Dear Ones,
Happy weekend! Hope you have a refreshing weekend.
We are heading out early for Mora to meet with our former Board from Canaans Rest! We look forward to that each summer and wonderful to hear how the Lord is leading each couple.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Sometimes it is surprising what the Lord places His finger on in our lives. Hopefully we are always open and desire to keep growing and drawing closer to the Lord. I read Gary Thomas’ book, The Life You Were Reborn to Live, and he writes in a powerful way of how we have been all been radically rescued and should therefore be thankful for every good thing that happens in our lives, rather than feeling entitled and complaining of unpleasant situations. We might think entitlement does not apply to us, but perhaps we all have areas of our lives where we need to dismantle feelings of entitlement.

Thomas writes of Fyodor Dostoevsky, a Russian novelist who faced death by a firing squad for anti-government activities. Just as the trigger was about to be pulled, an order was given to send him and others to a hard labor camp in a Siberia for four years. But this sentence was like a gift to him, because he would have otherwise died suddenly from a bullet and his life would have ended. Thomas compares it to our lives, for we have even more so been radically rescued by the Lord, although each of us deserves to die for our sins. No, we are not entitled to a life without problems, or one full of riches and comfort, for we should feel like Fyodor who was thankful to be rescued.

If we are truly grateful, our lives will be joyful, and filled with relief that we don’t get what we deserve but instead receive God’s wonderful gift of salvation. Every moment we live is a gift. Maybe we have been led to believe that we are entitled to the best. Paul writes that we are to be content with food and clothing (I Tim. 6:8), not necessarily a banquet, fancy clothes or a mansion. Some also feel we shouldn’t have problems in life, but Jesus said we would even be persecuted for His sake. Satan wants us to believe that God doesn’t love us if bad things happen and we have a right to complain. Instead, we need to remember to have a joyful mindset of thanksgiving, and worship because we have been rescued and not given what we deserve!

Challenge for today: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas of your life you feel entitled and repent; follow with prayers of thanksgiving and praise for being set free.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy