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.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I read in Ps. 92, “You have made me glad by your work; at the work of your hands I sing for joy.”  Often as I go on my prayer walk I marvel at what God has made for me to enjoy. Just the other day  as I was walking on the gravel road, two beautiful butterflies accompanied me all the way home…flying in front of me, and behind me and all around me, making sure I saw them.  Truly “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecc. 3:11.  I can’t even imagine all that we miss as go about our day, seeing only a minute portion of what He puts before us to enjoy. Let us open our eyes and our hearts to not only see beauty of creation but our Beautiful Savior, king of creation!