Category: Sister Judy (Page 208 of 271)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Isn’t it wonderful when we are received with open arms and know the other person truly welcomes us into their life?  Each time I go to my friend Julie’s, her dog Molly get so excited and gives me the most wonderful greeting. Her tail almost wags off and she runs to me, licks me if I let her, and when I sit down she plops on my lap. When I go there, I never wonder if Molly will receive me, I already know she will!  When we have Best friends in our lives,we can be quite sure they would welcome us too, day or night. But even if we didn’t have such friends, the Lord is waiting for us each morning to just welcome us into the new day and wants to spend it with us in all we do. But do we always believe that or do we sometimes rather hide from Him when we have blown it or feel guilty over something? No, like Molly, He is always there for us and just as the Father of the prodigal, He waits for us with open arms no matter what! His love is not conditional or based on our performance.  Let us open our hearts to that love and welcome and in turn receive others in the same way..

Devotions from Judy’s heart
We have been enjoying the beautiful mountains and the verse came to mind from Matt. 17:20 “IF you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.’ Nothing will be impossible for you.” Sometimes it seems our mountain is standing still, like our life is on hold. Sometimes the period of our waiting is like a mountain. God’s timing is a mystery but it is perfect and we can rest in the knowledge that He is in control.  Bill Hybels shares in his book, how to pray a prayer so filled with faith that it can move a mountain?  He said to shift the focus from the size of our mountain to the sufficiency of the Mountain Mover, and to step forward in obedience. We don’t have to spend a lot of time describing our mountain to the Lord for He knows all about it.  Instead we need our focus on the faithfulness and power of the Mountain Mover. Let us walk in faith and follow Him, and watch our mountain move!

 Devotions from Judy’s heart

Forgiveness is a choice we make, just like cleaning our windshield was yesterday. We could have kept going with all the bugs blocking a clear vision but how much better to have it cleaned!  And you may not believe this, but today as we got gas the manager came out and cleaned every window on our SUV for FREE!. ( He does it for a couple hours every Tuesday afternoon and we came just at the right time.) I thought of how the Lord is the one that washes our windows and forgives us freely. We only had to give permission and then He does it all. Isn’t that something that this should happen after writing this devotional yesterday!
As Florence MacKenzie wrote, “Forgiveness is giving up my right to pay back or get even with someone who has wronged me.” When we look at it this way, we find freedom. She uses the letters of forgiveness to give some helpful pointers.
Face the fact that withholding forgiveness feeds our anger, bitterness and resentment.

Openly admit these feelings to the Lord, for He already knows.

Remind ourselves that God, in Christ, has forgiven us.

Give up the right to pay back our offender.

Invite the Holy Spirit’s help as we begin the process of forgiveness.

View our offender as one whom God will deal with justly.

Embrace the freedom that forgiving our offender brings.

Let us choose to forgive as we have been forgiven much!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Today as Al was napping, I was driving along and kept hearing zap, zap, zap. At 75mph the bugs were hitting the windshield and it got covered over with them so my vision was not as good. It was like a reminder to me of how our spiritual vision gets clouded by unforgiveness in our lives. We had just talked about that yesterday in S.S. as both sides of the split in Nevis are dealing with that. Today I read an article by Florence MacKenzie on the importance of forgiveness. She is not saying our hurts don’t matter as forgiveness doesn’t minimize the offense against us. Forgiveness is not letting the offender get away with it for he is answerable to God and He will deal with that person. Forgiveness is also not forgetting for only God truly forgets our sins and casts them as far as the east is from the west. Forgiveness isn’t even reconciliation. We can forgive but we might never be brought into a right relationship with the person who wronged us as he may not be willing. Forgiveness is not easy and we need the Holy Spirit to help us. Tomorrow I will share more on how to live in forgiveness.

  Devotions from Judy’s heart

As I shared yesterday, Al is helping with the Spiritual Direction course at St. Scholastica and it is made up of people of all walks of life—from a nun to a Unitarian.  We might think it would be nice if  all of them were alike and on the same page, but in their differences they have something to contribute  to the whole. It’s much like a floral bouquet.  As I look back on our daughter’s wedding, she wanted one big floral arrangement rather than several small ones. It was an awesome one and so huge we could scarcely fit it in our car to take home. It was made of a variety of flowers and even a wood branch to give it a special affect. The Shalom group is so diverse but they make up a beautiful arrangement put together by the Creator’s hand… All in varied colors but all seekers.  Let us appreciate each flower along the way and let God place each of us where He wants. May we thank Him for those He puts next to us and all we are to learn and receive through them too.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Are our blinds pulled? Do we miss the beauty of the Lord because we are closed down? While at the monastery we stayed in the room reserved for priests and pulled the blinds closed at night. But if we never opened them we would miss what God has. We don’t need to let the whole world see us, as we need protection for our vulnerabilities. But God gives us safe places to open up. At daybreak we opened the tall blinds and wow! We saw the sunrise over Lake Superior. It was awesome!  The sun was like a flame red ball on the horizon. Perhaps after dark times in our lives, we appreciate the “daybreaks” even more. Let us not stay locked up behind closed blinds. “He comes in golden splendor, God comes in awesome majesty.”  Job 37:22

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you noticed how there is “in language” for various groups. In nursing we had our medical terms and language that we all understood. The Lawyers have their legal language too etc. One pastor was saying how we need to learn the language of another when we want to share Christ with them. Sometimes the words we use scares people away, even other pastors. I think in many senses, everyone has their own individual language .  It takes some time to learn their language to see where they are coming from before we can speak into their lives. It says in I Cor. 14:11, “If I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker “. We must be patient as we listen to another and “learn their  language”, and wait for an opening to share with them. Let us not short circuit the process and rush in and turn people off. Love is willing to be patient.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day I went for a walk to the garden and the sun was shining and beautiful butterflies accompanied me etc. I just enjoyed it all! But on my way back as I was looking at the trees and clouds, I almost stepped on a snake. It was right on the road before me and had not been there before when I was on my way to the garden. I immediately thought of how we must be alert for the dangers the enemy puts before us. Just because something was safe before does not mean that it is now.  We are warned in I Peter 5 to be watchful for the devil prowls around seeking someone to devour. We are to resist him and be firm in our faith so we can extinguish all the darts he sends at us. ( Eph. 6:16)  He knows the things that trip us up so we are to be alert for he will use every tactic he has to cause us to fall. Each day I like to pray to put on the whole armor of God for myself and for our whole family. (The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes shod with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit.)  Let us be alert and stand against his schemes!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day when I went for my prayer walk, I saw a tree that was dead and had not one leaf on it. Soon it will either fall down or Al will cut it down. Sometimes it is hard to tell which ones are dead or simply which ones are losing their leaves in the Fall season. However in the summer it is easy to tell for all the live ones have an abundance of leaves. One day we will be known for our leaves (fruit) or lack of it. In Ecc. 12:14 it says, “For God will bring every deed into judgment with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”  One day we will receive rewards for the deeds we have done. What will he find on our trees? Those things that we did to be seen of others will be like leaves fallen to the ground leaving a bare tree. But those things done in His name will be rewarded…even a cup of cold water.  Let us remember that when we sow righteousness we will reap a sure reward. ( Prov 11:18).

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day I was at a meeting and it was so cold in the place. After about 2 hours, I couldn’t wait to leave the 4 walls and get to my car that had been sitting in the sun. The hot car felt wonderful and when I got home I wrapped myself in a blanket to get warmed up totally. In the afternoon I took a walk in the sun and let the warmth soak down to my bones. In our own lives, why do we want to sit within our 4 walls where it is cold and dark and we can’t feel the warmth of His love? In I Peter 2:9 it says that we were called out of darkness into His marvelous light. So why stick to the familiar rather than venturing out into the warmth of the new? Years ago there was a gal in Ladies’ class who felt she was stuck in a deep hole. I offered to help her to come out of it but she said she didn’t want to because it was familiar. So sad!   We have the promise in Lam. 3:22 that “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”  IT is always there for us so why don’t we expose ourselves to the warmth of that love more and more?  Come let us walk in the light of the Lord!  (Isaiah 2:5)