Dear Ones,
Hope you wake with anticipation of a new day.  Your question this week is: When have you gotten a specific word and felt like God was speaking to you? It could be a word spoken from your pastor or even a stranger but you felt like it was God speaking through them to you. 
How will you be spending Easter?
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Have you ever been awakened in the night and heard a word that seems to come out of the clear blue? One night I woke up out of a sound sleep and heard the word shelf life and self-life. It was so clear that I wrote it down in the dark so I would not forget it, and went back to sleep. Then about an hour later I awakened again as I heard my name called and thought it was Al but he was still asleep. I wondered what the Lord was trying to say to me but returned to sleep.
In the morning I read my devotions from several Bibles, each a different translation. When I read from the Message translation, I was in Psalm 105 and verse 4 said, “Keep your eyes open for God. Watch for His work; be alert for signs of His presence.” We are all called to seek the Lord with openness of heart and become aware what He is up to. We are to have alertness to signs He gives of His presence. The Psalmist also went on to say that we are to recall what He has done for us in the past and share with others of His goodness to us.
So, what was the Lord saying by those strange words to waken me? What came to me initially was that food has a shelf life and an expiration date usually marked on the package. If we don’t eat the food before that date, much of the nutritional value may be lost and certain expired foods may result in us getting very sick. It is important that whatever the Lord is saying and calls us to do today, must be done on His time schedule or later may be too late. He has a work for each of us every day but the self-life often blocks the way. We want to do our own thing and be in control which can result in missing what God has for us. His way is so much better and He promises us in Psalm 32:8 (NLT), “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” None of us have to fear for whatever God has for us is the best for us, and He has also promised to be there all the while carefully guarding us. Let us not delay in doing His will but act before the expiration date!
(Later in the day, David, our walking companion, used the word shelf life in describing something Al wrote from the book of Amos. We are continually amazed at how the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways.)
Challenge for today: Respond to the Lord’s promptings and say Yes to however He is directing you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy