Canaan's Rest

Canaan’s Rest represents a quiet place “set apart” for the purpose of hearing God's voice, growing in intimacy with the Lord, and being renewed in soul and spirit.

Month: May 2026 (Page 3 of 3)

I Just Want To Go Home

May 4, 2026 / / 0 Comments

At the recent White House Correspondents Dinner, there was an assassination attempt on our President.  The gunmen never made it into the actually ballroom in an attempt to kill the President,  but was thankfully stopped before he could have caused harm.  It created a lot of fear, confusion and anxiety among those in attendance. 

I was struck by the response of Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erica.  She was overheard on a live mike, “I just want to go home.”  This  framed for me what has lead up to this moment in the history of our nation.  Civility is fractured today.  I have personally  committed myself to speaking in a civil and dignified manner in any public discourse I am involved in with those of a different opinion.  Civility in our speech can help change our present wilderness into a safe and secure place – more like home we all long for.  

Robert George, a Harvard law professor said the following in the aftermath of the assassination attempt. “Please, can everyone, right or left, MAGA or anti-MAGA, Republican or Democrat, stop catastrophizing and  trying to get everyone on your side worked up into a rage? ……..Our fellow citizens with whom we disagree are not devils or incarnate or personifications of evil.  We need to argue with our political adversaries – passionately perhaps – but with respect for their humanity and dignity.  We don’t need to destroy them.”

In the days to come, the rhetoric could very well become more heated and destructive in relationships, even within families.  As followers of Jesus, we have a firm place to stand.  It is Jesus, His Word and His kingdom, expressed clearly in Jesus’ words to Pontius Pilate.  “You say I am a king.  Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth.  All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” (John 18:37).  We have “Good News” for our confused and anxious nation.  It is all about Jesus and His kingdom. 

Eric’s deeply felt sigh of wanting to go home is a great metaphor for our nation at this time. Here are some of my reflection on “home” for all who live in this land.

First, the longing for home is innate to every human being.  God made us for fellowship with him.  Ever since the garden, man has longed for home.   Jesus tells us, “My Father, will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23)  

Secondly, our world is a fearful and dreadful place. God calls us sheep.  We are dependent and vulnerable.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He warns us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10).  Jesus will keep us safe in this uncertain time.

Thirdly, as darkness descends on our nation,  the Christian has absolute confidence of being home in the arms of the Good Shepherd.  This is wonderful “good news.”  Jesus knocks at the door, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me.” (Rev 3:20).  

Fourthly, I want to live out the last days of my life, pointing people to the Good Shepherd.  It is a great time to share His story.  Many feel  abandoned and far from home.   Jesus in response is accused of welcoming sinners and eating with them, He is acting as the shepherd, who goes out to find the one lost sheep.  The shepherd celebrates in find the lost sheep.  “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” (Luke 15:6). 

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones, Hope you had a great weekend. Weather was so beautiful!  We had reception for new members at church yesterday and more added to our church family.
Devotions from Judys heart
Perhaps we are all in denial to a certain degree, even though we are willing to deal with some obvious things in our lives. We may give those things to the Lord and actually not do them anymore, but there can be baggage left behind like our negative thought patterns, pride, defensiveness or self-pity. We can’t deal with the weeds all at once in our lives, as it is like tearing up our whole garden. God shows us where we have need to change and knows what we are ready for. If we deal with those things, He is gracious to show us more.

Let us understand that God is not just wanting to deal with wrongs we have done, but wants to help us with what is really going on underneath in our thoughts, feelings and attitude. We may say we forgive someone, yet wish something terrible would happen to them to teach them a lesson, rather than praying for them to find the Lord. Our words often say one thing, but our thoughts and feelings may be those of judgment and even hate.

John Ortberg writes some helpful things that can help set us free to live in forgiveness, and begins by telling us to make a list of those we have hurt in an emotional sense, spiritually, physically or financially. Then we ask, how can God help us repair the damage so bitterness doesn’t grow in our own heart. Of course, we would rather make the list of those who have hurt us! But we are responsible only for ourselves and our hurtful words, etc. and must be willing to make things right, as we try to see our behavior through the eyes of the other. It helps to follow through by naming what we did, and give decisional forgiveness that agrees to not get even or hold their mistakes against them. When we put ourself in their place, we can better understand the situation from their perspective. Then Ortberg suggests offering forgiveness as a gift from the heart, for they are another person for whom Jesus died. In the long run, we may even see this situation helped us grow.

Challenge for today: Think of someone who hurt you and put yourself in their shoes, then ask the Lord to help you forgive them from your heart, even as He has forgiven you.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

May 2, 2026

May 2, 2026 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones, Hope you are having a great weekend. We had a lovely May Day party last night with May Pole decorations. I dressed in an authentic Swedish dance costume that was used to dance around the May Pole 35 years ago in Mora, MN.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
What does a woman of God look like? I tuned into Pastor Joby Martin online as he spoke from Proverbs 31 of a Godly woman. He has been talking to the men in the past five sessions, and I love his honest sharing and humility to tell even where he fails. But whether you are a woman or a man reading this, it is good to know more about the mystery of what it means to be a woman of God, for we are complicated as men would say.

Woman have a unique role as a helpmate, but are also meant to display the glory of God. A woman Is a gift to her husband, and he is to protect, love, and provide for her. A wife is to submit to her hubby (not to all men). To submit is to lower self to make more for someone else. As a wife, we are to be our husband’s number one encourager. He needs our respect, and what we say has great power. When Joby preaches, he doesn’t ask the elders or parishioners how he did, but he said most important are the words his wife says. We don’t realize how much our words impact our husbands: we are either a lift to him, bringing encouragement, or a lid that holds him back.

Hopefully, our husbands can trust in us and that we are supportive, and not one to expose all of their weaknesses. We are not to be nagging or think our husbands should be the answer to all our insecurities. We are not to compare ourselves with other women, and it doesn’t matter what is important in the eyes of the world like certain labels, a certain look, or having the latest things. We are to rest in God’s finished work in us, for our security is in the Lord, not in comparisons with others.

For both husbands and wives, we are not to keep score, but to forgive again and again. Love never quits and says it is not all about me, but to walk the way of His love that is patient, kind and loving.

Challenge for today: Read the love chapter ( I Corinthians 13) and ask the Lord to help you walk in love.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

May 1, 2026

May 1, 2026 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones, Happy weekend to you!! We had a big turnout for Bible study yesterday and good sharing. Today is another party day here and we are having a dinner party tonight! Emoji
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We all have fears, and some fears are beneficial so that we can respond to threats and escape a dangerous situation. But most are fears we need to overcome, and we need God’s grace to let go of them so that we might do all that God has called us to do. It’s good to honestly examine our fears and name them, so they can be dealt with rather than attempting to suppress them, for they don’t go away on their own. Something that is a fear for one person, may not bother another person at all. I am not afraid of spiders but if a bat flies in my room, I am out of there pronto!

Instead of suppressing our fears and avoiding situations that may bring on anxious thoughts, we need to not only name the fears, but do the opposite of what we would naturally want to do and face it…like if we fell off a horse, we should get back up again. The Bible gives so many examples of people who were afraid, and yet they went on to do what God asked them to do. The most common command in the Bible is to FEAR NOT. I think of Gideon and Abraham and Moses and Joseph, who were all told to do difficult things. They didn’t feel capable, but God graced them with His power to do what He asked of them.

I have had fears in my own life, and knew that in my own power I could not accomplish what God was asking of me. We are not to go in our own power, but to be empty of self, that God will fill us with His power. I pray that every week for Al before he goes to teach Bible study, as when we are empty, He can fill us with all that we need for what we are to do. Let us not be bound by our fears, but admit to them, face them, and go in the strength of the Lord. Even when we have times we fail, we can learn from much from our mistakes, knowing God still loves us and forgives.

Challenge for today: When the next situation comes up to cause fear, pause and pray and ask the Lord to help you through it, and go in His power.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

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