Corinne Furtney – PresbyCan Daily Devotional

Amazing Love

Corinne Furtney — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 05:50:00 +0000

In our Bible study, we have been looking at the Easter story. It was a six-week study, so we have been able to really look at the events in depth. I have heard the story many times, and perhaps you have as well. I am finding that when I study something in depth, I get a different perspective, and I learn new things.

Matthew 26:67 – Then they spit in [Jesus'] face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him. (NIV)

Matthew 27:26-31 – Then [Pilate] released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. (NIV)

So what did the people do? They spit in His face, struck Him with their fists, slapped Him, had Him flogged, stripped Him, put a crown of thorns on His head, mocked Him, spit on Him some more, struck His head again and again, and led Him away to crucify Him. It wasn't over yet. They drove nails into His hands and feet, hurled insults at Him when He was on the cross, gambled away His clothes, and struck Him in the side with a spear.

Wow! I have heard the Easter story before, but this is the first time that it made me really stop and think. When we actually look at what the people did to Jesus, it was horrible. He was innocent of any crime. Jesus went through all of this for me — for us all. On the cross, He took on the sin and the weight of the world. He had to suffer so that we could have salvation.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing love. Thank You that You would send Your Son to endure a personal injustice in our place. May we remember the love that You gave for us all and in turn share it with others. Amen.

Don't I Know You?

Corinne Furtney — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:50:00 +0000

Luke 15:18-20 – "I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants." So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (NIV 2011)

I was born and raised in Canada, and this will always be my home. One year after I graduated from high school, I moved to the United States. There I studied, trained, and worked for a total of ten years. I had learned, accomplished my goals, and changed a lot over those years and finally reached a point when I wanted to move back home.

I had lost touch with most of the people I knew, grew up with, and went to school with. As I commuted on the train into the city, I often looked around and wondered if any of the other commuters were people I had gone to school with or who at one point had lived in my neighbourhood. From time to time, I would come across a familiar face and spend hours, or sometimes days, trying to figure out where I knew them from and who they were. Or I would read about a person and think, Wait a minute, I know that name, but I can't picture what they look like. Did they attend my high school? Did I know them from a church I attended? What other activities was I involved in growing up that this person might have been in as well? Occasionally, I would figure it out, but sometimes, I wouldn't. I recognized their face, but the context was so different that I couldn't remember their name. Or I could recognize their name but couldn't picture their face or remember how I knew them.

Sometimes, this happens in our relationship with God. Our church attendance begins to dwindle for whatever reason. Slowly, we begin to drift away from God. We forget about Him, the times we spent together, the conversations we had, and the grace He showed us. His name and His mercies begin to fade. From time to time, we get a reminder of His name or His presence with us, but we have a difficult time figuring out what happened to the relationship we had.

How amazing it is that God doesn't forget our name or face! No matter how far we drift away, He is always there with open arms waiting to welcome us back.

Luke 15:32 – But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. (NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You that You don't forget our names or what we look like, no matter how much time has elapsed or how much we have let our relationship with You deteriorate. Thank You for waiting for us with loving, open arms. Amen.

God's Living Room

Corinne Furtney — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:50:00 +0000

When I was a child, my mother worked at the church we attended. Sometimes, I would go to work with her. I would usually stay in the office and play with the toys I had brought or look through the cupboards at the cool things, like boxes of paper clips, squishy tubes of ink for the Gestetner machine, and reams of coloured paper. One day, I ventured out into the sanctuary. I remember thinking how different it was during the week than on Sunday. I walked to the front, went up on the platform, and stood behind the pulpit. I always wondered what the minister saw when he looked out on a Sunday morning.

I began to wonder if God called the sanctuary His living room. After all, I was in His "house" and when children are seven years old, they take everything literally. I thought about the living room in our house and how it was usually quiet and empty during the week, but it came alive on Sundays with family and friends. After church on Sunday evening, our living room would be filled with people whom my parents invited back to our house for fellowship. So I decided that yes, this must be God's living room. It is rather quiet and empty during the week but on Sundays it becomes alive with family and friends praising and worshipping God.

Matthew 19:14 – Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (NIV)

There was one thing that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. I knew that God loved children. I knew this because in God's house there was a room for children to rest or sleep, and then there were three rooms full of toys to play with. All the adults got in God's house were hard pews to sit on in His living room!

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

My childish views and wonderings about God's house have changed over the years. I do realize that God doesn't show His love for us by what He gives us in His house — toys versus hard pews. One way He shows His love is by what He gave us on the cross. The greatest act of love shown to us was in sacrificing His Son for us, to take our place for the sins we have committed. God's love is so vast that He loves the whole world. All are welcome into His house to experience His love.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You that You love us so much that You sent Your Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. May we, through Your example, show love to one another. Amen.

On The Road Again

Corinne Furtney — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 08:50:00 +0000

Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (NIV)

I have spent my life moving. So far, I have moved twenty times, including once as recently as this past January. Only once have I lived five years in one house. Being just in my late thirties, it is hard to believe that I could have moved that often, but this has been my life. Over the years, the reasons for moving have changed. As a child, my family would move as we outgrew a house and needed more space. My dad's job required him to transfer to different places as he was promoted to better positions within the company for which he worked. My educational pursuits took me to three different cities and two different countries. Finally, when it came to securing my own job, I have found that I am often required to move where I can find employment.

As a young child, I remember saying that when I grow up, I want to be "from somewhere", and I still believe that someday, that will happen.

Even though there has been a lot of change in my life, the one constant thing that I have had is church. The building and the name would be different but no matter where we moved, my family always found a church that we could be a part of and attend.

As a young teenager, I found today's Scripture. The people of Israel were being reassured that though they were facing an enemy in battle, God would fulfill His promise not to leave them until He had given them victory over their enemies and put them in the land where they belong. This verse became such a comfort to me in all my moving, because I know that this promise is still true for every believer today. We can take comfort in knowing that whatever new challenges or battles we face, we can get strength and courage from God who is always with us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for going before us and for being with us no matter where we are. Thank You for the comfort in knowing that through Your presence with us, we can face whatever life throws our way, because You will never leave us nor forsake us. Amen.

Taking A Look Inside

Corinne Furtney — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:50:00 +0000

When I was in graduate school, I was part of a group that modelled a certain technique to the class using a fish bowl exercise. How it worked was that a group of six of us plus the professor sat in a circle working our way through a technique we were learning, while the rest of the class sat in a circle around the outside of us, looking in and watching. At the end of this five-week demonstration, those of us in the fish bowl exercise each took out a piece of paper and wrote our name on it. We then passed it around the circle, and one by one, we would write an encouraging comment for the person whose name was at the top. The comments were pointing out the strengths we saw in each other during this exercise. The professor then wanted us to keep it in our purse or wallet, and then, when we started working and found we were getting discouraged or had a bad day, we should pull out this paper, re-read it, remember the strengths people saw in us, and gain encouragement from others.

I found this paper today when I was cleaning out an old purse. I had forgotten all about it, but I will admit that it made me smile to read what people wrote about me so many years ago and to think how much my life has changed since then. It made me think that everyone should have something they can pull out and read, to make them smile when they are discouraged or having a bad day. We are fortunate to have such a thing available to us: the Bible! There are many encouraging words found within its pages. All we have to do is take a look inside:

In God's eyes, we are beautiful:
Genesis 1:27a – So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them. (NIV 2011)
Psalm 139:14a – I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (NIV)

We are not alone:
Jeremiah 29:13 – You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (NIV)
Hebrews 13:5b – Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (NIV)

God wants us to be fulfilled:
Matthew 7:7 – Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (NIV)

We are loved:
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the Bible. May we faithfully read it and find the love and encouragement that You have for us, not just when we need encouraging, but daily, so that we may grow closer to You. Amen.

Amid The Chaos

Corinne Furtney — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:50:00 +0000

Luke 2:1,3-7 – In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (NIV 2011)

For the past several years, I have come to dread Christmas. The build-up to the day is huge! Streets and mall parking lots are crowded with people in search of bargains or this year's fad toy for their child. There's the pressure of trying to figure out what gifts to give the family and whether I can out-do what I did last year. Another pressure for me is the fact that my family lives in another country, so it means travelling every year for Christmas. Sometimes, I just want to be in my own home. Finally, Christmas Day arrives, and by about noon, all the excitement has died down, and I feel a big letdown. It's over. I got through another one, I usually think to myself.

Wow! How easy it is to get caught up in the whirlwind of the commercialism of Christmas! I wonder how we got so far away from the real meaning of that special day. I'm sure, though, that the roads were crowded for Mary and Joseph as well, as people were travelling back to their home towns to be counted in the census. All the inns were filled with travellers, and there was no room for Mary and Joseph to stay — other than in a stable out back. As they were settling into the stable, in the unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable surroundings, I wonder if Mary wanted to be in her own home, too. Why did the census have to take place now? Long travels, uncomfortable stable, loud, perhaps smelly animals — yet amid all this chaos, a little Child was born — a Saviour — a King. This is the true meaning of Christmas — and the real reason to celebrate!

Prayer: Loving God, how easy it is to get caught up in what is going on around us, so that we lose sight of the real reason to celebrate Christmas. Amid the chaos of this Christmas season, may we focus on and be reminded of that little Child, our Saviour and King, Your gift to us, the greatest gift we will ever receive. Amen.

My Plans

Corinne Furtney — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:50:00 +0000

"I didn't climb the corporate ladder as quickly as I wanted." "I am not able to have children." "My family isn't as close as I wanted them to be." "My job isn't as prestigious as my friend's." "My car isn't the latest model."

How many times have we said or thought something similar to those statements? I find that it is often too easy to focus on the negative. I look around at what others have, compare my life to theirs, and then get discouraged because I don't have what I think I should have in my life. My life didn't turn out the way I had planned.

Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

When I get discouraged, I start writing a list of all the things that I do have in my life. It is a very simple idea, but it helps me to realize all the blessings in my life. I think about what I want and don't have and am reminded that perhaps, in God's perfect plan for my life, those things may not be helpful or useful for me right now in serving God and carrying out His will. That is not always easy for me to accept. It is also a great reminder for me that I need to trust that God will provide all that I need when I need it. His timing is perfect, and His plans for us are far better than anything we can begin to plan for ourselves.

Prayer: Loving God, help us not to become so easily discouraged when our plans don't work out the way we think they should. Your plans and timing are perfect. May we always be thankful, even when it is difficult. Amen.