Enjoy these selections from the last 90 days of Walter Mouse's weekly "Field Mouse Evangelism" devotions. The devotions are listed in descending order by date with the most recent devotion at the top. Click here if you would like to read the Wending Our Way devotions.
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Bill's mom had a candle burning when we stopped in the other night. The air currents must've been disturbing it because the flame was flickering all over the place. It finally settled down to a smaller, steady flame, but it certainly looked like it was wearing itself out for a while there.
Sometimes this happens in life, too. We get so buffeted by what's going on around us that we exhaust ourselves trying to keep up. It's often good, then, to take a deep breath and settle back down to a smaller, steady approach. The jobs will still get done, but we won't get so worn out burning up extra energy to get there.
Exodus 18:18 ...You and these people who come to you will only wear themselves out.
A friend's son just broke his arm and wound up in the ER. The family was there quite a while because the unit was very busy and because of the Triage system in operation there. Triage is the process of sorting injured people into groups according to the severity of their medical need. It assures that those most threatened by their injury or illness get treated first. It also means that broken arms wait until car accidents, heart attacks, strokes and poisonings have received care.
This all got me thinking about the triage of heaven. There ISN'T any!! Nobody has to wait to get in. As soon as we leave this earthly realm, the Pearly Gates open for us. Each person's need is as great as the next person's and God sees to it that all are taken care of right away.
1 Peter 1:4 ...and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade--kept in heaven for you....
Today we drove behind a car that made a turn and then left its turn signal on. We followed it for several miles like that. It got annoying after a while. The light was serving no purpose but just kept blinking pointlessly. We turned off somewhere along the way, so I don't know if the driver ever became aware of it or not.
Sometimes conversations wind up like that blinker. Folks can endlessly repeat messages that are no longer useful or informative. Sometimes it's good to check out what we're actually saying so we can turn off the stuff that's gone on too long. Our fellow travelers will thank us, and it gives us a chance to refocus and move on.
Job 27:12b ... Why then this meaningless talk?
Yesterday Bill's cell phone went dead. He'd used it so much that the battery entirely discharged. It needed to be plugged in for most of the night in order to recover.
Hmmmm---that happens to us, too, doesn't it? We can get so run down that we just quit. Then we have to have a period of rest and infilling before we're recharged.
It's part of God's Plan for our lives actually, that we spend part of each day plugged into relationship with Him. Without His Power and Presence, we'll always be running out of energy for the work before us. As His Power flows through us, we're made ready for the service He calls us to provide.
Isaiah 40:29 ...He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Bill used to belong to a local charitable organization that didn't have a physical address. The group met at the same place each month and could be reached through its members via email. They provided a valuable community service, but folks couldn't just drive up to a home-base to make a connection. They'd have to hear about the group and search out a contact.
Jesus, in His earthly lifetime, had no address, so people had to hear about Him and then search for Him. He doesn't have an earthly address now, so we still have to hear about Him from someone else and then begin our own search for Him.
Generally, the things we search for most diligently are those we value most. That's certainly true with Jesus.
Luke 9:58 ...the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.
Bill was digging around in a junk drawer in the kitchen this morning. He got so intrigued about what he ran into that he completely forgot what he was actually looking for. There were three screws from some nameless source, two packets of fresh flower food, a couple of clothes pins, enough stray bag ties to weave a good-size place mat, a forgotten pair of really good scissors.... He thought about straightening it all out, but it looked like such an overwhelming job that he quit.
We all have junk drawers, often in our kitchens. Sometimes we have them in our lives, too--closed off areas inside where we conceal various parts of ourselves so others can't see them. Once in a while, we may slide our internal junk drawers open, poke around inside a bit, then close them quietly and walk away.
This seems like a perfectly sensible plan, but it entirely leaves God out of the picture. Without Him, going through all the junk in our lives can be overwhelming; but if we allow God to open the drawer and poke around, He'll find the one thing we're ready to work on and He'll bring us the resources to do that. Over time, He'll help us sort through our stuff and get our junk drawers straightened out.
Psalms 69:33 ...The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people."
Aren't car alarms great?! Somehow Bill set his off a while ago. (This was before we moved.) As he raced into the house and up the stairs to grab his keys, the annoying din continued in our garage. When he tore back down the stairs, in desperation he aimed the clicker at the wall separating the living room from the garage and pressed the button---and wonder of wonders--the alarm stopped. I never would have believed that invisible beam could go through walls and hit its target.
It was just like Jesus appearing to His disciples after His Resurrection--walls and doors didn't stop Him. They still don't. Waves don't. Stones don't. Crosses don't. Wherever we are, He can get through to us. The only thing that stops Him is the human heart. He won't force His Presence on anyone--but nothing stops Him from being with those who choose Him!
Luke 24:36 ...Jesus himself stood among them....
Bill and I ran in to the grocery store for a few things the other day. There weren't many people there, so we got to the check-out pretty quickly. While we were waiting our turn, I became aware of all the noise around us. It wasn't from people! It was from the environment. Scanners were beeping loudly, the mechanical voices from several self-check-out stations were announcing to the whole store what customers had bought, obnoxious music was cascading down around us from the loud-speakers, and there was a constant rustle from plastic bags. It all got to be pretty overwhelming after a short time.
All that racket drowned out any quiet thoughts we might've been able to connect with. We were glad to head for quieter waters.
Sometimes, in the rest of life, too, racket surrounds us and we just need to become aware of it and make our escape, if only for a short time. Whether it's inside us or outside, noise pollution is stressful. Gotta get away from it!
Psalms 23:2b ...he leads me beside quiet waters....
A friend of Bill's mom has a pretty garden. It contains mostly perennials accented by various forms of yard art: birdbaths, feeders, ceramic or stone creatures, large shells and various natural rocks. One of the most outstanding rocks is a "rainbow rock" from Colorado. The stone is ivory and terra cotta with interesting lines and swirls in it. With full sun on it, the colors are gentle pastels. But one day we happened to see it on a miserable rainy day. Wetting the rock deepened the colors dramatically and made it even more impressive than when it was dry.
This can happen in our lives, too. Sometimes, when the dark and miserable days come, they bring out in us a depth of character we hadn't realized was there. And as we make it through the storms of life, others are given courage.
Romans 5:3 ...but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance....
Isn't there a song that speaks of the Wild Blue Yonder? Bill was humming it the other day, I think. The Wild Blue Yonder always sounds so welcoming, so hopeful, so clean; a place I'd willingly go, a place where I'd be happy and effective at what I'm doing, a place where others are also happy in doing satisfying things.
But what if the Yonder isn't so blue? What if it's looking kind of gray--or black, even? What if the journey isn't toward joy and success and fulfillment? That's when we need to pull inward and tell our concerns and sorrows to the One Who understands, even when we don't. Then we can open our hearts and lives to the resources and people God has placed along our paths to accompany us on the journey.
For God is always in the Yonder, no matter what color it seems to us.
Psalms 46:10a ...Be still, and know that I am God....
Not too long ago, Bill went to use the computer and completely forgot his password. That's understandable since he was tired at the time and in a hurry as well. Still, without a password, he was locked out.
Isn't it great that we don't need a password to get to Jesus? We have nothing to remember except His Name and the fact that He's there. Even if we're tired and dashing around, we can get "in" to God at any time. Wonderful, don't you think??!!
Psalms 4:3b ... the LORD will hear when I call to him.
We visited Bill's mom the other day. She's a plant-lover. One of her favorites houseplants is a variegated ivy. It has green and white leaves. It's kind of pretty. It certainly has interesting leaves. It recently grew two new leaves, both of which were entirely white. Without green coloration, the leaves can't make food for the plant, since it's the green chlorophyll that enables the leaves to manufacture nutrients.
If we neglect prayer, Bible reading, service and fellowship, we're in danger of becoming like those white leaves. We'll wind up empty and unfed--starving spiritually really, if we let it go long enough.
All living things need food and as Christians we need to be sure to make time for feeding ourselves spiritually as we go along life's rugged pathways.
Psalms 130:5 ...I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Click here to read the Wending Our Way devotions.
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This page was last revised on February 23, 2020 at 7:41 PM.
