Week of 3/11

CRUSADER’S DEVOTIONAL

Good day readers! I hope this past week you found simple joys and overcame any difficulty that the enemy may have brought before you.

About two weeks ago, I heard a fella on the radio talking about the lack of moisture throughout the Eastern Plains. He said that to get our ground moisture to be were it should be, we needed 150% of our average snow fall and as it stands now it’s at 35% of a normal winter. After hearing this, I shut off the radio and began to pray for the blessing of the much needed snowfall. There is more at stake than snow packed roads, plows blocking the drive way or even having to shovel a path to the barn for feeding. The truth is, with no moisture the ground will not grow hay, corn, winter wheat, barley and other sorts of planted crops. Grazing live stock has little, if nothing to eat. Meaning that most times they are sent to market early; cutting into the already hurting profit of the families who work to produce the very food that feeds us all. May the Lord’s hand bless these people who it is not only their jobs, but their way of life.

Well, as it is, snow came to us on Saturday. The good kind too! Wet and heavy with water, the kind we need even more of. I heard folks say things like “Keep it in the mountains”, “I like it, but hate driving in it”, or “I can’t wait for summer! I hate snow.” Makes me wonder if they remember where they live, after all these are the Rocky Mountains and the High Plains. True, the horses stand in their barns and look for us to feed them inside their warm dry stalls. The snow makes pulling the feed cart almost impossible, making us carry one feeding at a time to each horse. Often doing this the feeder will take a misstep and falls flat on the carried hay flakes while spilling the bucket of grain, which brings laughter from others feeding but bringsthe thought of an apartment somewhere of the coast of Hawaii for the one who now is face down in the snow! But the whole thing made me think of blessings.

I, as many I’m sure, prayed for the snow. By the grace of your Lord,we received it and are thankful for it. Isn’t it funny how sometimes our prayers bring on hardships that later turns into the very blessing that we wanted all the time. It reminds of the Jewish people of the book Exodus. They wanted freedom from the slavery of Egypt, then when God granted them their prayers, they did not know how or what to do. So, then they complained about it. Their whiney, cry baby,belly-aching was, well, lets just say a setback. Instead of accepting their blessing and rolling up their sleeves and getting to work they wanted all the rewards without the praise of He who gave it.

How are we all handing our blessings? Are we hoarding them or are we passing them on so Christ can do his work through us? We are to giveof ourselves, pour ourselves out, so we can be trusted with the blessings that we prayed for. More will come to us so that more may be given.When we receive blessings, be thankful and remember He who gave it. Share your blessings and tell others of His glory and the loving God whom all good things come from. “BLESSED RATHER ARE THOSEWHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND OBEY IT.” (Luke 11:28)


I pray that each of us see the real blessings in our lives and have a thankful heart,


for He is where they come from. Go in peace and in love.


In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ of the Nazarene.


Cowboy Pastor Ty