Category: Whispers (Page 165 of 165)

Devotions from Judy’s heart:

 

Would people around us say, “Oh she is a grateful person!” or “Oh he is one thankful guy!? It is good to do a check on ourselves often to see what our gratitude thermometer reads.

 

We have so many scriptures about thanking God and it says in Eph. 5:20 (The Word), “Always thank God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Message translation puts it as, “Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.”

 

Wouldn’t it be great if all Christians were overflowing with thanksgiving and praises? What a difference we would make in the world. I read what Mark Roberts at Fuller Seminary had to say about living fully, gratefully, and persistently. We are aware that we are to regularly give thanks to the Lord but the word persistently would mean even when things on not as we’d like. For me that means praising God even when my computer goes bonkers after the updates! (I find that hard but later, of course, I am full of thanksgiving when it is up and running again.)   But we have the example of the apostle Paul who thanked God even when he was persecuted or in prison for the Lord’s sake; his praise wasn’t dependent on his circumstances but on God’s mercy to him in all things. He didn’t ask to be removed from his circumstances but asks God for strength to endure the hard things with joy. Really with joy!

 

We may not thank God for our problems but rather for His strength and all the good things He is building in us through our circumstances. Then we can be thankful at all times and for everything, knowing that he is depositing something good in us. Let us not wait for perfect circumstances to be grateful but to praise Him right now where He has us.

 

 

Challenge for today: Start a list of things you are grateful for and add more each day.

I woke up with a song today and then after I wrote the following devotional, I did the challenge for the day. So the rest of the morning I spent doing the “secret” things I felt the Lord telling me to do. I’m not sure what He will tell you, but it might be exciting to see what He has in store.

 

Devotions from Judy’s heart:

 

“Come, now is the time to worship

Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Oh, come, just as you are before your God”

 

These were the words of the song by Brian Doerksen sung by Phillips Craig and Dean that were going through my mind as I woke today.  “Now is the time!” When God speaks to us, it’s important to listen and respond. The question is, are we on God’s time or do we delay and do things on our time, which is sometimes too late?

 

When I was a nurse working in OB, the doctor was called after a mother was checked in ready to deliver. But sometimes the Doctor didn’t make it in time, and he came after it was all over. He was too late. May it not happen to us in a spiritual sense that we miss God’s now time.  The Holy Spirit is the one who is at work and prepares our hearts for what God has for us. When we ignore His promptings, it may take a while before we are ready to hear and respond and we may miss the treasure that is for those who choose Him now. Jesus was always on His Father’s time and sometimes he had to tell his brothers and disciples, that the time wasn’t now. He had to wait until the now time also, just as we do. But when He says NOW, we need to act! This may mean praying as never before for our country, for God’s people to wake up. Or it could mean to take a stand when it costs us.  Now is the time! The song goes on to say we bow our knee and willingly choose to surrender our lives, with all of our hearts, mind and strength.  That’s the bottom line that we daily give up our own wills and agendas and surrender to Him.

 

May our prayer be as David prayed in Psalm 31: 14-15a (NRSV), “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand.”

 

Challenge for today: Spend some time listening and ask the Lord to help you recognize His  now  time, and respond.