NIV DEVOTIONAL FOR MOM

Monday Morning Blues Verse: Ecclesiastes 7:13-18 Additional Scripture Readings: Psalms 42:5   Isaiah 61:1-3 Whether experienced as “Monday morning blues,” “rainy day feelings,” “winter blahs,” or just “down days,” folks struggle with bouts of depression. Moms are no exception. Depression is generally defined as discouragement resulting from the experience of loss or internalized anger. We who walk through its valley of shadows tend to consider ourselves abnormal and even condemn our pessimistic periods, seeing them as detours from faith. Many Christian psychologists and theologians are attempting to change this negative view. The truth is that life is tough. Adjusting to it is hard. While we are immeasurably strengthened through our relationship with Christ, we will still face difficult adjustments in life. In some cases, we may need the help of a trained professional to successfully travel through deep valleys. But on other days, we do well to remind ourselves of the truth of Ecclesiastes 7:14: “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other.” There are fifty-two Monday mornings each year. On your next blue Monday, take the advice of the writer of Ecclesiastes: stop and “consider.” This devotion is from the NIV Mom’s Devotional Bible by Zondervan. Used with permission.

 

 

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The Holy Spirit: Wild-eyed Fanatics

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.—1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 This is a crude illustration, but let me tell you what we did after planting a field of corn when I was a young fellow in Pennsylvania. To save the field of corn from the crows, we would shoot an old crow and hang him by his heels in the middle of the field. This was supposed to scare off all of the crows for miles around. The crows would hold a conference and say, “Look, there is a field of corn but don’t go near it. I saw a dead crow over there!” That’s the kind of conference that Satan calls, and that is exactly what he has done. He has taken some fanatical, weird, wild-eyed Christians who do things that they shouldn’t, and he has stationed them in the middle of God’s cornfield, and warns, “Now, don’t you go near that doctrine about the Holy Spirit because if you do, you will act just like these wild-eyed fanatics.” The Counselor, 63. “Keep us, Lord, from shying away from such valuable truth and experience as the ministry of the Holy Spirit because of the excesses of a few fanatics. We lose too much, and we can’t afford the loss. Amen.”

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A Suitable Helper

“The Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:22 From the beginning, God was clear about a woman’s primary role in this world. Genesis 2:18 reads: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” No one took her role as helper more seriously than Jane Hill, late wife of Los Angeles pastor E. V. Hill. She loved him deeply and devoted herself to his needs. E. V. once received a death threat from gang members indicating he would be killed the next day. He woke up the following morning “thankful to be alive,” as he told it later. “But I noticed that [Jane] was gone. I looked out my window, and my car was gone. I went outside and finally saw her driving up, still in her robe. I said, ‘Where have you been?’ She said, ‘I… I… it just occurred to me that they [could have] put a bomb in that car last night, and if you had gotten in there you would have been blown away. So I got up and drove it. It’s all right.’” A man is fortunate indeed when his wife is his devoted helper— whether she bakes him a cake, soothes his aching muscles, or even puts her life on the line for him. No role demonstrates more beautifully the way Jesus shows His love for each of us. Just between us… (husband) Does the role of “helper” seem insulting to you? (husband) Is it easy for you to “serve” me as your husband? (husband) Do I notice and respond when you do? (wife) Which aspect of my support means the most to you? (wife) Dear Lord, thank You for creating me to help and serve my husband. I embrace this ministry with all my heart! Grant me Your wisdom, strength, and joy in this calling. Bless him through my every word and deed. Amen. From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.