Tag: God

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Faith is hard

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Klemen Vrankar on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 15.

“Proof is easy. Faith is hard damn work.” – Johnny Prentiss

You’ve probably never heard of Johnny Prentiss. He was a character played by Penn Teller in the TV series “Code Black.” Johnny was a magician in the emergency room with a mass in his chest. As he waited for test results, he amazed doctors, nurses, and other patients with a deck of cards.

Over and over again, someone would ask him, “How did you do that?” Johnny answered, “I can’t imagine a world without magic.” For him, magic inspired hope and faith, things that he desperately needed to live.

God told Abram that a son from his own body would be his heir, the first of descendants as numerous as stars in the night sky. Amazingly, Abram believed God (Genesis 15:6).

If Abram had been standing there with his infant son in his arms, it would have been a lot easier to believe that he would be the father of a great nation. But on that night, all he had was God’s word. All he had was a promise.

Aren’t you pleasantly surprised when someone keeps a promise? I think we want to believe, but we’ve been let down too many times. But someone didn’t show up. Or they outright lied. A product didn’t work as advertised. The check wasn’t in the mail.

If someone says, “All you have to do is believe,” they know nothing of faith. Faith is indeed hard work. It means setting aside what you know to be true to embrace what God says is true. Faith is humbling. Faith rarely make sense. Faith is often terrifying. Faith is tough.

But faith is where a relationship with God begins. “God counted it to [Abram] as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

You can watch Season 2 Episode 9 of Code Black on Amazon Prime Video. Thanks for reading this “through the bible” devotion.

Posted in church, Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Think twice before you mess with Abram or his family

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Joel Moysuh on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 14.

A number of years ago, two men from my church took me out to their gun club to do some shooting. They gave me lots of instruction since I had never shot before. Each had several guns with them they let me try, including some 9mm, a .22 target pistol, and a .357 revolver. I did well, hitting targets and a few bull’s eyes at 15 yards.

As they described the guns and how to use them, I asked, “How many guns do you own?”

“Right now, I have eleven.”

Eleven? Why does someone living in a relatively safe suburban neighborhood need nearly a dozen guns at home? In addition to handguns, their collection included a shotgun and several rifles. Apparently they are like potato chips. You can’t have just one. You need one to carry. You need one in the bedside table. You have a favorite for target practice. You have one you used to use for hunting. And so on.

“When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, numbering 318, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.” (Genesis 14:14)

I never would have guessed Abram had an army. Servants? Yes. Workers who watched the flocks? Of course. But trained men, men ready to fight, men able to rough up four formidable kings that had captured Lot, his food, and his family? Think twice before you mess with Abram or his family!

It’s good to remember that we don’t do this alone. Training ourselves for godliness, we fight the good fight of faith together as a church. And God still gives us the victory.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Remember the promise

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sean D on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 12.

I have put together a lot of furniture that comes in a box filled with wood (at least it looks like wood) and metal parts. I’m an instructions kind of guy, so for a long time, I always followed the step-by-step pictures and assembled desks, shelves, and cabinets.

After a while, though, they all start to look the same. The pictures and the pieces look familiar, so I think, “I know how this goes together.” I unpack everything and get to work.

I should know better. It’s a trap. Those two pieces aren’t the same. One is for the left side, the other goes on the right. I don’t want to attach A to B until I’ve screwed in part of C. Some of the screws are one inch long. Others are 7/8 or 1-1/8 inches long. Sigh. I’ve got to look at and follow the instructions.

There’s a subtle yet profound difference between the two trips Abram takes in Genesis 12.

“The Lord said to Abram, ‘Go.'” (Genesis 12:1)

“So Abram went.” (Genesis 12:4)

“Now there was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt” (Genesis 12:10).

The first journey is in response to God’s instructions and promises. The second is in response to the dire circumstances Abram finds himself in. The first journey is in response to good news. The second is a reaction to a bad situation.

Sometimes it seems so obvious what needs to be done. You don’t have enough food? Go where the food is. It’s not rocket science. Until Abram and Sarai get to Egypt. Sarai’s attractive, so she’ll have to lie to save Abram’s life. Abram profits nicely when Pharaoh takes Sarai into his harem. But now it’s a sticky situation. Abram and Sarai act independently of God and almost ruin everything.

I say almost because God graciously steps into help. God gets Sarai and Abram out of there alive and wealthier than ever.

A similar thing happened in Eden. Acting independently of God, the man and his wife did what looked right to them. With promises of salvation and a new outfit, God gets them out of there alive.

I’m glad God is like that. Let’s face it, you and I are more likely to respond to the circumstances around us than the promises of God. We launch into action in response to unexpected bills, approaching storms, and medical test results. We know exactly what to do, don’t we? How often do we leave God out of the equation?

Before I take action based on fear-based calculations, there are two important questions I need to can ask. First, “What does God promise me?” Second, “What does God want from me?”

Had Abram remembered God’s instructions and promises from Genesis 12:1-4, he may have responded differently to the famine described in verse 10.

It is so important to keep God’s promises in front of me!

Thank you to Larry Kirk, whose sermon reminded me to ask these two important questions. And thank you for reading this through the bible devotion.

Posted in church, Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions, worship

Why does someone have to get hurt?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Tom Jur on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 4.

As soon as people began to worship God, worship began to separate people. Cain and Able both brought an offering to God in Genesis 4. But their style of worship was different. Cain brought produce from the farm; Abel brought something from his flock. Because God had regard for Abel’s offering but not for Cain’s, there is post-worship anger, gloom, assault, and murder (Genesis 4:8).

Not much has changed. Worship styles vary from church to church. There is gloom, despair, and agony when some congregations grow and others shrink. Worshipers openly criticize, discredit, and attack each other. And along the way, someone usually gets hurt. That’s what happens when “people [begin] to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).

Jesus himself got caught up in a worship system that had plenty of room for laws, sacrifices, rituals, and priests, but little room for God. He was the one who ended up getting hurt and ultimately killed.

But that changes everything. The Lamb who was slain is on the throne in Revelation where everyone is on the same page, giving him “blessing, honor, and glory” (Rev. 5:13).

I suppose there’s a lesson to be learned here. Rather than focusing on what someone else is doing for worship, put the blinders on and let the Lord be in the spotlight. Listen to his word, receive his gifts of grace, and respond as someone who has been abundantly loved by loving others.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Nice outfit

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 3.

When someone comments, “Hey, nice outfit,” I wonder if it’s a compliment or they’re making fun. Maybe they really like what I’m wearing. Or maybe the plaid shirt with the striped pants wasn’t the best choice.

After the deception, disobedience, shame, and consequences of Genesis 3, God does something really nice for Adam and his wife. He makes garments of skin for them.

So God isn’t angry with them. I don’t hear anger in his voice when he finds them hiding in the bushes. He simply speaks, explaining the consequences of their actions. And then he clothes them (Genesis 3:21).

It’s a good thing he does. I doubt their makeshift fig leaf coverings were very effective. Probably wouldn’t last long, either.

We try hard to cover up our failures and mistakes. We hide behind excuses, blame, and ignorance. None of those are effective. They don’t last long, either.

The good news is that God covers our sin, too. He comes in the flesh (skin) as a Savior who covers up our shame and guilt with his own righteousness. Or as Paul will later put it, “all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal. 3:27 NASB).

So I guess you can say that those garments of skin in Genesis 3:21 are a hint of what’s to come: Jesus.

This is the kind of stuff I think makes the Old Testament so much fun to read. I love finding the footprints of Jesus in those pages long before he walked on the earth.

As I take another trip through the bible, I’m going to write devotionally along the way and share what I find. This year I’m reading the 2020 edition of the New American Standard Bible. If you’re blessed by any of this, feel free to share it with a friend!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Some animals and a garden

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 2.

I started reading the bible again.

What I mean is I just finished up the book of Revelation and started in Genesis again yesterday morning. I get through the whole bible about once a year so it all sounds familiar. But something new always touches my heart.

This morning, I read about God putting the first man in Eden to cultivate and tend it, and name the animals (Genesis 2:2:15, 20). I thought to myself, “We all start out that way.”

Within the first year of having children, we’re teaching them to identify animals and animal sounds. “What does the cow say?” “Moo!” Parents and grandparents sing endless choruses of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Small plastic and large stuffed animals fill toy rooms.

Early on we teach them to smell flowers. Toddlers quickly learn to pick a weed and bring it to mom. Fruit quickly becomes part of their meals, first pureed, then chopped up. Playrooms fill up with plastic pretend food.

It never gets old. I still love to go to the zoo, an aquarium, or arboretum. I am fascinated and delighted by the endless array of animals, birds, fish, and plants. We were created to connect with nature, which connects us with the Creator. That connection is a powerful part of who I am.

Posted in retirement

Suddenly, life is full

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

We were both standing at the kitchen island, working on our latest baking projects. My wife was cutting out sugar cookies to be baked and decorated for a granddaughter’s preschool graduation and nascent cottage food business. I was giving my sourdough a final stretch in preparation for an overnight in the fridge.

I chuckled and asked, “We had no idea we’d be doing this six months ago, did we?”

I’m coming up on two years of retirement and my wife has been easing into hers over the past six months. I was never able to come up with a really good answer for the question, “So what are you going to do?” Or, “What’s retirement going to look like for you?” She didn’t many good answers, either.

I think that’s because you just don’t know. You don’t know what opportunities, challenges, or people will show up until they do. In addition to baking and decorating cookies, we’re raising a Great Dane puppy, working on a wellness newsletter, and considering leading a small group. I’m going to lead an online Bible Study Fellowship group in the fall and teach a middle school Sunday School class once a month. None of these things were on the table even six months ago.

Yesterday, the pastor was preaching on Genesis 12. As that chapter unfolds, God says to Abram, “Go,” and “Abram went.” Talk about a bold step of faith. God’s command prompts all sorts of questions, but the only answer is, “I will show you.”

  • “Go.” “Where?” “I will show you.”
  • “I will make of you a great nation.” “How?” “I will show you.”
  • “I will bless you and make your name great.” “How are you going to do that?” “I will show you.”
  • “I will bless those who bless you…in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” “What do you mean by that?” “I will show you.”

Over the next twenty-five years and eleven chapters of scripture, God does show Abram (Abraham) how he is able to do more than all we ask or imagine. In a lot of ways, the Lord has done the same thing for us. We’ve met great people, traveled to new places, and gotten involved in new ministries.

A lot of other people seemed to be concerned about our retirement life. I wasn’t. I kind of figured God would find a way to fill it up.

Posted in bible, faith

All-you-can-eat all-the-time?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jill Sauve on Unsplash

Is it possible to do too much bible study? At first, it seems the answer would be, “Of course not!” How could anyone get too much of God’s Word?

I’ve discovered that you can overdo it. More is not always better.

A few weeks ago, I feel I overdid. First, I attended a Sunday morning bible class before worship. On Tuesday, I prepared for and participated in a Bible Study Fellowship zoom group discussion. That same Tuesday night, my wife and I gathered with our small group, which included bible study. On Wednesday night, I attended a men’s bible class at our church. In addition, I read scripture devotionally every morning. My wife does all of that too, prompting us to say, “It feels like too much.”

The thing is, I really enjoyed all of those moments. I look forward to my morning reading, journaling, and prayer. We’ve made great friends in our small group. The fellowship and support of the men on Wednesday night has been a blessing. Sunday mornings are great, worshiping with a larger group of believers.

But is it too much? Can a person taste and see that the Lord is good and get carried away, putting on a few too many spiritual pounds?

A colleague told me of a time when he invited a neighbor to come to church. His neighbor did, but didn’t return the next Sunday. He didn’t come the week after that, either. When he asked his neighbor, “Why haven’t you come back,” he replied, “I’m still working on all the great stuff I heard in the sermon three weeks ago!”

Perhaps we need time to process, ponder, and practice what we learn before we jump into the next chapter, study, or topic. Let it marinate overnight. Let the dough rise. Set it aside and then take a fresh look at whatever you read or listened to. Without that, you’re skimming across the surface of the water without ever considering what’s below. Don’t we need time to consider the “so what” of a passage?

Imagine reading a stack of owner’s manuals without ever driving the car or using the appliance. Imagine reading through a cookbook without ever preparing one of the recipes? That would get old real quick.

In 2011, Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger wrote Simple Church, encouraging Christians to pare down church involvement to one worship gathering, one bible study group, and one mission/service involvement per week. Doing too much church can detract from actually being the church. Good food for thought.

In the Old Testament, unless you were a rabbi or a scribe, you would hear God’s Word once a week in synagogue on the Sabbath. Recited daily prayers were taken from scripture. That was plenty for them. Maybe it’s enough for us, too.

I’m sure that someone can argue that most believers spend far too little time in God’s Word. You’ve got a point. But should we approach it as an all-you-can-eat buffet? That’s doesn’t sound healthy either.

Like many other things in life, it’s all about balance. What about the Goldilocks philosophy? Not too hard and not too soft. Not too hot and not too cold. Not too much and not too little. Just right.

Posted in God, Life

Time for a new battery

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Rowl-rowl-rowl-rowl.

Uh-oh. I know exactly what that sound means. I’ll give it one more try.

Click.

Yep, I knew it. Battery’s dead. “Battery’s dead; I’m going to get a new one.”

“How do you know it’s the battery?”

It’s usually the battery. Life in the Sunshine State means your car will need a new battery every three years. It works fine one day, and it’s DOA the next.

Has it really been three years already? I rummaged through the glove box. Yes! I knew I saved the receipt. It’s a little faded, but I can still read it. It was a three-year battery. Of course, the three-year replacement warranty ran out last week.

The good news? The car was parked in my driveway, right next to my other car, well within jumper cable distance. I opened the hoods of both cars grabbed my jumper cables and got to work. I’ve done this lots of times, but I paused and decided to glance at the owner’s manual. Which car do I hook up first? On which car do I clamp onto the engine bracket? I just wanted to be sure. I have a lot of respect for that little black box I trust to start the car each morning.

That morning I had just read about God’s presence on Mount Sinai while Moses and Israel camped nearby. They were told to keep their distance. Don’t touch. Don’t even get near. I thought to myself, “I probably fear this small black battery in my car than I fear God.”

I’ll bet that’s true for most folks. We have little fear of God. He’s a friend. Compassionate. Merciful. Slow to anger. Abounding in steadfast love.

All of that is true. But God is also holy. Isaiah took that for granted until he found himself in God’s presence (read Isaiah 6). Then he feared for his life. After that, he got a very clear view of God’s mercy.

The holiness of God not only reveals the depth of our sinfulness, but also the depth of grace. We need both to grasp how high and wide and deep and long is the love of God.