A Hobbit Devotional Quotes

“If we’re honest, we probably admit that those really tough times in our lives—when we were tested right to the edge of our endurance—are the times when we grew the most spiritually.”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“It’s fine to enjoy familiar surroundings and desire familiar comforts—as long as we understand there may be times when we can’t have them. Sometimes we’re called to larger duties—like a soldier leaving home to go off to war. Second thoughts at such times are natural—but the Bible tells us, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3 NKJV).”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“Sometimes we make choices that bring a heavy load on us while life is, relatively speaking, a picnic for others. Maybe we’ve committed to helping the elderly and the disadvantaged, or to volunteering in our church. We do these things because we know they’re right, because we feel called to them. Sometimes we step up to the plate simply because no one else has. Someone has to do it, after all. At first, we can give ourselves wholeheartedly to the task, buoyed by our idealism and Christian love. But there come times when we begin to miss our free time—relaxing with a book, talking on the phone, watching a movie with our friends. Walking a difficult road in the company of near strangers, we can almost hear the laughter and see the happy faces of those still enjoying what we’re now missing.”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“The young are usually full of self-confidence, with grand dreams and ambitions. Up to a certain age, we believe that all of our plans will work. Many of our peers advise enthusiastically, “Go for it!” That advice may be encouraging and what we want to hear—but it’s in our own best interests to seek the experience and wisdom of those who have lived life with all its ups and downs, successes and failures. If we listen carefully to these older, wiser folks, we can avoid the pitfalls our own exuberance might plunge us into. Resist the assumption that older people are out of touch with today’s world—that their hard-earned wisdom is not relevant to our modern situations. The temptation is to wonder what they could possibly tell us about relationship problems or career choices when they haven’t the first clue about how to send a text message or change the settings on a computer. Never confuse knowledge—especially of technical things—with wisdom.”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“In 586 BC the Jewish people’s land of Judah was attacked by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar—whom some versions of the Bible describe as a great dragon. Jerusalem and the temple were set ablaze, and all their gold and treasures taken. The Jews themselves were marched away as impoverished exiles to the land of Babylon. Jeremiah described these events metaphorically, saying, “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has eaten and crushed us and drained us of strength. He has swallowed us like a great monster and filled his belly with our riches. He has thrown us out of our own country” (Jeremiah 51:34 NLT). The King James Version uses more vivid imagery, saying that Nebuchadnezzar “swallowed me up like a dragon.”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“Being part of a great adventure is more than just enjoying new experiences; it can also be sticking to a dull, difficult path when our mind and body scream to run off to the right or left. Great adventures often involve tough choices and lonely stands for what we know to be true. They may require forging on when it would be so much easier to turn back. And adventures often come along at inconvenient times. They can seem more like interruptions than exciting opportunities.”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“Some days it’s perfectly fine to eat a second breakfast, curl up on the couch, and enjoy a TV show. But that can’t be our whole life. At times we need to step out of our comfort zones and show concern for the world beyond our living room. No one person can solve all the planet’s problems, of course—but an important first step is to be aware of those distant (and not-so-distant) places full of dark things like famines and wars and poverty. Many people desperately need a helping hand.”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible

“The parallels between Sauron and Satan can’t be missed, especially since Tolkien refers to the “absolute Satanic rebellion and evil of… Sauron.”31 Just as Sauron came to the elves pretending to be a good entity while scheming to enslave them, Satan seeks to deceive and dominate people, often using things God intended for good to ensnare them: “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14–15 NKJV).”
― Ed Strauss, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible