Dear Ones,
Hope you have a wonderful day. We have been having perfect fall weather without the need for even a jacket. This morning Al has men’s group and I plan to try new recipes with all the fresh garden produce. Yesterday it was chicken potpies!  This afternoon we have Bible study.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We would probably all agree that our fast-paced lives are a threat to our spiritual health. So many of us have too many activities and constantly on the go, doing many jobs at a time. If we are always in motion, it isn’t long before we realize our souls are becoming impoverished. We no longer sense His presence, for we are constantly busy and desiring results that are instant and visible. But that is not God’s way.

We read about the desert saints: they chose to face life in solitude and quiet so that they could seek God without all the attractions of the world that will not satisfy. Some lived in caves, small stone huts, etc. and had a rhythm of work, prayer and solitude. They confronted the darkness within them as they were not distracted by busyness as they cared for their soul’s inner transformation.

We also have a battle of the heart to fight. We may not actually go to the desert, but it means dying to our flesh nature so we can come closer to the Lord. I was reading Water from a Deep Well by Gerald Sittser and he had some suggestions. We could go to a church, sitting silently in the sanctuary for an hour or two in silence and just listen to the Lord. Or we could fast from TV for a month, pray for a half hour before going to work, or invite people to our home that rarely get invitations. We could give more to the Lord’s work, work at a soup kitchen, etc.

Whatever things seem to occupy our lives and steal our focus from the Lord are the things we should ask for the Lord’s help to give up.  It will be different for all of us. King David prayed in Psalm 139 that the Lord would search and know his heart, test him and know his thoughts and then to lead Him in His way everlasting. Let us be serious about our spiritual lives and give attention to what is truly important. One day our lives will be over and only what is done for Him will last.

Challenge for today: Discipline yourself in some new way today.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy