Devotional 101 - Clay Pots

"If interruptions annoy me, and private cares make me impatient; if I shadow the souls about me because I myself am shadowed, then I know nothing of Calvary love." Amy Carmichael, missionary to India

"Look, you and I both belong to God. I, too, was formed from clay." Job 33:6

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?'"      Isaiah 45:9

"And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand." Isaiah 64:8

"But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. ...O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand." Jeremiah 18: 4, 6

"We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."  2 Cor 4:7

We are fragile clay jars. We have all been created by God with certain strengths and weaknesses, so that, whether in success or failure, we will turn to God to praise Him for what we accomplished or to seek forgiveness and grace for what we did not accomplish.

Sometimes as a clay pot I get kind of pinchy.  When I forget about Christ I get pinched in. My definition of a pinched-in person is one who folds up in itself, but still has the ability to strike others. I pinch others with sarcasm, criticism, or anger.

For instance, one morning I went to my husband with what I thought was a valid criticism. I walked in and was greeted with a beautiful smile. It did not matter, I delivered my angry pinch anyway, and I watched his smile  fade away.  Another time I was irritated with him for being a few minutes late, so I spued several verbal pinches. Later that day the Lord spoke through His word that my angry bitter spirit was the crime. God did not care about the time, he cared about my ugly pinched in heart.

I am a clay pot criticizing another clay pot which God has made.  And God has made all of you clay pots and sovereignly put you into my life, not so I can teach you a lesson about tardiness, or organizational skills, or tattoos, or hair style, or cleanliness, or music styles, or who's in and who's out, or who's too fast or who's too slow, or who's too soft or who's too loud. God has put you sovereignly in my life to teach me how to love, how to be patient, how to be kind, how to be forgiving.

God has put me in your life so you can learn how to love, how to be patient, how to be kind, how to be forgiving. I need to be forgiven and you need to be forgiven.

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.  Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?' "     Isaiah 45:9

When we feel critical of one another are we in essence criticizing God? "Oh, God, why did you make him that way? Change him or her, God, so it will be easier to live with him or her. Stop, God, you are doing it wrong. I know how it should go."

I pray that when we feel our pinchiness wanting to take over we will remember the great treasure that each of us have dwelling in our frail clay pots. "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."  2 Cor 4:7

The light of Jesus shining among us. How wonderful! Lord give us eyes to see the beauty in those around us. Lord, give us a tongue to speak a gracious word. Lord, convict us when we do it wrong and give us humility to go to You and to one another to make confession. Help us Lord to recognize pride and help us Lord to rebuke it for Your great name's sake.

Devotional 100 -Transforming Love

"Each of us needs to be inflamed with love for his kingdom, with hearts filled with gratitude, so that we will speak as agents of his boundless, transforming love."    Paul David Tripp

Matthew 18: 10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."

Behind the door stood a screaming child. The other special needs children had been taken to the playground, but this one remained in the room alone.  I had my hand on the door knob ready to enter the war zone. I was waiting for backup. The administration had called one of  the retired teachers back to the front because she was an expert marksman with this particular child. She knew the right words to speak and maintained the right tone of voice.

This wild child suffered from extreme autism, locked in a world I did not understand.  She had come to school that day with her shirt torn at the shoulder, bruises on her arms, a head of dark hair ---matted and tangled. I knew it was going to be a bad day by the way her black eyes darted from wall to wall and the guttural sounds coming from her clenched teeth. At one time she had bitten and scratched every teacher in that private school.

I, for one, did not want to be wounded in battle again and was gladly waiting for reinforcement.

She arrived, this tiny woman full of courage. Her gray hair swept neatly into waves tucked in a hair net. She wore a cotton dress and tennis shoes. She looked soft. She stood at the door with me and listened for a moment to the rage of the wounded child. She closed her eyes in a moment of silence, then looked up at me and said, "Are you ready?" I nodded.

As the door opened "wild child" was on the offense. She ran toward "Mrs. Soft" and grabbed her hand and bit right between the thumb and the fore finger, locked down like a pit bull.

I was ready to grab her hair and yank her off my colleague. I had done it before in defense of my own body. But she said, "Don't, I'm okay!"

I was privileged to witness the most remarkable courageous love that day. "Soft" spoke kindness to "Wild Child" and tamed the tiger.

When it was all over, Mrs. Soft stood before me with her bandaged hand, and reminded me, "You know it is all God. He is the One we praise and worship for what was accomplished this day."

 She was a woman of prayer and filled with the love of Christ. I pray God would help me and you to have this transforming  love for Him and His people. Spend time with your Savior this week.

Devotional 99- God is Deep

"There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still."  Quoted by Corrie Ten Boom after being released from a German Nazi prison camp during World War II.

Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"

I have been given permission to print the following from one who will remain anonymous.

"It’s difficult to describe the pit to anyone who hasn’t been thrown in themselves.  I say thrown in because that is what it is.  It is something that happens to you. The pit has no mercy.

The pit is what it feels like to be in depression.  Depression is different than being unhappy, which is very uncomfortable.  Depression touches your soul and squeezes the life out.  Like a life eater.  You don’t really hurt, you just don’t want to live.  Hurting would take too much energy.  Crying takes too much energy and you have none. 

The pit is so deep sometimes, there is no light at the top.  I know the light is there,  I just can’t see it.  There are no life lines or toe and hand holes .  It is dark and dry.  I cannot lie down in the pit.  I can only stand and look up with the black, dirt walls just fingertips away."

Have you ever felt like that, ladies? When life seems dark and confusing, remember God! 

God says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown....For I am the LORD, your God...your Savior...You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you."  Isaiah 43: 1-5 New Living Translation

Remember your God! For no pit is so deep that God is not deeper still!

By the way, here is how my friend finishes her testimony.

"I am grateful for the pit.  I am happy for the pit.  Without the pit, I could never feel the joy, relief, contentment of not being in the pit.   I thank God for the pit.  My mountains are higher because of the pit."

Oh the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God!  He knows what He is doing in your life. This day was planned for you!

OUR GOD IS DEEP.

               

Devotional 98 -His Accent

"The most important single aid to my ability to use my tongue for the glory of Jesus is allowing the word of God to dwell in me so richly that I cannot speak with any other accent."
The Power of Words and the Wonder of God  by Sinclair B. Ferguson

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
 Colossians 3:16

I have seen it--- this Christlike accent. I have seen it over and over in those around me. Those who spend time with Jesus speak with His accent. The more Christ's word dwells in you richly the more it will naturally come out of you.

I was in the kitchen with my mother-in-law (called Momo) and sister-in-law. We were helping Momo prepare one of her marvelous dinners. Neither my sister-in-law nor I were chopping or mixing the way Momo wanted, so she had to constantly correct us. My pride raised its ugly head and I walked out of the kitchen quietly, but thinking "fine, she can just do it herself!" But as I was leaving I heard my sister-in-law turn to her Mom and say, "Mom, you are such a good cook. I am here to serve you. Just tell me what to do, I want to do it your way."

I was so convicted. My sister-in-law had let the word of Christ dwell in her richly and I saw her speak with the accent of Christ. I want to be like that, don't you? To respond with thankfulness in our hearts toward God is to lose our touchiness and to live with humility.

I also see the Christlike accent in women who speak the truth even when it is unpopular. The scripture says we love when we speak the truth. We need truth telling men and women who will speak up for righteousness and call sin "sin". We have made love to mean being nice and making everyone feel good about themselves...but that is not love. That is deception and keeps some happily feeling good while on their way to hell.

So let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and you will teach and admonish with wisdom. Sometimes the accent of Christ is kindness and forgiveness, and sometimes it is warning and rebuking. May God give us the grace to know when each is needed.

Proverbs 12: 18-19 "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment."

Devotional 97 Christmas Thankfulness

"...to thank is to remember God."   One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Luke 22:19 And (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

In my files I found an old note that a child had written several years ago and left on a table after being in our home with her family . It said, "Remember to get angry at my brother for taking the chair." This child had to leave a note to remember to stay angry, and in spite of that, she forgot to take the note with her.

I chuckled, how I wish I had to leave myself notes to stay angry. Instead, you and I must do the opposite. We must leave ourselves notes not to be angry, or fearful, or doubting.

Gratitude waters down the fire of anger. Remembering and gazing on Christ  muffles the shouts and cries of fear, worry, and doubt.

The message of Christmas reminds us everywhere that we are loved. We remember He came in the flesh to live among us. His birth means I am understood; His resurrection means I am never alone. His birth means He prepares a way to God for you; His resurrection means He is the way to God for you. 

Let us everyday thank God for the season filled with so many reminders of our reason for joy. Let us leave the angry notes behind. Let us throw away the notes of fear. Let us forget to pick up the note of doubt and worry.

"Every time fear freezes and worry writhes, every time I surrender to stress, aren't I advertising the unreliability of God?"  One Thousand Gifts  by Ann Voskamp

"Give thanks to the LORD of lords. His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 136:3  

I pray your Christmas holidays are filled with gratitude as you remember Him.

Devotional 96 - Transformation

"The Bible is like a lion. It does not need defending. Simply open the cage and let it out."  - Charles Spurgeon

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."  
2 Corinthians 3:18

I had a bad day last week. You know one of those female days where you don't like yourself and you feel sad for no good reason. One of those days where you tend to be crabby with your husband for no good reason. I played too many cards on the computer and didn't read my Bible or get the laundry done.

What's a woman to do!?

Look at the quote and verse above. Simply let the lion out of his cage to do the transforming work of becoming like Jesus.

The next day (for with the Lord there is always a tomorrow, either here or there) I confessed to God my lack of interest in Him and asked Jesus to make me love Him more. For I know my greatest joy is found in the presence of the beautiful, powerful Savior.

You and I must simply open the pages of the Bible and let Jesus soak in and fill up the cracks. We are being changed little by little as we look at Him. We don't realize it, we don't feel it, but the transformation is happening because no one can stop the hand of our Almighty God from accomplishing the good works in our lives that He has prepared before the beginning of the world.

For all our good and bad days we need Jesus, the Jesus we see in the Bible.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."       Ephesians 2:10

Devotional 95 - Treasure

TREASURE 

"It is as though the man stood there with his hands full of money and Jesus said, 'You lack one thing; reach out and take my hands.' To do this the man must open his fingers and let the money fall."
What Jesus Demands From the World     by John Piper

Mark 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him,and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up your cross, and follow Me."  

When Jesus gave the challenge to the rich man the Bible makes very clear that the Mighty Creator, Lord of the universe, loved the man.

Out of love for us Jesus challenges us to give up the lesser treasure to receive the greater treasure.
What is one thing today that I have my hand wrapped around?

It used to be my children's success. So God let them, on occasion fail. It reminded me that Christ was and is my greater need, my greatest treasure.

On this latest trip to Colorado, I realized my hands were gripping my in-laws, affectionately called Momo and Popo. A sadness surrounded me because I realized at 93, with weak hearts and poor digestion , they were going to someday die.

I need Momo and Popo to live. Beautiful Boulder will not be the same without them. "Hang on, Carol, hold them tight," I told myself as if my grip could keep them here.

But the one thing I need is not Momo and Popo. My one treasure is not their love. IT IS JESUS!!!!

Jesus, our solid Rock, our sure Foundation, our Fountain of Joy, Lover of our souls----the Great Comforter who will never, ever leave us.

Open your hand! Grab on to Jesus! He is your treasure!