Dear Ones,
Hope you wake to a day of His light shining through you to others.  Your question this week is, does your wick need trimming? If so, what things do you need to correct to burn brighter?
Devotions from Judy heart
When I was growing up my family spent the summers at our rustic cabin by the lake in Northern Minnesota with no running water, electricity and worst of all no or indoor plumbing. When it got dark, we either went to bed early or read books by the kerosene lamp. I remember my mom doing the necessary trimming of the wick of the lamp so it would burn well, for if left untrimmed it would produce a lot of smoke or have a flame so big it could start a fire. We were always cautioned to act carefully around the lamp lest we accidently caused our cabin to burn down.

Recently I read an email by author and teacher, Alane Haynes, who wrote an article that it was Time to Trim our Wicks, and it caught my attention. We probably all remember the parable of the ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come and what did they do? They put their lamps in order and trimmed their wicks and added oil and lit them. (Matt. 25:7) Haynes went on to stress the importance of trimming our wicks for if we fail to do that, we will simply produce a lot of smoke that hinders our vision and may lead us in the wrong direction. But when the fire of the Holy Spirit burns brightly in our lives it will reveal the pure light of the Lord and cause others to sense His presence. If the wick is long and not trimmed it burns high and hot and burns the oil faster, so we have to refill it often. It is a reminder to stay in step with the Holy Spirit, so we don’t overreact and burn out. Also, an untrimmed wick will be a hazard for the flame gets too high just like our ego and pride.

Haynes also writes of the charred end of the wick being like the dead things in our lives that need to be removed. That means accepting correction and not being prideful or worldly and complacent. Just like the wick trimmers and trays the priests used in the tabernacle in the Old Testament times were made of pure gold, so when the priest had to correct it would be in gentleness and in love. We are also to be humble and loving with others and when ministering to them being careful not to share with anyone else what God has removed from them. It is their story if they wish to tell.  All of us need to be trimmed that God’s light may shine more brightly through our vessels.

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to shine His pure light into your heart, and trim with His gold trimmers what needs to be corrected that you may more brightly shine for Him.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy