<![CDATA[Sandra Crawford - Devotionals]]>Wed, 11 Sep 2024 23:50:51 -0700Weebly<![CDATA['Twas the Night Before Christmas...by Sandra Crawford]]>Mon, 12 Dec 2016 02:06:49 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/twas-the-night-before-christmasby-sandra-crawfordA bit of a new twist to an old classic Christmas story...Enjoy! Merry Christmas to all.

‘Twas the night before Christmas in Bethlehem’s town,
A King was arriving, but not with a crown.
He wasn’t seen travelling in chariots of gold,
But surely was royal as the prophets foretold.
 
‘Twas not yet a man, nor even a lad,
Still to be greeted by his own mum and dad.
Chosen by God, a virgin called Mary,
Was blessed to hear of the son she would carry.
 
Pondering all of these things in her heart,
She and her beau, they both did their part.
Divinely ordained, this son would be born,
Descending from heaven, a realm that seems foreign.
 
A bright shining star in the east was the sign,
The King had come forth, for now was the time!
Mary and Joseph sought refuge in vain,
The baby was coming, Mary cried out in pain!
 
Joseph was panicked, but quick on his feet,
He found a wee shelter-a roof but no heat.
Surrounded by cattle, and hay on the floor,
The baby was born but don’t think them poor.
 
For here in her arms was a babe like no other,
Mary was blessed to be called as his mother.
Voices of angels sang proclamation,
‘The savior is born-he’ll bless every nation.’
 
The shepherds nearby, were curious to see,
“What was the fuss, who could he be?”
They followed the star, right to the spot,
Where Jesus lay sleeping upon a wee cot.
 
Approaching the manger, they saw a great light,
It came from the child, so bold and so bright!
All who beheld him, were touched by his glory,
They knew it was special, and oh what a story!
 
Shout from the rooftops, to the south and the north,
To the east and the west, “A saviour’s come forth!”
No longer will men be bound up by sin,
‘cause Satan’s defeated and God’s team will win!
 
His precious son Jesus, chose to come down,
To walk on the earth, forsaking his crown.
His days they were short—he trained up some brothers,
To walk in his ways, to teach and tell others.
 
He chose a great crew, 12 men in his fold,
‘Come follow me,’ is what they were told.
One Simon, called Peter, one Simon with zeal,
Thomas who questioned ‘are you the real deal?’
 
Bartholomew, Philip, Thaddeus were some,
Matthew replied, “I too will come!”
Two men called James, an Andrew and John,
And Judas, a traitor, who didn’t live long.
 
They took up the challenge to spread the good news,
To synagogues houses and those in the pews.
They told of this Jesus and all that was done,
His death on the cross—a victory won.
 
They told of a love that never would fail,
That weathered each storm, through wind and through hail.
The people they clapped and shouted for joy,
Is this the same Jesus, who came as a boy?
 
For many had heard of Christmas eve’s night,
When light had come down and shone oh so bright.
For times they grew darker, they all searched for hope,
Looking for peace and ways they could cope.
For life and its trials were empty and bare,
Many sought joy, finding only despair.
 
This Jesus he offers a life that is rich,
It’s given for free, but there is just one hitch,
Your heart is the treasure he longs to hold near,
He calls you his friend--to him you are dear.
 
So during this season when dressing your tree,
Remember the gift – the one that comes free.
It’s not in a box, or tucked in a bag,
Or beautifully wrapped and marked with a tag.
 
More precious than rubies, more costly than gold,
It will not decay or ever grow old.
There’s plenty for all, an endless supply,
Have faith to believe, and stop asking why!
 
Say ‘yes’ to King Jesus, in this Christmas season,
For he is the light, and he is the reason,
We joyfully sing and praise his great name,
Reflecting upon that night when he came.
 
A future with hope, when trouble will cease,
Love shining brightly through God’s Prince of Peace.
]]><![CDATA[Single Women on the Mission Field]]>Fri, 01 Jul 2016 05:02:17 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/single-women-on-the-mission-field      Amy Carmichael, Gladys Alward, Lottie Moon and Mary Slessor—these are just a few missionaries of long ago whose stories continue to challenge and motivate us today—particularly single women who aspire to follow in their footsteps. Statistics show that there is still a strong presence of singles on the mission field, with a surprisingly high number of women (of all ages) embarking on the adventure of missions. OMF reports, of their current Canadian missionaries traveling abroad, 93% of the singles are in fact women. Over the centuries, the obstacles of travel have been mitigated putting the world within our reach. However, women missionaries of today have their fair share of challenges—some that are remarkably similar to heroines of the past; others that have emerged from progressive times and changing cultures.  
     Verna Aspray, octogenarian that continues to serve in many Asian nations, recalls that in her early years a woman over thirty was rarely accepted to be part of a mission, but thankfully, the sovereignty of God always prevails. Wisdom led one agency to make an exception in her case, welcoming her contributions, and today she continues to labor in the nations garnering a great harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God. Interestingly, another well-established mission organization, SIM, has noticed a trend of older women having an easier time transitioning onto the mission field due to their experience and maturity that lends to flexibility and contentment throughout the cross cultural adjustment.
     Trained as a nurse, it was Verna’s medical background that opened doors for the Gospel in many nations. Tribal villages placed no value on what she sought to teach, believing that “a women’s teaching has no flavor (value).” Her messages fell on deaf ears…until they sought essential medical care. As she continued to help them with their physical needs, she witnessed countless spiritual breakthroughs including many who were set free from opium addictions. Nancy Gibson, a 23 year veteran of SIM remarked that age is no longer a barrier to serve in missions. In fact, life experience proves to be one of the most valuable commodities in a woman’s kit bag.
     Although the numbers reflect a large percentage of women in the field today, how many have ignored the prompting from the Holy Spirit due to their age or their “single” status?  Having read that Jesus sent His disciples out in twos, how many women have discounted themselves as candidates for long term missions choosing to “wait for their mate” who has yet to make an appearance? Lottie Moon was said to have remarked, “I pray that no missionary will ever be as lonely as I have been.” The transparency of her confession is refreshing—it is human nature to long for a companion. Some of the women I spoke to said they rarely experienced loneliness due to the constant needs of the people which acted as a distraction of sorts, and often there was a strong sense of community amongst the villagers. Others candidly admitted that there were often times they felt the tug of loneliness, feeling the burden of having to wear so many hats from being the keeper of the vision to attending to all the details along the way. With a woman’s natural ability to multi-task, it seems that personal care and rest often suffers when there is no one walking with her to say “take a break” or “let me help you with that.” So what is the verdict on singles going out alone?
     Today we have the benefit of choosing to partner with ministries that have established infrastructure in foreign countries providing support to various degrees. This certainly makes the leap of faith less intimidating, but the most important considerations above all, are to know with certainty that you are called by God for the journey, and to wait for His command to go. An independent wanderlust heart may have the makings of a great missionary, but the season of preparation at the feet of the Lord is essential if one hopes to succeed on the mission field. It is in our daily life that we learn to discern and obey His voice, and where we will grow in wisdom and faith. As we delight ourselves in the Lord, His desires will become our own; yielding to His ways will become second nature and His love will compel us to carry on in the face of insurmountable odds. What seems like an endless season of waiting upon the Lord could actually be His divine providence in preparing us for what lies ahead.
     Many books have been written about the adventures of great ‘single’ missionary women who, for generations, have braved turbulent times, wars, health issues and cultural barriers to carry the Gospel to the nations. God is empowering a new generation of single women to run with the baton, whose stories have yet to unfold. We are from a long line of courageous women, fully prepared to stand up for Truth at any cost. As we look to the Lord, we dare to believe that He will use us for great exploits and that we may indeed be the next Corrie ten Boom. In the words of Mother Teresa, we will choose to simply be the pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.
 

]]><![CDATA[Keep Calm and Carry On]]>Tue, 12 Apr 2016 05:41:30 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/keep-calm-and-carry-on I love springtime—cherry blossoms, magnolias and sunshine! Although we have longer days, I feel that time is marching on much too fast for me to keep up with! Has it really been five years since Vancouver hosted the winter Olympics and sixteen years since Y2K?
This month I celebrate a personal milestone as I graduate from Bible College. Incredibly, it has been three and a half years since I made the decision to go back to school and I am delighted to be crossing the finish line. Last week the graduates were asked to share what the experience has meant to them—what they have learned, how they have changed and what they are looking forward to in their future. Initially, I thought this would be a straightforward task as so much has transpired in these past few years—I’d have more than enough to share! However, when I tried to put pen to paper, I realized I was so elated to be finishing up that “last” paper and my  “final” final exam that I had not given much attention to reflecting upon all that had been accomplished. In a sense I had been in survival mode, keeping my head down and forging ahead at a steady pace with the hope I would make it out alive! I’m beginning to see that times of transition are not to be taken lightly. In fact, this is the point where the Holy Spirit reveals many of the purposes behind all that we have endured!
The word for this year at my church has been about “crossing over” into our Promised Land and in March it became clear we had indeed “crossed” over into new territory—a new season had begun. When we read the account of Joshua leading the children of Israel across the Jordan River, God spectacularly holds back the waters to allow them to cross over on dry ground. When they had all made it to the other side, their first act was to build a monument as a testimony to the generations to come. It was done so “all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful” (Josh. 4:24) and that they would forever fear the Lord. I believe this sets an important precedent that we should be following today as believers—taking time to reflect upon our journey, to see how far we have come and to acknowledge where God was in our midst. This not only secures in our own heart the truth of what we have overcome, but brings glory to His name.
Before we set our eyes upon the next mountain to conquer, let’s set aside some quiet time to meet with the Lord, asking the Holy Spirit for revelation and insight on this past season. Often in these times we have tremendous losses—perhaps a job, a friend, a home or something else that we held dear. Perhaps we had to say goodbye to a close relative. We know that it is in these trials when we cling to the steadfast love of Christ. Although we don’t always like the circumstances, Christ is always there and it is to these challenges that we can attribute our growth. One thing I have come to understand is that when God redeems losses, rarely will things look like they used to. We cannot turn back the clock and what is lost is gone. We have left these losses on the other side of the river. I found great freedom in giving up the hope of something “coming back” to me. Instead, I looked towards how God was going to redeem it. This perspective makes room for joy rather than a longing and sadness for what is gone.
As you reflect upon what you are leaving behind, search your heart in answering these questions:
What has been your biggest challenge in this past season?
What did you learn about yourself and how did this experience change you?
How has your attitude towards others changed?
How has your outlook on life changed?
How do you see the church? How has your love for others grown?
Is there anyone that you feel you have not yet forgiven?
How have you experienced God’s grace and forgiveness?
How has your relationship with God grown?
What is the greatest attribute of God that you love?
What is the greatest gift God has placed within you?
What is the desire of your heart in this next season?
Take some time to meditate on Psalm 139—perhaps beside a local river. Then, when you are ready, declare this past chapter of your life to be closed as you offer it up to the Lord and await its redemption. Confess your hope and trust to be in Christ alone as you turn to face the inheritance that awaits you…then keep calm and carry on.
]]><![CDATA[The Whole Counsel of God]]>Sat, 17 Jan 2015 22:06:55 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/the-whole-counsel-of-god
It is not unusual to see small copies of the New Testament in circulation. Often it has been the first bible that new believers are handed. Naturally, this has prompted a discussion on how much weight the Old Testament carries and the importance (or lack thereof) that we place upon it.  “It’s all about Jesus” is the message we hear and we are under the “new” testament or “new” covenant of grace so other than giving us a history lesson, how much should we focus on the writings of the Old Testament? Plenty!  I think we’ve actually done a disservice to new believers by only giving them half the story with the pocket-sized New Testaments.  Beyond the obvious record of history, the Old Testament is filled with the richness of our ancestry.  Everyone is curious about where they’ve come from and seeks to define their family tree—this is ours!  From Genesis to Deuteronomy (Pentateuch) we have an explanation of our beginnings (something many faiths are unable to provide) and we learn about Israel’s Patriarchs.  We read of the mighty salvation from the slavery of Egypt, the trials of desert wanderings and the leadership of remarkable servants in Moses and Joshua. Throughout the changing face of the Ancient Near East we see how Israel is split into two territories, and then ultimately ends up in exile.  We can learn much from the rebellious hearts of God’s people and the graciousness of God to forgive them time after time as He gives them the promise and hope of restoration. 
Having an understanding of the events in the Old Testament times actually brings clarity and understanding to writings in the New Testament as many old prophecies are fulfilled.  The Old Testament teaches us about the fallen nature of man, the sovereignty of God, and His love to provide salvation for those in slavery. The New Testament reminds us that man is still in desperate need of a savior.
 From Genesis to Revelation we see the unchanging character of our almighty God and we develop a Holy fear of the One Whom holds all things in His hands.  John 1:1 refers to the Word as being with God “…and the Word was God.”   I’d say it is clear that we must give equal weight to the whole counsel of God studying both the Old and New Testament so we can begin to understand some of the mysteries of God as revealed through His Word of Truth.  My experience has been that it fosters a hunger to know Him even more.



 

]]><![CDATA[Praying like Jesus]]>Sun, 11 Jan 2015 00:37:57 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/praying-like-jesus As a new believer I was sold-out for Jesus realizing that the life I’d lived my way had become one huge disappointment.  Deeply touched by Jesus’ love, I committed to be a disciple for God, enthusiastically declaring “Here I am Lord, use me!” Well, as much as the Lord was no doubt pleased with my willingness to serve, I had a thing or two (or three) to learn about how vastly different His Kingdom is from all that I’d rehearsed in the ways of the world. Lesson #1 was prayer. Thankfully, He put a few people in my life that really had a heart for prayer, who continually ‘encouraged’ me to attend prayer meetings. Saturday mornings, prayer was held in a small room of the church for 3-4 hours. Yikes!  The very idea of praying for more than 10 minutes was intimidating, plus the fact that Saturdays were my one morning of the week to sleep-in! With the constant prodding and the promise that ‘you’ll be glad you came’ I eventually found the resolve to drag myself to these gatherings.  Initially, I felt like a bump on a log as I mentally wrestled with why I was there and felt completely inexperienced on how to pray.  Rarely would I contribute much as my insecurities arose in the company of such great leaders—those who just seemed to have the right way to address the Lord, God Almighty.  I realize now that even before I found the courage to say two words, I had been enrolled in the school of prayer. I began to understand that prayer is simply a conversation with God. In Luke 11:1, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.  What we know today as the Lord’s prayer is such a great place for us to begin as we turn our eyes and heart towards Him. Jesus’ prayers of John 17 are also significant as you read the heartfelt petitions that are filled with love and compassion not only for those Jesus prays for, but for His beloved heavenly Father.  If Jesus spent time alone in prayer, how much more should we? It is a discipline that we must adhere to as it is our spiritual sustenance. There will always be people and things that compete for our time and attention, so we must prioritize prayer.  Charles Stanley once said that he used to literally shut himself inside his closet to pray. I’ve tried it and I am always amazed at how quickly my mind and heart settle into prayer in a dark closet!  If you desire more of God—if you are desperate for direction or vision for your life, start with more prayer.   If you are struggling to be disciplined in this area, find a closet—you’ll be glad you did.


]]><![CDATA[God Sings?]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2015 01:13:48 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/god-sings Zephaniah 3:17 says how God will take great delight in Israel—that He will quiet them with His love and will rejoice over them with singing. The first time I ever heard this statement I was comforted by God’s tremendous love and tenderness.  It was only recently however, that I began to consider the imagery of this verse and the thought that God sings. I’ve imaged the sight and sound of angels singing or the saints around His throne worshipping, but never, ever considered that the King, the Lord God Almighty, also sings!   Somehow I just always thought of His children offering their songs of praise to Him and did not consider that God is the One who gave us our voices and the creativity of music and that maybe He too, likes to sing. Then I began to explore what it might sound like. Would the God of the universe only have one heavenly sound? Does He have a favorite genre?  Would His sweet melody sound like an entire orchestra?  I wonder if God whistles too! Considering the vastness of God, I would venture to say He never sings the same song twice.

When I think of a parent singing over a child, I generally revert to a scene of a mother humming sweet lullabies over her baby as he drifts off to sleep.  When our heavenly Father rejoices over us, it paints a very different picture—one of joy and celebration; the idea that we are fully awake.  So is it possible for us to hear this heavenly chorus?  God says that His sheep know the sound of the Good Shepherd’s voice.  We can and do hear His voice all the time, so is it too much to expect that we can hear His singing too?

Recently I have been learning that in order to walk in the fullness of God’s perfect “agape” love, it needs to come by His Spirit, not through our own strength. As we yield to His will, we experience Him working through us.  I am beginning to think that perhaps our worship follows this same principle.  As we show the desire to praise and worship, yield to the creative hand of His Spirit and engage in the music, we can ascend to new heights. We are often praying for a new sound to come forth from heaven—prophetic songs and worship that raise the water level of the Spirit. As we open our mouth to sing and we posture ourselves to hear the Spirit’s song, every note that we play will harmonize with heaven to create a new sound before the throne, worshipping the King.

How amazing is it that our Heaven Father, to whom all praise and worship is due, would choose to sing a song over us?  I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to sing to Him even more!

]]><![CDATA[Abraham! Look at the stars!]]>Wed, 07 Jan 2015 17:51:56 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/abraham-look-at-the-stars I recently watched Louie Giglio’s Indescribable video where he expertly presents one aspect of God’s greatness by comparing our planet to the rest of the universe.  If the earth was the size of a golf ball, the sun would measure fifteen feet in diameter. He then goes on to describe just how ‘small’ the sun in when compared to some of the stars in the Milky Way.  Before you’ve had adequate time to ponder those truths, he hits you with more extraordinary facts about our single galaxy that is only a tiny particle when compared to the rest of the universe.  When I looked up at the stars last night I realized that I had never considered that stars are so much larger than our planet. They are, after all, just a twinkle in the night sky.  I felt in awe of just how big God truly is and how small I am. Still, the God of the universe tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

When God told Abraham to look up at the stars and count them if he could, Abraham likely didn’t have the Louie Giglio perspective on how vast the universe is. Yet, to a man who had no children, the promise of having descendants as numerous as the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky was likely hard for him to fathom. How often do we feel the same way when God gives us a promise for our future? I am certain that we are all tested in the area of patience when waiting on its fulfillment!  In Genesis 22 we read God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his beloved Isaac—an act which certainly would seem contrary to the very promise he’d been given.  If God indeed was to bless him with more descendants than the stars, then why would He ask Abraham to kill his only son? Still, Abraham believed God and did not limit Him on how the promise would be fulfilled. In verse 18, God says, “…through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”  We see here that the promise was not only revived and affirmed, but was enhanced. His descendants would be numerous AND they would be blessed by the Lord because of Abraham’s obedience.

 I believe that we will all be tested as we steward the visions and promises from God.  God’s ways are indeed higher than our ways, so He may ask us to do things that outwardly appear to contradict the very direction of fulfilling the promise. Are we willing to lay down what is most precious to us and yield to God’s command? Do we really trust and believe that God will come through and keep His word or do we secretly formulate a backup plan?  I believe that Abraham was at the end of himself as his took Isaac’s hand, perhaps feeling completely broken at the thought of losing him; yet with courage he chose obedience. My hope is that we will all find the resolve to place God in his rightful place as Lord over all areas of our life and that we will have the courage to remain faithful and obedient when we are faced with those difficult tests. I believe we will see the promise come to pass and my guess is that it will look so much bigger and brighter than we could ever have imagined. Our faith doesn’t need to be as big as a golf ball, only the size of a mustard seed.

]]><![CDATA[What is Truth?]]>Mon, 05 Jan 2015 21:45:49 GMThttp://www.sandracrawford.com/devotionals/what-is-truth I’m sure every parent has found themselves in a position of deciding which child is telling the truth when both deny guilt in the midst of trouble.  Some know their children so well that they know the truth before either party begins to speak!  In a court of law, the magistrate has a difficult task in weighing up all the facts as presented, before passing judgment.  The outcome of a case can rest solely on the expertise (or incompetency) of the defense lawyer.

In the Bible we read of a similar situation of trying to discern the truth in the midst of many opposing voices. One of the most profound statements during Jesus’ life was when He stood on trial before Pontius Pilate. When questioned, Jesus said that His kingdom was not of this world; that He was born to testify to the truth and those who love the truth will recognize that what He was saying was true. Pilate’s response was, “What is truth?”  One cannot say definitively what Pilate meant by his question, but the sobering fact is that Truth was literally staring him in the face.

As a Christian I have come to respect and love the truth so much more than I did before knowing God. I realize that we can often be misunderstood due to a variety of factors-- from external appearances or subtle prejudices that may exist to a simple lack of information or miscommunication. Thankfully, we do not have to defend ourselves before God as He sees all and knows all things.  We are however, called to a higher level of accountability to seek the truth, to walk in integrity, and to love and forgive in the face of conflict.  Having the assurance that the Spirit of Truth resides in us gives us a measure of faith for the journey and peace to trust in Him alone.  Our responsibility is to keep our internal filters clear so we can hear Him without prejudice. There is only one truth and it never changes.  In repentance we remain humble; in humility we remain teachable. It is in this posture that we will indeed find the truth and will remain free.

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