Corona Devo 879

Ever made pickles?

First, you need lots of cucumbers.  It's summer gardening season, so that's a check-mark at our house.  

Then you need a brine: a mixture of vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and whatever yummy herbs and spices you choose, from dill and garlic to mustard seeds, turmeric, or chili flakes.  

Then, you need time.  Time to let the brine do its thing...to soak the cukes and fill them with flavor.  Time for the cucumbers to allow the brine to penetrate their being.  Time for the brine to become one with the cucumbers.  Through this process and over time, the cucumbers go from "being cucumbers" to "becoming" tasty pickles.  

There is nothing magical about it, the cukes just need time to soak up the flavors in the brine.  

But when we popped the first pickle slices into our mouths at supper, there was something (flavorfully) magical about it.  What were once just cucumbers had transformed into something wonderful because of time spent in the brine.

Brine us, Lord.

We come before You today--willing.  We are Yours.  Our willingness to soak up Your Word, Your ways, Your love, Your discipline, Your purpose for us today--that's a check-mark in our hearts today. 

O Lord, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised.  (170) Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised.  (171) Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees.  (172) Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.  (173) Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments.  (174) O Lord, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight. ~Psalm 19:169-174

Brine us, Lord.

We lay Your Word before us today and we read it.  We sit in it.  We soak our souls in it.  

Blessed is the one...(2) ...whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. (3) That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,  which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.  ~Psalm 1:1-3  

We commit to giving You time today, Lord.  Change takes time.  Acceptance takes time.  Finding time takes time, and finding willingness to come to You takes time.  We commit to giving You time today, Lord.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  ~Matthew 6:33

Time to let You do Your thing within us.  Time to soak us and fill us with Your flavor.  Time for us to allow You to penetrate our being.  Time for You to become one with us.  

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— (17) the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.   ~John 14:16-17 

Through this daily process and over time, we go from not-knowing You to being infused with You, becoming a part-of-You, and becoming Your heirs.  

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener... (4) Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  (5) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  ~John 15:1, 4-5

There is nothing magical about it: first, we just need to be present, willing, and available to God. 

Then, we need to immerse ourselves in the "brine" of God, if you will.  His Word (the Bible), His people (Believers), His "stuff"-Christ-centered music, teaching, books, churches, friendships, etc.  Soak in the things of God.  We just need time/quiet/intentions to soak up Who He is and let Him filter into us.

And now...Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul... ~Deuteronomy 10:12


Brine us, Lord.


If we will present ourselves to the Lord and spend the time and effort to soak up his Word and let it penetrate who-we-are...then we can be transformed into something wonderful because of time spent with him.


And as we gaze upon the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, all of us are being transformed into that same image from glory to glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  ~2 Corinthians 3:18


You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.   ~Jeremiah 29:13


Brine us today, Lord.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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