Dear Ones,
May you enjoy this beautiful weekend. I plan to clean the apartment this morning and do food prep and write letters etc. Hope you will get a good chuckle from the devotion today!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
If you have gotten my devotionals for some time, you are aware that God often speaks to me in my daily circumstances, and my heart’s desire is to know what He is saying to me. The other night was such a time as I got ready to go to church for Bible study. Since I recently discovered I have neuropathy, I have been asking the Lord to help me know what I am to learn through it. In times past I have thought of my feet as a sign of obedience and walking out God’s will, so they are important.

 Lately I have found my shoes don’t feel very comfortable and I often vacillate over which ones I should wear. The night of Bible Study I asked Al which shoes would go with my outfit, one being a fairly new pair and the other a very old pair that had lots of room for my hurting toes. Al said the old and so we were off to church. When he let me off right at the church door, I stepped out and my feet suddenly didn’t feel level on the pavement; I looked down in horror for my right shoe had broken down and the black insides were all over the cement. I had to take off the shoe and as I limped into the church, I noticed the left shoe was also “exploding” on the church carpet. A friend at the first table saw what was happening and helped release the strap on that shoe, so that both shoes could be deposited in the garbage. Another gal said, “I can’t believe it!” and she heartily laughed and laughed! Two people quickly got a broom and cleaned up my mess, inside and outside as I snuck to the far table barefooted. I sat through Bible Study with my bare feet and as soon as it was over I snuck out the side door and tiptoed shoeless to the car and later up the elevator and to our apartment!

Afterwards I thought of the message God may be speaking to me through this experience. What first came to mind was to let go of the old that is familiar and go with the new that the Lord has for me. The fairly new shoes I could have chosen are specific for people with neuropathy and conforms more to the shape of my foot; why didn’t I choose those? Maybe it is more comfortable to stick with what we know but it says in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing: now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Perhaps the Lord is telling me that the old shoes were good years ago, but I am to let go of them and wear the ones that are conformed to my feet now. He has new things to teach me, and the old things were good for that time, but He wants me not to miss the new that He has for me. Shoes are important if I am to walk out in obedience what He shows me to do. May I humbly receive what He has for me right now.
Challenge for today: Let go of anything you are hanging onto from your past that is hindering your growth in the present.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy