“Seek God’s Truth from the Depths…”

seek God from the depths of our heart
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
God has given us the the living Word of God to live by. Our Bibles are full of writings and witnesses of His truth. We have much to continue to learn from His Word no matter how long we have been Christians. There is truth in His Word to apply to any given situation that we face in this life.The Word of God is our life long handbook to make  every decision, and we need not be left in a place of indecisiveness in any given situation we face. Many times we may need to wait upon the Lord for an answer to a prayer in our heart, but deep down we can experience assurance in knowing that His truth never fails.
 
 
 
Today I want to share how truth can define who you are if you seek it wholeheartedly.  I mean let us seek His truth from the greatest depths of our heart like never before!   The world is looking for truth, and we must live in such a way that we are living witnesses of the one true and living God. In addition to living truth before a world of those that do not know Him, we need to be living examples among those younger than us in the faith. Therefore, we as believers need to commit ourselves to know that we are walking in the truth that we know that we can be a living testimony of His Word. 
 
 
 
 
The world is putting such a pressure and demand especially on our young people. It is trying to mold their minds to adapt to the world’s ways, thoughts, etc.    Our billboards give visuals to to us of what beauty, success etc…. is, causing us to be tempted to endeavor to measure up to such unreality.   How sad it is that these things have so much power that one tries to define themselves by their demands.
 
 
 
 
If we allow anything or anyone else to define us we lose our ability to grow genuinely and discover what the Lord has for us as an individual. When we permit such things to define us we are unable to really discern the direction of our Lord for us as individuals . Confusion will run through our minds over the simplest of problems and decision making. We will be tossed about with every wind of change or newest  thing which presents itself as an answer rather than turning our eyes and hearts to the wisdom of Go. We need to make the decision  to let God define who we are according to His Word and His standards.
 
 
 
It is as we seek His truth with every fiber of our being that we will walk in total freedom from  the dictates of this world. What freedom to know we are allowing Him to mold us into what He sees as a success, and not what the world defines as success. As you desire truth in your inner being and you really mean business, God is going to begin to challenge us to change some things. When we continue in His Word, and we receive greater revelation, God will begin to challenge our hearts to change, and this is a good and wonderful thing.   There is no need to fret because God will work in you, and it is His good pleasure to work in you, and bring His will to pass in your life.
 
 
 
 

Philippians 2:13 (AMP)
“[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while [a]effectually
at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both
to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and [b]delight.”
 
 

We can rest assured that as God is at work in us He will energize within us the desire to do what it takes to make any changes needed. I encourage you today to look to God’s truth wholeheartedly in everything you put your hand to. He is faithful and well able to cause your hand to prosper, and you will live in the freedom of being who God created you to be! God bless you.
 


“Having Childlike Faith”

eyes of a child
 
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
 
 

Acts 17:28 (KJV)
“For in him we live, and move, and have our being;…” and another
translation simply states that ” It is through him that we are able to live, to
do what we do, and to be who we are.”
 
 

When we come to immerse ourselves in this  profound truth we will begin to trust Him in every area of our life.   Today I want to share about believing our Lord with a childlike faith.   The older we get, life has a way of pulling us away from enjoying the simple things that we are meant to enjoy.   Life can get so complicated and busy, and this too can tend to pull us away from devoting ourselves to the Lord as we should.    God desires that we wake and live each day anew and fresh in Him.   Let us look to Him with the eyes of a child and expect from His hand.
 
 
I think it is so refreshing just to appreciate the simple wonders of nature that the Lord has created for us.  In my life I have seen  people trying to rationalize the truth of God’s wonders that He so skillfully created with His hands. The Creator’s beautiful handiwork cannot just be accepted by the one that feels he has to figure it all out. The person that tries to figure out the supernatural will never be able to accept in faith those things that can not be explained.    God desires us to be a people that simply believe Him as we esteem His truth above anything that we see or any trials we may be walking through.  Jesus spoke of a child’s faith and He desires that we remain that way that we may continue in the truth of His kingdom.
 

Luke 18:16 (VOICE)
” Let the little children come to Me. Never hinder them! Don’t you realize—
the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children?”
 
 

The Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children! I often walk away from a day with my granddaughters or teaching my preschool class, and feel totally exhausted yet energized in my heart. Never makes sense to me yet I totally get it. I always tell my husband that hanging out with little children just brings a fresh energy into my soul.   My soul is invigorated by their innocence, their questions, and their remarks about how they see things.  I especially love their questions that seem so important to them.   I love making them feel like their question is very important, and I love explaining things to them.  It is as we purpose to live as children in our faith that we will purpose to just simply trust and obey Him.   We will run to Him for everything, just as a child runs to a parent when they are troubled.
 
 
Lord, help us to live this life before you just as a child does.   In our times of struggling with keeping things simple, teach us to understand what childlike faith is so we grow and trust You in a greater way.  We desire to live and move and have our being in You as we saturate our hearts in Your awesome truths! 
 
 


“and You Shall Know the Truth”

you shall know the truth
 
by Dona Hake
 
“and you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free.”
 
 
 
Praise God that we can live by the truth that we know, and it shall make and keep us free!  Today I want to share with you about maintaining a life that is truthful, honest and upright before the Lord and before man.  God is looking for hearts that are pure toward Him. One very important key in maintaining a heart that is pure and upright is the heart that is determined to never compromise the truth that has become real to our hearts. It is as we continue to renew our minds to truth that is real to us, we will become transformed by God’s Word.
 
 
 
 
Romans 12:2 (Easy to Read Translation)”Don’t change yourselves to be like
the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of
thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants
for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what
is perfect.”
 
 
 

It is in the heart of God a plan for each of us, and He desires to lead and direct us in it.  You may have heard people speak especially  young people that they don’t even know who they are let alone know what they are to do with their lives. I can honestly say I felt clueless who I was, and why I was even here on this earth until the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. It was not like I had all kinds of answers and direction overnight but I felt like my life had new meaning, purpose and I was free to live like I never lived before. As we open our hearts and minds to truth we will always experience an affirmation in our heart from Him because He is at work, and He is molding us into someone very special for a very special purpose in this life.
 
 
 
 
The Word of God is the truth on which we build all foundations and live.  As believers we should be basing and living our lives on convictions of the truth we know. God shows us how to live and handle those convictions before others. I can guarantee you that our convictions will be challenged and this is when people will really see what we are made of. I can remember  the job I worked at as a young believer, and how my attitudes were transformed because I accepted the Lord Jesus. There were many individuals that I worked with that were taken back as I began to exhibit new behavior, and walk in certain convictions. I think the biggest thing I learned even as a young believer that it is absolutely vital that I surrounded myself with good counsel, and do away with friendships that would pull me down. I also valued reading my Bible, praying and believing that the Lord would give me the wisdom in how to handle myself as a believer among those that did not believe.
 
 
 
 

It is very important that we  maintain the strength of our convictions and stand by them. There can and must be no room for compromise. I heard a wise man once say “That what you compromise to keep you will ultimately lose.” Everything we do, every decision we make and every word we speak should proceed from a heart that desires truth and only truth. As we embrace this desire, I believe that in those times in which we are confused or are steering off course  that the Spirit of the Lord is well able to speak to our hearts and lead us back onto a straight path.    In saying that I will also mention the importance of keeping our heart and mind renewed to staying humble that we can be corrected by the Lord and those in our life that love us.  
 
 
Lord we thank you this day that Your truth has set us free, and it will keep us free.   Remind us by Your loving Spirit to keep our minds renewed to this truth.   May we never try to live a life of freedom in our own ways and means but only by Your truth.   We love You Lord, for you have truly set us free!


“Deeply Rooted and Flourishing In Him”

deeply rooted and flourishing
 
by Dona Hake
 
 

 

Psalm 92:13-15
Amplified Bible (AMP)
“Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our
God.
[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be
full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and
contentment].

They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to
His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
 
 
 

What a beautiful scripture this is to get us to envision ourselves abounding in the will and work of the Lord.   As we grow in the grace of our Lord we SHALL still bring forth fruit in old age.   That means we can plan on it, intend to do it, and have great expectation of it! As our delight and desires become consumed with pleasing Him, we will meditate upon His Word day and night.  
As a result of our desire to be steadfast we are promised that our lives will become steady and we will not be easily uprooted.
 
 
 
Psalm 1:3 says “And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by
the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also
shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to
maturity].”
 
 

It is vital that we have vision for ourselves that as we continue to grow older in this life that we are also continuing to grow  in humility and in the grace of our Lord. In Psalm 92:14 it states that as we continue to grow in grace we will still bring forth fruit in our old age, full of sap (spiritual vitality) and
continuing to flourish. I find it so sad when an individual ages that  they do not continue to have vision to be successful in everything they do up till the moment they take their very last breath. For everything we desire in this life we must have vision for it. We  must envision ourselves  doing that which we desire. We must dream about it and expect it to come to pass! It must be something that we are willing to pay the price for.
 
 
 
You may have days you wake up and you do not feel like doing the things you know you are to do. In those times we must call upon God for His grace and strength that we can have the energy to fulfill His purposes. I love the fact that as we do this we can become living memorials to people around us that our God is upright, faithful, and that He is a living God.
 
 
What memorial are you leaving people after they encounter you. Do your words challenge and encourage their hearts? Does you life exhibit that you serve a God that is upright and faithful to
His promises? I hope so because God truly wants to exhibit that in us and through us.
 
 

Today as you meet your day I encourage you to see yourself flourishing in those things that He has told you to do no matter how impossible they may seem to you. God is good and He is faithful to complete a good work in you. I pray your day is blessed in your pursuit to flourish in Him!


“His Word Lasts Forever!”

His Word is true
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
I do not know about you but in this day and age it seems that things we buy just do not last as long as they used to.   With almost everything you buy there is usually a one year warranty , and that is great, but I always hope upon a purchase that the product will serve me long and efficiently.   Recently, I loaded my dishwasher to find after it went through all it’s cycles that something went wrong.   There was water all over my floor.   I was able to get something out of the bottom of the washer that could have been clogging it, so I assumed that was the problem.   It worked fine…for about two weeks.   Two weeks after the warranty  expired, it broke down completely.  I could not believe it, and when I heard how much it would cost just for them to walk through the door, it just did not seem right.   I was kicking myself for not calling right away.  I was blessed as I worked with the company for I received favor from them, and they extended my warranty, and came to our home, and fixed it completely free.
 
 
With this warranty thing fresh on my mind, the Lord used it as a meditation for me for this devotional.  The other day as I was walking in my yard, listening to scriptures on my iPhone I heard this scripture, and it encouraged me to think about this more often.  This scripture comes from one of my favorite chapters in the Psalms.
 
 
Psalm 119:151-153 (NIV)

 

Yet you are near, Lord,
and all your commands are true.
Long ago I learned from your statutes
that you established them to last forever.”

 
 
 
Isn’t it good to know that we serve a living God, and all of His Word and commands hold true, and He established them to last forever.   No warranty with a time in which His Word ends, but rather there is no end, and He promises that His Word will be faithful and work for us under the most stressful things this life can bring.  Nothing is too hard for our Lord!
 
 
Today I encourage you to look at the temporal things around you, and let them remind you that they may be a blessing, but they do not last forever nor can we take any of it with us.   Things come and things go.   They serve us to be a blessing and may help lighten the load, but they will never ever outlast our eternal inheritance.  Let our love and affections be on our Lord and His Word.    All that He is and ever was will never change, and He established everything concerning His kingdom to last forever!!!


“Understanding Our Purpose”

purpose do you know what it is
 
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
 
 
Each one of us was created by God for a very special purpose and we need to know what it is. We each uniquely have our very own finger prints and there is not another one like it. I find that so amazing but our God is so amazing isn’t He?   Today I want you to know that you are special, and God has a special
plan and purpose for you while you are here on this earth.
 
 
Many times individuals struggle with why they are here, and what are they to do with their life. As people begin to age they may look back on their lives, and they need to feel that they have made an impact on someone’s life or they desire to know that they have done great accomplishments. Only God can bring out of us all they He created us to be! It is so important to understand that God knew
you before your mother gave birth to you. Every stitch and fiber of our being was  uniquely knitted together as He formed us in our mother’s womb. Within us He has placed gifts and talents that are an expression of Him.
 
 

Psalm 139:13-15  (AMP)
“For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s
womb.
I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the
awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self
knows right well.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and]
intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in
the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].”
 
 
 

We need to confess and praise Him for how wonderfully He fashioned us for this life. Deep inside you there may be something that needs birthed. It may be a  gift, calling, or some type of creativity that is waiting for it’s awakening. I love how verse fifteen says that we were curiously wrought as if embroidered with various colors. I have never embroidered but I have always felt it to look as if it
was a tedious craft. So it was with us as we were being formed within our mother’s womb. He gave great thought to every part of us and how He  fashioned us for the work of our life.
 
 
Next time you feel tempted to feel that you have no purpose or you judge yourself as a failure, I encourage you to stop and remember that the hand of a loving God formed you for a time and a purpose for such a time as this. As you walk with Him and commit yourself to Him, He will be faithful to lead and guide you and make plain your paths.
 
 
Today I encourage you to think about how you are a gift from the hand of God and as you live for Him, confess that He leads and guides you into all truth and He will indeed accomplish much through you as you seek and serve Him. 


“Our Very Thoughts”

our very thoughs
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
 
Yesterday I shared about hiding God’s Word in our hearts. It is vital that we abide in Him, and as we do His Word,  it  will be  a well spring deep within us. We must do all that we know to do to protect it and continue to deposit it so that we can draw upon it in our time of need. Today I will share about our thoughts and how they can be a potential enemy to our soul if we do not deal with them as God would want us to.
 
 

First and foremost we have to have it settled within us that God’s Word IS THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY. If I could underline this one hundred times, I would! No matter what happens in our day, and no matter what comes our way, we must be willing to turn our eyes away from what the natural is speaking, and turn our  eyes upon Jesus. I am sure that you can relate to the fact that many times situations have loud voices and our thoughts can have loud voices as well. It is what we do with the voice of our thoughts that will make or break us.
 
 

2 Corinthians 10:5 (Amplified)
“[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments
and theories and reasonings
and every proud and lofty thing that sets
itself up against the [true] knowledge of God;
and we lead every thought and purpose
away captive into the obedience of
Christ (the Messiah,
the Anointed One”
 
 

I believe there are so many avenues that the devil is trying to use in our world today where the Word of God is being fought against.  The devil well understands that he can turn our minds into a battleground of confusion and weakness if we do not guard ourselves.   Our education system, news media, etc…is trying to prove God’s Word to be false and invalid. There are arguments against it like never before. If we do not continue to refresh ourselves in the presence of God, and renew our minds with God’s Word this has the potential to wear us down. When one gets worn down they are on a fast track to being pulled into the deceptive current of this world’s thinking. This is so dangerous, and we must constantly keep our hearts and minds protected from such things. The world is trying to make God’s Word and ways look foolish so that we back away from the truth. The Word of God is the most powerful tool we have to live this life. His Word says in Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)
 
 
 
” For the word of God is living and active
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
and piercing as far as the division of
soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow,
and able to judge the thoughts
and intentions of the heart.”
 
 

If the Word of God is hidden within us, it will rise up in our time of need. It will cut through the deceptions that are trying to pull us down.   We will feel our heart being touched with His pure truth 
because His Word,as a knife is cutting deeply,  and dividing the lie from the truth. You will be able to clearly see the choice you have to make in light of seeing both sides and then the decision is yours.
 
 
 
 
God desires that we always choose life but He gives us the choice. If the Word is not hidden in your heart my friend, it will not be there to help you win the battles this world brings, and you will heed to the swift currents that sin brings. God desires that we choose life,  He desires that we choose to put His Word deep within our hearts,  and then He desires that we  guard it with all diligence  for from it flow the issues of this life!   Praise God for that life giving force that is well able to guard our hearts and minds!


gods word our hidden treasure
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
 
When things are precious and valuable to us we keep them in special places. Things that mean something to us should never be left in unsafe places. If we are not careful we could suffer consequences of great loss. When you come to value  something as precious, you begin to appreciate it more and more.   You also think about how you can not live without it.
 
 
 
 
Today I will be sharing with you about hiding and protecting  the Word of God within your heart. Many times the things that happen in our everyday experiences help us see things more clearly, and I love to parallel such experiences as I share His Word. Today I will share a little experience with you in which I was negligent in going the extra mile to protect something valuable to me. As a photographer I have different lenses for my camera. I have favorite lenses  for my camera too, and there is one in particular that rarely comes off of my camera body. If I switch up a lens for a particular reason I have a special way of doing so, and I am meticulous about doing it as well. I always keep my camera on the kitchen table and extra lens so it is right at an arm’s length for me.  So one day I came to realize that the dining room table is not the safest place to sit it!
 
 
 
 
 
I will never forget the day I learned a good lesson about not being careful enough to guard that which is not only special to me but very expensive.   I was watching my Granddaughters, and the youngest was really going through the exploration mode.   Actually she is still very much that way, but I can remember how her little eyes would study things, and her little hands moved along with her mind, and would take things apart, etc…     I had totally forgotten to move my favorite lens to a higher place or should I say a safe place.   She was not yet walking but she was well able to climb, and do some pretty interesting maneuvers with her little body. I turned my back for a minute, and there she was sitting on top of my dining room table like a little center piece!!!   She sat there contently playing with my favorite lens.  She popped off the protective lens cap, and then unscrewed the bottom protective cap.  I still take a deep breath when I think of that moment.  
 
 
 
 
I can laugh now but in that moment I saw all kinds of scenarios in my mind. The interesting thing was because of how she observed me with my lens, she  gently removed the lens cap, and examined it. I quietly and slowly walked over and took it from her. The whole time I was walking toward her I was scolding myself for not being more careful with such a thing of great value. To say the least I could have suffered loss that day, and it would have been my own fault because I was not keeping the lens in the safest place.
 
 

I would like to take that little life experience of mine, and bring it over into what I am sharing with you today. Many times we hear God’s Word, and we know in our hearts that it is needful for our growth, yet we are not careful to respect it enough to first of all receive as ours to grow by.  We can go to church, and hear the Word, and walk away exclaiming what a good Word it was  yet not take hold of it as our very own and hide it within us. In Psalm 119:11 it says:
 
 
 
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.”
 
 

Another translation says that “I have laid up your Word…” The Hebrew translation of the the word hid is to reserve or protect. We need to understand that reading our Bibles or going to church is a good thing, and it is needful but it is vitally important that we are acting on what we do with the Word that we read or hear.    
You see when we hide God’s Word in us, and meditate upon it that Word becomes part of us, and it rises up within us in those times that our minds and thoughts are screaming at us to give up.
 
 

Proverbs 4:23
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for
out of it are the issues of life.”
 
 

Another translation of the the word hide in Psalm 119:11 is to hoard. That word could give you a bad picture in light of a certain TV program that strikes some of us as terrible and unbelievable. Yet when I think of that word in light of God’s Word I think of the individual that refuses to let go of anything they have received while hearing God’s Word. They take it all in, and they are determine that there is a place for it, and it will be used some day.   Meantime, it grows deeper and stronger within the heart that hoards His Word.  You see in this life, and all the circumstances it presents brings us need of God’s life giving promises. Today I encourage you to be diligent to hide His Word deep within your heart,and protect it diligently. 
 


“Give To Others”

give to others
 
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
God is so good to us. Day after day we rise and He faithfully meets us as we look to Him. We enjoy
all of His benefits and we must never forget one of them. We should have a renewed appreciation of all that He has done for He has done great things!
 

Today I want you to think about the many times that He has been there for you since you have met Him.   Think about the times that you have sinned in your heart yet you turned your heart to Him and repented  and He forgave you once again.    Oh that we should praise Him for His endless mercies and lovingkindness toward us. As we draw upon His mercy, love and all the wonderful things that He has blessed us with, we must be mindful  to share it with others. So how do we do this? I want you to look at Colossians 3:12 with me:
 
 

“Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones (His own picked
representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God
Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy,
kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience
[which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever
comes, with good temper].” (Amplified)
 
 
 
 
It can be easy to be so caught up in our outward appearance yet how much more should we be sure to be clothing our inner man appropriately with the beauty of our Lord.   As we are diligent to clothe ourselves by putting on behavior that is marked by being tenderhearted  and merciful, people will surely see us as a light in this world.   We  need to also be thinking about how we can live our lives prepared in our hearts and ready to help someone that may need God’s love, a word spoken in season, a listening ear,etc…  Today I want to encourage your heart to give to others that which the Lord has so graciously given to you.
 

As we have experienced God giving us answers to our prayers, and comfort in our time of need we need to to equip ourselves to be ready and share that same comfort and love with those in need. God does not bless us with all these wonderful and bountiful blessings for us to just talk about and keep to ourselves. He desires we pass them on and be a living testimony of His goodness!  The following scripture that I am sharing is addressing the giving of comfort to someone in need.   We need to be ready to bless those in need with the same comfort that we have been blessed with.
 
 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (VOICE)
“All praise goes to God, Father of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. He is
the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort. He consoles us as we
endure the pain and hardship of life so that we may draw from His comfort
and share it with others in their own struggles.”
 
 

 What an instrument of God we can be as we lovingly  share the life giving testimonies of our life with those that may be  walking through a similar experience and has need of an answer.   As you share what God has done for your life, it will be  a testimony of His love.   I encourage you today to pray for opportunities to be used as a vessel of giving His life, love and comfort to those around you.   He watches for those that are willing and ready to be used.


“Looking For and Seeing…”

looking for and seeing
 
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
I would like to share my heart with you today as to how I was so blessed yesterday.    I was fortunate to be delightfully blessed to see and overhear a conversation that was a much needed blessing for  me.   You see, I left my home yesterday very saddened in my heart.   Before I turned the news off, I saw once again the video that has gone viral, and is trending in our Nation.   In the video you see a  young woman jumping up and down of the beautiful American flag making a mockery of it.  My heart has been so sickened by this.   The three times that I have seen this, it was followed with interviews of young men that served our country for our freedom.  To see them share their heart about it is so touching.
 
 
 
Last week we saw tensions rise as massive violence swept the city of Baltimore.   So many senseless things happened.   Our policemen are being disrespected, and  I think it is terribly wrong, and my heart is grieved for men and women that have committed themselves to protect us, and maintain peace, and this is how they are being viewed and treated.  Needless to say, my heart has been very grieved by all this is going on in our world.
 
 
 
 
 The Lord began to speak to my heart yesterday after I left a restaurant with my Granddaughter.   He reminded me that there is good around us, and we need to stay focused on what good we can still see.  If we choose to focus too much on the ugly, surely we will miss little surprise blessings that I witnessed yesterday.
 
 
As I sat in the restaurant, I noticed an elderly gentleman sitting at a booth.   He was a  very jovial man, and I noticed him enjoying himself as he ate his breakfast.   Then I saw an older black man walk by him as he was going to pay his bill.   They both exhibited joy as they saw each other.   This is thing though…they did NOT know each other.   They both had caps on that identified what branch of service they were in as they served our country.   The black man said to this elderly white gentleman, “God bless you brother!!!”     They shared when and where they served, they teased about how old they were.  The one said proudly…”I was born in 1930, you figure out how old I am!!!”    As they parted, you could tell they were both lifted up by them meeting each other, and it truly blessed my heart to witness it.
 
 
So in the midst of the horrible racial tensions, I saw a very sweet sight between a white man and a black man.    They understood what really mattered, and it was not their differences.  It was about what they stood for together.    I saw the older white gentleman struggling to walk to his car.   He had a cane in both of his hands to help him walk.    Oh how my appreciation for those that have served once again welled up in my heart.   A sweet moment that was a good moment, and the Lord reminded me to  to not be consumed with all that is going wrong, and appreciate sweet moments as these.
 
 
It got even sweeter…my little Granddaughter climbed into her car seat and said, “Wait Grandma, I must buckle my seat belt because I must be obedient to the policemen.”    So from the heart of a three year old I heard respect and a desire to obey her authorities.  I encourage you today to look for good and sweet things around you.   Look for those things to set your heart upon, and be blessed!
 
 
 



6 Responses to “Devotional”

  1. Lisa Viands says:

    This is a good way of teaching the kids to forgive each other(Matt. 5:7). I like the power of this gentle scripture and lesson… Thanks!!

  2. Selena Neely says:

    Ralph &I are really enjoying your devotional together.

  3. Selena Neely says:

    Oh, what a wonderful reminder! I want to break the magnifing glass of worry and trust God for each step I take.

  4. Dona Hake says:

    It is interesting Selena how the more we worry the bigger and more magnified things get in our minds. Oh how important it is to trust our God for the smallest of things! Thank you for sharing!