Corona Devo 98

Sometimes I find it uncanny how God speaks in our lives, and what He uses to speak to us.  

Not outloud, of course.  But by His words in Scripture, and by situations and through people.  And through play-dough.


I had been stewing over a situation, and I had decided (with Christ's help) to get over it.  But have you ever tried getting over an emotional roadblock?  It's a process.  And if we are not careful, we can relapse in our journey to freedom and end up stewing again.


Enter...play-dough or Play-Doh.  


Our kids have been bored lately.  We are still sticking with minimal public activity due to Corona, and they are feeling the burn of home-boredom.  I had the idea (last night) of letting them make their own play-dough.  I copied down the recipe and prepped the ingredients for the next day.  

This morning when I read from a devotional book that I pick up only now and then, the theme of the page was "Play-Dough".  Coincidence or Jesus?  

Hint: With Jesus there are no coincidences.


As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."  ~Hebrews 3:15


The verse was a reminder to me (and maybe you) about not letting our hearts harden.  When we get caught up in an issue, a disagreement, a problem, a sickness, politics, social issues, you-name-it: we shift our focus off of Christ and on to us, and our stances.  Like play-dough left out too long, our hearts harden when we are away from Christ's directives.  Lord, we want to keep our hearts soft for You and in You. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As has just been said... ~Hebrews 3:15

Your Word does not change, Father.  This is not new advice from You, Lord.  You have said it before, but You repeat your laws to us when we need to hear them afresh.


“Today, if you hear his voice"... ~Hebrews 3:15

Lord, we hear Your beautiful voice!  I see it in the play dough correlation and in your back-to-back daily Scripture teaching about softening my heart and choosing to serve You instead of my own feelings.  And we long to hear Your voice.  Even in discipline and correction, which You provide because You love us deeply, we long to hear Your voice and we welcome it.  

I hear Your voice today after the silence of my wandering and pouting.  Your Word is breath in my lungs.  Without Your direction we (as your Followers) are fish out of water.  It feels great to swim with You once more, and I praise You for Your voice in our lives.


"do not harden your hearts"...  ~Hebrews 3:15

Lord, we have choices.  Each day, each situation, and with each person in our lives.  We do not want to choose bitterness or anger or entitlement or offense or even hurt.  We choose You, Lord.  

My previous responses have sucked enough time and energy out of me.  Continue to soften our hearts.  We want to be back in Your presence and hardened hearts keep us far from You.


"as you did in the rebellion."  ~Hebrews 3:15

What I like about God is that He calls a spade a spade.  When we are not with the Lord, we are against Him.  When we sit in selfishness, self-pity, self-righteousness, criticism and anger--we stand in rebellion against God and His ways:

  • Love your neighbor as yourself.  ~Matthew 22:39
  • Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven!" ~Matthew 18:21-22

We do not want to be in rebellion against God.  There is no growth or satisfaction or purpose in that.  But, because we are human beings, we are guilty of it at times.  We all experience rebellion of our hearts.  I think the mark of a Christ follower is willfully choosing to step out of the rebellion and back toward God and His ways.  It's hard.  But we are the beneficiaries.  


Stale play dough is useless.  You can't shape it or mold it into anything.  But fresh play dough is amazing.  Children of all ages can have fun creating with it.  


We don't want to be useless in the Lord's hands.  We want to be flexible for His uses and able to be shaped into all that He has planned for us today.  


“Today, if you hear his voice"... ~Hebrews 3:15

I heard His voice today.  I hope you did too.  Let's leave our crusty selves and live with softened hearts for Jesus.  

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com/

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