Christian Daily Devotionals » thoughts by Mike Woodard

Imitation: (Lessons from a Two Year Old)

June — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:02:09 +0000

I was lying on the floor looking at a newspaper. My grandson, beaming with an irresistible smile, came over and laid next to me. He said nothing but looked up at me and then at the news paper, up at me a second time and at the newspaper.

In perfect imitation, he put his little finger to his lips and then to the corner of the department store ads as he began flipping the pages as I had been doing with the newspaper. I was tickled with his imitation but also with the pure joy he seemed to have in the process. He can’t read and was not really interested in the ads but was interested in doing what I was doing. Wow, was that fun to see. I will never read the Ephesians 5:1 again without this image coming to mind…

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children…” Just before this command Paul says, “Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

What does it mean to imitate God? First of all, it means taking the time “to lie next to God” and “observe Him” Daniel 11:32 says, “the people who know their God display strength and take action.” This word “know” means more than just observation, though. It carries the idea of intimacy and closeness, as a man “knows” a woman.

We get to know God in at least two ways. First, we have his Word. Some would say we only know about God from the study of His Word. That can be true if we stop there. The second step is action. True knowledge of God means being intimately aware and involved in the principles we see in God’s word and by faith taking action that mimics God’s action toward us.

My grandson may not have understood why I was doing what I was doing but he did want to imitate me. Sometimes we may not really understand why we should do what God has said but in doing it we do begin to understand as we experience God’s faithfulness, wisdom and love.

Today and each day spend some time with God in his Word. Then think about how to joyfully imitate God/Jesus in your world. I’m sure God will be pleased…

Someone has sad, “Imitation is the best compliment.”

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/02/mw_imitation/
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A Lesson from Mom

June — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:01:36 +0000

by Mike Woodard

I grew up on a small farm, the youngest of four in a 2 bedroom log house. For most of my growing up years we had an outhouse, no phone. Cold snowy winters outside were warmed by a pot belly wood stove inside. Alcoholism made a huge impact and shaped all this. My mother was a strong woman. She lived through World War II and the Great Depression. Life seemed to have given her a harsh edge. Empathy was not a strength. Yet there was this tender side I discovered late one night. I’d been sick. After going to bed mom, thinking I was asleep, gently ran her fingers through my hair. This act of tenderness was repeated in my growing up years. This tenderness showed me a side of my mom that was not often evident but yet very real. I gave me a greater confidence and security in my relationship with her.

At times my view of God has lacked an understanding of His tenderness. My understanding has been shaped by a couple verses…

“He (God) tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” – Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)

The context of this passage is a description of God power that shapes the universe, the nations and the rulers of the world. Yet in the middle of this is the snapshot of His tenderness…

“You (God) have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great.” –Psalms 18:35 (NASB)

Gentleness in the context of strength is a profound contrast and gift. My mom gave me the first glimpse of this. As I have embraced God’s gentle touch in the circumstances of life it has brought healing, security and comfort. Allow God to carry you today.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/05/09/mw_lesson-from-mom/

Words that Saved my Life

June — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:01:42 +0000

By Mike Woodard

When I was about ten years old, my older brother and I were riding our bikes on a trail that was the “back way” to a small store in order to avoid the main route that was along a busy highway. One section of the trail was a narrow path that ran along the edge of the bank of a river.

My bike had the old-fashioned saddle bag wire baskets on either side of the back wheel. I had a six pack of pop in one basket that gave me a slight sensation of being off balance. The path that ran so close along the river made me nervous without this added challenge of weighty cargo in my basket.

Well, as you may have guessed, the bike, pop and I ended up sliding off the path and falling over the bank into the river. The drop down to the water was about a meter and a half. My bike got caught on a root so did not get washed away.

I had also landed in the water and was thrashing around yelling, “Help, I’m drowning!” My brother yelled back at me, “Stand up.”

While I had fallen into deep water that was over my head, through my thrashing I had moved to a place that was not. To this day I wonder if I could have drowned in the shallower water if my brother had not told me to stand up.

Words are powerful for good or for destruction. Words can bless or wound deeply.

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.” -Proverbs 25:11-12. (NIV)

There may be someone around you who is thrashing in the currents of life and is in need of some life giving words today, a word of encouragement to help them see how to extricate themselves from an overwhelming situation. Or, you, yourself may need a life giving word from someone close to you, who see’s a bigger picture than you do.

For all who wrestle with seemingly life threatening challenges, God’s word, the Bible is his love letter to us. Open it often and listen to God’s instructions, drinking deep because it is the source of true and life giving words.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/04/15/mw_words/

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Lesson from a Lost Child

June — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:01:21 +0000

by Mike Woodard

Years ago I was driving home and saw a small boy riding a tricycle on a busy street. He looked about three years old. There did not seem to be an adult in sight. I quickly pulled over. I approached him and asked his name. His name was Daniel. He was not afraid of me or cars!

“Daniel, tricycles were made to be on sidewalks. Roads are for cars.” He seemed to agree with my logic, so he allowed me to quickly help him and his tricycle onto the side walk.

Once safely on the sidewalk, I asked, “Daniel where do you live?” Of course, a three year old does not know his address or phone number! All I could get out of him was, “This way.” This was long before cell phones, and I did not want to leave him alone so we walked.

Daniel had nice clothes and looked as if someone definitely taken good care of him. I was sure someone loved this little guy and would be looking for him soon.

It must have been 15-20 minutes before a frantic searcher arrived on the scene. They were relieved and thankful. Daniel went blissfully home. The little adventurer had no idea of the danger in which he had put himself.

Daniel was in danger because three year olds are not supposed to be doing life on their own!! As humbling as it might sound, ‘m convinced that, in a way, we are all like Daniel. We were never intended to go through life on our own. God loves us and seeks to guide us through the dangers of life.

Besides needing someone to keep us safe from physical danger, we have a spiritual core that will never be satisfied by earthly things. Blaise Pascal the French physicist and mathematician once said, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

King David of old understood this truth when he stated:

“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalms 63:1

Are you doing life without God? Are you feeling the God shaped vacuum and needing someone to come alongside you, to get you off the street and back onto the sidewalk where your needs can be safely met?

http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/meditating/kk_god_provides.html

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/26/mw_lost-child/

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Lessons from a Three Year Old: Blue Blanket

June — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:01:13 +0000

by Mike Woodard

One day I was home sick with a really bad cold/flu combination that would not let me just push through to go to work. I was lying on the couch. Our grandson wanted me to play. I explained that I was not feeling good and needed to rest.

A few minutes later, just as I was slipping off to sleep, he came up to me and put his BLUE BLANKET over me. This was not just any blanket. This was his special blanket that goes everywhere with him. (If it cannot be found at bed time or in sad moments, it is a major crisis.) The fact he was willing to loan me his blue blanket was a gesture of something special.Â He did not say, â€œI love you,â€ or â€œI trust you with my blanket;â€ but he cared for me with a simple, sacrificial act.

It made me reflect on what I hold as precious and what Iâ€™m willing to give to God. This blue blanket ranks really high on the list of precious things for my grandson. I was reminded that God is perfect in his love for me. I can and must trust him with any and all my precious things.

I wonder if we can bless God as we are willing to give to him in simple acts of love and obedience? Was this blanket big enough to cover me? No but at that moment it was the best blanket in the world!! It blessed me. It made me feel valued, cared for and loved.

The Bible indicates that we can bless God through giving generously from the heart in
2 Corinthians. 9:6-8 (NIV):
6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/07/mw_blue-blanket/