Tag: God

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Speaking with purpose

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

A “through the Bible” devotion from Isaiah 55.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10,11)

Everything God says has a purpose.

That is so different than many people who make their voices heard. I believe many speak because they simply like to hear the sound of their voice.

As toddlers, we learn to communicate what we want. We cry, scream, complain, or plead for what we need.

When God speaks, however, it is to create. Sometimes to warn. Often to instruct and lead. Definitely to invite. Like the prophets who implore, “Repent!” Or Jesus who says, “Follow me.”

If God speaks with purpose, I should listen. I’ll bet most who devalue scripture simply don’t want to hear what God has to say.

I do. I want to hear his promises, assurances, and instructions. He gave me life. His instructions for life are worth listening to.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A few more years

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Richard Burlton on Unsplash

A “through the Bible” devotion from Isaiah 38.

Hezekiah is one of Judah’s better kings. According to the writer of Kings, “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done” (2 Kings 18:3). He purged idolatry from Judah and restored worship of the one true God. When threatened by the Assyrians, he turned to God for salvation.

When an illness threatens his life, Hezekiah also turned to God. He prays, “O Lord…restore me to health and make me live!” (Isaiah 38:16) God hears his prayer and gives him fifteen more years of life.

However, during those fifteen bonus years, his son Manasseh is born, arguably one of Judah’s worst kings, doing evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:2). He assumes the throne at age twelve, and undoes all the good his father did. Because of his actions, God declares he will bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah (2 Kings 21:11,12).

Would things have turned out differently if Hezekiah had not lived those fifteen additional years? What if Manasseh had not been born? What if another son had become king and continued Hezekiah’s spiritual reforms?

Early on in my ministry in Florida, a ninety-year old member fell off a stool while having his picture taken for a church directory. He was in serious condition, but recovered and lived fifteen more years. However, over the next fifteen years, his son and daughter became embroiled in disagreements, hearings, and lawsuits about the care of their parents. At one point, seven different lawyers were involved as the courts decided who would get power of attorney, guardianship, and control of the assets. In the end, I believe the lawyers ended up with most of the estate. Sure, he lived to one hundred and five years, but the family conflict continues twenty some years later.

There’s got to be a lesson somewhere in this. We pray for health, healing, and long lives, not knowing what will happen down the road. Sometimes, God grants our request. But sometimes he doesn’t. Did you ever stop to think that the latter might be better?

All of that gives you a lot to think about. But don’t overthink it. God knows the number of your days, and has a purpose for short and long lives, from conception to last breath. Be grateful for today. Enjoy his daily morning mercies (Lamentations 3:22,23).

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The fear of God: more than a command; an experience

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by hannah joshua on Unsplash

A “through the Bible devotion” from Isaiah 29.

And the Lord said:
“Because this people draw near with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
 therefore, behold, I will again
    do wonderful things with this people,
    with wonder upon wonder;
and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
    and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:13-14)

I wonder how much of this is true about me? Do I fear God because someone told me I should fear him? Is my fear of God “a commandment taught by men”?

On the one hand, I am thankful for my parents, pastors, teachers, and friends who taught me to fear God. I’ve never been afraid of God, but I have a healthy respect for his power, which exceeds every nuclear weapon, cat 5 hurricane, destructive tornado, or devastating earthquake.

On the other hand, my fear of God is rooted in what I’ve been taught about him. I have not camped at the foot of a rumbling Mt. Sinai. I have not walked through a parted Red Sea or Jordan River. I have not survived in a desert with nothing but a daily supply of manna. I have not directly witnessed a miraculous healing or resurrection.

I’ve been taught these truths.

God won’t let us limit him to textbooks or lectures. He promises to “again do wonderful things with this people.” His work of salvation isn’t limited to the past. It’s happening right now.

When my faith becomes nothing more than lecture notes, God promises to do wonderful things. He’s more than anything the best communicators can tell us about him. He’s an active participant in my life.

Will I see it? Will I witness his power? Will I see what he can do? Will I fear him because I’ve experienced him? Because I know him?

I certainly hope so!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Finding Sweet Sleep: Biblical Wisdom from Proverbs 3

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Shane on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Proverbs 3.

There is no shortage of advice on how to get a good night’s sleep. No screens an hour before bedtime. No eating or drinking a couple hours before. No caffeine after lunch. An evening workout. A warm bath. A good book. A cool room. A comfortable bed, pillow, and sheets.

Benedryl, melatonin, Ambien, Sominex, warm milk, almonds, high-carb snack.

Those are just the ones I’ve recently heard. I’m sure there are many more.

I came across this one in the bible:

If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:23)

Sounds good. What is the secret to that sweet sleep?

It starts a few verses earlier, in the encouragement to find wisdom and understanding.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding (Proverbs 3:13).

The writer isn’t talking about any wisdom and understanding, but that which comes from trusting God, leaning on God, fearing God, honoring God, and following his ways.

My son, do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck (Proverbs 3:21,22).

Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:23,24).

A life rooted and built up in Christ, a faith firmly established in him, full of gratitude is safe and secure. You can rest easy and sleep well because you know he’s taking care of you.

I think it’s interesting that sleep has a spiritual as well as a physical dimension. It’s as much about resting your soul as it is getting rest for your body. In the bible, a soul thirsts, hungers, gets weary and needs rest.

How nice to know that God arranges for that. He’s faithful, powerful, wise, and understanding. His steadfast love endures forever. You don’t have to worry. You can rest easy.

And you can get some sweet, sweet sleep.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

“I knew you were going to say that.”

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by saeed karimi on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 139.

Sometimes you just know. You just know what someone is going to say.

  • The gate agent at the airport has just announced a full flight. But I ask if we can seats together. It never hurts to ask, and once in a great while, they can do it. But most of the time, they say, “I’m sorry, it’s a full flight.”
  • When you call up to cancel a subscription – assuming you can get an actual person to talk to – they offer you something to keep you subscribed.
  • The standard response to “Thank you” is “No problem.” Not, “You’re welcome.” Unless you’re at Chick-fil-A, and there the response is, “It’s my pleasure.”
  • As the barber struggles to run a comb through my thick mane, he or she always says, “Wow, you’ve got a thick head of hair!”
  • When I call the vet, the friendly tech answering the phone says, “Can I put you on hold?”
  • On a walk through the neighborhood with my Great Dane, I always hear, “Is that a horse?”

My day is filled with predictable responses. This is not a new idea. It’s in the bible.

“Before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it” (Psalm 139:4).

God knows exactly what you’re going to say. He knows before you do. Yes, he knows you that well.

That’s an interesting dynamic, isn’t it? You pour out your heart in prayer, you enumerate all the things you’re thankful for, and you bring your whole prayer list to God, and his response could be, “I knew you were going to say that.”

So why pray? Part of our faith is conversation. We converse with a God who speaks. We are people who respond. Of course we’re not telling him anything he doesn’t know. But we need to talk to him. It reminds us who he is. It brings to mind what he does and can do. It makes us aware of his presence. It’s part of being created in his image. In the beginning God spoke, so we speak, too.

I like the truth that God knows. He knows what I need and what I think I need. He knows where I am. He knows where I’m going even if I’m not certain. He knows me better than I know myself!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Tears in a bottle

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Bobby Donald on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 56.

David might have written Psalm 56 when he was a prisoner of war. Or he might have been reflecting on his experiences later in life. Either way, I paused when I came across these words:

You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book? (Psalm 56:8)

What does it mean to have tears in a bottle? This is actually the only place in scripture where the word bottle is used. My mind wonders, “What is a bottle of tears?”

Here’s what I learned. It expresses remembrance. God knows and cares about me and my tears, as if he kept them in a bottle. He never says, “Get over it.” Instead he says, “I know.” “I get it.” “I understand.”

Most people really don’t care about how I feel. They are concerned about my performance. They care about the bottom line (money). They care about what I can do for them.

God cares about me. He cares about you. He cares about how you feel, about your joys, your grief, your worries, and your dreams. In fact, no one cares about you more than he does.

Your tears are precious to him. He loves to hear you laugh. In response to your worries, he says, “I’ve got this.” When you are so angry you could spit, he reassures you, “Been there. Done that.”

Best promise of all? It’s at the end of the bible: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). He knows. He cares. He comforts.


Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Understanding Vengeance in Psalm 94

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 94.

O Lord, God of vengeance,
    O God of vengeance, shine forth!
 Rise up, O judge of the earth;
    repay to the proud what they deserve! (Psalm 94:1,2)

He will bring back on them their iniquity
    and wipe them out for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will wipe them out. (Psalm 94:23)

The imprecatory psalms are one of my guilty pleasures. In those psalms, the writer asks God to give the bad guys, whoever they are, exactly what they deserve. Which is what we all want, right? We want those who have hurt us to pay for their actions.

We don’t like to admit this, though. It doesn’t feel very Christlike. After all, Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. I’m pretty sure he didn’t want us to pray that they would be wiped out.

Yet that exactly what the psalmist does. However, maybe this is a good prayer to pray or song to sing. It takes the idea of vengeance out of my hands and leaves it with God, where it belongs.

And here’s a sobering thought. Maybe, just maybe, there’s someone out there who’s praying this about me. Whether I’m aware of it or not, I’ve hurt, neglected, ignored, dismissed, and snubbed someone who would like to see me get a taste of my own medicine. Is there anyone praying that I be wiped out?

I don’t like that side of the psalm, either.

I guess the best thing to do is go ahead and pray this psalm. Get it out of your system. Then be thankful your God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He understands how you feel. Don’t worry. In the end, he’ll take care of everything, including you.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A rare moment when God speaks to his creation

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sam Moghadam on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 104.

God has a lot to say in scripture. However, he speaks to people, not to the creation.

But the psalmist mentions the Lord rebuking water (Psalm 104:7), which reminds me of Jesus calming the wind and the sea with a simple command, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39)

Are there any other instances where God speaks to his creation?

Jesus curses a fig tree on his way to Jerusalem before his crucifixion (Matthew 21:19).

God commands the seas and how far they can come up on shore (Job 38:11). He commands the morning, too, giving instructions to the dawn (Job 38:12). In that same chapter, God implies that he can speak to the clouds so that they release their moisture (Job 38:34).

God tells the prophet Ezekiel to speak to mountains, birds, and beasts on his behalf, but not directly in those passages. He tells Moses to speak to a rock, so that it will give up water for the people. (Moses makes a big mistake and hits it instead.)

That’s all I could find. God speaks creation into existence. He speaks to his people in many and various ways through prophets and ultimately his son, Jesus. But he doesn’t often speak to the creation which is waiting for Christ’s return (Romans 8).

I talk to inanimate objects. (Don’t you?) I usually speak in an unkind way, though, because they aren’t doing what they are supposed to do. I get very short with a car that won’t start, a plant that won’t grow, a smoke alarm that starts chirping in the middle of the night, or a toilet that won’t flush. Nothing responds to my voice, no matter how much I rant.

The sea and the wind. The fig tree withered up and died. Creation obeys him without question. I’m not as responsive. God has to repeat himself a few times before I pay attention.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The Dimensions of God’s Love: you’re going to need a box

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 103.

“It looked bigger in the picture.”

Ever order something online, only to find it’s much smaller than you expected it to be? Could be clothes, a tool, or a toy. I have to make sure I read the specs before I buy something.

Pictures of short-term rentals make homes look palatial. When I arrive, though, everything looks so small. Whoever took those pictures knew exactly what they were doing. They knew just the right angles to magnify every bedroom, bathroom, closet, and living area.

It’s just the opposite with God. We tend to underestimate the dimensions of his steadfast love, or mercy. The words of Psalm 103 blow the roof off our meager expectations.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 103:8)

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. (Psalm 103:11)

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him. (Psalm 103:17)

The Lord has an abundance of steadfast love, more than enough to go around, enough for seconds and even thirds. That same steadfast love keeps going up and up and up, far beyond the highest floor of the worlds tallest building. And if that’s not enough, his steadfast love lasts forever. It’s the ultimate bottomless cup of whatever.

Before you order the salad in a restaurant, ask how big they are. They’re often enough to feed both of you, with leftovers to take home.

Check out that breakfast platter coming out of the kitchen. Look at the size of those pancakes! Maybe we should split an order.

And make sure you consider the dimensions of God’s amazing steadfast love. Yeah, you’re going to need at least one take-home box.