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Listen while you read: "Little Drops Of Water"1 (Lyrics) |
Galatians 5:16-17a – So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. (NLT)
When Minnie, our miniature donkey, arrived, we were excited to meet the new member of our livestock family. Within a short time, however, we realized that something was wrong with her feet. Her hooves all pointed slightly upward, instead of facing down. This caused her to walk on the tender flesh of the back of her legs. We called the farrier immediately, but he was not encouraging when he saw the problem.
Next, a multitude of x-rays revealed that Minnie's leg bones were deformed, which in turn was causing her not to be able to stand flat upon her hooves. The vet sent the x-rays to a bone specialist who verified the findings and said that there was nothing to be done and that perhaps euthanasia was the kindest option. After much thought and prayer, we decided to keep her and give her a chance.
We had the farrier return, and he cut the toes of her hooves very short. He continued to return every month to do the same thing. Minnie's walk began to improve slowly. The children and I continued to pray. Now, six months later, somehow, someway, Minnie is walking and running and leaping like any healthy, normal donkey. The farrier is mystified, but I am not.
Romans 3:23-24 – For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (NLT)
Before we come to know Christ, each and every one of us has a crooked or deformed spiritual nature. Once we commit our lives to Jesus, however, then and only then is our crooked nature able to realize healing transformation through Christ's Holy Spirit, Who indwells all believers. His Spirit begins to take what is crooked within us and to straighten it out. Through His power, somehow, someway, He is not only able to guide us to do God's good and perfect will, but He is also able to give us desires which are the opposite of what our sinful nature desires. The crooked becomes straight.
We don't know just how Minnie's deformity is being made straight. We are just grateful that it is happening — just as I, and all God's people, should be thrilled and grateful for the transformation that His Spirit is making in our spiritual lives each and every day as we endeavour to follow our Lord.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the transforming work of Your Holy Spirit within us. May we always yield to His guidance. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.
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Thanks Lynne, blessings.
Amen and Amen! Thank God for your Minnie’s improvement.
Morning Lynne, thanks for another great read. Blessings and have a great weekend.
Thanks Lynne,
So thankful that the LORD answered prayers for Minnie and may we continue to trust Him for our continued guidance.
An excellent message, which I hope I can share with a group of homeless people and drug addicts in our downtown mission called The Grind, here in ON. Thanks for your contributions to these devotionals.
Dear Lynne,
I do so love when you post. This was exactly what I needed to read today, to keep my chin up.
Thank you so much for this, and warmest best wishes.
This is a deep, deep truth.
Thanks for sharing this account of Minnie’s transformation. In my 80s now, I am still needing God’s power to transform my thoughts, actions and prayers, but most importantly, my will.
Bless you dear Lynne.
HI Lynne,
Prayer brings about miracles which we cannot explain in our own lives and in the lives of donkeys like Minnie.
Praise the Lord for the miracle for Minnie and for the witness of the miracle to your grandchildren as to how prayer works.
Blessings.
Many thanks Lynne for your very positive and encouraging devotional today.
Such good news to hear that Minny’s walking situation is steadily improving. We can so often be amazed how our loving Lord responds so well to our prayers. He certainly is ever-present and ready to take care of situations we bring to Him and is most deserving of our constant faithfulness. Blessings for these very special writings you always prepare.
Hi Lynne,
When I read the first line of this devotional, I knew who had written it. What a great story and example of faith. We have donkeys. When the grandchildren were younger and would come for a week without their parents (exhausting for us but wonderful time), they would delight in getting sugar cubes to feed the donkeys. The first lesson (almost painfully learned) was to hold your hand flat so that the donkeys would not destroy their fingers.
Good morning, Lynne,
This is a beautiful message of kindness, hope, praying and love. When I saw the title “The Donkey”, I thought it was going to be on stubbornness – how wrong I was. A beautiful reminder of our amazing God and how God saved us from our sins. How thinking out of the box and trying something made a change in all of your lives. Thank you for sharing about Minnie and the positive result of prayers, hope, and love. I also really like the song “Little Drops of Water” and how it ends with
Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden,
Like the heaven above.
May we all spread kindness and love, and you showed us in your caring for Minnie. May we all be grateful for how the Holy Spirit guides us every minute. Thanks.
Dear Lynne
We resonate with your story as we once had a pony with similar leg issues. But what a great way to example how Christ helps us as well, spiritually, but also through many prayers.
Bless you and your family ,we thank you.
(Ontario)
Hi Lynne,
I’m not sure that I can share your implication that there might have been a miracle healing of your lamb.
But I’m happy for you and your children that it happened. That said, scripture tells us to give God praise in all things …So praise God!
Blessings.