Dear Ones,
Happy weekend! So good to see the sun after the wind and rain yesterday. This morning I made egg dishes and did lots of food prep and just finished cleaning the apartment. The apple crisp I made we enjoyed yesterday as my cousin and a friend stopped in on their way to the lake.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
How good are we at caring for ourselves? If we are a care giver it becomes even more problematic but all of us need to care for ourselves or we may find ourselves exhausted and overextended. It is not selfish to care for ourselves, as Jesus said, The Sabbath day was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) But do we actually take a day to completely rest from our usual work and create space for the Lord into our lives? James Smith writes about what their family did when they took this passage seriously and kept a Sabbath rest. His wife made meals ahead of time in the crock pot, and they did not work on the yard or travel but took time together sharing, taking walks, playing games, but nothing that would be considered work. Their bodies experienced rest, and in a sense, they let God care for them. They became more aware of His presence in their lives and desired to bring glory to Him. And isn’t that why we are put on earth in the first place? But why do we ignore Him and become so busy?
Smith reminds us that caring for ourselves involves nurturing our spirit, soul and body, as Paul writes to the Thessalonians (I Thess. 5:23). We must not neglect one of them, for we can work out every day at the gym caring for our body, and ignore the Lord, so our spirit is not fed. Our spirit is cared for as we pray, do spiritual exercises, receive God’s grace and nurture His life within us.! Our soul that has to do with our emotions and feelings is not to be neglected or the loss may be seen in addictions, obsessions, and loss of meaning to our lives. We need to create space to relax and enjoy a game, music, time in nature and to reflect. Our bodies are important for they house our souls and spirits. We are to treat our bodies well, exercise, rest, eat healthily etc. All three aspects of our life need care, not just one.
When we refrain from work for a day, we are allowing the Lord to care for us and teach us to trust and become more attuned to Him. We become aware of His presence, pray, and have more space for Him. Our other 6 days may include starting the day giving it to the Lord and asking Him to direct it, eat healthy meals, enjoy quiet as well as conversation, prayer time, exercise our minds by memorizing scripture, and getting enough sleep. Let us spend our lives well for life is too short to miss what the Lord has planned for us.
Challenge for today: Honor the Lord by taking time to care for your body, soul, and spirit.
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