Dear Ones,
Hope you have a fruitful day. I plan to bake cookies on a stick and a dessert and then go to the wound specialist, crafts and later Bible study.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Many people are working in their gardens, making sure they have good soil and the right seeds, and very excited over what their garden will produce. I loved having a garden in each place we lived, and could hardly wait to see the signs of growth until finally having everything needed for a rich salad. It took a lot of work constantly battling with weeds, but was very rewarding. Recently I was I was reading a devotional from the late James Robison, and he wrote about our lives being like a well-watered garden. I was especially struck by Isaiah 59:11, “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a well-watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

James mentioned those weeds and briers that prevent our gardens from looking beautiful or failing to produce, which means we have to be vigilant. I thought immediately of my own spiritual garden, and how I have been in a timeout period due to my leg injury. Am using this time to reflect on my weeds that need to go? What things prevent me and maybe all of us from bearing fruit? James mentioned going through the pretense of worship and outward actions when we may not have the Lord in first place in our hearts. That can happen gradually, and all of a sudden we realize how far we have strayed. Since I write devotionals, I must guard against not studying to write of things that I have not put into practice myself. I want my words to be what is actually in my heart to follow.

Whenever God exposes a weed in our hearts, we aren’t to dismiss it and take it lightly, but take to heart that it needs to go. How can we be fruitful if we are being choked out by weeds? Let us deal with them as they are exposed, so we can get on with being fruitful for His kingdom. He will give us water whenever we are dry, and strength when we are weak. He will even cause our bones to be strong and make us into a well-watered garden.

Challenge for today: Share with a spiritual friend one of the weeds in your garden that needs to go, and ask for their prayers.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy