I did have to wait a little for my turn to get closed up, but I got to go home a lot sooner than a whole waiting room full of people.

I’m on a roll. Most of the time, I expect to wait. Self-checkout lines at the grocery store, security at the airport, dentist’s office, latte with an extra shot, etc. If I prepare myself, I’m patient. No wait? I’m blessed!

Posted in common sense, Ministry, questions

“Will you bless this for me?”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

examiner-size-cross-in-handWhen I was getting ready to perform a wedding at a non-church venue in St Augustine last fall, the bride’s aunt took a cross pendant next door to the Basilica to have it blessed before giving it to her niece. Someone looked toward me and asked, “Why didn’t you just have him do it?” She just shrugged. 

A week or two later, someone took me aside before worship and showed me a new cross necklace they had just received and asked me to bless it. I was caught off guard, since I wasn’t in the habit of blessing things. But I said a prayer with that individual, asking God to let that cross be a powerful reminder of everything that Jesus had done for them.

Every month the prayer shawl ministry of our church puts on display all the shawls that have been crocheted over the past month so that we can pray for those who will receive one. Of course we don’t know ahead of time who will receive them, but God does, so we commend them to his care. We keep a supply, and members of the church will request them and take them to people who are sick or have something else going on.

Sometimes, a shawl will be finished and given to someone in-between those monthly displays. Well-meaning members will bring the shawl by for me to bless. Rather than blessing the shawl per se, I pray for the healing, comfort, and safety of the recipient.

After doing this a couple of times I began to wonder, “What’s the big deal about blessing something?” Where did this idea come from? Should I be better at doing this? It is true that in the agenda (a reference volume of special ceremonies) there are rites to bless things like organs, church bells, paraments, buildings, furnishings and homes. These rites, however, are a way of reminding us that we are setting these things aside for special use in ministry. However, when people have an object blessed, I fear they may believe this object will now guarantee good fortune, as if it were now a good luck charm. In other words, if an object in their possession has been blessed, they will receive blessing from it. Superstitious at best, this borders on idolatry in my book. 

I can guarantee that an object is just the same after I pray over it as it was before. I am not able to make a cross or a bible or a crocheted prayer shawl any more effective in protecting, healing or blessing anyone. I have no problem praying for somebody who will wear or use or hold one of those things. But give an object special powers? That’s way above my pay grade!

Posted in Ministry

Bless your nurse.

Posted on by William Douthwaite

angry-patientWhen I went to visit M. in the hospital yesterday, her nurse was in the room, finishing up some charting and her sister sat nearby. As I walked into the room, M. said, “Hi, pastor.” The nurse immediately looked at her and said, “Now don’t you start cursing at him!”

I said, “She’s usually on her best behavior when I’m here.”

The nurse replied, “Then you’re not leaving!” Uh-oh. I can only imagine what that means. It must have been an interesting stay in the hospital for the patient, nurses and probably everyone else who’s stepped into the room!

It seems to me that the one person you want to be nice to is your nurse. The doctor might stop in for a moment, housekeeping might be in for a few minutes each day, and you can be sure someone come by in the middle of the night to draw blood. But the nurse is taking care of you for a whole shift, is the one you call when you need something, and advocates for you with the doctors.

I know how hard it is to be in the hospital. So does your nurse. Which is why you want to bless not curse your nurse!