Devotions By Jan


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The Laughing Gull

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity: she can laugh at the days to come.”

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Assateague_laughing_gull_MD1.jpg

I am no stranger to all kinds of sea gulls in our area of the California coast. But I have never seen or heard this guy! That’s because the Laughing Gull makes its home on the Atlantic Coast. His dark black hood, red bill and legs and his white eye arcs give him a recognizable look. But what is most distinctive is his hysterical raucous call resembling laughter! It begins with a stuttering ha-ha-ha-ha and follows with a longer more drawn-out hash-hash-hash! He laughs when excited by courtship or defending his territory.

There is laughter in today’s verse. It is part of the description of a woman whose qualities raise what seems to be an impossible standard for others! This picture of the perfect wife and mother was given by the Queen Mother to her son, King Lemuel. The passage describes a woman of “noble character” fit for royalty (verse 10). After an extensive list of characteristics the conclusion is that charm and beauty are less important than fearing the Lord (verse 30). Fearing the Lord makes it possible to “laugh at the days to come.” There is a light heart even when facing the unknown future.

Of all the qualities listed for this perfect woman, this ability to laugh at the days to come has got to be the most difficult! It is a litmus test of my faith in God and His plan for me. To laugh at the days to come does not mean I do not prepare for them. But it does mean that I can trust Him for the unexpected! I can trust Him for what is around that blind curve. Whatever He allows to happen, He will carry me through it. Instead of fear and anxiety, He makes possible a light heart. Whatever the challenge of the days to come, He is enough.

Thank you Lord, for the confidence I can have in You!


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Rest for the Weary

Scripture for Today: Mark 6:31 “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Walking the boardwalk of the Seaforth Marina in San Diego, we saw this squirrel sunning himself! With the warmth of the sun above and of the rock beneath, as well as the mesmerizing movement of the fish, he was having the perfect rest! Some squirrels take rest further with times of “torpor,” conserving energy by lowering their metabolism when in a cold climate. But for this fellow, his rest can be taken throughout the year with California’s generous sunshine!

Today’s verse has an invitation to rest, given by Jesus to his disciples. The constant coming and going of people with their needs was tiring. He encourages the disciples to come away with Him to a quiet place, without the people pressing in, a quiet place where they could rest. What follows is a time of intense activity; the miraculous feeding of the five thousand! (counting just the men) The disciples worked hard distributing all that food to so many and then gathering up the leftovers. Thankfully, they had that rest first!

Resting in a quiet place may not seem like such a spiritual and fruitful “activity.” Yet, that rest is with Him. His invitation to rest is not only to be refreshed physically but also to have my soul nourished and ready for whatever comes next! The disciples did not know what was coming next. But they were ready. I do not know what is next. But I need that same rest to be ready for whatever is around the corner.

Thank you Lord, for the rest you give!


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“Breath of Life” Roses

Scripture for Today: Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

These beautiful apricot-colored roses turn pink with age and bloom multiple times. It is a climber and can reach up to ten feet. The long-lasting blooms make for a good vase life and it has a pleasing fragrance. Its unusual name comes from Britain’s Royal College of Midwives. They chose the name, “Breath of Life,” to signify the Creator in Genesis and everyone’s first vital act on entering this world. There is great anticipation at a baby’s birth for that first gasp of breath announcing life!

Today’s verse comes from Elihu’s counsel to Job, who though well-meaning, was wrong in his conclusions regarding the reason for Job’s trials. However, this statement was absolutely true as the breath of the Almighty is what gives life to each individual. In Genesis, we are told that after creating Adam, it wasn’t until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life that Adam became a living being. (Gen 2:7)

This week will end with a memorial to that momentous moment when Christ on the cross “breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46, Mark 15:37) Although this was (and is) a common saying to signify death, what happens next demonstrates that this was not his last breath! In three short days, the breath of the Almighty will bring Jesus back to life! Christ’s next breath not only announced life for Himself but for all who will trust in Him as God’s Son. (I John 5:11-12)

Lord, I am forever grateful that You conquered death and gave me new life in You.


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Cow Encounter

Scripture for Today: Psalm 50:9-10 “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.”

This sweet little guy seemed as enthusiastic as I was for a photo op! His friends, not so much. I didn’t want to think about where they might be headed that day. Each one was carefully tagged with a number and it was clear that their destiny was not to be anyone’s pampered pet. In any agricultural society, being too attached to the farm animals would not be such a great idea given their purpose. Where I see something sweet and furry (albeit stinky) their owner sees dollars and cents!

Today’s verse teaches that God does not need anything we can give Him. He already owns every animal and every created thing. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and this includes the wealth of every land. Although sacrificing animals was put in place by God to foreshadow the future sacrifice of Jesus, for many, this act of worship had become ritualistic and insincere. He sees our motivation and is looking for a truly thankful heart (verse 14).

I am so thankful that Christ’s sacrifice for sin on the cross was perfect and complete, with no more animal sacrifices needed (Rom. 3:25). But out of a heart of gratitude for what Jesus has done for me, I do want to give back to Him! Doing good and sharing with others is a sacrifice (Heb. 13:16). When I praise God even in the face of difficult circumstances, that is a sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15). My whole life can be a sacrifice to Him when lived following His will and not my own (Rom. 12:1-2).

Lord, may today be a day when I give back to You.


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A Time for Beauty

Scripture for Today: Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyllum_oxypetalum

This amazing flower, Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum Oxypetalum) can only be seen blooming at night. By dawn the flowers have wilted. Native from Mexico as far south as Nicaragua, they are not only nocturnal but very fragrant. Unlike the Night-Blooming Cereus, they grow on the surface of other plants rather than in the ground. This “extra-terrestrial” gets its moisture and nutrients from its environment instead of from the ground. Her beauty has its own special prescribed time, designated by its Creator.

Today’s verse teaches that the Source of beauty is God Himself. King David exclaimed that all he wanted was to gaze on the beauty of the Lord.(Psalm 27:4) Not only is God Himself beautiful but He creates beauty as a prompt to turn our eyes towards Him. All of His intricate amazing creation points to His beauty. And part of that creation is the desire for eternity, placed in the human heart by God Himself.

There is so much beauty in my life and I am thankful. But unfortunately sin and its consequences create what is ugly as well. How amazing to know that our Creator continues to create, redeeming and making what was unsightly into something beautiful! He exchanges beauty for ashes and joy for sorrow. (Isaiah 61:3). I can count on His promise and His timing. He will make all things beautiful in His time and I can look forward to an eternity where that beauty will never fade and last forever!

Thank you Lord, for this beautiful hope!