Archives: Watchword

A bit of scripture, short meditations and stories, prayers, news and maybe a touch of humor.

Adversity as Grace

WATCHWORD:

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”  (Proverbs 11:31)  19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 1 Peter 4:12-19

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What If…? Again

WATCHWORD:

3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” 6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:3-8 Continue reading

What If…

WATCHWORD

O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee  1 Chronicles 29:18

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. Jeremiah 3:17

He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Luke 1:51

 

Meditation:

What If…

Have you read anything by Charles Martin? Martin is an author of Christian fiction and nonfiction, devotionals and engaging storylines. One of his books that I have truly enjoyed is entitled What If It’s True? He makes a persuasive argument that God meant what he said when he said some of the things that may cause us to question.

The whole process of writing story is often based on what if… as a device that authors use to put together interesting and creative stories. I believe we have all played a game of what if… as we have grown up, and we continue to play it. You know, we fantasize, what if… there are no taxes to be paid. What if… pigs can actually fly? What if… dinosaurs returned and they were as friendly as golden retrievers and they know how to fetch all the good stuff. Sorry, childish.

Or perhaps this, what if… the Israelites obeyed all of God’s commandments and didn’t have to wonder for 40 years, but had gone straight to the promise land in about nine months? How would that have changed things? Or even earlier, what if… Adam had said to Eve, “You ate What? I’m telling Father.”

How about this, what if… Noah had been more discriminating and did not allow pairs of mosquitoes on board?  Or deadly snakes, or ill-tempered relatives?

What if… is a game and there are times and places for it to be played that pass the time and entertain. But at some point, in time, reality has to step in. Reality has this uncomfortable way of bringing us back to where we are and what is happening to us. Pigs can’t fly, taxes are coming due, dinosaurs only return in the movies. The promised land was earned, after the sinning generation had died off in 40 years. Noah did not discriminate. We have to deal with reality.

I don’t think God wants us to live in what if… or fantasy land, lost among our imaginings. Escapes from reality are just brief vacations and, maybe, they recharge us, give us energy to follow His will, if that is our commitment. But I don’t believe He wants us to live there.

Confession: “What if…” is a writer’s device in the creation of story. When my friend Mac McKinley writes stories for children, he starts with the what If…and ends with a moral. My book, A Life for Barabbas, is historic fiction. The historic part is where reality fits in, where research led me to facts about first century Jerusalem and what actually happened with the disciples. The fiction, or the what if… part, was to imagine how this man, Barabbas, might have behaved as a result of being touched by the crucified Jesus.

I don’t agree entirely with author Flannery O’Connor, who wrote that “Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I’m always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality…”

For me, writing is creative. Those who see me from afar, it may seem like I’ve become a recluse, and escaped from reality, but writing is akin to my morning devotional times. Often the two are wedded together. This is when the light of God seeps through my “cracks” and becomes inspiration. The what if…s, often filter in with that light, and story-lines are born. Does that make sense? For me, writing is not an escape from reality, it is a deeper dive into reality.

Where does What if… fit into your relationship with the Lord? Don’t think “what if it’s true?”, instead acknowledge the source, the Creative God that put each piece in place, including you and me. Amen.

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you that you are able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us. Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don’t thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you’ve given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Wisdom and Sense

WATCHWORD:

5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8 King James

5-8 “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” James 1:5-8 Message

 

Meditation:

Wisdom and Sense

Sometimes when we read the Message version of the Bible we hardly recognize the…well, message. Sometimes, however, it speaks to us more clearly than, say, King James, even though it is James!

In King James, the subject of this passage is right up there in the first sentence: ‘If any of you lacks wisdom…’ Wisdom. In the Message, the subject is implied, ‘If you don’t know what you are doing…’ Yet, to me, the instruction in the Message is more straight forward on how to proceed, ‘Ask boldly (of God), believingly, without a second thought.’ In other words, have no doubts.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter which version we prefer, it is His Word we are to meditate on each moment of our lives. So, the subject of the passage is wisdom and its related cousin, common sense. Not surprisingly, many sophisticated and intelligent people lack wisdom and/or common sense, maybe both. Wisdom and common sense are closely related, wisdom being a gift from God, while common sense is the way we mortals apply God’s gift.

I guess another way of looking at it might be that wisdom allows us to find the truth in any given situation, while common sense provides the basis for sound decision-making, or judgment. Wisdom has an aura of the supernatural, something that is not manmade, but God given.

I can’t help but think that in today’s world, truth is hidden by bluster, relegating common sense to a rare commodity. We live in a dangerous world, starved for facts because we are faced with real issues, real threats and we need real answers. So, we turn to the Word, doesn’t matter which version: ‘If you don’t know what to do, pray to the Father.’ Or, ‘If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.’

I know, that sounds just a little bit like God telling us to have patience. I am sure that you have noticed that “have patience” is code for “Trust God, or “Wait on the Lord”. So, wisdom says “patience”, while common sense seems to be saying ‘stay calm’ and we rather imagine God telling us, “I got this. You, chill.”

Looking for a little truth? Well, here is one. In faith, you do the seeking and God will do the speaking. He is the Spirit of Wisdom and will not tell you to do things that are unwise.” Amen.

 

Closing Prayer:

Loving God, your desire is for our wholeness and well-being.  We hold in tenderness and prayer the collective suffering of our world at this time. We grieve precious lives and homes lost and vulnerable lives threatened. We ache for our loved ones; neighbors, family, ourselves, standing before an uncertain future.

We pray: May love, not fear, go viral. Inspire our leaders to discern and choose wisely, aligned with the common good. Help us to practice social distancing and reveal to us new and creative ways to come together in spirit and in solidarity. Call us to profound trust in your faithful presence, You, the God who does not abandon, we lay all this at your feet, and pray in Your Name that Your Will be Done. Amen.

 

Search Me!

WATCHWORD:

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. 3 You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. 4 You know what I am going to say before I even say it. 5 You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head. Psalm 139:1-5

 

Meditation:

Search Me!

That opening verse in Psalm 139, you have examined my heart and know everything about me, is a powerful statement telling us that nothing in our lives is lost on our Lord. Do we believe that, do we trust that? Think about it; the Lord has examined my heart and the creator God knows everything about me. Everything!

I would not want you, the reader, to know everything that is on my heart. I would be embarrassed, even mortified if all was revealed. Yet, God knows everything.

That should bring us up short. If you’ve ever read the whole of Psalm 139, I commend it to you. It will open an expanded awareness that God knows everything about us. Regardless of where we are, regardless of how we hide, regardless of how we might avoid being seen or heard or understood, God knows it all.

The psalmist tells us, Lord you are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons far away from those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights, higher peaks than any mountain, greater depths than any sea. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I am limited, Lord, I cannot reach to the heights or the depths. There are goals I cannot achieve, dreams I cannot realize.

My God, search me, and lead me by your blessed right hand, and help me walk in the Light as You are in the Light!  Amen.

 

The Inn on Jericho Road:

Comments on my book, The Inn on Jericho Road, have been heart-warming: “A beautiful and helpful companion to my study of scripture.” and “I must tell you how much I enjoyed it. It is well-written and has a powerful message.” I’d like to share this retelling of the Samaritan’s story with you too. You can order it directly from me, just $15, no shipping, no taxes. Send your request to bosworthescott@gmail.com or call me at 260-578-2519.

 

Praying Psalm 139:

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely. Oh Lord, I am so blessed that you know me so completely and still you call me your child. You have blessed me far beyond my understanding of the power of your love. Thank you, Lord, thank you. Amen.

 

Do Not Fear

WATCHWORD:

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will surely help you. Isaiah 41:10 Continue reading

Relive the Pain?

WATCHWORD:

Come to me, you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

 

Meditation:

Relive the Pain?

In a younger version of me, I had aspirations of being an actor. In my early years at college I looked forward to rehearsals because they were fun and I learned a lot of things, some of which are not worthy of being detailed here, such as I learned some ballet steps and positions, I learned some really funny lines, and I learned how delivery changes the meaning of a line. My actor dream was encouraged by having parts in Shakespearean dramas, a principal role in Hello Dolly, and the lead role in Bus Stop. All good stuff for an actor.

One other thing I learned was how important rehearsals were in preparing us, the cast, to the actual staging of the play. Repeating it over and over again helps each character fashion their role as part of the whole. This lesson, however, does not always apply in real life.

Rehearsing bad experiences, or rehashing troubles is not helpful, and results in experiencing discomfort and pains many times over. We are meant to go through the pain of trouble only once, when it actually occurs and there is no point in multiplying the suffering.

Our Lord tells us to “come to me” and relax in his peace. He tells us that it will strengthen us and prepare us for this day, taking away our fear and turning it into confident trust. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus makes it very clear that when we come to him, with all of our burdens and difficulties, and troubles, that we will find peace and rest because, as he puts it, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.  When we come to Him and surrender our hurts to the gentleness of His yoke, we need not repeat the pain.

It’s hard for us to face a day when we know there is something in the road ahead that will not be easy for us. And yet if we place our faith and trust in Jesus, and believe what he tells us when he says my yoke is easy and my burden is light, that should give us a lift, a sense of confidence, peace as we enter the day. Trusting in the Lord is the key.  Amen.

 

Finding Rest:

Rest is a gift from God to be received and practiced. In our modern culture, it’s easy to get caught up in doing more and rushing faster. But sometimes life seems to go, go, go and it is exhausting, and we often feel like we can’t keep up. Running harder seems to be the thing to do, so we try. But no matter, the harder we try, we just cannot keep up and life feels too hard to keep going. We know we need to rest, but we don’t know how.

Do you believe that Jesus offers you rest and peace, and it is completely free?  From the very beginning of the Bible God, Himself sets an example for us. After six days of creating the world, the Bible tells us, “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done” (Genesis 2:2). It is feee, but it is not easy to fully trust and have active faith in our Lord. The point is, it works!

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear Father, thank You that I can come close to You, knowing that the barrier of sin has been removed. Thank You that You give me true rest for my soul and perfect peace in my heart, and that in the midst of any storm, Your peace that passes human understanding remains. Look with mercy on those who have not yet come to you for salvation. Convict their hearts of their need to come to You and trust in Your redemptive blood for the forgiveness of sin. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

 

Shepherd of My Soul

WATCHWORD:

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me. all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 Continue reading

I Do Not Know That Man!

WATCHWORD:

54 So they seized him and led him to the high priest’s residence, and Peter followed at a distance. 55 The soldiers lit a fire in the courtyard and sat around it for warmth, and Peter joined them there. 56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she spoke: “This man was with Jesus!” 57 Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know the man!” 58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No sir, I am not!” Peter replied. Luke 22:54-58 Continue reading

Imagine

WATCHWORD:

God says, ‘In the last days I will send My Spirit on all men. Then your sons and daughters will speak God’s Word. Your young men will see what God has given them to see. Your old men will dream dreams.’ Acts 2:17

14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. 15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.” 16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” 17 So Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams.  25 Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.  Genesis 41:4, 15-17, 25 Continue reading

Utopia, Plan B

WATCHWORD:

Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore, I shall call upon Him as long as I live. Psalm 116:2

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” Psalm 50:15

7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” Numbers 14:7-9

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