Devotional 10-18-13

I’m pretty sure I speak for most parents in saying the birth of a child is in many ways the most intense experience of love.  When baby Devon was born six years ago, there was no doubt that we loved her.   Instead of the usual quick tests and then time in our arms, Devon had extensive evaluations and treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit.  The attached wires and tubes made it nearly impossible to hold her, so we didn’t do much of it in her first few days.  We went to see her quite a bit, but it seemed like every visit was another opportunity for the hospital staff to tell us about something else that was wrong with her.  I found myself reluctant to hold her.   I didn’t realize that I was protecting myself in the event that we might lose her.  For many reasons, though, this bonding issue resolved itself in a very short period of time.

I look back at all the relationships I have had throughout my life to this point.  I certainly don’t like some of the things I did or said, but I would never say I regret having met any of those people.  I am glad to have had an experience with every single one of them, including those with whom things did not end well.  A few that come to mind are a college roommate, a church acquaintance, and a middle school student.  In all cases, there are memories that still make me smile.

As I did at first with infant Devon, we all spend so much of our energy trying to protect ourselves from pain, but we are also avoiding some of the most fulfilling relationships.   There are people we see every day, but one reason or another will keep us from going just that extra inch to reach out to them. I am confident that when I make a connection with someone, I’m sometimes the one who most needs the relationship or the one for whom God has put the opportunity in place.  Why not choose just one this year?  Take the time to listen to what God wants for you and how He wants to use a new friendship.  My prayer is that we all take full advantage of the love that He provides everyday through one another, and that He strengthens the Church through us.

Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.  Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

Natalie Wray

Devotional 1-18-13

Name-Dropping

My eldest nephew currently works as a recruiter for a nonprofit agency which helps under-privileged children. Though it would be difficult to support himself in this job for the long term, he is perfectly content and I’m proud of him for it.

What do you think of my nephew? Good kid, right? And how does my description of him make me look? In spite of my many shortcomings, it might shed a more positive light on me because I spent time praising someone else’s good attributes. Why don’t we make more of a conscious effort to talk about the good people around us? It seems that we frequently mention or speak highly of people because of their popularity more than because of their conduct. How often do we drop a name for a more positive purpose?

The first of Jesus’ recorded miracles was in John 2, verses 1-11. He, as well as his mother and the disciples, had been invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee. In this familiar text, Jesus changes large jars of water into wine. I recently read a comment on this scripture saying that Jesus possibly attended this wedding because the hosts wanted the other guests to see that he and his disciples were a part of their lives.

Jesus may have been invited to that wedding to be a physical representation of the wedding family’s ideals. If your acquaintances were to describe your virtues based on others you seem to admire, how would you fare? I wonder about myself and now feel a need to look back through my Facebook history. From the books we are seen reading in waiting rooms to the bumper stickers on our cars, we are showing others who we might be. Add to that the way we act when trying to impress someone.

Without the physical, tangible Christ to invite to our homes, we need other ways to reveal our personal association with Him. An additional—and sometimes more effective—way to draw others to God is to tell others about the great people in our lives. In doing something this, I feel inner peace and see the meaningful relationships in my life. I hope that you are blessed in the same way.

Natalie Wray

Devotional 12-30-11

There is a time for everything…

…And a season for every activity under the heavens.

God has created a world in which, amazingly, certain events take place because it is the right time for them. When the human body needs nutrients, it creates a sensation of hunger. When Spring approaches, the snow melts. The process of nature is an impressive cycle which, sometimes through dramatic change, always settles into beauty. For our life events, however, an important obstacle to peace is choice.

 ²a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

As I say, the problem is choice. Throughout childhood, we learn the basics of appropriate behavior. As adults, we face a more complex version of the same issues. Is this the time to tear down or to build? Should I be silent, or do I need to speak up? Our spiritual needs similarly revolve around a central question. What action is appropriate at this time?

With the dawn of the new year, we tend to make unrealistic plans for change in our lives. What a small step it would be to focus more on spiritual decision-making… and with such a great result. We can use Ecclesiastes 3 to fortify our spirituality and mediate on what it is to make the wisest decisions. Though we all make mistakes, we can rest in verse eleven, which says,

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Despite our sinful, self-centered, and impulsive ways, we can have faith that everything will end well, as our Lord has always intended. Maybe we should simply resolve to make better resolutions? Verse fourteen is a perfect conclusion:

Natalie Wray

Devotional 10-21-11

When I was in high school, I briefly attended a church in which congregants were encouraged to create their own harmonies to the songs and even add their own words.  There was a man who often sat close to the youth, whose name I don’t remember.  It was his singing that was unforgettable.  Despite being admittedly tone deaf, the man sang with reckless abandon.  I enjoyed his singing because of the deep-hearted love behind every atrocious note. 

Verse five of the hymn God, Whose Love Is Reigning o’er Us is as follows:

Lift we then our human voices in the songs that faith would bring;

live we then in human choices lives that, like our music, sing:

Alleluia, Alleluia, joined in love our praises ring!

 The verse makes no mention of perfect harmony or uniform sound.  The act of singing solidifies the faith, not the accuracy of the performance.  It is our responsibility to make our lives sing loud enough that others hear it, turn toward us, and hopefully join the singing.  The man I remember from my youth opened his mouth every week with thanksgiving.  I suppose he stays in my memory not as much for his awful singing but for his awesome faith.

Psalm 90 is one of many perfect prayers, saying in verse four, “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”  If we could only remember this prayer throughout the challenges and frustrations of the day.  Sometimes it is hard to choose the Christian action, especially when our thoughts are betraying us.  If we work harder to keep God in our hearts, we can ‘live in human choices’ that bring Him glory.  We need to ask Him to fill our hearts with spiritual contentment and joy:

Lord, thank you for every day, every person, and every thing with which you have blessed me.  Help me to be satisfied with your everlasting love so that my life sings your praises and helps others see you.  Amen.

Natalie Wray

Devotional 5-20-11

Read Acts 7:55-60

If you have seen the movie Braveheart, you no doubt have a vivid memory of protagonist William Wallace being put to death in a most gruesome manner. Though no one would want to take Wallace's place, we can all admire his strength of will through the experience. I have always looked up to the apostle Stephen in a similar way. It is an amazing feat to die for one's beliefs. Few have the chance-- not that many of us are anxious to do so-- and possibly fewer have the spiritual strength.

During our day-to-day existence, we thankfully aren't asked to die for our Christian faith. We are expected to live for it, which should by comparison be a simple task. We can show that we are grateful for our salvation by being forgiving of others and by standing up for what is just. We are so willing to open our mouths to share everything from bad jokes to insults, but we could more frequently use our voices to improve others' lives (and our own). We are quick to take advantage of what we think we deserve, while we could be using our time to help a neighbor. Imagine how everything would change if we Christians were to use just twenty-five percent more of our energy to stand up for what is right. In turn, there would indeed be less road rage and other wastes of time.

Stephen stood before Israel's leaders and shed an unpleasant light on their past. Though he knew his own words would be used against him, he had the resolve to continue. Stephen acted according to the truth in the face of death. For most of us to act in the name of God, the consquences are minimal, so we have no reason to hold back! I pray we are all inspired by Stephen and others like him whose faith oulasted their wordly bodies. Let us use our energy to spread God's message of truth and show the power of His amazing love.

 

Natalie Wray

Devotional 2-11-11

Psalm 119:1-8

When I sat down with JM Kid’s Club one Sunday evening, I thought it would be neat to have the children take part in helping me with a devotional writing. We all know that inspiration comes in the most unexpected ways. The following is today’s Psalm excerpt, paraphrased and slightly modified by members of our Kid’s Club.


If you follow God’s rules, you’ll be eternally happy.
Blamelessness is like a chain, and someone else will be inspired by you.
If you do the right thing no matter what, you’ll be a happy person.
I will work hard to follow God’s light.
I won’t be embarrassed if I focus on God’s rules.
I will praise God and try to live a sinless life.
I will always try to follow God’s laws.
I hope that He doesn’t let me down or give up on me.

I would like to share with you that the children had no concern that God would ever let them down or give up on them, as mentioned in the scripture. I pray that all of us could emulate their faith. When the scripture is worded like this, I ask myself why it is so difficult to walk in God’s light. I feel sheepish, because it really can be simple. Had I chosen just to write something on this Psalm by myself, I doubt it would have been so perfect.


'Out of the mouths of babes oft times come gems’

Natalie Wray

Devotional 11-5-10

Bibles and Oranges
Especially in the colder months, I sometimes find myself wanting to eat an orange just for the smell of it. While peeling it, the aroma seems to be everywhere. After eating it, the sweet scent continues to linger on my hands. It’s unfortunate that I frequently forget just how great oranges are, and I eat junk food instead. Isn’t it ridiculous that, when an orange and an order of french fries are both readily available—and we know we’ll feel better while digesting the orange—we too often choose the fries? I think we’d all prefer to share the room with someone who smells of citrus rather than someone carrying the odor of a deep fryer.

Many of us try to cram too many activities into our calendars, usually at the expense of our mental, emotional, and physical health. I know that spending time reading my Bible is to a spiritual lifestyle what eating that orange is to a physical one. I still find myself making time for things that don’t matter, and the result is double the dissatisfaction! First, I’m guilty about wasting my time; secondly, I’ve done nothing to help deal with stress. It is no surprise to me that making time for Bible study makes the rest of my life fall into place.

Like that sweet smell of the orange lingering on my hands, the effect of devotional time stays with me for a while. It can begin to fade, though. Devoting time to God is such a fulfilling labor of love, similar to peeling an orange. Imagine that while you read a passage today, the effect stains your fingertips. When you next pick up your Bible, it will cover your hands. It will of course take time to completely saturate the center of your head and your heart. With every step, others will want to be around us more often because of God’s love radiating from us.

My prayer for you is that the Bible finds its way into your hands on a frequent basis, and that the sweet result is a combination of greater joy and inner peace.

Natalie Wray

Devotional 9-24-10

Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16

There are many people who argue that we are living in the end days. Hate and tragedy seem almost to multiply from one year to the next. When there is so much pain throughout the world, it is sometimes difficult to find a reason to smile. I’m hoping I can help you with that today.

Our daughter Devon is a shining example of the ability to endure and thrive despite adversity. From her twenty week ultrasound through her first six months of life, we went through many potential diagnoses. What began as a fear that she might not survive birth, to assuming she would possibly not see her second birthday, to thinking she would only make it to her adolescent years, turned into a prognosis much like anyone else’s. Devon has been hospitalized more in her three years than many of us have in three or more decades. You might be wondering where the reason to smile comes into the picture. Have you met this child? Through so many challenges, she continues to live with faith in others and joy in her surroundings. This angel spontaneously sings multiple times each day. It is not uncommon for her to hug and kiss a toy when she puts it down, to give it a fond farewell.

Much like others, today’s Psalm is a reminder that the faithful and godly will be saved. Stand without fear in the midst of personal, national, and even global tribulation. Have faith that the Lord’s arms will embrace us when we fall. While we should put forth effort to make a positive difference, we need to remember to hand over our burdens to God and live with joy.

Though it seems there are so many reasons to live in fear or anger, there really are so many more reasons to live with love and happiness. We should all see the world the way that Devon does. I challenge you to find a blessing in everything you see. God’s gifts are absolutely everywhere.

Natalie Wray

Devotional 7-2-10

July 2, 2010

Galatians 6:1-6 (7-16)

Today’s scripture has always felt like it was written specifically for me. There is so much said in so few pen strokes, and I’d rather not muddle things by adding much. I think of the following verses as “Paul’s Three Rules for Life”.

Verse 4: “Each one should judge his own conduct. If it is good, then he can be proud of what he himself has done, without having to compare it with what someone else has done.” No two people have walked the same path, so no two can be compared as such.

Verse 8: “If [a person] plants in the field of his natural desires, from it he will gather the harvest of death; if he plants in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit he will gather the harvest of eternal life. ” Whether or not we get the “fruit” we expected, putting the time and work into any noble and Christian purpose will always leave us fulfilled.

Verse 10: “So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.” In the midst of so many peoples’ efforts to be divided, it is crucial for us to be caring toward one another.

If I were leading a Bible study on this scripture, I would have wallet-sized cards to give everyone. Each would be a small reminder, saying the following:

Rule 1: Judge only yourself, and take simple joy in your good works.
Rule 2: Sow in the field of the Spirit, because you reap what you sow.
Rule 3: Do good to everyone, especially brothers and sisters in Christ.

“SEE WITH WHAT BIG LETTERS I WRITE”, IN HOPES THAT THIS SCRIPTURE SPEAKS TO YOU! Maybe you want to make a card for yourself with Paul’s recommendations on it. His words are almost more potent today than they were when originally written. In a world with so many demons, we must try always to think and act with God’s love.

Natalie Wray