Time Out! Devotions

(devotional written by Max Lucado from MaxLucado.com)

The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. — John 10:3

WHEN I SEE a flock of sheep I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of wool. A herd of hooves. I don’t see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike. None different. That’s what I see.

But not so with the shepherd. To him every sheep is different. Every face is special. Every face has a story. And every sheep has a name. The one with the sad eyes, that’s Droopy. And the fellow with one ear up and the other down, I call him Oscar. And the small one with the black patch on his leg, he’s an orphan with no brothers. I call him Joseph.

The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.

When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. Filling a stadium or flooding a mall. When we see a crowd, we see people, not persons, but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That’s what we see.

But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name. The one with the sad eyes, that’s Sally. The old fellow with one eyebrow up and the other down, Harry’s his name. And the young one with the limp? He’s an orphan with no brothers. I call him Joey.

The Shepherd knows his sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it. “I have written your name on my hand“ (Isaiah 49:16).

Quite a thought, isn’t it? Your name on God’s hand. Your name on God’s lips. Maybe you’ve seen your name in some special places. On an award or diploma or walnut door. Or maybe you’ve heard your name from some important people—a coach, a celebrity, a teacher. But to think that your name is on God’s hand and on God’s lips . . . my, could it be?

Or perhaps you’ve never seen your name honored. And you can’t remember when you heard it spoken with kindness. If so, it may be more difficult for you to believe that God knows your name.

But he does. Written on his hand. Spoken by his mouth. Whispered by his lips. Your name. And not only the name you now have, but the name he has in store for you. A new name he will give you . . .

When God Whispers Your Name is a book of hope. A book whose sole aim is to encourage. I’ve harvested thoughts from a landscape of fields. And though their size and flavors are varied, their purpose is singular: to provide you, the reader, with a word of hope. I thought you could use it.

You’ve been on my mind as I’ve been writing. I’ve thought of you often. I honestly have. Over the years I’ve gotten to know some of you folks well. I’ve read your letters, shaken your hands, and watched your eyes. I think I know you.

You’re busy. Time passes before your tasks are finished. And if you get a chance to read, it’s a slim chance indeed.

You’re anxious. Bad news outpaces the good. Problems outnumber solutions. And you are concerned. What future do your children have on this earth? What future do you have?

You’re cautious. You don’t trust as easily as you once did.

Politicians lied. The system failed. The minister compromised. Your spouse cheated. It’s not easy to trust. It’s not that you don’t want to. It’s just that you want to be careful.

There is one other thing. You’ve made some mistakes. I met one of you at a bookstore in Michigan. A businessman, you seldom came out of your office at all and never to meet an author. But then you did. You were regretting the many hours at work and the few hours at home and wanted to talk.

And the single mom in Chicago. One kid was tugging, the other crying, but juggling them both, you made your point. “I made mistakes,” you explained, “but I really want to try again.”

And there was that night in Fresno. The musician sang and I spoke and you came. You almost didn’t. You almost stayed home. Just that day you’d found the note from your wife. She was leaving you. But you came anyway. Hoping I’d have something for the pain. Hoping I’d have an answer. Where is God at a time like this?

And so as I wrote, I thought about you. All of you. You aren’t malicious. You aren’t evil. You aren’t hardhearted, (hardheaded occasionally, but not hardhearted). You really want to do what is right. But sometimes life turns south. Occasionally we need a reminder.

Not a sermon.

A reminder.

A reminder that God knows your name.

From When God Whispers Your Name
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1999) Max Lucado

(Bible study from the May 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

As far back as creation, God declared that “it is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We were created for relationship with the Lord and each other. Although the rugged individualist has been promoted as an American hero, such self-sufficiency leads to relational poverty. Scripture offers insightful glimpses into the benefits of having a faithful friend in a time of need.

Examples of Rich Friendships:

• Despite threats by his own father—King Saul—Jonathan remained a loyal friend to David (1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20:1-42).
• Nathan was willing to deliver a difficult reproof to David when he needed correction (2 Samuel 12:1-13).
• Daniel and his three friends came together in a time of danger to seek God’s deliverance (Daniel 2:12-19).
• The paralytic’s friends carried him and persevered in bringing him to Jesus for help (Luke 5:17-20).
• Paul’s friends sought to protect him from harm and cared for him when he was imprisoned (Acts 19:31; 24:23; 27:3).

Because the church has been called to interdependence, being a friend in the time of a person’s need is exactly what Christians are commanded to do. Consider the similarities between these Old Testament descriptions of a faithful friend and the New Testament’s instructions for believers.

Characteristics of a Good Friend:

• Loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
  
• Sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24; Ephesians 4:1-3)
  
• Shows compassion in times of suffering (Psalms 35:13-14; Romans 12:15)
  
• Offers wise counsel (Proverbs 27:9; Colossians 3:16)
  
• Does not slander or tear down but speaks gracious words that edify (Psalms 15:3; Ephesians 4:29)
  
• Shows kindness that encourages faithfulness to God (Job 6:14; Colossians 3:12-14)
  
• Intercedes in prayer (Job 42:10; Ephesians 6:18)
  
• Can be trusted, even when speaking hard truths (Proverbs 27:6; Galatians 6:1-2)

(devotional by Max Lucado from maxlucado.com)

“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7

“For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.”
Deuteronomy 4:31

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

“The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He drove out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’”
Deuteronomy 33:27

“For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.”
1 Samuel 12:22

“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me up.”
Psalms 27:10

“GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalms 46:1

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Psalms 147:3

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10

“‘For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My loving kindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ Says the LORD who has compassion on you.”
Isaiah 54:10

“Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”
John 14:1

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
John 14:18

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written, FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35-39

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU.”
Hebrews 13:5