Bot AI Devotional: Light

Below is a Devotional written by a chatbot. I edited it to fit my style of posts, but the content is auto generated based on John 8:12. The picture is from Bible.com from the daily verse picture. Even the prayer at the end is written by the Bot. The bot is the new OpenAI bot. 

 

Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

In John 8:12, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."


As followers of Jesus, we have the privilege of walking in his light. When we choose to follow him, we are choosing to let go of the darkness in our lives and to live in the light of his truth and love. We no longer have to be slaves to sin and darkness, but can be free to live in the light of Christ.

When we walk in the light of Jesus, we are able to see things as they truly are. We are able to see the world around us with clarity and understanding, and we are able to see ourselves as we truly are. We are able to see our own sin and our own need for a savior, and we are able to see the grace and love of Jesus that is available to us.

From Bible.com

Walking in the light of Jesus also means that we are able to live a life of love and compassion. We are able to love others as Christ loves us, and we are able to show them the light of his love as well. We are able to be a light in the world, shining forth the love and truth of Jesus to those around us.

As we follow Jesus and walk in his light, we can trust that he will lead us on the path of life. We don't have to worry about stumbling in the darkness, because he will be with us every step of the way. We can trust that he will guide us and protect us, and that he will never leave us to walk alone in the darkness.

So let us choose to follow Jesus and to walk in his light. Let us let go of the darkness in our lives and embrace the light of his truth and love. Let us be a light in the world, shining forth the love of Jesus to those around us. And let us trust that as we walk in his light, he will lead us on the path of life.

Dear God, thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to be the light of the world. Thank you for the privilege of being able to follow him and to walk in his light. Help us to let go of the darkness in our lives and to embrace the light of your truth and love. Help us to be a light in the world, shining forth your love to those around us. And please guide us on the path of life as we trust in you and follow you.

 

Belle

November 28th marks two years since I lost my heart. Her name was Belle. She was a beautiful little girl with brown eyes as big as the milky way. She had fluffy white fur that was always a mess. I loved her with my whole heart as she did me. She knew exactly what I needed when I needed it. A kiss when I was feeling down, a hug just because. She was happy to sit on my lap for hours, and we would cuddle under the blankets in the cold winter nights. She was my love, part of my heart I will never get back. I buried a part of my soul the day I buried her. 

When that day came, I broke. I am not sure I have ever recovered. Not sure I ever will. I see her final home every day. I tell her "hi" every time I look in her direction. I miss her the same today as I did 730 days ago. I knew her from the day she was born, on our living room floor, first born of five. She came out of the womb, her name ready to be known to the world. I was in love the first time I picked her up. We had many good years, years of love and cuddles. I remember introducing her to my best human friend. If the two would have had a chance to meet, I am sure both would have loved each other as much I loved the two of them.

Sadly old age crept up faster than I could have thought and ever imagined. I saw, in her cataract covered eyes, time slowly taking what it does. She began to move slower, but my heart and my brain were in denial until the last day. I felt her heart, it was still young. We had so much love to share still, how could I ever let it go?  But when it came down to it, I couldn't let the love of my life suffer just so I could have a few more days. It wasn't fair of me to do that to her despite knowing what would happen.

The last day with her was the hardest of my life. I have lost family before, but none hurt nearly as much as it did her. So this is what it felt like to have your soul die. I gently set her on the table as the doctor came in. I still see her eyes staring into mine. I could see her soul wanted to stay and I would have kept it forever, but her body was at the end. I stared deep into those big brown eyes as she slowly slipped from my life. That little girl I had known for years went where I could not follow. I cried. I still cry and am crying right now. I buried her by myself. I dug the hole, laid her gently into the ground then laid my heart on top of her as I covered her with the damp soil.

By the time I get to see my girl again, I will have remembered and mourned her for longer than I got to love her. But it is ok. I am still not whole. As I said, I don't think I ever will be. I will always remember how she would nip at my mother's nose as part of our good night ritual. How she would tell me it was time for me to go to bed so I never stayed up too late. I will remember how she curled up inside my hoodie. How she slept on the back of the couch to get all the cool air from the fan.

I will never forget my love. I will always have a piece of me that is buried in my backyard. I will love her forever. I know that when my time on this planet comes to an end, Belle will be waiting beside Jesus to welcome me home. 

Give Yourself

Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let’s stop charging this interest. Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil that you have been assessing them.”
Nehemiah 5:10-11 CSB

Years ago, I lent a friend a decent amount of money. She needed help as she was going through a rough spot in life, and I had a little extra I could spare. She promised to pay me back, with interest, and I agreed. A long time later she finally gave me a check for the amount that she borrowed. I was glad to get the money back. I took the check to the bank and it bounced. I was still out that money and now out even more because I had to cover the bounced check fees. I was pretty angry. I wanted my money back.

Later down the road I gave up on ever seeing the money, but it stuck with me. I was still upset, I hadn't forgiven yet. I had to make a point in my head where I did say I will forgive this debt and forgive her. I wrote it off in my head and heart as I helped someone in need instead of a loan.  

Jesus told us to give without expecting anything in return, and it is right to do so. When you give with an open heart, it frees up your soul. Think about the joy people have when they help out in places like soup kitchens and places where people need a hand. Think of the joy the people get when someone helps them out of love, and not because they wanted something in return.

Disaster, famine, wildfires, tornadoes, even grief and pain from a loss, bring people to their lowest point and that is where we as Christians should be waiting with love and a hand giving of ourselves with nothing expected in return.

Lord, Help me to give more freely my time and my heart to those who are hurting and in need. Help me to love more like you love and show the world a Jesus they might not know

Love Your Neighbors

“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Matthew 22:36‭-‬40 CSB

Sometimes an unpopular opinion is something that needs to be heard and thought about in retrospection of oneself. It needs to challenge the paradigm and attitudes of people who maybe have gone a little astray in their walk with God because they don't agree with something and begin to look out only for themselves. Our focus can easily change from God to ourselves with just simple things. I know this is true because I have been having issues because I listened to people that I shouldn't have. My troubles have become my own and I'm trying to deal with them on my terms instead of letting God put me straight. So my unpopular opinion is not just for thought but also to fix my brain and put it back on track.

I know I have mentioned in previous posts how I think Christians should wear a mask simply because we should be more loving to everyone. But I'm going to go further and say we should, if required, wear masks, get vaccinated (no it does not have tracking chips in it, nor does it cause genetic abnormalities), or do whatever needs to be done to put to ease, the minds of our neighbors. We should never spout off our inane ramblings of conspiracy, but instead reach into our hearts and embrace Jesus and do what is asked of us to bring comfort and peace to those around us.

Jesus told us, in Matthew, that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbors as yourself. I am not in anyways saying be afraid of viruses, but I am saying love those people that might be. Be a light to them and show them the power of God is always working in everyday life, with LOVE. I have heard a lot of people who identify as Christian saying things like, "It's my body." "I look out for my own health, people need to worry about themselves." "God will take care of it." "If God will protect me from the virus." And other things of the sort. But did you notice anything in those comments? (And those are comments I have personally either read or heard from other Christians.) Three of the four are about themselves. 

From Bible.com

If Jesus told the Pharisees that nothing is more important the loving God with everything you are and the second most important thing is loving your neighbors as you love yourself, how can we focus on our own health and own bodies and not focus on our neighbors' bodies and health as well?

I have mentioned that all sin seems to stem from selfishness, and you can see it here too. People decry masks and now the vaccine as an afront some perceived notion of freedom. I will let you in on a little secret, you do not belong to you. If you are a Christian, you belong to God. Body, soul, mind, they are no longer yours but they fully belong to God, for him to do with as he wishes. We are fortunate that God loves us because he does and not for what we bring to the table. So God wants the best for us, but God looks at the big picture, the whole of creation, he is willing to use your life to reach someone else even if it means your death to do it. When he does that he gives you the hope realized of eternal life so that the next person will also be able to receive it as well. 

We are, all of us who follow Jesus, expendable. Not that God wants us to die, nor will everyone who believes in him have to sacrifice their lives for others, but if we need to do that for the lives of others, it is something that we should do happily. And if being a martyr is a glorious thing, in the end, is not being a protector of those who need it just as glorious?