Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

Everything is a gift for which we must give thanks. As children one of the first things we are taught is gratefulness. “Say, 'Thank you,'” was constantly on my lips when you were babies as a reminder to be grateful for what you were given. It is polite and kind but it is also an obligation. When we receive a gift, the correct response is thankfulness. The Bible tells us in many places to give thanks. 1 Chronicles 16:8 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.” Psalm 92:1 “It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High.” Ephesians 5:20 “…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

You just can’t outgive God. A sure test of a person’s verbal commitment to the Lord is how she uses her money. When we honor Him by giving sacrificially, we put our wallet where our mouth is. Not only is it an act of obedience, but it is also a step of faith showing that we trust God to provide for our needs. When we give to Him first, God has a way of giving back more. As an old country song said, “When we hand it out the front door, He hauls it in the back door." The benefits we receive from obedient giving may not come in a financial form, but God will bless us when we demonstrate our trust and devotion.

Yesterday was a happy day! After a long summer, our family was together again. John-Keith and Nathan made the long road trip from camp in New York State to Ohio. After being cramped in a loaded hatchback for over ten hours, the boys pulled into the school parking lot where all seven of us were reunited at Abigail’s volleyball game. It felt fantastic! My heart swells when I think of everyone’s work ethic this summer. I have seen each of you work hard. I have heard positive comments from others regarding your willingness to complete even menial tasks in a timely manner and with a pleasant attitude (waitressing, cleaning, yard work, and food delivery to a bunch of hungry girls, to name a few). This pleases me!

Some songs have been sung for years and years. We can rattle out the words by heart and the melody just slips from our tongue. These songs are like an old pair of jeans that fit just right. They are go-to comfort! But sometimes the jeans get put at the bottom of the drawer and we forget about them until one day we find them and remember how good they feel. Jesus Loves Me was that song when you were small. We sang it when you went to bed, when you were awake, when we were in the car, when you were in Sunday School and anywhere in between. The words were comforting and told simple but important truths about God.

There is SOMETHING in our house! Of course, there is furniture, appliances, decorations, and people, but I mean SOMETHING else that shouldn’t be here. No one would know about it because it hides itself very well during the day, but at night this SOMETHING does its dirty work. The past few mornings I have come down to the kitchen to be greeted by a mess. Over in the plant corner, potting soil and leaves are scattered all over the floor and the plants have holes exposing their roots like the SOMETHING has been digging around.

Tonight was the last night before the big day – school starts again tomorrow! Summer vacation is over in our little ville and all the kids are getting ready for a bright and early morning. New clothes and shoes are laid out, bookbags are ready, lunches are packed, butterflies are fluttering. It’s the beginning of a new year and lots of learning. We only have one heading to high school this year. The rest of you are in college or entering the working world. But no matter how old you get, there is always room for learning. Make it your goal to continue to stretch your mind and develop new areas of expertise.