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'Joy...in the Morning'TM etc.

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Latest update: 3-30-2008

Devotionals

Devotional #1: ‘Give Me The Words To Say’

“Do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12: 11b-12, NKJV).

When our now-thirty-something daughter Lori was five years old her daddy invited her to tell a story into the tape recorder. Lori’s usual inclination to chatter, chatter, chatter came to a sudden halt. As Jim handed her the microphone and proceeded to hit the “record” button, Lori pleaded, “How about you give me the words to say!”

“No, this is your story, Honey,” Daddy said. “Tell any story you want. Make one up from your head like you always do.”

“Well, OK, Dad, but how about April goes first?” Lori bargained.

Seven-year-old April needed no coaxing. She was off and running with her destined-to-become-a-family-classic story “The Girl and The Magic Rabbit – Or Was It Just A Bunny?”

As April’s story ended, Lori was at last inspired and went on to tell not one but two pretend stories which further underscored her talkative nature.

Years later when our family had replayed the girls’ stories for the zillionth time, one of us finally asked Lori why she had suggested all those years earlier that her dad should give her the words to say.

“I had just started kindergarten,” Lori recalled, “and each day the teacher wrote a word on the chalkboard and told us to say it. Then she held up word cards and we said those. Whatever she pointed to, we knew we were supposed to say that word. So, I just figured, Dad, if you gave me the words to say it would be a whole lot easier to tell a story.”

At last, the secret was out. And to think it wasn’t a big secret after all! Lori, at 5, had simply made a gesture of confidence in her Daddy’s ability to make life easier.

When all of this became clear around 20 years ago a spiritual light bulb was turned on for me personally as a writer and a speaker. If a young child has reason to trust her earthly father for “the words to say,” then I, likewise, can certainly beseech my Heavenly Father. He, too, can be trusted to lead me as I search His Word and my heart for the words to write and the words to speak.

It even works as a wife and a mother, too. Or as a friend not knowing exactly what to say when someone calls with an urgent need to be comforted.

Dear Lord, thank You that we need not spend a lifetime figuring out that Your Holy Spirit is with us and will teach us what we ought to do or say – even in this very hour. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

— Dotty Moore

Devotional #2 Young or Old Can Be ‘Old Pain’

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18, NKJV).

Except for a few extra aches and pains, there’s nothing wrong with growing old. We all do it unless we die young.

Fact is, “old” is relevant anyway. So is young. The “young” can be just as much a pain as anyone of any age. If you or I are young – or old – and act as a constant pain, then we are on old pain regardless of how many candles we blew out on our last birthday cake.

Some folks are an old pain no matter what. You can’t ever seem to get on their good side because they don’t have one. What does God say about us, whether we are young, old, or anything in between?

For one thing, God’s Word admonishes us in Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Oh no, I see a red flag! If we are supposed to try to live peaceably with all people, does that mean we are to become a doormat for the entire world to scrape its collective feet on?

No, but trying to live peaceably requires making an effort to get along with each other and to understand each other, every one of us.

We are all the same regardless of age, appearance, personality, gender, education, career, marital status or any other so-called qualifier. We are men, women, and children – all people created by God. We are equal in God’s eyes.

Surprisingly, we are all equally unworthy of God’s love and redemption, but through God’s merciful forgiveness, we become equally worthy. There is no age discrimination when it comes to knowing Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

Young and old alike share eternal worth and eternal value because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Without Jesus Christ’s atonement, we would remain unworthy forever. And that would be the worst pain of all!

Dear Lord, please grant us a desire to live peaceably with others by first being at peace within ourselves. Such peace can only come from living close to You. Show us how to draw near to You at all times – for as long as we live. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

— Dotty Moore