FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Beyond the Finding”

The miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is truly an awesome story!  I’m not saying that just because it’s cool or because it’s the only miracle outside the resurrection that’s found in all four gospels.  Those things are true, but they don’t make the story awesome.  What makes this event so awe-worthy is that we get to see so much of God reflected in Jesus.  

If you’re not familiar with the story, you can read it in John 6:1-15.  The miracle itself is amazing: Jesus takes 2 fish and 5 small loaves of bread and stretches it to feed 5,000 men plus women and kids and has enough leftovers to fill 12 baskets.  Cool, right?  But the miracle, as phenomenal as it is, isn’t really the awesome part.  That comes when you see the choices Jesus made that day.

The Messiah’s day started with a solo trip across the Sea of Galilee.  Actually, it started with news that His cousin and ministry partner, John the Baptist, had been killed by King Herod.  Jesus was trying to get some alone time to mourn His friend.  He hopped in a boat and headed across the sea.  But wherever Jesus went, the throngs followed.  

Now here’s where Jesus makes His choice.  Me, I love alone time.  I get very little of it.  I grew up an only child.  I yearned for playmates, but after years of being by myself, I got used to it.  Now as a wife, mother, and pastor, I find I need periods of absolute alone time to function my best.  I think if I had been in Jesus’ sandals, seeing those crowds in pursuit, I would have put in for bereavement leave.  “Sorry, y’all, but my cousin just died.  I’ll be back tomorrow.”  He would have been completely justified in keeping everyone else at bay.  

But that’s not what Jesus chose to do.  He saw their need—mainly broken and misguided hearts—and prioritized them over His own wounded heart.  He chose to sit with them and share God’s truth.  That’s AWESOME!

After awhile, it becomes apparent that everyone’s going to need to eat soon.  Jesus asks the disciples what the best solution to this problem would be.  I’d have taken this as the perfect opportunity to get rid of everyone.  “Rabbi, we all know you need some time by yourself.  This seems like the perfect transition opportunity to send these folks on their way.  Buh-bye!”

But that’s not what Jesus chose to do.  He saw their need—basic hunger—and used this as the perfect chance to show how God provides above and beyond what we need when we trust him.  AWESOME!!

Jesus really showed us what some of the Father’s characteristics are: his love for others, his passion for how they’re feeling, his desire to lavish his love in abundance.

Is that the God you worship?  I’m so glad Jesus reminded us, because I know there are times when I start focusing on the wrong parts of my relationship with God.  I focus on what I need to do for Him as opposed to who he wants me to be.  Using tonight as an example, I knew I needed to write this devotional.  At various points in the evening, my mind screamed that I needed to lock myself in the office until it was complete.  But I realized my family needed me.  So I prioritized a library field trip, pizza with extended family, and enjoyed part of our favorite read-aloud.  It’s later than I planed, but I am getting this blog wrapped up.

What are ways you can reflect the AWE-someness of Jesus?  How can you prioritize the real needs around you?  In what ways will you display the awesome love of God?

End your time together by calling out different ways that God has revealed his awesomeness to you and your family.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

What’s your dream vacation?  Where’s the one place you would love to go more than any place else?  Maybe it’s so amazing you haven’t even told anyone, because you’re so certain you’re never actually going to get to go.  Where is it, where is it, where is it?  Share!

Knock, knock.  There's someone standing at your front door with free tickets to your dream vacation place.  Seriously, some dude with a briefcase and a big cheesy grin is handing you the plane tickets…or train, boat, rocket, etc.  They’ve got your name and your family members’ names on them, and the destination is [insert dream vacation location].  Your family is smiling ear to ear.  He’s handing them to you.

Here's the question: do you believe him?  Do you think this is for real?  Or are you more likely to think it’s a scam, or maybe some kind of practical joke?  Are you the one looking for the hidden cameras?  

We live in a pretty suspicious world.  “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” after all.  Everyone loves to catch someone getting spoofed, especially with the chance that the video might go viral.  So it’s no surprise we carry doubt around.

And yet, sometimes great things really do happen.  So what would it take to convince you that the trip was real?

What if your parents said it was a surprise that they’d been planning for?  Would that do it?  (Probably depends on your parents.)

What if your best friend shows up, all smiles?  Your parents told them and he/she wanted to be there to celebrate with you.  Now are you buying it?

How about if the president of the theme park/cruise ship/airlines/resort got out of the car and came up to congratulate you.  Is that enough?  I’m hoping that would convince most people, although some are skeptical enough that even the CEO wouldn’t be enough.  

But what about this?  In addition to the tickets in front of you, you see a stack of luggage sitting by the garage door ready to go.  You remember that your parents have been working a lot of extra hours “to save money” they say.  You realize the dog is gone, already at the kennel.  You see a slip of paper on the counter saying that the mail has been placed on hold.  It’s right next to the stack of make-up work for the days of school you’re going to miss.  How ‘bout now?  

Testimonies from people are a tricky thing.  Sometimes they’re convincing, but sometimes our doubt is too strong.  When we see that testimony repeated or confirmed in how someone is acting or the choices they’re making, then we’re much more likely to believe.

Jesus struggled with this same idea.  No one wanted to believe He was the Son of God, especially not the church leaders.  It seems kind of funny, because these guys were supposed to be the experts on the Messiah, but when He actually showed up, they thought He was a big fat liar.  

Jesus told the religious leaders what He thought in John 5:31-47.  He points out that they read about the coming Christ in the Scriptures.  They had the verses memorized about God’s special Savior.  But when Jesus came, fulfilling every prophecy, they didn’t believe him.  (v. 39-40)  They sent a messenger to John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin (who they also didn’t like), so see if he’d confirm the story.  John replied with a huge thumbs up, but they still refused to buy it.  (v. 33)  Jesus points out that even God himself vouched for his Son, but the religious leaders wouldn’t even listen. (v. 37)  

I think Jesus drives it home the most in verse 36: “But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.”

Ok, so maybe they didn’t believe that all the prophecies in Scripture applied to Jesus’ life.  And maybe they figured John was to biased—or too delusional himself—to tell the truth.  And maybe they figured “God’s testimony” was just a flashy magic trick.  But look at Jesus’ life!  Everything He did—healing, teaching, ministering to the lost and the broken, talking constantly about the love of God and his Kingdom, helping the neediest people—no one does that kind of thing just for fun.  That’s a mission that only comes from God.  

That should have been testimony enough, don’t you agree?

So what about you?  My guess is that if someone asked, you’d tell them you believe in Jesus.  Maybe you even share on your own that you are a Christian.  You’ve got some t-shirts with cool God-quotes on them or your church logo or something like that, and you wear them proudly.  That’s great!

But here’s the real question: do people believe you?  Does your life—your actions, your speech, your attitudes—line up with a Jesus-serving life?  If someone took a look around at your day today, would it confirm that you are all about God and his mission?

That may seem like a hard question, but it’s an important one.  We don’t want to focus on living our lives based on what others think, but we do need to step back from time to time to make sure we are who we think we are.  After all, if you have your “Jesus ticket” but don’t have your bags packed, so to speak, then maybe there’s a problem.

Spend some time talking as a family.  Is there something you can do today, this week, to live more like a Jesus-lover?  Is there something your family can do or needs to do to live out your faith?  Talk about it then close in prayer, asking Jesus to help you take these steps.  Let’s make sure the best testimony we have to our relationship with Jesus is not our words, but our way of life. 

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

I admit—I love math.  I know, my cool exterior covers it well, but the truth is I am a ginormous numbers nerd.  I’ve noticed people are either lovers of math…or haters.  Which are you?  Go ahead and share with your family.  (Don’t worry haters—Jesus still loves you.)

Believe it or not, math can be found throughout Scripture.  No, really!  Check out our passage for the week, and see what I mean.

John 5:16-30  

Did you see the math?  Seriously, it’s all over the passage.  I know, I know—it seems like a stretch, but hear me out.

There are two principles in math known as the Equality Principle and the Substitution Principle.  The Equality Principle says that if two things are equal, then they’re equal.  So if a = b, then b = a.  Seems pretty basic, right?  In language we’d call them synonyms: gigantic means huge and huge means gigantic.  

Going along with that, we have the Substitution Principle.  This one says that if two things are equal, you can substitute one for the other.  So if I have a math problem that says 4 + a = 10, and we already know a = b, then we can also say 4 + b = 10.  If they’re equal, we can choose to use either one.  

Just like I can either say, “Todd rode a gigantic llama up the hill,” or I can say, “Todd rode a huge llama up the hill.”  The words are equal, so I can choose either one.

Jesus is showing us that He and God use the Equality and Substitution Principles.  The Jews saw Him making Himself equal with God…and it made them mad, actually. (vs. 18)  Because of that, Jesus explained to the disciples how He and God do the same things.  

In math, it would look like this:      Jesus = God

God raises the dead and gives them life.  

Jesus raises the dead and gives them life.  (vs. 21)

People honor God.

People honor Jesus.  (vs. 23)

God offers eternal life through salvation.

Jesus offers eternal life through salvation. (vs. 26)

Jesus follows the will of God perfectly and is able to do that which God does.  Pretty cool! 

But what does that mean for you?  For me?  

Next time you’re in a scary situation and you’re wanting the almighty power of God to chase away your fears, you can call out to Jesus. 

Are you confused about some things going on in your life?  Would you like direction from God, who knows all things?  Ask Jesus, and He can guide you.

Searching for peace from God, maker of heaven and earth?  Go to Jesus!

Have you begun a relationship with Jesus, receiving His gift of grace and forgiveness?  You are now in relationship with God, who has forgiven you and wiped away your sins.

When we’re thirsty for God, we’re thirsty for Jesus. He’s all we need.  That one relationships can heal every hurt, calm every fear, meet every need, answer any questions.  Just Jesus.

Close with a time of prayer, praising Jesus for all He offers to you and your family, and thanking God for giving us the Son.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

What kind of helper are you?  Do you like to help, or not so much?  Or does it depend on what kind of help is needed?  

Right now my son wants to help with anything that involves cooking.  He likes to measure, pour, mix, and taste.  Especially taste.  There are times when it would be a little easier (and a LOT faster) if I just did things myself, but I love that he loves to help, so we pull out the step ladder and just let dinner be a little later. 

I’m extra grateful for his helpfulness, because, truth be known, I was not a big helper as a kid.  I was pretty independent, which basically means I wanted to do things myself without anyone telling me what to do or how to do it.  So since I didn’t need or want help, I had a hard time understanding people who did.  When people said they needed help, I figured they were either lazy or they were trying to “teach me something” through work.  Well, I didn’t want any part of that!

It took me a lot of years to understand that there are times when each of us—even independent people like me—need help from other people.

Get out your Bible and read about a time when Jesus helped someone in need.  You’ll find it in John 5:1-15.  

This was a pretty special pool!  Every once in awhile, the waters would start to churn, like a whirlpool almost.  Then, whoever got into the pool first was healed.  I can’t imagine seeing all of the people who were sitting around waiting for healing.  The man that Jesus talked with had been there for almost forty years!  All that time and no one had helped him get to the pool first.  

I wonder why?  Maybe they figured he was strong enough to get into the pool on his own.  I’m sure it took a long time waiting for the waters to churn, so maybe his friends didn’t have that kind of extra time.  Or do you think he was the kind of guy who just didn’t have any friends to help him at all?  Thankfully, Jesus showed up.  He knew what this man needed and healed him.

We have our own reasons for not helping people.  Sometimes we think it’ll cost too much to help someone.  It’ll cost us money.  It’ll cost us time.  It may even cost us other friendships or our reputation if we get teased for helping in the first place.  Other times we figure we shouldn’t help.  We’re convinced that either the person doesn’t really need help or, if they do, that we don’t know how.

But these are really just excuses.  The truth is that we can bring a lot of helping to people in very simple ways.  Maybe you know someone who needs money.  You may not be able to give them all that they need, but you could give them some grocery money or even invite them over for dinner.  Is there someone at school or at work who is having a hard time learning what they need to know?  Maybe you can help them study or go over the manual with them during lunch.  Sometimes they biggest need a person has is just to have a friend they can talk to who will listen and care about them.  Everyone can do that!

One of the cool things about this story is that we see Jesus help twice.  First, helps the man walk again, which was what the man wanted most.  But then at the end, Jesus comes back and offers help for the man’s heart when He warns him not to sin anymore.  That’s the help the man really needed!

When we help others, when we offer that help and hope that they’re looking for, God uses it to connect people to himself.  That’s a great reason to help!

Talk together about ways you and your family can help someone you know.  It could be a friend, a neighbor, a family member, or maybe even people you don’t really know.  Think of something you can do to help meet a need.  Now pray that God would use this help to show the hope they have in Jesus.

FAMILY IT!--Wednesday Family Devotional--"Thirst Things First"

People are watching, listening, waiting for our stories! We live in a world that is hungry for Jesus and each of us has a beautiful story of how Jesus has impacted our lives. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get nervous sharing. I never know what parts of my story to tell, I wonder if it’s the right time to tell it and of course, wonder if they’re going to think I’m some crazy lady and then never speak to me again. Sometimes too the word "testimony" can be intimidating…like it has to be this well-worded, beautiful story with amazing visuals and an ending where everyone is left in awe. Now that can happen, but your testimony is just your story, part of your story and a summary of your story. You speak it and let Jesus leave them in awe. 

I get less nervous when I think about the impact my story could have; people coming to know Jesus is bigger than my nerves or my fears. This is someone or many people’s eternity we’re talking about. The very cool story of the woman at the well gives us a glimpse of what happens when we tell our story: 

John 4:39-43 ‘Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” 

MANY of the Samaritans…not just one or two, many people in that town believed in Christ because of this woman’s testimony. She was so excited and touched by her encounter with Jesus that she shared it, probably with passion! Like the Samaritan woman, we can see people believe in Jesus because of our testimony. 

Imagine the impact that your testimony could have! Could it impact friends, family? God can and does use our stories to bring people to know Him. Through something you say a friend could become a Christian, a family member, your whole family…your child’s whole class could believe in Jesus through them! It’s good to have our testimonies ready to share, but also we need to be telling people about our encounters with God as they happen! As prayers are answered, as God provides, as He works in your life, share those awesome and exciting stories!

This week as a family at some point…around the dinner table, before bedtime, while on a walk playing Pokemon Go!...share the names of the people you would like to see come to know Jesus personally. Also, talk about and even practice sharing your testimony! What would you say to a family member or a friend that doesn’t know Jesus? What would you tell them Jesus has done for you? What is something that has happened recently that you could share that might let people know how awesome God is! 

Enjoy your time with the Lord as a family!

Featuring guest writer Jessica Whisler

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

I love my cooking shows!  Truly, when I watch TV, it’s about all I watch, and my favorites are the competitions.  The mix of new cooking techniques, suspenseful judgings, and delicious end products ticks every box for me.  I am especially drawn to contestants with interesting stories.  

One of my favorites is a twenty-something who still lives with his mom, and eats nothing but grilled cheese, plain hamburgers, boxed mac n’ cheese, and pepperoni pizza.  That’s. It.  That may sound like a fabulous diet to some of you, but even as young as twenty-five, this guy has figured out that trying to live on these foods alone has had a negative impact on his health and therefore his life.  He confesses that he doesn’t want to eat like a five year old anymore.  (Hey, my five year old eats way better than that!) His purpose for coming on the cooking show was to try to learn how to cook and improve his quality of life.  

What about you?  Do you enjoy eating unusual food or are you a plain hamburger kind of person?  What’s the most unique thing you’ve ever eaten?  

In John 4:27-38, Jesus talks with the disciples about food.  After a day of traveling, the disciples ran into town to try to find a drive-thru while Jesus rested at the well just outside of town.  This is where Jesus met the Samaritan woman and had a great conversation about living water.  But now the guys are back with burgers and fries and are a little confused to see Jesus chatting up this lady.  They wait a little awkwardly for her to leave, wanting to give Jesus the food they know He’s been waiting for.  

After she returns to town, however, the disciples are shocked when Jesus refuses the to-go bag.  Instead, He says, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started.” (v. 34 Msg)  Um…what?  Did someone already bring Him food?

What Jesus means is that doing what God wants (“the will of the One who sent me”) is what really fires Him up.  His drive, His inner fuel and motivation is knowing the Lord’s will and getting it done, like sharing God’s grace with the Samaritan woman.  It’s what fills Jesus up inside and makes Him happy and content.

What about you?  To be honest, most of us find our inner fuel in “five year old” things: playing, hanging with friends, sports, job success.  The food that keeps us going is having fun doing what we want.  Eventually, however, we figure out that trying to live on these things has a negative impact on our hearts and therefore our lives.  Jesus is showing us that focusing on God’s mission—being missional—is way better.  It’s so much more fulfilling to care for someone in need, the way Jesus would, than it is to simply care for ourselves.  It improves someone else’s quality of life…and after life…and it makes us better, too.  Win-win!

What can you and your family do to live on mission?  How can you focus your time on God’s will?  What will help you make that a priority over some of the others fun things in life?  Think of one thing you can do this week to be missional.  Put it on the calendar or make a big sign to remind everybody and get excited about it!  Then pray and ask God to fuel you all with his mission.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

Ok, here’s a simple one: what’s your favorite drink?  Now, I didn’t ask what you drink the most, although that may be the same answer.  I want to know what your absolute favorite, tickle your tastebuds, what you thirst for drink is.  Take a second and share with your family.

For our family, there are only two answers.  There are times I feel bad for our guests, because most of the time they can choose milk or Dr. Pepper.  (Or water, which is what they usually go with.)  My husband and children go through 6-7 gallons of milk a week, while I’m trying to ween myself off of my Dr. Pepper addiction.  What is it about those 23 flavors that makes it so tantalizingly awesome??

Our house is the rarity, I think, because when it comes to drinks there are so many options out there.  Have you noticed?  Types, flavors, sizes, temperature, caffeine content—the combinations are endless.  And we seem to have a beverage for every purpose and occasion.  We have drinks to wake you up and drinks to help you sleep.  We have some specially designed to give you that burst of energy during the day and others carefully crafted to not give you energy when you don’t want it.  You can get a drink to help you bulk up muscle and something else to help you drop pounds.  You drink one thing when you’re exercising, another when you’re celebrating, and another when you’re felling sick.  We have drinks for summertime, wintertime, even fall.  (Is there a spring drink?  I couldn’t think of one, but maybe.)  

With all of those options, all of those differences, do you know what each one of them has in common?  Every single one of them will eventually fail.  By definition, beverages are meant to quench thirst.  They help us keep our bodies hydrated.  Yet every single drink on the planet has a limited ability to do that.  No matter what you drink, you’re going to have to drink again.  

Today we’re looking at the story from John 4, when Jesus talked with the woman at the well.  In the story, Jesus said He had living water that would mean she would never be thirsty again.  Can you imagine what must have been going through her head?  She must’ve been like, “For real?!”  How incredible would that be!!  To have a drink that meant you would never have to drink again!  (You can read the whole story in John 4:5-26.)

Of course, when Jesus told her that, He wasn’t talking about hydrating our bodies.  He was talking about the thirsting we get in our souls, when we feel like we want something to make us happy or to help us feel complete.  That’s a different kind of thirst—the kind that can only be quenched with Jesus.  When we have a relationship with Jesus, His living water flows in our hearts, and we realize those other things we used to want, those other things we used to thirst for just aren’t important anymore.  How fab is that??

Jesus told the woman at the well that He could fill her life with things that mattered.  He could fill her heart in a way no husband or friendship or toy ever could.  And the great thing is, He makes that exact same offer to you.  Jesus has a huge glass of living water just waiting for your heart.  And He’s got glasses for your family, your neighbors, your friends, your teammates, your coworkers—everybody you know.  All He asks is that we help Him pass out the drinks by sharing Jesus’ love with others.

Who can you share a Jesus-drink with?  Jesus talked with a woman most Jews thought was completely unworthy.  They would’ve treated their dogs better than they treated her, yet that’s who Jesus picked to tell about living water.  Who can you tell?  It may be the person you least expect who needs it the most.  Talk together with your family about who you want to share Jesus with.  Talk about ways you can share love together to show the full measure of His love for them.

End your time praying that God would bless your efforts and help you share what living water really is.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

A new family must have moved into the house behind us over the winter.  We hadn’t known; there was no way we could have seen the For Sale sign or the moving vans from where we lived.  But suddenly, once the snow melted and the temperature warmed up, there were lots of boys running around our shared backyard.  Now, it turns out they didn’t all live in the house behind us.  A couple of them did, and the rest of the boys were their neighbors who came over to enjoy the expansive yard.  At first my kids were over the moon at the thought of new friends.  Finally, they had someone to play with besides each other.  And the boys ranged in ages, so both of my kids had someone their own age to talk to.  But after awhile, my daughter became less enthusiastic about playing with “the boys.”  When her dad and I asked what had changed, she stumbled around for an explanation.  “They’re loud.  And sometimes they’re mean.  And they’re just…different.”

I knew what she meant.  They were different—a lot different from her, in fact.  These boys liked loud, rowdy games, which meant they weren’t too interested in a game of make-believe with a wonderfully detailed and complex story line.  They didn’t want to take turns jumping in the trampoline.  They wanted to bounce together, colliding and trying to knock each other down.  They treated each other in ways that my children had learned were disrespectful.  Based on the short interactions we’d had with the parents, I guessed their home lives were different from my kids’, as well.  So I understood what she meant.  But did that mean my kids shouldn’t play with these other children?  

What do you think?  I’m sure you’ve known lots of people who were really different from you.  Maybe they came from a different country, spoke a different language, and ate really different foods.  Maybe their family treated each other differently than your family did.  Maybe they liked to do way different things, things that didn’t even sound fun to you.  Maybe they had different values, or even worshipped a different god.  What do you do when you’re around people who are so incredibly different?   Is being different a good enough reason to avoid someone or a group of someones?  

Take a minute and talk about that with your family.  What does everyone think?  When is “different” too different?

The Jews thought their “neighbors,” the Samaritans, were different.  Even though some of their ancestors had been Israelites, God’s chosen people, those ancestors had married people from other nations, nations that believed in many gods and not the one true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  That meant they were, well, different.  At the time Jesus and His disciples were teaching, most Jews wouldn’t even talk to someone from Samaria.   But Jesus decided to turn that practice on its ear.  Read what happened when Jesus traveled into Samaria, on purpose, in John 4:1-9.  

Jesus didn’t deny that the Samaritans were different.  He knew they had some views of God that were just plain off.  But maybe that’s what made it even more important to Him that He visit Samaria and share the real God of glory with them.  He knew that God wanted to be reconciled to ALL of his children, including the Samaritans.  And since they were so different, it would take a special connection, like Jesus talking with a woman at a well, for them to hear how much God loved them.  He could have avoided them.  After all, everyone else was!  But instead, He marched right into their downtown and told them about God.

Who are some of the “different” people in your life?  Have you been using that as a reason to avoid them?  What about Jesus?  What does He want for these different folks you know?

Talk together about ways you and your family can help people feel more welcome.  How can you share God’s love with even the most different kid at your school or in your neighborhood?  Pray together and ask God to help make you successful in reaching out to those who are different from you.

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

Survey time!  Raise your hand if you’ve ever lived with a cat.  (Did you actually raise your hand?  Because you know I can’t really see you, right?)  I got my first cat when I was ten.  My parents had a dog since before I came along, so I knew what it meant to have a pet.  I didn’t realize that cats and dogs were really so significantly different in how they act.  Because…well…cats are crazy!

Now, I don’t mean that disrespectfully.  I have loved every cat I’ve ever owned.  My first cat lived to be 21, and I cried like a baby when we had to put her down.  But there’s just a fact of life that cats are completely, positively, without doubt crazy.  They’ll be sitting on your lap, comfy as can be, then for absolutely no reason they’ll bolt out the door faster than Superman.  Sound familiar?  How about when you’re watching TV and you hear this thumping sound.  Suddenly the cat bursts into the room, skids to a stop in the middle of the floor, and looks around with these wide eyes that almost say, “How in the world did I get here?”  They bounce around chasing bugs that aren’t actually there…I mean, I could go on and on, but hopefully you get my point.  I finally got a little insight when my kids and I watched “Inside Out.”  That’s the Disney movie about what it’s like inside a tween’s brain.  Cool flick, especially during the credits when they show the inside of a bunch of other brains, including a cat’s.  Makes total sense to me now!  

Anyway, in our Scripture passage for today, you could almost say that Jesus is acting a little bit like a cat.  Check out John 4:1-4.  You may know the story of the woman at the well—well, this is how it starts.  Jesus and His disciples are doing what they do: they’re preaching the Good News about God’s love and then baptizing those who choose to turn their lives around and live for him.  They’re reaching a lot of people, even more than John the Baptist, and his name includes “the baptist.”  So the Pharisees hear about it, which really doesn’t seem to be a big deal.  I mean, they don’t want anybody really doing this, so whether John or Jesus has a bigger total count shouldn’t really matter.  But then out of left field, Jesus decides to pack up shop and head to Galilee.

Um…that seems a little cat-like to me.  I can picture some of the disciples, maybe Peter, saying, “Hey, Jesus, what’s up?  Why are we relocating?  We’ve got a great site here, and everybody knows where to find us.  We’re making a big difference for these folks.  Can you let us know why we’re chucking it all to head to Galilee?”  On top of that, verse 4 says He “had to go through Samaria.”  Now any Bible scholar will tell you that Jews didn’t travel through Samaria.  There were well worn paths all the way around Samaria, so that the children of God wouldn’t have to set foot on tainted soil.  (More on that in our next family devotional.)  But again, Jesus makes a cat-ish maneuver and heads into this forbidden area.  You wonder if someone’s maybe messing with Jesus’ controls in “head-quarters”?

In truth, yes.  Jesus wasn’t just bouncing from one spot to another all random like.  He was being directed by God.  Jesus spent more time with God than with anyone else, and that says a lot since He basically lived with His disciples.  But by spending so much time in the Father’s presence, He knew exactly what the Lord wanted Him to do, where the greatest need was, what ministry opportunity was going to reveal God’s glory most.  He wasn’t being a cat—He was being the hands and feet for God’s mind.

Now, this phenomenon is not just available to the Son of God.  Every single one of us can know God’s leading—that’s exactly what he wants for us.  The more time we spend with God—the more we invest in daily presence with the Father through prayer, studying the Word, being mindful of how the Holy Spirit is working in and around us—the easier it is to hear God’s voice and understand his heart.  When we choose to invest in our relationship with our Abba Father, we find countless opportunities to follow his lead into new…and sometimes crazy situations.  But as we’ll find out when we explore the rest of this story, when we listen and obey God’s lead, we get to participate in some awesome moments that will transform lives.

Take some time as a family and share about what God’s been saying to you lately.  Where’s he leading?  What’s he up to?  

Feeling a little low on daily presence?  Ask your family to help you find time each day to spend with God.  Maybe you can turn it into a family challenge.  Set a goal for how many days you want each family member to spend with God and then decide what you’ll do to celebrate when you reach that goal.  After all, Jesus is a whole lot of fun!  (Even if He’s not cat-crazy.)

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

It’s summertime.  The sun is high in a cloudless sky.  You’ve been outside for over an hour, and you’re reading to come in.  What have you been doing?  Were you working in the garden teaching those weeds who’s boss?  Maybe you just rode your bike home from a friend’s house where you were playing soccer in the yard.  Perhaps the driveway is covered with your new chalk art.  Whatever you’ve been doing, you need a break.  Your cheeks are flushed from the heat.  Sweat is dripping down your face, and your shirt is plastered against your back.  

You walk into the house.  Where do you go?  To the shower?  To the fridge?  A cold snack sounds kind of good.  But before you do either of those, you need to take care of something else first.  More than anything else, what your body is craving is water!  You are dehydrated from the heat and the work, and your cells are crying out.  You’re thirsty!  You feel like you actually might die if you don’t get some water soon.  Can you feel the relief as you gulp down a full glass?  Can you hear yourself say, “Ahhhhhh!” when you finally take a breath?  

We all know what that’s like.  We know what it is to be “thirsty.”  Your body doesn’t just like water or even want water.  When you’re thirsty, it’s because your body needs water.  It is necessary for your cells to keep working, and as you use it you need to replenish it.  We make it a habit to keep glasses of water available to our kids all the time.  If they want something else, they need to ask.  But they can always drink water, whenever they want.  Some days the glasses just sit on the kitchen table, practically untouched.  Other days, usually on days when we’re more active, I refill them multiple times.  But that’s ok—I want my kids to drink the water they need.

The Bible talks about a kind of water—living water.  You may recognize that as a nickname for Jesus.  Even though he lived before Jesus, King David wrote a wonderful psalm about a longing he had for Him.  He described it like being thirsty, thirsty for God.  Read it together in Psalm 63.

Have you ever felt that way about Jesus?  Have you ever come looking for Him the way you go looking for a drink on a hot day?  Ever been in a place where you felt like you might die if you didn’t get some Holy Spirit in you soon?  It’s not that crazy an idea.  After all, your soul needs God in much the same way your body needs water.  Unfortunately, I think too many of us have never really felt that need, though.  Our Bibles sit there relatively untouched, just like my kids’ glasses on some days.  We aren’t really craving God, as a person, as a family.  How can we build that thirst?

Work for it.  Maybe that sounds silly, but just like we increase our desire for water when we work, we increase our desire for God in the same way.  Well, not exactly the same way.  You won’t build a thirst for him by playing outside in the sun.  But you will begin to long for him the more you interact with the Son.  The more you live like Jesus in your choices, the more you love like Jesus in your relationships with people, the more “Jesus” you use in your heart, and the more of Him you need to refill you.  If you want to create a thirst for Jesus in your heart and in your family’s heart, make a plan to use more Jesus each day.

What can your family do?  Are there ways you can serve in the community?  Are there people on your street or in your school who could use your help and love through friendship?  Where could you build in “Family Happy Hour,” a time where you gather together and “drink in” Jesus from scripture and your stories of how Jesus has been working in your individual lives?

Tauna at Proverbial Homemaker has a great resource called “Read, Pray, Love.”  It’s a year-long set of family devotions.  Each week features a verse for you to study and learn.  Then there are questions about how that verse can influence your prayers, how it impacts your choices that week, and how you can love others around you.  If you’re looking for a starting point to build a thirsty family, I’d recommend you check it out here: http://www.proverbialhomemaker.com/52-weeks-of-praying-for-your-family.html. 

Find Psalm 63 again.  End your time together by praying that psalm back to God.  Ask for his help in turning you into a thirsty family, thirsty for Living Water!

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Street Hero”

My parents started giving me an allowance when I was about six or seven.  The funny thing is, I don’t remember actually getting the allowance.  I don’t remember how much I got or what I used it for.  What I remember is having to put some of it in my gold bunny bank to take to church for the offering.  That part is burned into my brain, mainly because I so didn’t want to do it.  I can still picture the bookcase where my bank sat, my hand hovering over the coin slot with a nickel or dime ready to drop in, and wanting so much to put the money back in my pocket.  It seemed like such a sacrifice to give those cents up!

I wish I could say that my parents’ example helped me early on.  It didn’t.  I struggled with tithing and giving to God for over twenty years.  I heard a great analogy that really helped me see the full picture in giving to God.

Start by having different members of your family look up these verses:  Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30; Exodus 23:19; Malachi 3:10.  The Bible is pretty clear: God wants us to set aside at least 10% of what we make and give it to his church to be used for his ministry.  Let’s make this more visual.  Get out a piece of paper and draw 10 cantaloupes on one side with your family’s name written above them.  Come on, go with me on this.  Draw 10 cantaloupe circles and pretend these are your allowance or paycheck.  Ten percent of those would be one whole cantaloupe, right?  Write God’s name on the other side of the paper and draw one circle under it to stand for the one cantaloupe.  Be sure to cross out one of your ten as well, because you gave it to God.  He says this isn’t supposed to be the leftovers after we pay the bills and buy all the things on our “want” list.  He asks for our first fruits, to be the first thing we give money to.  So we give him that cantaloupe right away.  Now, looking at your picture, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.  God has just the one he asks for, and you still have nine whole cantaloupes for yourself.  Good deal!

But then life starts to happen.  You know what I mean: bills.  For grown ups, it’s paying for the house, the lights, the heat (or air conditioning), the groceries, etc. etc.  For teens it’s gas for the car and maybe the insurance.  It’s a dress for prom and movies and late night pizza runs.  Even kids have things they want to buy: new video games or Legos or the latest American Girl doll.  Suddenly those nine cantaloupes start disappearing!  (Cross some of them out.)  Now it doesn’t look like such a good deal.  Now we really want that one cantaloupe back in our pile.  After all, God doesn’t really need it, does he?  The Bible says he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, after all.  What’s he need with my puny cantaloupe, anyway?

The temptation is to take that tithe, that gift back from God.  We feel it would be smarter to wait until we’ve paid all the bills, spent all the money on what we need and want, and then if there’s extra, give that to God.  Basically, you’re cutting open ALL of the cantaloupes, eating whatever you want, and then maybe giving a piece or two to God right before the next payday…when you’re going to get 10 more cantaloupes to eat.  It seems wise, more responsible that way, doesn’t it?

Here’s the problem.  Read Malachi 3:8-9.  Ouch!  Rob from God??  That’s not what we’re doing…is it?  Well, think about those cantaloupes again.  What do you see when you cut open a cantaloupe?  Orange flesh and seeds, right?  When we eat them, we eat as much of the fruit as we can, then toss the rest.  But when we give it to God, he not only uses the entire fruit, but he also scatters the seeds.  He sows opportunities for Kingdom growth like we could never do on our own.  When you choose to invest in God, you help spread opportunities through mission works, building projects, radio messages, support for disaster victims, help for families in crisis.  Do you get it?  When we eat the fruit ourselves and just give the leftovers to God, we “steal” the opportunities in the seeds that come from having faith that God will take care of us now matter what.  

After all, that’s what it’s really all about.  We’re hesitant to give not because we don’t love God, but because we’re afraid there won’t be enough to go around.  We’re not sure God will provide everything we need…and everything we want.  But look at his promise to us at the end of Malachi 3:10: “And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”  He’s practically challenging you to take a leap of faith, to trust him to provide, and to watch for a downpour of blessings all because you were faithful to obey.  

Has your family taken the tithing leap of faith?  If so, share stories about how God has proven himself faithful in your faithful giving.  How has he come through for your family?  (By the way, we’d like to hear those stories, too!  If you have a tithing story, I’d love it if you’d share.)

If your family is still hovering at this step, talk about what’s keeping you from taking the leap.  What an awesome opportunity to decide right now to commit to give to God as a family!  In my experience, the only real way to do it is just to do it.  Make the commitment, give to God, and you will be amazed at how he shows himself faithful to you!!  Close your time together thanking God for all the ways he provides for your family and the world.  Thank you, Lord!