CamDevo

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Years ago I was taught something about how to argue. I learned I should not use the words “always” or “never” as in, “You always leave your towel on the floor,” or “You never empty the dishwasher.”

I don’t think I always do anything. And I’ve lived long enough that “never” rarely applies to me either.

My arguments should instead be along the lines of “I feel annoyed when I have to pick your wet towel up off the floor,” or “It would make me happy if we shared the duty of emptying the dishwasher.”

So why is Paul going to extremes in today’s verse with “always”, “constantly”, and “everything”?

I don’t think he expects every moment of my day, every day, to be nothing but rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving. It’s not possible. I think instead he wants to make a point. When I argue that you always leave your towel on the floor, I am exasperated and want to make a point that it’s a very common occurrence. So common that I remember noticing it and dealing with it very frequently. In fact, I can’t think of a time when I saw you hang your towel up to dry properly. But I don’t think you spend your whole day every day throwing random wet towels on the floor. “Always” is just a repeated pattern and a habit.

So Paul is saying my default position should be one of rejoicing. When people think of me, they should think of how often they notice me rejoicing. It should be my habit and pattern and the behavior I return to again and again, no matter the circumstance. The same with prayer and thanksgiving. They should be my first reactions to any stimulus.

When given a wet towel, you throw it on the floor. You always do that.

When I’m given… anything… I rejoice, pray, and thank God. I always do that constantly, about everything.

Dear God,

Remind me to default to rejoicing in my life. Teach me to reach for prayer before any other resource. Open my eyes to recognize your blessings in all situations and to be thankful. Forgive me for reaching for despair or whining or bitterness instead. Your will is so much better!

“Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

It’s really impossible to improve upon the beautiful and poetic psalms of David. Psalm 23 has the benefit of being a well-known, oft-memorized favorite. So it also has some wonderful memories attached for me.

I remember reading it as a child and being enthralled by the imagery. Luxurious green pastures. Cool, refreshing still waters. A banquet table just for me and a cup overflowing with something good. Such beautiful promises.

However, even in David’s magnificent poem of praise, life isn’t all butterflies and rainbows. There is a valley of the shadow of death that, for some reason, I have to walk through. There are rods and staffs of discipline and correction. And my enemies are hanging around my banquet table.

Through it all David reminds his readers of one very important fact. God is with me the whole time. He’s providing the good respites and protecting me during the dark times. He is feeding and encouraging and guiding and loving me at every step in my journey.

Today’s verse is the last verse in the chapter, and what a magnificent ending. Not only is God with me, David reminds me that I can’t shake Him. God pursues me with His goodness. He chases after me with His faithful love when I wander off like a dolt. He says, “Hey! Where are you going?! The good stuff, my loving mercy, joy, peace, and hope are over this way.” He says, “Come back home with me. I’ve got a spot just for you, and it’s beautiful. You’re gonna love it!”

Dear God,

I want to dwell in your beautiful house forever. I want to be where the grass is green and the water is cool and refreshing. Thank you for following me, for pursuing me. Forgive me for thinking any solutions to any of my problems can be found somewhere apart from you. Thank you for joining me and holding my hand in the dark. I trust you to show me the quickest way through. I accept your forgiveness, your love, and your beautiful, undeserved blessings.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I played trumpet in my school marching band in high school and college. It’s not for everyone, but I was fascinated by the result when hundreds of people precisely coordinated their movements to create a design. My own seemingly random and inane steps forward and back, left and right ended up being necessary to complete the overall effect. If I were too slow or too fast or if my steps were spaced too short or too far, there would be unsightly gaps or bulges disrupting the pattern as seen from the stadium seats.

But how could I gauge my timing and my steps since I didn’t have that stadium view from down on the field? The answer is three-fold. I relied on my marching neighbors, the yard lines on the field, and the white-gloved hands of the conductor.

My timing came from those bright, white easy-to-see gloves. As they swept through the air, I could count the downbeats and know precisely when to step and turn.

I calibrated the spacing of my steps by closely watching (using peripheral vision) the marcher next to me as well as the yard lines painted on the field. We practiced together and learned just how many steps should fit between the hash marks. At first there were miscues and collisions, but with practice we could all march forward or backwards or turn in unison or sequentially, whatever was called for.

In today’s verse I am asked to keep in step with the Spirit. That made me think of my marching band days. God is like the conductor with the white gloves, and His Holy Spirit, who is with me at all times, is like my marching band neighbors. The yard lines painted on the field are like God’s Word. To live the way God wants me to live, I need to keep my eyes on His hands as they work in my life, watch closely and follow the movement of the Spirit, and read His Word constantly, making sure I haven’t strayed off course.

One other thing: we were a marching band so we were playing music. But it was important not to actually listen to the music to determine my timing. The music echoed around the huge stadium at the slow speed of sound. If I followed the sound of the drums instead of those white gloves, I would find myself terribly out of sync.

The music in a marching band is like the distractions of this world. It’s so easy to think what I hear and see around me in society at large is true and reliable. But unless it matches up with God’s conducting, the Spirit’s movement, and the Bible, it will throw me off the right path.

Dear God,

Thank you for providing me with guidance for living in your light and love. Teach me how to see your conducting hands. Reveal your Spirit’s movement in my life. And remind me of your Word as I need it. Help me to ignore the distractions of this world in all its flashy glamour. Forgive me when I wander off mucking things up and lead me back to your beautiful design.

“But I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Micah wrote this in the midst of a bleak time in his nation. He wrote of pervasive moral decay where bribery was common, the vulnerable were oppressed, and no one could be trusted to do the right thing. Sound familiar?

Society (America and beyond) feels like this to me these last several years. Donald Trump, while president of this country, normalized lying and glorified bullying. Then the pandemic somehow made selfishness, born from fear, acceptable. It seems truth and love have lost their supreme value which makes everyone confused and depressed. And afraid.

Now read today’s verse. It is like a cool glass of water on a hot day.

Micah reminds me that God is still God, even when I’m overwhelmed by bleakness that I cannot control. I don’t have to obsess about the big problems I see. I can turn to God, wait for His direction, and get to work solving the smaller problems around me that I can impact. I can speak truth to people in my life. I can love generously in the face of fear, bitterness, and rage. God will hear me. I can be a light in a dark time the way Micah was. As long as I don’t get overwhelmed but look to God and trust that He hears me.

Dear God,

I am so grateful for your permanence and unchanging power and love. You see exactly what is happening here and have a beautiful plan. I trust you. Meanwhile, show me how to make space for truth and love in my world. Forgive my despair and fear. Chase these away with hope and confidence in your unstoppable goodness and beauty. Please hurry up and put an end to evil in all its forms. Help me to be actively patient until then.

“But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived — God has prepared these things for those who love him.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I don’t like having dental work done. (Does anyone?) So when I’m there, I close my eyes and try to “go to my happy place.”

The problem is that any place I have actually visited, no matter how wonderful, has some downsides.

My most commonly used happy place was a beach we used to visit on the island of Roatán in Honduras. It was very secluded, had sunset views, soft sand, and the constant sound of the surf hitting the reef. There was plenty of warm sun but also palm trees for shade and a breeze off the ocean. Iguanas and monkey lalas (basilisk lizards) would entertain us at the edge of the jungle. And we could watch the dive boats and fishing boats pass by. Ahhh. But if I dwell too long on that memory, I recall the tiny biting sand flies, the fire ants, and the mosquitoes carrying malaria and dengue fever. Poof! There goes my happy place reverie.

Another happy place I frequent is at the top of a tree I used to climb as a child. The small tree had a nice view and swayed gently in the breeze. It was my secret. I felt safe and somehow removed from my problems up there. But the tree kept growing, and it became harder and harder to climb as the lowest limbs rose out of reach. And one day, a key branch broke as I was standing on it. I didn’t fall, but it gave me a scare. Poof! There goes another happy place reverie.

If I rely on my imagination instead of my memories to source my happy place material, I might have better luck. I could imagine a beach with sun and surf but without annoying pests. Or a tree with strong, perfectly placed branches.

Today’s verse says that no matter what wonderful things I have experienced or what marvelous, untainted locations I can dream up, the place that God is preparing for me is better. I can imagine some pretty awesome situations so that’s saying something. God can do better than my best, and He’s getting it ready for me and everyone who loves Him to enjoy for eternity.

Dear God,

I am so thankful for the beautiful places and moments I’ve seen and experienced in this world. I’ve been very blessed with some real marvels. It’s amazing to me that you promise more than can be found anywhere in this world. Something so wonderful that I can’t even imagine it in my wildest dreams. I can’t wait to be there with you.

“And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

In this verse “and be thankful” seems randomly tacked on at the end. So easily overlooked. But the truth is, it is a million times easier to have peace if I start out by being thankful.

I had an argument with my neighbor recently. It was minor, but even minor confrontations with neighbors can seriously affect my peace. I have to live here after all. My neighbors cannot easily be avoided.

When I went to confront my neighbor, I was not full of gratitude. I was full of annoyance, indignation, pride, lots of icky things. I didn’t spare a thought for how thankful I am that she is usually a friendly, considerate, and helpful person. She has shared information about contractors she worked with and liked, she has invited me over for coffee, and she and her husband are generally quiet and unobtrusive, everything that makes a good neighbor. If I had spent a few moments being grateful for the things I appreciate about my neighbor, I probably would not have ended up with our conversation going the way it did, and I would now have peace.

As it is, to regain peace, I need to devote some time and energy to relationship repair work.

Dear God,

Thank you for the reminder of how much peace is tied to gratitude. Thank you for my good neighbors. I am so fortunate to have a community of thoughtful, friendly, and reasonable people living nearby. Forgive me for taking them for granted and not being thankful. Please guide me in mending our figurative fences. Help me put aside my pride and trust you with the outcome if I reach out with kindness, generosity, and love.

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭147‬:‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I’ve always thought that good nurses are saints. If you’ve ever been tended to by a medical professional who seems to truly care about you, you probably agree. It is a wonderful feeling and such an enormous relief when you are scared, confused, and in pain to have someone comfort and soothe you with kind words and attentive, skilled treatment.

I do not have that gift and would make a terrible nurse, I’m sad to say. I don’t like being around sick people. I quickly grow weary of the complaints of the injured. My empathy for people in pain is disappointingly thin. It takes something I don’t seem to have. I’d love to be better at it. And I’m incredibly glad there are people who excel at caring for the sick and injured. I applaud you and hope to contribute to the cause in other ways.

It’s amazing to read in today’s verse that God Himself is one of those wonderful caregivers. He promises to humble Himself enough to stoop down and bandage the wounds of the injured. To listen patiently to the woes of the bereaved. To comfort and heal the sick. To be the nurse that this world needs.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for your promise of healing and comfort and compassion direct from your mighty hand. Please forgive my lacking in these areas. Teach me how I can do better. Give me patience and empathy when it is really needed. I am so very grateful for those you have gifted with these innate qualities. Remind me to tell them so.

“The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I had to buy a new UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for my computer today because my old one was at the end of its life. It houses a big battery that can keep my computer running if our power goes out, as well as protect it from surges and dips in our power supply.

I am the kind of person who reads instructions. The instructions for my new UPS included one little line that could be easily overlooked or ignored. It said that although the UPS comes charged and ready to use right out of the box, I can maximize the life of the battery by charging it for at least 8 hours before using it.

Of course I’d like to maximize the life of my new battery, so it is charging as I write this. The benefit is worth a little delay.

Today’s verse is a little like that one line in my instruction manual. Do I want to maximize my life — my joy, my success, my peace, my resilience, my time? If so, I should listen to and obey God’s instruction, as well as instruction from people wiser and more experienced than I am. It will cost me some time and maybe a little pride, but the reward is worth it.

If I choose to ignore all instruction instead, if I don’t bother reading the manual, it may feel as if I am saving time and that I am in control, but the reality is that my battery won’t last as long when the storm comes and the power goes out. A lot of problems can be avoided or at least minimized by taking the time to listen for God’s instruction.

Dear God,

Thank you for providing your basic instructions in such as easily accessible way for me. I am sorry when I take the Bible for granted. What a wonderful gift. Remind me to spend time reading it and listening for your instructions. I want maximum life for my battery so that I have your strength in difficult times.

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭5‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Many times in this Psalm, David writes that God will reveal His way, the right path, what is right, the truth, His covenant and secret counsel. God has all the answers, and He’s apparently ready and willing to share them with… who?

The answer to that is also explained throughout this chapter: the humble, the obedient, and the patient. But of those three, patience is stressed most often, including in today’s verse. David says he will wait all day long for God’s teaching.

When was the last time you waited all day long for anything?

I get angry when I wait in a doctor’s office 15 minutes past my scheduled appointment. I can’t stand being put on hold when I call anywhere. I am frustrated when shipping will take longer than a day or two. I used to have to wait a week for the next episode of a tv show to be released, but now I’m disgruntled when I can’t see every episode right away. If the car in front of me doesn’t start moving the instant the light turns green, I grumble. I can list so many times when waiting makes me irate.

But God rewards patience with His wisdom.

I can either be the rat rushing around in the dark maze, bonking into walls and dead ends, with the intoxicating smell of cheese always just out of reach.

Or I can wait and be still until God shows me the map that leads me directly, safely, and efficiently to the cheese.

Dear God,

Help me to be patient. I want to lead a wise life — one where I’m not constantly hitting walls and dead ends. Forgive my impatience and my need to blunder ahead with my own plans. Give me the strength, patience and wisdom to slow down, to seek you, trust you, and wait for you. Your way is perfect. You have the map. I will follow you and not run ahead.

“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Why is John calling his readers “little children?” I doubt he was actually writing to literal children. So what could he mean?

Perhaps he was accusing his readers of behaving like children, prone to selfishness and ruled by whims and emotions.

Or perhaps he was encouraging the innocence of youth in his readers. His aim was to push aside any pride and pretentiousness by calling them to a purer time.

Or maybe both. John wanted his readers to love. It’s very basic. It doesn’t require a higher degree. It doesn’t require complicated planning or strategy. It doesn’t require committees to make bylaws or board meetings with agendas. John’s message, like Jesus’s message, is so simple, even a little child can understand and obey.

Love with your hands, your feet, and your things. Love by doing, going, and giving.

Every little child knows it’s not enough to say that I can play with your toy. If you scream and yank it away when I reach for it, you aren’t sharing. Real sharing requires you to go beyond words. If you hold your toy out for me with a smile, that is sharing. That is love like a little child.

Dear God,

Thank you for the reminder to love with my actions. Forgive me for the times when I have simply wished someone well instead of taking steps to ensure that they are well. Teach me how and when to love properly, generously, and with a smile in my heart.