Do it for Jesus’ Sake! (Matthew 18:33)

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It’s hard to forgive someone who has unjustly hurt us. The offending person does not deserve our forgiveness. If we focus on the injustice, forgiveness will not come. We must look beyond the offending person to the Savior and what He has done for us, He dissolves our hatred if we will forgive for His sake.

A despondent woman remained after a church service to talk with the minister. “I don’t suppose you can help me,” she said. “For years I have been unable to pray. There is a woman who came between me and my husband, and I cannot forgive her.”

The minister answered kindly, “You cannot forgive her for her own sake, but couldn’t you forgive her for Christ’s sake?” At first the question did not register.  Then the light broke through. She thought about how much Christ had forgiven her. “You’re right,” she said. “I can’t forgive her for her own sake, but I can for His sake – and I will!”

When treated unfairly, one part of us says, “That person doesn’t deserve my pardon.” But when we consider what it cost God to forgive us, we sense how undeserving we are. Then we begin to see the possibility of doing it for Jesus’ sake. When we are willing to say, “I will,” God’s Spirit works in us and through us to do what we cannot do for ourselves. – Dennis J. De Haan.

Since the Lord our debt did pay,

Saved our soul in grace one day,

With compassion we should live,

Always ready to forgive. – H. G. Bosch

We can stop forgiving others when Christ stops forgiving us.

• May 18, 1991, Our Daily Bread

“Woe is Me!” (Matthew 3:11)

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I have noticed a striking paradox in Christian growth. As believers become more like the Savior, they become more deeply aware of their own sinfulness. This is not the result of morbid introspection nor evidence of a warped self-image. It’s an honest recognition of who they are, who Christ is, and how much they long to be like Him.

A party of tourists were visiting the home where the composer Beethoven had spent his final years. The caretaker led the group to a certain room that housed a stately old piano. Lifting the cover, almost with an air of reverence, he said, “This was Beethoven’s piano!” Immediately a young lady stepped forward, sat down on the music stool, and began playing one of Beethoven’s sonatas. Concluding, she spun around and said to the shocked caretaker, “I supposed of many people who visit here like to play on Beethoven’s piano.” “Well, Miss,” he replied, “last summer the world famous Paderewski was here, and some of his friends wanted him to play, but he said, ‘No, I am not worthy.’”

After a glimpse of God’s holiness, Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5). At the end of his suffering, Job humbly confessed, “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). And John the Baptist said of the Messiah, “He who cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.” A healthy sense of our unworthiness before God makes us rely more than ever on the worthiness of Jesus. That’s the secret of becoming like Him. – Dennis J. De Haan

This is my prayer and deepest longing –

To be pure without, within;

Oh, I want to be like Jesus

Cleansed from dross and free from self and sin. – Peterson

The smaller we become, the more room God has to work.

• May 17, 1984, Our Daily Bread

The Prayer Rut (Matthew 6:7)

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A Christian was visiting the home of devout Muslims. He watched as a woman went through the ritual of washing her face, hands, and feet before praying. Then, facing Mecca, she bowed repeatedly on her little grass mat. Her lips moved continuously. When she finished, the guest asked her the meaning of her prayer. She replied, “I really don’t know.”

Although she had disciplined herself to pray five times a day, she was merely repeating words she had learned as a child. And they were in a language she didn’t understand. Sad to say, she was not conscious of having any contact with God.

Lest we be critical, we need to ask ourselves how many of our own prayers are spoken repetitiously with little meaning. Jesus taught that prayers are not to be showy (Matthew 6:5-6). We are not to mumble words mechanically (vv. 7-8). Prayer begins with worship, requests forgiveness, and expresses dependence on God for physical and spiritual needs (vv. 9-13). Talking to God our heavenly Father is a wonderful privilege. It is available to all who have trusted Christ as Savior.

Let’s worship God, confess our sins, give thanks for blessings, and draw on His wisdom and strength. This will help to keep us out of the rut of vain repetitions in our praying. – Henry G. Bosch

Lord, teach us how to pray aright,

Oh, lead us in Your way;

Humbly we bow in Your pure sight;

Lord, teach us how to pray. – Anon.

If you want your prayers to reach heaven, send them from the heart.

• May 16, 1990, Our Daily Bread

Butterfly or Bee? (Psalm 119:165)

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According to James Hamilton, there are two kinds of Bible readers – those who skim the surface and those who dig deep. He describes them by comparing them to two common insects. He writes, “One is remarkable for its imposing plumage, which shows in the sunbeams like the dust of gems; as you watch its jaunty gyrations over the fields and its minuet dance from flower to flower, you cannot help admiring its activity, for it is plainly getting over a great deal of ground.

“But in the same field there is another worker, whose brown vest and businesslike, straightforward flight may not have arrested your eye. His fluttering neighbor darts down here and there, and sips elegantly wherever he can find a drop of ready nectar; but this dingy plodder makes a point of alighting everywhere, and wherever he alights he either finds honey or makes it. If the flower-cup be deep, he goes down to the bottom; if its dragon-mouth be shut, he trusts its lips asunder; and if the nectar be peculiar, he explores all about till he discovers it …. His rival of the painted velvet wing has no patience for such dull and long-winded details …. The one died last October. The other is warm in his hive, amidst the fragrant stores he has gathered.”

Which type of Bible reader are you? Butterfly or bee? Do you just skim the Scriptures? Or do you search them, probing the Bible’s richness and storing up its sweetness and wealth? Only the “bee method” can give you spiritual summer the whole year through. – Paul R. Van Gorder

O grant us grace, Almighty Lord,

To read and mark Your holy Word,

Its truth with meekness to receive

And by its holy precepts live. – Anon.

Some of God’s richest nuggets of truth lie deep beneath the surface.

• May 15, 1985, Our Daily Bread

Our Soul Purpose (Psalm 63:1)

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According to book reviewer Gloria Whelan, one of the most significant scenes in Michael Scammell’s biography of Alexander Solzhenitsyn is the portrayal of the exiled Russian author at his home in a small Vermont town. After years of KGB surveillance and imprisonment in Russia, Solzhenitsyn lives “barricaded” behind a chain-link fence. According to Scammell, it was in a Soviet prison camp Solzhenitsyn discovered that “the meaning of earthly existence lies not, as we have grown used to thinking, in prospering, but … in the development of the soul.” Perhaps this is why he still spends much of his time writing in a small cabin furnished only with the barest necessities.

Now look at David, the author of the 63^rd Psalm. Do you see any similarities? While he was in the wilderness of Judah and oppressed by his enemies, he too recognized that what really counted was the development of his soul. We read that he longed and thirsted for God. He found that knowing the kindness of God is of more value than life itself. He discovered that he could get deep, lasting satisfaction out of knowing God. The result was that David pursued with an intense urgency those matters of the heart that put life in perspective for him.

Are we as wise? If not, we need to ask God to rekindle in us a deep desire to know Him, so that we can pray, “O God, … my soul thirsts for You.” We need to make the welfare of our soul our sole purpose. – Martin R. De Haan II

My soul within me yearns for Thee,

Till Christ be fully formed in me;

Let love divine enlarge my heart,

Then all Thy fullness, Lord, impart. – Stewart

God can take the place of anything, but nothing can take the place of God.

• May 14, 1987, Our Daily Bread

Flaws can be Blessings (2 Corinthians 12:7)

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The large, famous Liberty Bell in Independence Hall is cracked. In Moscow, another famous bell that attracts tourists is also cracked. The bigger the bell, the greater the possibility of its breaking.

Great Christians usually have some flaw or weakness too. For example, Paul had a “thorn in the flesh.” The identity of this undefined irritant has been the subject of speculation for centuries. Headaches, epilepsy, or a serious eye disease are but a few of the physical ailments that have been suggested. A recurring emotional weakness has also been supposed. A few scholars think that the adversaries of Paul’s ministry were his thorn. But God’s Spirit did not prompt the apostle to tell us, and I believe for good reason. Not knowing its exact nature allows us to see any divine deterrent to pride and self-sufficiency as a heaven-sent thorn.

But how can a permanent weakness be a blessing? Maltbie D. Babcock wrote that when Paul realized it had come to stay, he quickly made friends with it. “It was no longer how to dismiss it, but how to entertain. He stopped groaning and began glorifying. It … meant new opportunity, new victory, new likeness to Christ.”

Do you have some affliction from which you have not been delivered? Learn to befriend it. Satan will exploit it to try to defeat you (2 Corinthians 12:7), but God uses it to teach you humility, to reveal His strength in you, and to keep you close to Himself. – Dennis J. De Haan

If we are troubled by a “thorn”

That will not go away,

It’s meant to keep us trusting Him

For grace and strength each day. – D. J. De Haan

Afflictions are often God’s best blessings in disguise.

• May 13, 1987, Our Daily Bread

“Momism” (Proverbs 31:30)

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A mother who honors God will be a good mother. This is true because her desire is to be the kind of parent He wants her to be. Instead of bringing up children just to fulfill her own needs, she wants to raise them for the glory of God.

This approach to motherhood stands in striking contrast to what’s happening in a lot of homes today. Hans Sebald, a University of Arizona sociologist, has written a book entitled Momism: The Silent Disease of America. He points out that many mothers are raising overly dependent, neurotic sons and daughters. This is most common among couples who are caught up in the rat race of middle-class values. Dad sells his time and soul to the company to keep up with the Joneses. Mom in turn is left alone and must bear the burden of caring for the family. Since she has so few outlets for fulfillment, she unconsciously uses her own youngsters to gain honor and influence in the neighborhood. She strives to bring up model children solely for the purpose of gaining the reputation of being a model mother. Their performance becomes all-important, so she gives her love or withdraws it, depending on the behavior of the child.

How thankful we should be for Christian mothers who are not afflicted with the “momism” syndrome, but who fear the Lord and find their ultimate fulfillment in Him. True, they’re not perfect, but they are very special people, for they love God and want their children to love Him. I know what that means, because I am privileged to have a mother who trained me for His sake. – Martin R. De Haan II

O give us homes with godly mothers, mothers,

Who always place their hope and trust in Him;

Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers,

Whose calm and courage trouble cannot dim. – Hart

The chain of a mother’s prayers can link her child to God.

• May 12, 1985, Our Daily Bread

It Takes Work! (1 Timothy 4:7)

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The apostle referred to godliness more in 1 Timothy than in any other epistle (see 2:2; 3:16; 4:7-8; 6:3, 5-6, 11). This highly prized Christian quality, referred to as a “mystery” (3:16), may be defined as a good and holy life growing out of a deep reverence for God.

But how does it come about in our lives? Are we to pray for godliness and then sit back and wait for God to pour it suddenly into us? No, that’s not how we become godly. It takes effort on our part! First Timothy 4:7 says we are to train (exercise) ourselves to be godly. Think of it like this: Suppose a young gymnast wanted to complete in the Olympic Games. How would she reach her goal? First, she should have to be totally committed to that goal. Then, she would have to make tremendous sacrifices of her time. She would have to spend hours every day doing conditioning exercises and practicing her routines. She would work under the skilled eye of a coach who could point out the smallest flaws and correct her technique. She would also follow a strict diet.

So it is with godliness. If we want to become more godly, we must commit ourselves to it. We must see ourselves as “in training,” exercising strenuously and vigorously. Through prayer and yieldedness we put ourselves under the guidance of our “coach,” the Holy Spirit. We must discipline ourselves to read, study, and obey God’s Word. Just praying for godliness won’t do. We must realize that it takes work! – David C. Egner

Every day more like my Savior,

Every day my will resign,

Till at last Christ reigns supremely

In this grateful heart of mine.  – Brandt

No pain – no gain.

• May 11, 1988, Our Daily Bread

Awesome! (Isaiah 6:5)

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Just a few miles from New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns is Lechuguilla Cave. Explorers who have descended into its interior describe a wonderland whose beauty is beyond almost anything they have ever seen.

One geologist noted, “Everything is alien…. I’ve been in caves that are so beautiful that you just have to leave. You just can’t take it.” That’s an interesting dilemma for explorers, isn’t it?  To be surrounded by beauty that is overwhelming to the eyes.

Their experience gives us a clue to the problem we have with understanding a holy God. He is so arrayed in splendor, so pure in His goodness, and so beautiful in His character that our sin-darkened eyes cannot bear to look on Him. We cannot endure His glory.

This was the experience of two people in the Old Testament. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, the Almighty had to shield him from seeing His face (Exodus 33:18-23). And when Isaiah caught a glimpse of God’s majesty, he cried out, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5).

Lord, Your awesome splendor, goodness, and beauty reveal the defects in us. Thank You for being so loving and merciful. And thank You for making us holy and acceptable to You through Christ. – Martin R. De Haan II

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,

Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

Only Thou art holy – there is none beside Thee,

Perfect in power, in love, and purity. – Heber

God’s awesome presence is both convicting and comforting.

• May 10, Vol. 10, Our Daily Bread

Putting Your Brother First (1 Corinthians 10:24)

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As a Christian, you are obliged to view your actions in light of how they will affect other Christians. You will discover God’s will for your life when you consider His activity in the lives of others. This goes contrary to worldly thinking. The world encourages you to live your own life, taking care of your own needs and wants first. Sin promotes independence. It isolates you from others and separates you from those you could help or who could encourage you. God designed you for interdependence.

Whenever you meet another Christian, you come face to face with Christ (John 13:20). There ought to be a deep respect within you as you encounter other lives guided by the Holy Spirit. Do not live as if you have no responsibility toward your Christian brothers or sisters. God holds you accountable for how you relate to them. Don’t revel in your “freedom in Christ” to the point that you neglect your responsibility toward others (Romans 14:15). Paul celebrated his freedom in Christ, but he was keenly sensitive to what might cause other Christians harm (1 Corinthians 8:13). He was aware that his sin could not take place in isolation but could bring pain to many others (1 Corinthians 5:6).

You have a responsibility to live in such a way that you do not hurt others. You must deny yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to put to death your natural inclination to be self-centered. As long as you focus on yourself, you will be oblivious to the needs of others. Ask God to free you from selfishness so that your life is free to bless others. – Henry & Richard Blackaby

• May 9, Experiencing God Daily Devotionals