More Devotions From the New Testament

I know . . . I skip breakfast sometimes, too. I get busy, and I need to get out the door, so breakfast has to wait . . . until lunch! But there's something I've learned over the years. Even when I don't have time to eat, I make time to take in a little scripture. Even if it's just a verse or two, I want to spend some time meditating on God's Word. And many times it's helpful to have an insight from another Christian as I read.

Below you'll find five devotions inspired by the New Testament. They contain little nuggets that Jesus has given me as I read His Word and meditate on His truth. And I pray the truth of each will give you something to think about throughout your day, something to help you focus on Christ and just how much He cares for you.

After you finish this page, check out the references to more than 20 other pages with similar musings. And if you really enjoy them look for the link to register to get devotions like these in your inbox a couple of times each month.

Romans 9

Paul is willing to do something I am not: give up his relationship with Christ if it means his fellow Israelites could know Jesus. Since the former cannot possibly bring about the latter, it is a moot point, a hollow wish.

Or is it?

Even though it is an impossibility, I need to ask myself, do I care about anyone else's salvation deeply enough to be willing to give up my spot in the Kingdom? I have to "speak the truth in Christ," as Paul would say. I don't think I'm ready to go that far.

Don't get me wrong. One of my life's greatest rewards is seeing folks come to and grow in Christ. But I think sometimes my attitude can take on that of verses 10-18: if someone doesn't come to Christ, it's not my fault. Paul's words here remind me that we are all "Children of the Promise." And just as some Jews in Paul's day chose to abandon that promise, people of our day will also choose that option. Only God knows who those are. When I attempt to figure out who it is that will choose life and who will choose death, I begin to play God.

Paul makes it clear, some will not come to Christ. We don't understand why God chose to show us His mercy. We should stand in awe that God did, indeed, choose us. Our hearts should be overflowing with gratitude that we have received God's mercy. When we see all of the evil in the world, we should be humbled and thankful that we have been chosen to inherit God's riches.

Meanwhile, because we've no idea whom God has chosen, we should do our best to take on the attitude of Paul: a deep, heartfelt love and concern for the salvation of our friends, our family, co-workers and people we pass on the streets. The love of Christ within us has the power and strength to love others through us. It has the capacity to love everyone, every single person in our race . . . the human race.

Matthew 25:14-30

I've been thinking a lot about this parable lately. It was part of my daily readings about a week ago and now I can't get it off my mind. I generally hear it taught as a reminder to us that we each have gifts (talents), some have more than others, but if we don't use them, we could lose them, and if we are faithful in using them to serve we may actually be given even more abilities.

As I read the parable this time, I thought about my finances. After all, Jesus was really talking about money in this story. We want God to help us with our expenses. We hear sermons, and even read some verses from scripture, that lead us to believe that if we give enough, God will pour out material blessings on us. And while those verses are obviously true, perhaps we need to tie them in with this parable and ask ourselves if we've been faithful with the little God has given us before we expect more. Not simply tithing, but asking God's opinion in every aspect of our spending and investing.

And today, this passage came to my mind once again. To me and others like me, there is something even more valuable than money. You see, if I work hard and watch my spending and investing, I can make more money; however, no matter what I do, I only get 24 hours a day. When I waste a dollar, I can work a bit extra at my part time job to make it up. When I waste an hour, it's gone forever.

Today as I contemplated my schedule and wondered how in the world I would get everything done, I thought about this parable again. Perhaps what seems to be a lack of time in my world is really me "burying" the time God has given me instead of investing it. When I take on a project, do I really go to prayer to be sure it's a project God has called me to, or am I "burying" the time He's given me by taking on more than He's called me to? If I invest every hour properly, will it seem as though my Savior is giving me more time? I don't have any answers to these questions, it's merely a concept I haven't considered before, but one that intrigues me and pushes me toward being even more conscientious of the way I spend or invest my time, because I want to be the one who "has" who "will be given more!

2 Peter 3:3-9

Do you ever feel like you're always late? Or are you one of those punctual, always on time people? Do people worry when you're five minutes late or joke when you're five minutes early. Sometimes it seems like my motto in life is "better late than never." It seems I'm quite often late or perhaps in our politically correct world, I could call it "time management disabled." In fact, my girls tell stories of my tardiness, sometimes I was so late they thought I forgot them. (Although I only truly forgot one time!)

Thinking about tardiness caused me to think of this scripture from 2 Peter. Peter knew that a time would come when people would think that God was slow, forgot about them or wasn't coming at all. In fact, 2000 years ago folks were already beginning to think God was running behind schedule. But Peter wrote these words to reassure us that God is not late, slow, tardy or forgetful. No, instead God is hopeful.

When I'm late, I hope no one ever gives up on me. I've generally tried to squeeze too much into too short a period of time, slept in or wasn't watching the clock close enough. But what about God? Do we give up on Him? Do we think He's decided not to return like He promised? And even more relevant, when we pray, and the answer doesn't come immediately, do we run ahead or try to fix it ourselves?

I hate to admit it, but I'm terribly guilty of having fallen into the "gotta fix-it" syndrome. I want immediate answers and instantaneous results. So there are moments when I have a difficult time waiting for God. On so many occasions it seems as though God is moving much slower than I think He should.

Fortunately though, God's timing is perfect. When we think God is slow, He's merely waiting on the perfect time to respond. On those days when it seems like our Heavenly Father has forgotten us, He's often being patient with us as we learn the lesson He's been trying to teach. Perhaps you've been praying for your children or your spouse, your church or your friends and you're wondering if God has heard. 1 John 5:14 assures us that if we ask according to His will, God hears us and will answer that prayer.

As you wait on the Creator of the Universe in the next week or so, be reminded that God is not slow. He's not sleeping or running late. God is waiting, hopefully waiting for the perfect time because He knows what's best and has the best in mind for us.