Didn't You Used to Be...? - Devotions from the Road of Life

In an old movie I saw recently, a scene took place between a faded celebrity and a cocky young man. The young fellow approached the older one in a restaurant and asked, in a sneering tone, "Didn't you used to be...?" and he gave the character's name.

The young man meant to demean the older man in an attempt to impress his buddies. His tone implied "You're a has-been. You're nobody now, just an object of pity. You're a relic."

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The Miracle of Twelfth Night - Devotions from the Road of Life

Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo Da Vinci

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” Matthew 2:10-12, King James Version

January 6 marks Kings Day or Twelfth Night, the day traditionally set aside as the arrival of the wise men at the birthplace of Jesus. In some cultures, the day is celebrated as Little Christmas.

I often wonder about the magi. The Bible doesn’t tell us a lot about them. We have no names or detailed descriptions, only the bare bones facts that they came, they worshipped, they brought gifts and they thwarted Herod’s plan to locate the Holy Infant.
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Watch Night - Devotions from the Road of Life

"When I was a child, my family attended a small neighborhood church, Grace Baptist Church in New Orleans. We didn’t have a lot in terms of money or pomp, but we had a devoted pastor who worked hard to keep his little flock on track."

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No Room - a Christmas Edition of Devotions from the Road of Life

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7, King James Version

“No Vacancy.” The sign means good news for an innkeeper, but trouble for a traveler. The situation was no different that first Christmas. Although Luke doesn’t tell us so, I can picture Joseph and Mary trudging from one place to another in growing desperation.

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A Song of Thanks, A Hymn of Praise - Devotions from the Road of Life

“And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.”  Mark 8:6-9 (King James Version)

We come now, God, to give Thee thanks, and ask

That Thou will show us how to act as one

To share all that which we receive in Thee

With others who have less, or worse yet, none.

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An Elijah Christmas - Devotions from the Road of Life

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 1 Kings 17: 13-16, King James Version


"One of my favorite Christmas memories comes from the late 1970s. Back then, times were tough and money was tight-a lot like things are today. My husband, my son and I didn’t have a lot, but we had enough to get by, even if there was nothing left over afterward. Christmas was a lot of fun anyway, because I always started planning on December 26 for the next year."

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Smooth the Stumbling Blocks - Devotions from the Road of Life

“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” Romans 14:13 (King James Version).

Today the US Supreme Court is hearing a case dealing with protesters picketing funerals of deceased military personnel. Members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, KS, were sued for interrupting the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder with protests, stating their belief that “…U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are punishment for Americans' immorality, including tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.”(1)...


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