Category: Sister Judy (Page 206 of 279)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On Friday I went for a prayer walk and to visit my neighbor. It was very warm in the house by the wood stove so I dressed in a t-shirt and then my winter jacket. But when I got outside in the 3 degree weather, I wished I had dressed a lot warmer.  I should have dressed for the outside weather and not based what I wore on the internal temperature. I think it is that way when we go out into the world. We need to insulate ourselves, lest the world get to us. We can go to a nice worship service at church and feel so warm and cozy. But when we go out into the world we need to have on spiritual protection.  In Romans 12:2 we are given a warning, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould”.  And in I John 2:15 we are told not to give our hearts to this world or to any of the things in it. “The whole world- system, based as it is on men’s desire, their greedy ambitions, and the glamour of all that they think splendid, is not derived from the Father at all, but for the world itself. The world and all its passionate desire will one day disappear. But the man who is following God’s will is part of the permanent and cannot die.” Let us insulate ourselves but not isolate ourselves from the world. May we give ourselves fully to His kingdom and not give our hearts to the world.
(Today I wore a scarf around my mouth neck and mouth and perhaps the mouth is an area we especially need protection. How easy it is to use our mouth in saying things that are better unsaid!)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you ever started a project and it leads to another and to another? I have an idea it is that way with our heart make -overs.  A friend wrote that they were going to redo their kitchen completely but when they tore out everything to the studs, they found that their balcony overhang needed attention and their bedroom and the hallway. It seems that way with our hearts. The Lord works in one area and we think it is taken care of and then there is another big area that needs attention. I suspect He will always be uncovering and working on an area in our lives, for the completion won’t come until Glory. But we can rejoice that our Father loves us enough not to leave us as we are but wants to transform us to be more like Him. As it says in II Cor. 3:18,  “ We are transformed in ever increasing splendor into His own image, and this is the work of the Lord who is the Spirit.” May His work in us continue until the day we see him face to face.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

 I am just back from my prayer walk and it is a windy but sunny day with everything covered over in a white blanket. I saw 3 deer prance to the right of me and 2 eagles on the lake eating fish left by the fisherman. It’s great to visually see nature at its best but there is so much going on that we can’t see. I saw many animal tracks and when I got to my cousins to check on her hot tub, it looked like a family of deer had had a party in her driveway by the tracks they left behind. I thought of how wonderful we think it is when we see such visual signs of God at work and just know it is the Lord….like maybe a vision or a specific word that is only known to us; maybe a parking place that opens up for us when are in a hurry; or maybe goose bumps or warm heat as we are being healed of something. But what about the times we can’t “feel” his presence or see His answer to our prayers?  If we look hard, often we can see his “tracks” and know He has been there before us. But even when we can’t seem to, we have His promise that He is with us and answers our every prayer. Yes, it is nice when it is obvious but He wants us to trust when we can’t see. We are never abandoned or alone.  As a child I learned the song, “No never alone, no never alone, He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone!””

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday at our Bible Study group we studied the book of Mark. What stood out to me was the story of Jesus transfiguration ( Mark 9)  on the mountaintop with  Peter, James and John  present. They must have been so filled with awe as they saw Jesus blazing whiteness and light, Moses and Elijah’s appearance, and the voice that spoke of Jesus’ belovedness. Wouldn’t you have wanted to be there too? The day before our study Al and I were in Grand Rapids to get our eyes checked. We had our eyes dilated and when we came out of the office we could hardly see. Usually they give us sunglasses but none were offered that day. Everything shown brilliantly and was so hard to just focus. I thought of Jesus transfiguration that day and then was so surprised when it was part of our lesson yesterday. Jesus brilliance reflects light from within Him and we can’t take it all in.  He comes to us in so many different ways and reveals His glory and purity and power. Sometimes we have those mountain top experiences like Peter, James and John, and we would really like to stay on the mountain and not come down. But there is much to learn in the valleys and the ordinariness of our lives. Let us praise Him in whatever way He reveals Himself to us whether it be a mountain top experience, or grace in the valley, or his presence in our every day mundane lives. He is always present with us. Always!

Devotions from Judy’s heart,
When the pastor’s who were here on retreat went for a sauna, Al had to empty out the frozen water in the pails and get fresh. So he dumped a big ice chunk in our back yard and it is still there and may be until spring. Every time I go out the door I see this block of ice and think what it takes to melt it. If I took it inside our house and put by the warm stove, it would be melted in a very short time. But out in the cold, it will take a long time. It reminded me of people who are like that island of ice and rather cold towards people and distant towards God. We may feel like leaving them alone but how will they ever change and come to know God? When we take them into our hearts and show them love, it may be the only way they will melt and be able to receive. Often it is the crustiest people that need the most love. How often God uses His children to show His love to those who might not even know their need for Him!  All people need love, even those that appear self sufficient and without need.  Let us be His welcoming presence to all we meet and not just to the warm friendly ones.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On Sunday Al and I watched part of the Bronco came as we enjoy seeing Tim Tebow play. But since we had 3 pastors coming for retreat I had to record the last half of the game. After the pastors went to bed, Al and I were all excited to watch the finish of the game, even though we were tired. We were so disappointed as my recording cut off at the end of the game when it was tied but failed to show what happened in the over time.  We found out from the news what happened but didn’t get to see the winning pass etc. I thought of our spiritual race and how we may go “great guns” to begin with and then fail to finish the course. What a disappointment. We get tired and give up before the race is over. But Paul tells us in Heb 12:1 to throw off everything that hinders and entangles us so we can run with perseverance the race marked out for us. We are encouraged to fix our eyes on Him and keep the goal in mind that at the end we may say,”I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me o that day.”  ( II tim. 4) Let us not just go part way and give up but go, go, go to the finish line!

Devotions from Judy’s heart
Yesterday morning when Al and I woke up the moon was streaming in the windows and it really seemed as if someone had left the light on. We remarked to each other how nice it was that the pastors could enjoy the beauty too, but at breakfast they all said they had missed it. Why? Because they slept later and didn’t come out of their rooms or open their shades to see it. Oh, I wonder how much we miss what the Lord has in store for us as we keep to ourselves with our blinds shut or we don’t rise up early to seek the Lord.  Every day He has new and wonderful things for us, but we will never know how much we miss when we remain behind blinds or closed doors. After telling the pastors about the moon, this morning they did get up to look and were awed by the beauty. May we seek Him early and not after the day is done or just when we are in a tight place and desperate for His help.  Let us greet the dawn of new things He has and let the morning star arise in our hearts. (II Peter 1:19)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday as we were at worship and Pastor Judy was saying the liturgy, something leaped out at me. I hear this every Sunday but all of sudden it was speaking to me. “Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid…” I started thinking of how God knows the inner heart of every single person, including me. I may think I know what is in my heart some of the time, but truly only He knows.  A short while later at our brunch to welcome our new pastor, a friend asked me about our Christmas etc. When I told her my dad died, tears filled my eyes, and I told her we would have to talk about it another time. Now just yesterday I was thinking how much my heart had healed over dad’s death and I could talk about it to others. Now all of a sudden I get choked up. I truly don’t know my heart.  But when we go through sorrows, it has a way of making us more sensitive to others and their needs. Later I sat at a table and listened with empathy to a friend who shared what she was going through. In the afternoon I read from a devotional given to me by my mom’s dear friend. The author, Paul Keller, says to recover from our sorrow, we need to see the goodness of God. “A thankful heart is an open heart, a positive heart, a heart that is able to receive mercy and to heal. “ We heal as we are able to be grateful for the blessings of God given to us. We can grow spiritually in our sorrows by giving thanks to God. I’m so thankful He knows me inside and out and His mercy and grace is always there in abundance. Let us be generous with our hearts and stay open to Him.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We’ve all listened to friends who have shared an experience of someone treating them hurtfully, and we most likely been in that spot too. We may not know what we have done. Perhaps we remind them of someone who has mistreated them in the past. Or maybe it is because we are followers of Christ that they want to shoot arrows at us.  David certainly had that problem often and rehearses before God his dilemma. He says in Ps. 38:19-20, But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good.”  At such times we need to be centered on the Lord and not what others think of us. It reminds me of our wood stove that radiates heat to the extent we go around in short sleeves. It may be freezing outside and way below zero, but we are warm as toast inside. Even so, when we might get the cold shoulder from someone, a cold stare, a frigid remark, we can remain warmed within by knowledge of whose child we are and His unconditional love for us.

Devotionals from Judy’s heart

Sometimes we want to be so helpful but can actually be in the way if we are not led by the Spirit. We are told to “keep in step with the Spirit” and what does that mean?  We need to pay careful attention to how He leads us and follow that lead. As we were quilting at church one Monday, a visitor stopped by from out of town. She went over to where someone was sewing and told her she could fix the brushes on the machine. The other gal said the machine was fine and didn’t need fixing. But the gal persisted that she could fix it and wanted to know when she could come back. Eventually she got the message, that her help wasn’t needed. The same day a gal watched another gal and me measure off and cut the large roll of batting into quilt-size pieces. She was free then and wanted to help out of the goodness of her heart. But  it actually took longer with her “help”. I wonder how many times the Lord has to tell us to get our hands off of something and let Him do it. We are in the way by doing what He has not called us to do. Let us be careful to listen to the Spirit so that are “steps are established by Him.” Ps. 37:23