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Monday, 7 July 2025

Stay Close

 

People might think I never wash my hands.

I’ve spent several hours so far, picking and then stoning cherries. Fingernails are now stained with the juice of red and black cherries.

In a rush to pit all the cherries so I could loan the cherry-pitter to a friend, I forgot to insert the critical piece, a tiny rectangular bit of plastic with a cross cut into the middle of it. I couldn’t understand why the cherries were falling through the hole and not just the cherry pits. I resorted to a former method – using a straw, until Don came through and asked innocently, ‘Don’t you need this?’ Of course. That tiny bit of plastic with the cross cut in the centre, big enough to allow only the unwanted cherry pit through into the discard box. Crucial.

How often do I struggle to remove the hard inner bits of my own character, instead of coming to the Cross and letting the Lord do it for me? Rather than reforming my character in my own strength, with all its limitations, help me this day, Lord Jesus, to bring those things which defeat my godly aspirations to the Cross. Help me to follow you so closely that those godly character traits – the fruits of the Holy Spirit living in me –  begin to stick to me, without my being even aware.

My yoke is easy, you said, Jesus. My burden is light. Praise the Name of Jesus.

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