CamDevo

My husband and I were planning to invite some friends over to watch the Super Bowl with us. After some discussion we realized we had three different people named Kim on our invitation list. How funny would it be if only the Kims showed up, we laughed.

While the Kims on our list all have the same name, they are all very different people. One is tall, athletic, out-going, and of Thai descent. Another is more soft-spoken, motherly, and blond. The third Kim is a small, confident whirlwind of a woman who laughs easily and often.

Although these women are clearly different, because of their names, they still may be mistaken for one another, perhaps when patients are being called from the waiting room by name. Or when offered a snack at a Super Bowl party. Want some more chips, Kim?

Names aren’t the only ways to confuse two people. Some people think that everyone has an unrelated look-alike somewhere in the world. Maybe several. The Germans even have a word that has come to be used for this: doppelgänger. There are over 8 billion people on earth and a finite set of genes that determine facial features, so it is possible for an exact duplicate of a person to exist. Very unlikely but possible.

But an exact copy isn’t necessary for a look-alike. Small differences are easily ignored by our brains when it comes to recognizing people. We see similarities all over. Just yesterday I played tennis against a woman who looked just like my sister-in-law with her sunglasses on. Once she removed them, the illusion was lost however.

Famous people inevitably have impersonators that bear uncanny resemblances. Charlie Chaplin supposedly entered one of his many own look-alike contests and lost.

Quite often, people tell me I look like someone else they know or that I remind them of someone or ask if we’ve met before. I guess I have a frequently used face.

“There is no one holy like the  Lord. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭2,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

There aren’t many totally unique things in this world. But God is unique. One of a kind. There is no other being that looks like Him, acts like Him, can do the things He does, and know the things He knows. No one else created everything and existed before it was all created.

God is the Great I AM because there is no way to describe Him other than existing. You can’t describe Him by comparing Him to something else. Like when we eat snake meat and say it tastes like chicken. Or when we smell a flower and say it smells like lilac mixed with lavender. We can only describe aspects of Him in that way, saying He is a rock because of His reliable consistency. Or He is a shepherd because of His care and protection of His people. But to describe all of who God is by comparison isn’t possible. It will be woefully incomplete.

Dear God, I worship you as the one true God, Creator, Designer, and Architect of the universe and everything in it. What a wonder! Such great variety you created and yet only you are truly different, totally unique. You are holy, wise, beautiful, good, generous, gracious, merciful, almighty, mysterious, unchanging, and made of love. And that’s not the half of it.

We humans like to feel smart. We like to be right. In fact we enjoy feeling like we are right so much that we will forsake our own growth, safety, health, finances, relationships, even our own lives, just to feel correct and validated. This is called confirmation bias. It’s a cognitive tendency to only listen to, seek out, and give credence to information that supports what you already believe.

And it’s a dangerous tendency.

In businesses it can lead to poor decision-making when hiring, investing, and strategic planning. In relationships, it can lead to misinterpretations, prejudices, hatred, and war. In schools, it can lead to uneven opportunities and loss of great potential. Among other things.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalms‬ ‭143‬:‭10,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

Confirmation bias is not what God wants for His people. He wants teachable children. Followers who are humble and hungry for the truth, whatever it may be. He wants me to listen to Him and be ready — no, eager — to change the way I think and act, every day. He commands me to repent of my wrong thinking and turn towards love.

God loves all people. If I’m not acting in love, believing loving things, seeking ways to love, I am not on God’s level path. And it’s time to turn around and do some relearning.

Dear God, thank you for being ready and willing to teach me. Show me how to be ready and willing to learn. Every day. All the time. Forgive me for being so sure that I am right. Teach me what is good and what your will is for this moment and the next. Turn me right around when I am headed the wrong way. I want to be teachable today.

I grew up in a place without a lot of light pollution. At night on the back country roads, the stars were bright enough, even without the moon, that you could see the fields and hills as you drove past. I was occasionally tempted to try turning my headlights off to get the full effect. I don’t recommend that.

On a clear night, the human eye can detect about 6,000 stars, a tiny fraction of what’s out there. Astronomers estimate there to be around 200 billion trillion (or 200 sextillion) stars like our sun in the observable universe. There are over 100 billion in our galaxy alone. And who knows how many are beyond what we can observe?

God knows. He created all of them. There is a buried reference to this in Genesis (1:16) that says God created two great lights, the sun and the moon, “as well as the stars.”

There are more stars out there in the vastness of space than we can count, or even see. There are more stars than there are grains of sand on our planet. Yet, all this creation power is one tiny side note in the creation story. Because He created so much more!

“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?” (Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭CSB‬‬)

God created all those unknowable stars, but He also created every molecule that exists. He created everything that molecules are made of and whatever is in the spaces between them. He created the hairs on my head and the skin cells of my body that flake off and become dust.

God created every wondrous thing, most of which I will never know about.

The most incredible part of all of this is that He considers people to be His masterpiece. The crown jewel of His creation. He created us in His image. He loves us and knows us. Each of us.

Amidst all of the vastness of His creation, He knows who I am. And He wants to have a relationship with me. He wants to hear about my day. He wants me to seek Him and share with Him and listen to Him and sing to Him. What an incredible thing! The God and Creator of the universe knows and cares about me.

Dear God, I am amazed that you consider me at all. I am insignificant in the face of all you have created. And yet you value me so highly that you provided a way for me to spend eternity with you through Jesus’s sacrifice. I praise you today for who you are, for all you have done, and for this great promise of yours: to be with me to the ends of the earth. I gratefully and humbly accept your truth.

I’m trying to learn a new language, Spanish. I studied French in school and spoke fluently when I lived in Paris for a while. But for some reason, learning Spanish has proven to be a real challenge. Not because of the language. It’s all about my commitment.

I’ve been trying to learn Spanish for years and years without success. I bought software decades ago but never stuck with the lesson plan. I bought CDs to listen to in my car but found it boring and distracting. I contemplated taking classes, but wasn’t sure if the cost was worth it.

I know learning Spanish would be very helpful. I vacationed frequently in Spanish-speaking countries. I have many Spanish-speaking friends and acquaintances. I hear Spanish so often and long to be able to understand and participate. And yet, in my heart, my motivation fell flat.

Finally one day, my good friend told me about an app she was using to learn Spanish. She said she was really learning and making good progress. She offered to be my partner in my learning journey, to help me stay accountable.

I accepted her offer, and for the first time, yo puedo hablar y entender español, al menos un poco.

Inside the app, my friend can see how many lessons I have completed and how much progress I’ve made. She can also see if I haven’t done any lessons for a few days. She will ask me about it to see how valid my excuse is. And if it’s flimsy, she reminds me why I want to learn and how valuable it will be for me to continue.

“I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.” (Philemon‬ ‭1‬:‭6,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Faith in Jesus is similar to any other kind of commitment.

I was claiming a desire to learn Spanish but getting nowhere due to my half-hearted efforts.

In the same way, if I say I believe in Jesus and His saving grace, but never put in any time or effort to deepen that relationship, is it really true? Do I really believe? My faith will be flat and ineffective.

When learning a language, studies say I must practice every day, at least 15 minutes a day, and more is better. I have to concentrate on the words and sentences I read and hear in the exercises and say them out loud. I won’t make progress unless I put my all into it and follow the suggestions.

With my faith, going through the motions won’t get me anywhere. If I go to church but think about what I’m going to have for lunch during the sermon, I won’t grow. If I read a Bible verse but don’t concentrate on its meaning and how it applies to my life, I have gained nothing. If I pray rote words that do not come from my heart, even God will be bored. And if I try to do my faith alone, the challenge to give up is a constant struggle. Like with my Spanish learning, having a partner with shared goals makes all the difference.

To grow closer to God, to know Him and understand His will for my life, to experience His blessings and joy fully, to be an effective witness of His love, I have to commit. I have to put my money where my mouth is, as the (odd) saying goes.

Dear God, please help me to increase my faith in you and become effective in my life of serving you and loving people. Show me the places where I am being half-hearted in my efforts and teach me how to change. Give me fellow believers to encourage me so that I can in turn encourage others.

We had a big earthquake a few nights ago that was the strongest I’ve ever felt. I was at home making dinner when my husband, my dog, and I heard the roar, and then felt the rumbling. The house shook, the ground lurched, and the walls creaked. My dog cowered, and my husband and I looked at each other wide-eyed. But after only a few seconds it was over. As far as we can tell, our home was undamaged, but I was literally shook up.

I consider myself a home-body. That means I love being at home. It is my safe place and refuge. I go out and do things and interact with people, but I always look forward to coming back home. I travel all over the world and enjoy all I see and do, but still, I can’t wait to get home again. My house, with my family and with my stuff, is where I feel comfortable, at peace, relaxed, safe.

But this earthquake made me contemplate how safe and secure my house really is.

Nothing in this world is actually safe. Nothing is strong enough or powerful enough or dependable enough to protect me from the unknown future. No amount of money, no nest egg or retirement account, can keep me warm and safe and dry. A sudden market change or world event could wipe it all away.

No building is strong enough, no security system is impregnable, no contingent of guards is incorruptible. The future is totally unknown. Anything could happen, like a global pandemic, a governmental or economical collapse, an earth-splitting meteor. I don’t want to sound overly dramatic, but it’s true. Only God knows.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.” (Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭10,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

There is only one thing that I can absolutely put my trust in, now and forever, no matter what: God.

He has always been and will always be here. Everywhere. And He knows the future and has all the power. Nothing escapes His attention or is out of His ability to control.

When I am out in the world, He is the one I should be seeking to “come home to.” When I am scared or happy or worried or upset or excited, I should run, not walk or saunter, to Him for comfort, protection, encouragement, joy, guidance, and love. He will always be here.

Dear God, thank you for your constant presence and promise of protection. I know you won’t prevent me from experiencing life and the consequences of my own actions, but I know you are always with me and always love me. I trust that when I run to you with humility and repentance, you will always welcome me with your strong open arms.

Yesterday I went on a bicycle ride with my husband. We were trying out a new bike path. It was a lovely day, the birds were chirping, the sun was shining, fellow cyclists were passing, saying hello with broad smiles.

But I was not enjoying any of it. I had a dark cloud over my head like an angry scribble in a cartoon. I pedaled forward grimly.

I was feeling this way because as we were preparing for the bike ride, my husband had lashed out at me over a few simple things. He had treated every comment I made and every question I asked with disdain. When I confronted him a couple of times, he acted like I was crazy for thinking his attitude was anything but reasonable.

So I sulked. And as I pedaled, many thoughts tumbled around in my head. At first I contemplated telling him that I wanted to bike on by myself. And I fantasized about telling him to where to go, crudely, the next time he treated me this way. These thoughts led to others about all the times he had hurt me before and ways I could retaliate, and they felt good.

But then God gave me a vision about where this kind of “justice” would lead if I continued on this path. If my thoughts became action, they would escalate our division. And I saw clearly how simple things could easily lead to brokenness, despair, regret, and eventually divorce.

“See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬, ‭CSB‬‬)

After this vision, I decided to stop my fantasies of retribution and to forgive my husband. I decided to contemplate what was good for him, and us, instead of what was good for just me. He had hurt me, yes, but perhaps I would discover the real source of his pain, the pain that made him lash out at me.

Once I’d decided to forgive him, things didn’t change immediately. I was very reluctant, but I began to make comments about the view, breaking the silence. After another mile, I was feeling a lot less scribbled. I could enjoy the sunshine, the breeze, and the birdsong.

Later I did learn that my husband had had a very difficult time preparing our bicycles for the ride. Nothing had gone smoothly as he filled the bike tires, put the bike rack on the car, and loaded the bikes on the rack. Sometimes life is frustrating like that. And apparently, when he had finished, I had seemed less than grateful. So he was in a bad mood, and he had lashed out.

Obviously better communication would have helped us avoid our situation. But if I had repaid his wrong with a wrong of my own, we would still be suffering. Where would the cycle of punishment ended?

God’s ways might not always be easy, but they can always be trusted.

Dear God, thank you for showing me the ugly, destructive path I was stepping onto. Thank you for your word that teaches the right path, the good path, the wise path. Thank you for instilling your word in my heart so that it is here when I need it. Thank you for forgiving me so that I know how to forgive others.

I have a to-do list app that I like to use. It is easy to use and keeps track of all the stuff I need to do, both big and small. From folding the laundry to figuring out a new plan for medical insurance now that we’re retired.

The problem is that my list keeps growing instead of shrinking. Sometimes, at the end of the day, I see I haven’t completed anything listed there. So I will add the things that I actually did accomplish just so I can check something off. I didn’t fold the laundry or make any progress with the insurance, but I did fix the printer after it broke and fill in the hole the dog dug in the yard. Check!

Today, I was extremely frustrated that I wasn’t making any headway in several pressing matters on my list. Other issues kept popping up to clamor for attention. (This seems to happen often. Which is why my list keeps growing instead of shrinking.)

But then I wrested myself away to do my Bible study. I found a comfortable, shady spot on my patio. I watched the hummingbirds swoop and chirp and dance around some brightly blooming skyflowers. Then I read today’s verse.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭21,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

After some contemplation, I realized I had been treasuring my to-do list more than God’s to-do list. My heart is stressed and frustrated because the things of this world are stressful and frustrating. They always will be. I could check off the last thing on my list and still be unsatisfied.

God’s to-do list is fulfilling and truly worthy of my full attention. If I prioritize His list, everything else that matters will fall into its rightful place.

God’s list includes things like spending time with Him each day. Reading His word, listening for His voice. Confessing, repenting, rejoicing, worshipping, appreciating His many blessings and His creation. It also includes things like actively and creatively finding ways to love people and to share my resources of time, energy, and money. When I check these things off my to-do list each day, my life will be full and so much less stressful.

What about those bills, you say? They do need to be paid. They are on my to-do list.

Do you trust God? By all means pay your bills, but if your excuse to not spend time with God is about those bills, they can wait. God will take care of you when you prioritize Him. He asks you to test Him in this. (Malachi 3:10)

And if it’s something else (maybe not a to-do list but social media, TV, a club, even a church group) that’s hogging all your time, energy, and attention, perhaps it’s time to put that away while you turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Dear God, thank you for releasing me from the self-imposed pressure of my to-do list. Teach me how to prioritize you and your will instead. I trust you to care for me when I care about others’ needs. Remind me to stop and enjoy you every day.

I think I have mentioned before that I am an introvert. That means, in my free time, I’d rather be home painting or doing a puzzle than going to a party.

This afternoon I am scheduled to attend a social event for my tennis team. We’ll play some tennis and have some food together afterwards. Sounds fun, right? But being an introvert, I grumble and just want to stay home. I will go because it’s healthy for me both physically and mentally, and I know I will even have a good time. I will come home being glad I went, but during the time leading up to it, I still grumble and regret accepting the invitation.

Then I read today’s Bible verse.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31, ‭CSB‬‬)

God has reminded me that my life isn’t all about me. As a follower of Jesus, I gave my life to Him. Everything I do, every choice I make about how to spend my time, should be about honoring Him by loving people.

While I can honor God while painting or puzzling at home, I will have many more obvious and meaningful opportunities to love people and mirror God’s character when I go out into the world.

When I look at my day, I look forward to the comfortable moments relaxing by myself. When God looks at my day, He sees my dreaded party as the highlight because of all the ways I’ll be able to give of myself through His love and strength.

God loves me and wants me to have comfort and joy and peaceful rest. But not all the time. And not at the expense of His plans for using the gifts and resources He has blessed me with. Instead of planning my perfect day, I need to plan God’s perfect day for me. So let’s get this party started!

Dear God, I am sorry for focusing more about my comfort than about honoring you. Teach me how to use my gifts to honor you in every part of my day. Show me all the ways you want me to love people today. And fill me with joy for each opportunity to do so.

When participating in a weekly exercise class, I invited a friend to join me. I had been getting stronger and wanted her to enjoy the same success. Her response mystified me. She said, “I’ll have to get stronger before I can do something like that.”

She didn’t recognize how backward her thinking about exercise was. In her mind, I suppose, a certain level of fitness had to be achieved before working out in a group setting.

The problem was that she would never get to that level of fitness because she didn’t have the knowledge, equipment, or motivation to work out by herself. The group exercise class provided all of those things. All she had to do was commit to showing up. The rest would be provided.

She had to take the first step, not in spite of her weak state, but because of it.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines over you.” (Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭1‬, ‭CSB‬‬)

The same is true of faith. Isaiah is calling a beaten down, weak people to “arise and shine”. They don’t want to. In fact, they don’t think they can. But only by getting up and doing good things will they experience God’s glory.

You don’t have to work at getting more faith before you can step out in obedience. That’s backward thinking. Faith comes after obedience in the same way that strength comes after exercise.

Years ago, God told me to start tithing, or giving ten percent of what I earned back to Him. If I had waited until I was sure that I could afford that, it would never have happened. But when I did it anyway, worried the whole time about my bills, I learned that God did indeed provide everything I needed and more. My faith grew. I got stronger.

Now I must keep stretching. Continuing to step into uncomfortable places in obedient faith. Rising and shining with each new day!

Dear God, thank you for your promises and for proving how trustworthy you are to fulfill them. I trust you to provide everything I need to do your will after I get started doing it! Show me what you have in mind today.

I recently bought a new computer. It is shiny, slick, powerful, and fast, but it has been sitting on the floor of my office for about a month.

My old computer is too outdated and underpowered to handle the latest operating system. It is also too weak and slow to run the powerful, new photo editing software I want to run. And yet I continue to use the old one because it is already running, and it is familiar. It has all my files on it, organized in a way that I am used to. But it also has a bunch of old stuff on it that I no longer need or use. It has obsolete versions of software that has been updated or replaced. It has documents about property I no longer own. It has messages and records from the past that are irrelevant and useless.

Our lives can become like my old computer. When we dwell too much on past events, traumas, and mistakes, we get bogged down. We can’t focus on the joys and challenges of a new day. If my old way of doing things is not working anymore, it’s time to try something different. Maybe radically different.

“Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭18‬-‭19,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God doesn’t want His children to be stuck in the past, especially a past of heartaches and failures. Jesus came with open arms to offer forgiveness and a fresh start. He begs us to choose hope and joy with each new day by accepting His grace and looking toward the bright future with Him.

Try a new thing today. Step away from regret and guilt and fear. Step out of familiarity and comfort. Leap with faith into God’s hopeful future of forgiveness and powerful purpose.

Dear God, thank you so much for your forgiveness and love. Help me to leave my past failures in the past and focus on my purpose for today. And thank you for the promise of a beautiful future with you.