Month: May 2012 (Page 2 of 4)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day I was about to go out the door to church and Al noticed the tag on the back of my shirt was sticking up. He put it in place but I would not have noticed it and gone to church with it up and showing.  I think there are soooo many things that we are unaware of in our lives that need correcting, and we need to welcome others to help us to see the things that are yet hidden to us. It is easier to deny that we have such things and then to decline help from others. But when God speaks into our lives through his word, or through others that He uses as His instruments, it is because He loves us and wants what is best for us. It says in Ps. 94 that He sees everything and even knows are very thoughts.  Certainly His motive is to help us become more like Him and to get rid of the things that are obstacles in our lives. Sometimes we might be tempted to resent the one God sends to teach us or show us our “junk” , since they are not “perfect” either. But let us receive whatever means the Lord chooses to bring us into more of His fullness.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

While here at Mark and Andrea’s we have had time with John Mark who is 2 years old. What a joy to see his obedience at his young age. He has learned that there are consequences if he chooses not to obey and occasionally he may test the waters. But when we babysat on Friday, he was an “angel” and obeyed us, so we actually had more time to just have fun…like going to the park.  We had his best in mind but we didn’t let him get by with things. When it came time for bed, we had him help clean up his toys and put them away etc.  It must give the Lord such joy when we obey His word to our hearts instead of throwing a “temper tantrum” when we don’t get our way. We know He knows what best and He is looking at the big picture and sees what is going to happen down the line. Too often we test Him as we may try to get by with things. But when I was reading from Ps. 94 today it says how the Lord knows our very thoughts and it is to our advantage if we are disciplined by Him. “Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law: you grant him relief from days of trouble.” (verse 12 &13),  Let us be obedient children of His and bring joy to His heart.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On our trip to Colorado  we went past the dome of the sports arena of the University of S.D. in Vermillion. Many years ago when Kurt played football for Augustana, we were at a game there. We sat in the bleachers and the players bench was almost beneath us. We were quite shocked at their talk and foul language. But just last month, Kurt called home for us to watch a video of one of the players. We listened to his excellent preaching with such passion for God. He is now pastoring a thriving church. Wow!  Was this the same guy?  What a difference the Lord makes. It is a beautiful thing to see the change the Lord makes when we give our lives to Him. It is not all about outward behavior but our heart’s condition. II Cor. 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”

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 Devotions from Judy’s heart

This morning I read from Rom. 1 as Paul expresses his longing to see the Romans that they would be mutually encouraged.  When we get together as brothers and sisters in Christ, isn’t that what it is about… to encourage one another in the faith?  As we have been traveling, I read Conversations magazine about Hospitality and how we need to know we are beloved and have a sense of self so that we can give to others. As we are hospitable to ourselves, then God’s love can overflow into the lives of others around us. Rachel Crabb said, “Hospitality is nothing less than giving something that is alive in you for the well being of another.” It can be as simple as encouraging another, giving them coffee, dinner, a phone call, a note, or just listening to another. We are all called to hospitality and to provide space for others, not trying to change them but creating an opportunity for them to find God and His way in their lives. Let us  not impose our own agendas, our convictions or our life styles on others, but genuinely receive others, for then we will all have space to grow and be encouraged.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday I read a quote from Margaret Campbell that describes what I saw today. “God’s measureless, boundless love is personal and can be seen all around me. …This day is for gifts of God: color, light, taste, music, the bird singing outside the window-the goodness of creation.” We have seen so much grandeur and beauty in the mountains and sat by a stream.  As is says in Ps. 111:3-4: “Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and merciful.”

Let us be attentive and take in His gifts to us and respond with praise and gratitude.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Often it is on our darkest times that we are closest to God.  When we left home before 3 a.m. this morning, we went slow on our gravel road and had a near-miss with a porcupine. We were aware of deer and other obstacles on the road and had to stay alert. But when it was daylight, we went through South Dakota and could go 75mph on the straight flat roads. We weren’t as alert although we could see where others had hit deer, cats, a fox etc   Even though it may seem to  be safer, we still need to be vigilant and not let up our guard.  As it says in I Thess. 5:6: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.”  We need to stay close to the Lord as much in the easier circumstances of our lives, as well as, hard times in the darkness.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We are warned in scripture not to compare ourselves with others or we are without understanding. ( II Cor. 10:12) But isn’t it easy to compare ourselves, our possessions, our looks, our families, our professions etc with others?  Yesterday as I went for my prayer walk, I counted 17 mailboxes side by side near the T in the road. It would be easy for those people who owned those mailboxes to make comparisons with the one next to them. Now it is wonderful to go to our box and find checks every day or letters from loved ones. But some days there is no mail or there may be bills or unwanted letters, and we wish we could have what was in our neighbor’s box instead. But it is the Lord who determines what goes in our box each day and we can receive all things coming from His hand who knows best. When we get all checks or gifts, we can get “spoiled” and think we are entitled and more deserving than others. Or if we get bills and unwanted situations in our lives, we may think God is mad at us or loves another more. But we need to let the Lord determine what is best for us each day and not look to see what our neighbor received. God deals with us individually and we can trust Him with everything that concerns our lives for He is our Father of love.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We often think we are in control of our lives but then something happens that can change our lives dramatically…soon we realize we never were in control and we are weak in ourselves. I think it is most comfortable when life is predictable but yet we grow more during the times we have to “hang on” and just trust.  I think of my cousin Mary and how her life has changed since cancer was found in her normally healthy body.  Another friend lost 4 loved ones within a month’s time.  Paul Keller shares about the sense of being powerless…”We actually are powerless over most aspects of life and death, of living and dying. St. Paul found himself confronted with his own weakness and then realized that when he surrendered his weakness to God, he became strong. God’s strength was given to him. The truth is that God specializes in our weakness, and the more we accept our weakness, the more God is able to move in with the power to help us heal and recover.”   We are strongest when we turn our weaknesses over to Him.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday Al and I were eating our lunch out on the deck and was a beautiful day. But all of a sudden I saw a big black spider crawling on his back and neck. I brushed it off of him and stomped on it.  Because we live in a tick infested region, we also have a tick check each night. Even though they are very tiny they cause a great deal of sickness. I know from experience!  I thought of how there are things that are detrimental to our spiritual lives that seem very harmless at first, but they can soon bring severe consequences.  We need to nip them in bud and not pass it off as nothing.  Just like the tick that causes Lyme’s and a trip to the Dr, we need to guard our spirits against those things that cause us spiritual harm.  In Prov. 4:23, we are told to:  ‘Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Let us be alert and vigilant to shake off those things that will cause us harm.