Devotions with Nell Ritchey

“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22, ESV

Ah, here it comes! The weather is warming up; the birds are singing; the sun is shining; the orange cones and barriers are popping up everywhere. It’s officially construction season in Kansas. Every street you travel on is pocked with holes, and the city/county/state is trying valiantly to fix them before winter comes again and we have to start all over. And it’s human nature to blame the city/county/state for not taking better care of the roads. But in reality it’s just part of living in Kansas: the hot summers and cold winters cause stuff to happen. And it’s construction season again.

Really, aren’t our lives just like that? Things occasionally get out of whack, and we want to blame our family/friends/job/church/blah, blah, blah, for life not being what it ought to be. But that’s just life! We do something we shouldn’t (or don’tdo something we should); then we do it again, and again, and the first thing you know we have a habit that has taken us away from the center of God’s will. And we didn’t see that there was a problem until thump! our tires are a little flat and our undercarriage a little battered from the spiritual potholes that have accumulated.

Maybe it’s time for construction season on our hearts. Using the Bible as a mirror, maybe I should take a look and see if I’m living according to the Word, or just reading it. And maybe I need to take the time to do a little work on my heart, even if that slows me down or creates an unwelcome detour. It will be worth it in the long run.
God bless you!
​
Nell Ritchey