Category: Devotionals

I sat this afternoon at the dining table, gazing out the window,  lost in thought. When I came to myself, I saw 3 squirrels chasing each other around the yard, up and down the crabapple tree. Suddenly all three went up  the tree and out of sight. A very large blue jay sat on the fence, while  several robins and sparrows pecked at the ground. I watched the shadows on the lawn and felt the tensions of the day drop away.

I’ve never been an outdoors person, although I have gardened for many years. I only went outside when I had to work in the garden or to get  in the car and go somewhere. Our previous home didn’t draw a person outside. Although I made a few feeble attempts to make the backyard more inviting, it  meant work, not pleasure.

Now I am drawn out into the yard. In this home, the patio seems like an extension of the living room and it is just natural to wander out  and look around. Before I know it, I have pulled a few weeds, smelled the roses, entwined a vine through the trellis, and got some fresh air and exercise without even trying. The birds and squirrels roam around keeping me company. Outdoor living is more enjoyable every day.

Jesus said, “Are not 2 sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very  hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 NKJV

He knows my name, He knows where I am, and the very hairs on my head are numbered. Before I ever called on Him for salvation, He knew me and was just waiting for that moment.

Watching the robins and sparrows, I realize how much God values and loves me.

The proudest day of my life, up to the time I was 12 years old, was when my older sister had her first baby. She is 6 years older than I and when she had that baby, I thought he was my baby too. We spent many hours together, with us younger kids loving that baby boy, feeding and diapering him, playing with him, just like he was our doll. That’s where I got my favorite name for a baby, “my little doll.” My sister had 3 babies in 4 years, more babies for me to play with.

It was many years later before I had my own 2 children, but because I was an aunt, I was so sure  I knew everything there was to know about raising babies, since I had been with my sister so much while she was raising hers.

Then my younger sister had her first son before I had any kids, then her twins just a few weeks before I had my own first child a son. Her twin boys and my son were so close in age, our mother dressed them in identical clothes and called them her “triplets.” We raised our kids around each other, so that they were more like brothers and sisters than cousins.

What joy it is to see our adult children at our family reunions, laughing and talking like the old days and to see our grandchildren playing with their little second cousins, like brothers and sisters.

Our family is close because of our mother. She always treated us alike, so there was no real jealousy between us. We were raised to share and share alike, to work together, to kiss and make up, to love each other, even if we might not always like each other.

One thing our mother always taught us besides loving each other, was that our family was a Christian family. Mother made a choice years ago that she would raise her children to serve the Lord.

“Choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, . . .As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 NKJV.

His name is Healing. I touched a feverish brow and spoke His name. By morning the fever was gone. We spoke His name over a 2-year-old girl with leukemia and she has now been in remission many years, a teenager now.

His name is Salvation. Billions have spoken that name and become residents of a new country, Heaven. Just like aliens who stand in a courtroom and pledge allegiance to the United States of America and forever change their homeland, so we stand in the courtroom of God Almighty, swear allegiance to
Jesus Christ, and we are forever changed.

His name is Deliverance. Just the mention of His name brings demons to their knees. A woman tormented by depression and thoughts of suicide now leads a Christian women’s group, set free forever from those powers of darkness by the name of Jesus.

His name is Peace. A person facing surgery speaks the name of Jesus in prayer and calmly lies down without any dread.

His name is Comfort. Standing over the grave of a dear loved one, we speak the name of Jesus and comfort floods our soul. He said He would never leave us or forsake us, that He would go with us to the end of the world.

His name is Abundance. As we break our bread in Jesus’ name and serve it to the hungry world, we know that it will never run out. We give our love-gift to the Lord with cheerfulness, knowing that what is left over will always be enough to meet all our needs. We give to the poor, knowing that from the Lord we will receive our reward. We open our hearts and our purses to the needs of the people knowing that Jesus also opens His windows of heaven to pour out a blessing on us that we cannot contain. He is the Lord of plenty, who always supplies our needs according to His riches in glory, not according to the economy of this world.

His name is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

His name is Jesus Christ.

I can remember even before going to first grade, sitting quietly holding a picture book with a little yellow duck on the front. And I remember the storybook of the Three Little Kittens who have lost their mittens.

I remember walking to the library in the city hall. I loved walking the halls of the library, reading the names of the books in the dark wooden shelves. Starting with the Bobbsey Twins series, I read through series after series—the Nancy Drew books, the Hardy boys. I read through a series of books written about the kings and queens of England and Frances. Then I read every book written about the early American heroes. I found books about archeology and dinasours.

My eyes were opened to the world outside of my little town of Vinita, Oklahoma. When I read, I was lost in a world I was had never known, and might have never had an opportunity to see or experience in real life.

I learned of the power of words.

In church, I was the student of a children’s teacher, Marie, who understood the power of teaching the Bible, the Word of God, to children. I also came under the teaching of a little old lady pastor, Elmira McDonough, who could see the possibilities in me and those few young people into whom she invested her teaching.

When I re-dedicated my heart to the Lord after a failed marriage, I again came under the teaching of the Bible, but this time my teacher was the Lord Jesus Himself. I still had that insatiable desire to read and study the Bible. I made a decision to accept the Bible as true and that brought me to the place where I recognized I had a choice. If I really believed the Bible was the true word of God, either I could do what it said to do, or be disobedient and not do what it said.

“Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven,” Psalm 119:89.

If the Bible is really the true word of God, the only choice we can make is to do what it says.

Lavon Hightower Lewis

 It’s about the time of year when the fireflies come out.  Sitting out in the backyard at twilight, seeing the twinkles in the air  around me, the sight brought wonder to my young heart. We called them lightening bugs. And we pulled their little light off and placed it on our ring fingers, like a brilliant diamond.

 Every little girl loves jewelry. We invented our own play jewelry. We licked tiny rose petals and stuck them to our ears for earrings and to our fingernails for nail polish. We put thin washers or cigar wrappers on our fingers for rings and made hair ornaments from chains of  clover flowers.

 Every woman loves jewelry. She looks forward to the day when her love presents her with an engagement ring, a symbol of his love for her. She treasures every gift of love she receives throughout her life, usually either passing on to her daughters her precious jewelry wardrobe or wearing them to her grave.

 God must love jewelry too. In Haggai 2:23, He says, “I will make you my signet (ring)” and in Malachi 3:17, He says, “they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.”

 All the diamonds in the whole world could never have bought the salvation of even one person. All the pearls, rubies, or sapphires God ever created could not ransom you. He valued you enough to pay a great price for you–the precious and only Son of God–as a ransom for your salvation.

 God sent the Crown Jewel of Heaven, Jesus Christ, to purchase you for Himself, so you could become His signet ring, the jewel on His finger.