Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

People do not always act in accordance with the way they feel. A circumstance can often elicit a response that inaccurately portrays our true feelings. This is one reason it is important to be kind and tenderhearted, always ready to look past a slight and forgive. This lesson hit home to me one dark evening a few years ago. It was a beautiful summer night. The cool air gave us relief from the heat of the day and drew us into our evening walk. Dad and I set out down the road followed by our old dog, Maggie. She also felt the alleviation from the stifling heat and rose from her place on the back porch to follow us. As Dad and I talked about the day, Maggie occupied herself with the things that dogs do - sniffing the side of the road for the elusive scent of a previous canine traveler, cocking her ear to listen to the night sounds in the woods by the creek, and finally disappearing into the trees to investigate the evening wildlife. As we turned at the bridge to return home we saw the reflection of lights coming down the road. At the moment the car reached us, Maggie, tired of her search, bounded out of the woods to take her place at our heels. She chose the very moment the car was passing to dart across the road. The squealing of wheels and the heart-wrenching thump told the story in one split second. I screamed and ran to the shadow of black fur that lay on the side of the road.

We live in an age when many consider education crucial to our success. The addition of more degrees and letters next to our name is considered necessary for one to receive good-paying jobs. But a lot of education doesn't necessarily equal spiritual wisdom.

Within the spiritual world there are two kingdoms: the kingdom of light, which is ruled by the God of heaven, and the kingdom of darkness, which is ruled by Satan. For those who understand this truth and recognize the havoc that Satan and his demons are causing in our world, it is tempting to succumb to fear. But this is not necessary for those who are citizens of God's kingdom.

Throughout life we will all face many battles. Often we will know what we need to do to fight. But what do we do if the enemy is unpredictable and doesn't fight fair? In American history the British redcoats came to the new world to subdue the colonists, force them to pay taxes, and make them submit to the king of England. As they prepared for battle the soldiers took their formation and marched proudly into the war. Much to their surprise they ran into an unlikely enemy. The American minutemen did not fight with the typical warfare of the day. They did not have uniforms that made them stand out. Instead they wore clothes that blended in with the landscape. They hid in the trees and behind rocks and pelted the British with bullets from their hiding places. The King's soldiers were unprepared for this guerrilla warfare and suffered greatly for it.

There are certain times of the year that just beg for you to come home, grab a hot cup of tea or cider, and sit by the fire. The brilliant autumn leaves, the cooler temperatures, and the darkening nights just lend themselves to cozy evenings with family and friends. Dad and I have always made it a habit to take evening walks. We started after we got married when we didn't have much money and only a small apartment. Every night in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, we would put on our tennis shoes and make our circuit around the town. Sometimes we grabbed an ice-cream cone at the local dairy store and other times we would stop at the local library and browse through the latest magazines and books. But most often we would just talk and dream about the years ahead. After having you children and moving to our country home in Ohio we continued to take these regular evening walks. The view is so much different here than in our suburban town in the East, but the enjoyment is the same. Recently we started out as the sun was setting behind the trees. By the time we completed our loop, the evening shadows had deepened and the air had gotten a little cooler. As we stepped it up on the final stretch I could see the front porch lights flickering in the distance and the warm glow of the girl's bedroom light shining through the window. The lights of home called to me out of the darkness and I longed for the safety and warmth that was waiting there.

There is not a whole lot in this life that can be accomplished without discipline. It takes discipline to get up in the morning on time for school or work. It takes discipline to eat healthy meals. It takes discipline to train for a sports team. It even takes discipline to schedule regular rest into a life full of activity and responsibility. Why, then, when we will make the effort to train ourselves for all sorts of daily chores and activities, do we often neglect the most important training of all? The other day I had a brilliant idea. After having spent much of the fall season watching Abigail and her friends play volleyball, I thought it would be fun to learn how to bump, set, and maybe even serve. I never played this game in high school, but, hey, how hard could it be? "Come on, Abby, show me how to do this," I said. We both ran outside into the cool autumn air where she showed me the correct position for my hands and then passed me the ball. My first try ricocheted off my left wrist and nearly broke the kitchen window. Nevertheless, we tried again. And then again. And then again. Soon I decided that maybe I would do better at serving, but that didn't go much better. My visions of quick success started to look bleak as I tried to follow Abigail's detailed instructions, but completely missed the ball. After we both dissolved into a pool of laughter, I finally admitted that maybe this "simple" game wasn't as easy as it looked. It would take a lot of discipline and practice to perfect the skills needed to play - time that I did not have.