Author: Dwight Clough

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. — Psalm 1:2 NIVSometimes wonderful things are hidden in plain sight. Yesterday’s challenge is an example. The passage was the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:2-17:2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.3 "You shall have no other gods before me.4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not…

Instead you thrill to GOD’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. — Psalm 1:2 The MessageBelow is a paraphrase of a famous scripture passage. Can you identify it?Your freedom is uppermost in my mind; I don’t let slave traders hold hands with you. Keep in mind: There are bullies who would abuse you. That’s why I won’t entrust your protection to anything you can create. Understand that I love you, passionately, and I don’t want anybody stealing you away from Me. I treat you with care; I expect you to treat Me with reverence.I guard your dignity. It…

… He cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:7Some parents want to form a relationship with their children. They listen to them. They care about their feelings. They validate them. They understand that their children are also human beings who are learning to interpret their experiences and make responsible decisions. They gain their leadership role in a child’s life primarily from the relational investment.Other parents want to control their children. The child’s feelings and experiences are irrelevant; what matters is the child’s attitude and behavior. They don’t want to "spoil" their child. They gravitate quickly to the "spare the rod…

You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;you have stolen my heartwith one glance of your eyes,with one jewel of your necklace. — Song of Solomon 4:9I asked my dear wife if I should rerun this devotional from two years ago, and she said "yes." Here goes:I just got back from the store where I stood among a group of husbands, who, like me, waited until the last possible moment to buy flowers and a card. As we pawed through the cards that were supposed to express our love for our wives, I turned to the these other men…

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. — Psalm 23:6There’s something very comforting about having a home. Over twenty years ago I worked as a parole officer for the state of Ohio. My job involved a great deal of driving as I served two or three rural counties. At the time, I was coming to terms with my own feelings of isolation born partly of being an Air Force brat and moving over 25 times by the time I was 25. I remember well the lonely feeling of wanting to drive and drive and drive, and then…

… my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life … — Psalm 23:5-6We aren’t going to be disappointed. When we discover who we truly are in God, we may be overwhelmed, but we won’t feel cheated. God is not stingy. For me, my children’s clothing has been a metaphor of God’s provision. We have four children. The oldest is fifteen. In the last fifteen years, we have spent very little on children’s clothing. In fact, often when we did spend money, the next day someone (without knowing what we bought), went out…

You anoint my head with oil … — Psalm 23:5In the movie, Forrest Gump, Forrest’s mother is dying and he asks her, "What is my destiny, Mama?"She shakes her head. "You’re going to have to figure that out for yourself," she says.His question grabs me. I don’t know about you, but I want to know my name. I want to know who I am and why I’m here. I know why people are here; I read Rick Warren’s Purpose-Driven Life, and, of course, I’ve read the Bible. But why am I here? What unique place do I have in this…

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. — Psalm 23:5Talk about cocky! I am glad that we serve a self-confident God. He is so sure of Himself that He spreads out the tablecloth, opens the picnic basket and sits down with His little children right in the middle of the battlefield.And there’s nothing the enemies can do about it! This is beyond victory. This is a gentle reminder that God is in a totally different league than His enemies. Even despite our many mistakes and vulnerabilities, He is certain of triumph.I don’t underestimate the power…

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. — Psalm 23:4I remember a kid – we called him Goldilocks – he was going to beat up my brother after school. At the appointed time, we all assembled. Goldilocks and his cronies. My brother and me. There was a lot of talk. It was going to be ten to one – the whole gang against my brother. And, if I wanted to get beat up too, then I was…

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. — Psalm 23:3Let’s review what this verse DOESN’T say. He doesn’t guide me because I’m a really nice guy. He doesn’t guide me because I’m a real man. He doesn’t guide me because I think I’m spiritual, or because my second grade teacher put stars on my papers. God guides me for a reason bigger than me, a reason outside of me, a reason that doesn’t depend on me.I don’t know about you, but I need verses like this one, and also Psalm 25:8 (God instructs sinners in His…