Devotions from Judy’s heart

On our trip to Colorado  we went past the dome of the sports arena of the University of S.D. in Vermillion. Many years ago when Kurt played football for Augustana, we were at a game there. We sat in the bleachers and the players bench was almost beneath us. We were quite shocked at their talk and foul language. But just last month, Kurt called home for us to watch a video of one of the players. We listened to his excellent preaching with such passion for God. He is now pastoring a thriving church. Wow!  Was this the same guy?  What a difference the Lord makes. It is a beautiful thing to see the change the Lord makes when we give our lives to Him. It is not all about outward behavior but our heart’s condition. II Cor. 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”

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 Devotions from Judy’s heart

This morning I read from Rom. 1 as Paul expresses his longing to see the Romans that they would be mutually encouraged.  When we get together as brothers and sisters in Christ, isn’t that what it is about… to encourage one another in the faith?  As we have been traveling, I read Conversations magazine about Hospitality and how we need to know we are beloved and have a sense of self so that we can give to others. As we are hospitable to ourselves, then God’s love can overflow into the lives of others around us. Rachel Crabb said, “Hospitality is nothing less than giving something that is alive in you for the well being of another.” It can be as simple as encouraging another, giving them coffee, dinner, a phone call, a note, or just listening to another. We are all called to hospitality and to provide space for others, not trying to change them but creating an opportunity for them to find God and His way in their lives. Let us  not impose our own agendas, our convictions or our life styles on others, but genuinely receive others, for then we will all have space to grow and be encouraged.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday I read a quote from Margaret Campbell that describes what I saw today. “God’s measureless, boundless love is personal and can be seen all around me. …This day is for gifts of God: color, light, taste, music, the bird singing outside the window-the goodness of creation.” We have seen so much grandeur and beauty in the mountains and sat by a stream.  As is says in Ps. 111:3-4: “Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and merciful.”

Let us be attentive and take in His gifts to us and respond with praise and gratitude.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Often it is on our darkest times that we are closest to God.  When we left home before 3 a.m. this morning, we went slow on our gravel road and had a near-miss with a porcupine. We were aware of deer and other obstacles on the road and had to stay alert. But when it was daylight, we went through South Dakota and could go 75mph on the straight flat roads. We weren’t as alert although we could see where others had hit deer, cats, a fox etc   Even though it may seem to  be safer, we still need to be vigilant and not let up our guard.  As it says in I Thess. 5:6: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.”  We need to stay close to the Lord as much in the easier circumstances of our lives, as well as, hard times in the darkness.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We are warned in scripture not to compare ourselves with others or we are without understanding. ( II Cor. 10:12) But isn’t it easy to compare ourselves, our possessions, our looks, our families, our professions etc with others?  Yesterday as I went for my prayer walk, I counted 17 mailboxes side by side near the T in the road. It would be easy for those people who owned those mailboxes to make comparisons with the one next to them. Now it is wonderful to go to our box and find checks every day or letters from loved ones. But some days there is no mail or there may be bills or unwanted letters, and we wish we could have what was in our neighbor’s box instead. But it is the Lord who determines what goes in our box each day and we can receive all things coming from His hand who knows best. When we get all checks or gifts, we can get “spoiled” and think we are entitled and more deserving than others. Or if we get bills and unwanted situations in our lives, we may think God is mad at us or loves another more. But we need to let the Lord determine what is best for us each day and not look to see what our neighbor received. God deals with us individually and we can trust Him with everything that concerns our lives for He is our Father of love.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We often think we are in control of our lives but then something happens that can change our lives dramatically…soon we realize we never were in control and we are weak in ourselves. I think it is most comfortable when life is predictable but yet we grow more during the times we have to “hang on” and just trust.  I think of my cousin Mary and how her life has changed since cancer was found in her normally healthy body.  Another friend lost 4 loved ones within a month’s time.  Paul Keller shares about the sense of being powerless…”We actually are powerless over most aspects of life and death, of living and dying. St. Paul found himself confronted with his own weakness and then realized that when he surrendered his weakness to God, he became strong. God’s strength was given to him. The truth is that God specializes in our weakness, and the more we accept our weakness, the more God is able to move in with the power to help us heal and recover.”   We are strongest when we turn our weaknesses over to Him.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday Al and I were eating our lunch out on the deck and was a beautiful day. But all of a sudden I saw a big black spider crawling on his back and neck. I brushed it off of him and stomped on it.  Because we live in a tick infested region, we also have a tick check each night. Even though they are very tiny they cause a great deal of sickness. I know from experience!  I thought of how there are things that are detrimental to our spiritual lives that seem very harmless at first, but they can soon bring severe consequences.  We need to nip them in bud and not pass it off as nothing.  Just like the tick that causes Lyme’s and a trip to the Dr, we need to guard our spirits against those things that cause us spiritual harm.  In Prov. 4:23, we are told to:  ‘Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Let us be alert and vigilant to shake off those things that will cause us harm.

Yesterday was a beautiful day and I took a walk to my neighbor’s.  On the way I noticed an area that had many fallen trees that had been there for quite some time. It made me think of people who have died or fallen like those trees and are no longer alive, yet they remain.  It could be our parents and other loved ones who have gone to be with the Lord but who still impact our lives. Their memory is vivid and although they can no longer speak with us, their “voice” is still heard in our hearts. Often I can imagine what one of my parent’s response would be in a situation, or remember their love of serving others, or coming home to the aroma of fresh bread etc. Though we can not speak to our fallen loved ones now, one day we will be reunited. I think of I Cor. 15: “ We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed….Death is swallowed up in victory.”  For now we have the memory of our loved ones that continually speaks to our present life, and then one day we shall meet again forever!!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We all have need of discernment and to listen to the spirit. There are times we sense something is not quite right even though we may not know the specifics. The other day I was vacuuming and it didn’t seem to be picking up well. I had checked underneath the day before and the rollers were going fine.  But this time when I looked the belt was broken and needed a new one. I unscrewed the plate and put in a fresh one and there was a huge difference.  Sometimes things start out fine but over time, the enemy gets in there and messes things up. We are going about something the same way, but for some reason, we sense it is not quite right now. Pay attention and act on what you sense. In the past when we have not “listened” to our spirit, we regretted it, and later found out what was happening under the surface. In Eph 5 it says that since we are children of the light we are to “walk as children of light ( for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” The  Lord sees our hearts and wants to make His will known to us in all things. Let us be alert and aware of what is happening in the spiritual realm. We will notice how much lighter and freer we feel as we go the way of the Spirit.