Self-control But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other. Galatians 5:22–26 NIV Twelve months have passed since I first began …
“Gentle Jesus meek and mild, look upon a little child” – this well-known children’s hymn, sometimes used as a prayer, seems very fitting during the Advent season because as we approach Christmas, the model of gentleness takes centre stage. Jesus’ humble birth in a manger amidst the busy town of Bethlehem exemplifies the gentle nature of our God. Here our Lord is born in the humblest of places – an animal shelter no less – who would suspect?
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Faithfulness
Driving home after celebrating the beginning of another new year, I was surprised at how quiet and uneventful the streets of our little town were. It was relatively early for New Year’s Eve, around 12:30 am, the night was calm, the air crisp. Having just welcomed in 2023 and thinking about what the year ahead may bring, I noticed a movement to the left of my vision. There he was making a surprise appearance, entering unannounced, a huge grey kangaroo heading like a moth toward my headlights. It all appeared like slow motion – him bounding, my reacting as I slammed my foot hard against the brake. I managed to miss him; I don’t know how but I do know his fur polished my fender! Talk about a jolt to the new year! It crossed my mind; could this be a sign that 2023 would be a year of near misses!
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After our mother passed away, my sisters and I had the task of sorting through her belongings. Whilst the majority of our mother’s household items were passed on to charity, there were sentimental objects that remained far too precious for us to ever give away. One of those items I happened to come across while sorting through an old brown suitcase. In my hand I held something very familiar to me. A simple black book with the word “visitors” embossed in gold on the font cover. Read the full devotion …
In our backyard we have several fruit trees. One of my favourites is a peach tree that my mother grew from the seed of a particularly sweet, juicy peach she had purchased from a supermarket. Affectionately called “Mum’s Peach”, this little tree has had good years and not so good years, mostly depending on whether I have remembered to spray for curly leaf. When I have neglected to spray, my yields are severely impacted. The fruit is generally fewer and smaller. However, when I have placed time and effort into controlling this disease, then the fruit is usually large, sweet, and juicy just like the original parent fruit that my mother had purchased all those years before. Read the full devotion …
It was the morning of the second day of winter, a grey blanket of cloud hung low stretching to the horizon. Drizzly rain smeared my windscreen making everything seem even greyer. Soggy paddocks anchored a patchwork of woolly sheep huddled together to conserve some heat. Even the birds had perched closely on the telephone wires leaving no gaps between their feathers.
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Have you ever had a trying day and then, out of the blue, someone comes along and shows a little kindness toward you? I remember one such day when it seemed that everything that could go wrong, did go wrong – a day when I should have stayed in bed! Then quite out of the blue I was handed a beautiful red rose. The person who gave it to me had made a special trip to my place of work and, as she handed me the rose, she whispered, “I feel you needed this today”, and with that, she left. I do not know how she knew, but I do know that God knew.
Which Way? If there is one thing that unsettles me, it is when I am lost. Unlike my husband who has an inbuilt compass, I cannot go anywhere without my phone, and just in case technology may fail, I dust off the old “Melways” for good measure! I like to know where I am headed, the route I will be taking and the estimated time of arrival. So, I cannot imagine trekking through the wilderness …
Who do you think you are?
On 13 October, a long time ago, I was born. On 10 November one month later, I was born again. And although my birthday is the day I celebrate each year, 10 November is even more significant. This is the day I was baptised. On this day God placed his mark on me and declared: you are mine! Often when I contemplate this, I think of how different my situation could have been. For instance, if I wasn’t born into a Christian home, I have no doubt my journey through life would have taken me on quite a different route.
Joyful Tribulation Last year the Lutheran Women Vic/Tas Convention was held at Laverton, and I had arranged with three other committee members to carpool. I was looking forward to a road trip with these ladies; we planned to meet at my house for lunch before we headed off. The car we were travelling in was a beautifully maintained 1990 Toyota Cressida that my friend’s husband recommended we take. It reminded me of Dr Who’s Tardis …
Oh perfect Love! One of my favourite chapters in the Bible is Luke 19. Here we have the account of Zacchaeus, a man who as the NKJV Bible states, “sought to see who Jesus was”. Yet, because of his short stature, he was unable to see above the crowd. To alleviate his problem, he has an idea. Running ahead of the crowd he decides to climb up a sycamore tree – a good vantage point. …
Heavenly fruits When Grace sent me an email with the request to consider contributing devotions for Lutheran Women 2023, one the first things I did before giving my answer was to open my Bible and read the theme for the year – “Fruits of the Spirit”. And there they were in all their loveliness in Galatians chapter 5: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As I slowly read the verse, allowing …