June 21, 2022

Dear Ones,

Yesterday I wrote some personal e-mails and forgot to put this one on the webs site. Some of you will get this for the second time but others of you got nothing yesterday. Sorry.

 

Hope you  wake with your eyes wide open to what the Lord has to teach you today? The question for today is: What lessons have you learned in the past, from His creation? 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  The Lord has so much to teach us through all that He has made and we can learn much if our hearts are open and teachable. I remember when we lived at the lake and I often went berry picking, how many lessons the Lord taught me as I picked raspberries and blackberries. I would go home and write it all down and often more insights would come.

  Recently, I read what Steve Porter, founder of Refuge Ministries and Deeper Life press, learned as he asked the Lord what lessons he could glean from the Blue Jay. He had a special love for birds, passed down from his grandma, and his yard was full of bird feeders, bird houses, and bird baths. Now Blue Jays have never been my favorite birds as I often looked at them as noisy, squawking birds that chase away others. But as it says in Gen 1:21, “He created all the many living things in the sea and every kind of bird that flies in the air. And God saw that it was good.

   I never knew before all the good qualities of the resourceful Blue Jay. They are highly intelligent and know how to solve problems, can mimic the calls of other birds like the hawk, know how to store food and can recall where they have placed thousands of seeds and retrieve them. They know just the right place to build their nests in a safe location etc.

   Porter writes how they are brave, aggressive fearless warriors and will attack their enemies without hesitating. They even dive bomb if an enemy tries to invade their territory and will do anything to protect their young and won’t retreat. The Lord wants us to be strong like that and not back down or be afraid of the enemy. He will give us courage to fight for He is with us to defeat the enem

   Blue Jays also are like an alarm that warns other birds and animals of any threats, so they have time to get to safety. We also are to sound the alarm when we foresee an attack of the enemy coming and warn those in the Body of Christ. Together we can stand strong and be encouraged.

  These birds are very intelligent problem solvers and resourceful. They can recall every location of their hiding places. We too, as Christ’s Bride, can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us generously to help us know what actions to take, and how to stand strong. 

   Blue Jays are curious and attentive and may follow us where we go, as a welcoming sign. We are also to be interested in others and compassionate, with our focus on God. Our lives are to display His love and to help the needy, giving loving care to them. Porter goes on to write how the Lord is raising up a Bride who cares what He cares about and who will overcome the enemy and stand together. May we become just like that learn from the Blue Jay.

  Challenge for today: Ask God to teach you something through His creation and write down the lessons you learn.