Dear Ones,
Hope you are having a great weekend. We have enjoyed a wonderful time with our son’s family. and feel spoiled with the delicious meals, movies, many games, fun times, and also worshiping at their church and eating at a buffet. I am sending my devotional for Monday now as we plan to get up very early tomorrow to begin our trip homeward. We would appreciate prayers for our safety and wellness as we travel many miles again.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I wonder if we truly know how much we need the Lord every day; not just when we are weighed down with problems, like facing health issues or difficult circumstances, but in our everyday life. We need the Lord all the time for we were never meant to handle things alone. Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:5) Nada!

When things are going along smoothly in our lives, we may think we can do very well on our own. But can we? Are we aware that the enemy is waiting to tempt us to make unwise decisions, to take the easy way out, to neglect helping others, to bear a grudge or react in anger. We have no idea what each day will hold and our pride says we can do just fine solo. But we sure can mess up royally and quickly when we do it without His help. Besides and more importantly, the Lord wants to share our day with Him, open our hearts to Him and do everything with Him, which then makes our every activity spiritual.

 

  When I was praying what to write, the words to an old hymn came to mind that you most likely know by Anne Sherwood Hawks in 1872. She wrote it when she was away from home but filled with the sense of God’s nearness. Years later the song again spoke to her in her sorrow of her husband’s death at age 55. But both in our joys and in our sorrows. may it be the need of all of us, that every moment of our day we need the Lord. A couple verses she wrote:

“I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord. / No tender voice like thine, can peace afford. I need Thee, Oh I need Thee! Every hour I need Thee! / Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee!
  I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain. Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. / I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee! Every hour I need Thee! / O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee!”

May we invite Him into each day and enjoy every hour and every minute with Him.

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to show you any area of your life that you have not given over to Him and release to Him in faith.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy