Devotion for the week of December 25, 2006

While I was at my parents' house over the holidays, my father asked me to go through some of my stuff in the attic and get rid of what I don’t want and take what I do want. As I search through old Boy Scouts camping gear, roller skates, and books, I came across what was left of my old comic book collection. While sorting through these comics I realized how many old Donald Duck and Goofy comics I had (Goofy is still my favorite Disney Character).

I started to flip through some of these comics to see if any of them where in any shape to keep. I realized that many of them were reprints of comics from the early 1960's, so between the shape they were in and being reprints, they were not worth keeping other than a a few I decided to keep because of the story.

One of those stories had to do with Donald’s rich Uncle Scrooge McDuck. This one comic was about everyone asking Uncle Scrooge for money. This go so bad that it started getting on his nerves and he was taking nerve medicine but it gets to the point that this is not helping too much either. Therefore he decides to go to a remote island that does not have any money along with Donald and his three nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie.

It is relaxing and quiet on the island until Scrooge carelessly discards a bottle cap from his nerve medicine and the natives begin using it as money. They fight over the cap, and this quiet utopia becomes not much different from the city Scrooge McDuck left behind. And what is even worse for Scrooge is that because he has all the bottles of medicine, with their caps, he is the riches man on the island and his nerves just can’t take it.

He comes up with a plan to devalue the currency but having planes drop bottle caps on the island. Soon the caps are starting to be found everywhere, even filling the lake. Scrooge stops the air drops of the caps and everyone learns the lesson about love of money being the root of all evil.

Or I should say most people learn their lesson for the final scene in the comic is of Huey, Dewey and Louie asking Uncle Scrooge to pay them for accompanying him on the trip. They did not learn the lesson that all the things of life must be kept in perspective and God must reign.

Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. But as for you, [child] of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. (1 Tim 6:9-11)

Devotion for the Week of December 18, 2006

At a Christmas pageant not too long ago in a church that chooses to remain unknown, the children were being lined up to go on stage. The kindergarten teacher quickly lined up four children from her class right as they were getting ready to walk in. Each carried a huge cut out letter. As they stood side by side the letters would spell "star." A mixup occurred and those present in the church nearly fell out of their pews as the four little performers took their places - in reverse. They spelled out "rats," not star. That's what happens when you get your priorities out of order.

Bethlehem teaches us about expectations, about signs, and about patience. God begins with a simple babe and humble surroundings and God works slowly and surely. But God is at work. Let us not lose hope. Joy to the world, the Lord is come.

But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)

Devotion for the Week of December 11, 2006

I recently read an article about The Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh, Scotland. According to this article it is filled with childhood treasures - teddy bears and puppets, rocking horses and model trains, books and games, and doll houses. And along with those doll houses are glass case after glass case of dolls. Dolls of all sorts - baby dolls, porcelain dolls, costumed dolls, walking and talking dolls, dolls that can turn somersaults, and expensive dolls.

Off in one corner is a case that holds behind its glass panes, another doll sitting alone. It's an old, ragged doll, much the worse for wear. But then, it began its life raggedy.

There is no doubt that this doll was well loved or that it was born out of love. For it being shabby and thread-bear, it has a value untold. The little museum sign that goes with this doll says, “Doll belonging to London slum child, circa 1905.” There is no name for the doll. There is no name for the child who loved it.

The doll's body is made of tattered brown socks, stuffed with rags. Its arms are two thin sticks of wood, covered in wool. Its hair is a sock. It wears a plain gingham dress and a rough linen apron. For all its simplicity, one can tell it was made with painstaking effort. The head of this doll is nothing fancy, in fact if it was not on the doll one may not recognize it for a doll’s head. For the head is mad from the heel of a man's shoe. Only that. A worn down, battered heel with the nail heads visible around the edges. For a face, the doll has small bits of paper pasted on. Paper eyes, paper nose, paper mouth. Some might call it ugly. They would be wrong.

It is possible the child, someone who was possibility born, lived and died in the slums of London, made it for herself. Perhaps, it was a gift created by a mother or a father who was poor in possessions and all they could give was a symbol of their love which was a value beyond measure.

No one needs to have wealth to create something valuable. One need only to reach deep within where “value” is defined. No one needs to have wealth to give a gift. One need only to have the desire to give. To use whatever poor things are at hand and to make of them the best gift possible.

"This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." (Luke 2.12)

Devotion for the Week of December 4, 2006

There is a story making its rounds on the internet right now about a family with a new baby getting ready to head home for the Christmas holiday. The car was all packed and ready to go. They remember to have the mail and the newspaper delivery stopped while they were away. A neighbor would keep an eye on the house and feed the dog. All the gifts for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were fitted into the trunk of the car like a jigsaw puzzle. The husband made sure there was plenty of anti freeze in the radiator and that the oil level was good. Their suitcases were in place and they were finally ready to go. As the husband started to back out of the driveway, all of a sudden the wife gasped, "Honey, we've forgotten the baby." It was true. In all the excitement and the grabbing up of luggage and Christmas gifts, they had forgotten their most precious cargo, their baby. We can forget the baby, too, if we are not careful. That's easy to do this time of year.

We see visual reminders, "Don't leave Christ out of Christmas." And we try to keep that from happening. After all, Jesus IS the reason for the season.

Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” (Matthew 1.23)

Devotion for the Week of November 27, 2006

Someone emailed a cartoon to me last Christmas season with a picture of three boys dressed as kings delivering gifts to the manger. The first two boys were carrying the gifts for gold and frankincense. However, the third boy was carrying a large box of disposable diapers. I’m sure that Mary would have really appreciated such a gift. While this was humorous, it also showed a great deal of love through a practical gift.

Christmas is that time of year when we intentionally take time to tell our families and friends how much they mean to us. We need this opportunity to express our feelings in a concrete way.
However, sometimes a gift may not be the best way since gifts are given with many motivations in mind. But for most of us there is more joy in giving than receiving. Hopefully, though, our love is not a narrow and exclusive thing. Christmas usually causes us to be more thoughtful about the needs of people we don't even know. It causes us to be more mindful of the needs of those less fortunate.

This reminds me of another story. A baby was left on the doorstep many years ago of a home in Georgetown, Pennsylvania. A widow was the head of that home. A widow with several children to look after. But she took in that baby and loved it like her own. In the evenings she would read great books to her children, and one of them, at least, developed a great taste for literature. Today that baby abandoned on a doorstep is one of America's most prolific writer, James Michener. His life is now a triumph of the unselfish love of that widowed mother.

Let us remember and give that type of love this season - because after all, Jesus is the reason for the season.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5.44)

Devotion for Week of Oct. 21, 2006

Last week went by so quickly that I did not get around to posting a devotion. I hope this week's devotion will inspire you.

I heard a great football story the other day. In 1958 the University of Texas was leading the University of Georgia by seven points. Georgia had not had a single first down the entire game except with Texas turned over the ball. In was late in the third quarter and Georgia had its bck against the 5 yard line. Suddenly the third-string quarterback started out onto the field. No one had told him to go into the game. However, no one tried to stop him either. The first-string quarterback saw him heading to the huddle and assumed that the coach had decided to replace him, so he trotted off the field. Twenty-one plays, nine minutes and 95 yards later, this third-string quarterback marched Georgia into the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal.

But he wasn't through. When the coach sent on the kicking unit, this young sophomore waved them off and went for two, and took the lead 8-7. This was how NFL Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton began his career as a top quarterback.

Can you imagine a player on a major college team having the chutspah to step out onto a field under those kind of circumstances? That's confidence! That's a feeling of closeness. You and I can operate with new confidence, new freedom, because we, too, have been chosen by God.

Fran Tarkenton is a devoted Christian and never lost sight of who he is, even after his great NFL career. Fran was the very first quarterback for the Vikings and was seen not only by his team mates and the Viking’s fans as a person that was centered and grounded, but by people throughout the country. His faith is what kept him confident not only on the field, but in new ventures after he retired from football (he as a pioneer in computer software). We should be as confident in Christ as Fran.

Devotion for Week of Oct. 9, 2006

The other day I was in Lake Forest Mall, having lunch right next to a little store near an entrance. During a long layover at an airport, I noticed that it attracted more people than any other store I could see from where I was sitting. In fact people were coming in from outside, going directly to the store and then leaving. The whole time I was watching, a steady stream of customers approached with cash in hand, stood in line, made a purchase, and left quickly. All seemed to know exactly what they wanted.

Having finished my lunch, my curiousity got the best of me, and I had to walk over to see what was happening. The thriving business sold lottery tickets. Even though the chance of winning the Mega-Millions is 1 in 175 million, people seemed compelled to spend something and, in almost every case, get nothing. It seemed to be a vivid picture of our enduring quest for satisfaction and security in material things.

God’s people were questioned through the prophet Isaiah, God asked why they spent their money for things that neither nourished nor satisfied them. The Lord invited those who had no resources to “come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. . . . And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me” (Isa. 55:1-3).

God offers to give us what we can’t buy—mercy, pardon, and a changed life infused with God’s presence. He invites us to “Seek the Lord while He may be found” (v.6).

By God’s grace, we can freely receive His something—for nothing.