Devotions By Jan

Monthly Archives: February 2013


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Pigsty

Scripture for Today: Psalms 145:15-16  “The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time.  You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

Pigs are disgusting.  My apologies to Babe and Wilbur.  But they make a royal mess, rooting around and wallowing in the mud.  They make disgusting grunting noises and they stink.

What is great about a pig is that they eat just about anything.  They are not picky and are easily satisfied, even with food that is nasty and spoiled.  And I will say it, they taste good.  We do not eat a lot of pork but we will have the occasional pork roast or ribs smothered in BBQ sauce.

In the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, there is a pigsty.  This young man had traded the comfort of his Father’s presence for the pleasures the world had to offer.  He ended up feeding pigs their scraps.  He finally comes to his senses and returns to his Father.

Our verse for today tells us where true satisfaction can be found.  What comes from His hand brings satisfaction.  The problem comes when we turn to the world for that satisfaction.  We mistakenly think that the pleasures the world offers will somehow meet our desires when nothing is further from the truth.  Like the Prodigal Son, we end up with the pigs, mindlessly eating the scraps.

So many are deluded and living contentedly with scraps in the pigsty when they could be dining at their Father’s table.  So many do not “come to their senses.”  Our Heavenly Father gives good gifts that satisfy our deepest and sometimes unconscious desires.  His open hand is waiting to give to those who look to Him in faith.

It is only You, Lord, that satisfies.


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The Turtle

Scripture for Today:  Romans 5: 3-4  “…but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope:”

While growing up our family had a turtle hanging out in our back yard.   I don’t remember how he came to be there, but I do remember using him like a garbage disposal.  He took care of all the vegetable scraps.  It was fun to watch him eat lettuce, although it seemed he took forever to do it.

We also grew up with cats.  Because our turtle was so slow, our cats would often corner him.  Of course, there was no way he could out run them but he survived these encounters by stopping and withdrawing into his shell.  Sometimes it would take a long time but eventually, the cats would lose interest and leave him alone.

Our verse today is an encouragement in facing the hard times in life.  They corner us and often there is no way to avoid them.  Yet, the Lord promises a positive outcome: perseverance.  That patient endurance forms a godly character in me.  The more difficult my situation, the more likely I am to think about the hope of eternity.

God gave the turtle a wonderful coping mechanism in that shell.  He could easily wait out the cat’s assault.  By His presence God provides me with a similar way to cope.  He is my refuge.  He is my hiding place.  He provides shelter.  Through Him I can endure and wait it out.

It is God who gives perseverance and encouragement (Rom.15:5).  I do not know what tomorrow may bring.  But I do know that He is there and He will give me what I need to persevere.  At the first sign of trouble, may I hide myself in Him.


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Anger

Scripture for Today:  James 1:19-20  “…But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

There are all kinds of pressure gauges connected to our heating system.  Our house is over a hundred years old and uses an older method of heating.  Each room has radiators.  The water for the system is heated in our basement and pressurized.  The water pump pushes the water where it needs to go.

Those pressure gauges are important to keep at the correct readings.  Too much pressure can be dangerous and blow the entire system.  The whole idea makes me nervous.  I do not touch any of it.  It is something I happily leave to my husband and landlord to regulate.

My anger can be like that pressure gauge.  Unchecked, it can increase to dangerous levels.  If I do not take care of it, I can explode and do damage to those I love most.  My anger can even be justified at times, at least in my own thinking.  But justified or not, it will surely produce negative consequences.

Our verse for today warns that man’s anger does not achieve the righteousness of God.  Blowing up does not improve or make right a situation.  More often, anger only clouds the issue.  Anger hurts others and hurts one’s own reputation.  It feels good to let it fly, but I will be the one who looks the fool (Eccl. 7:9)

Listening and keeping my mouth shut can go a long way toward slowing down my anger.  If it does not build too quickly, there is more of a chance to diffuse it.  It is a choice to allow that needle to enter the danger zone.

Lord, help me give my anger to You.


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Wind

Scripture for Today:  John 3:8  “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

We are having lots of wind today.  They predicted 40 miles per hour but it seems much stronger.  The noise is deafening as it moves through the trees.  We are hearing all kinds of creaks and groans in our century-old home.  Tiger, our cat, is afraid to go out.  My husband is reluctant for me to take the car out.

Many people think of Holland when they see a windmill, but they are common in France too.  The most famous one is the Moulin Rouge in Paris, but it has nothing to do with the wind!  Man has learned how to harness the power of the wind, but we still cannot control where it is coming from.  Man has no say in when it will arrive or how strong it will be or when it will abate.  It is just not in our control.

Our verse for today likens the work of the Spirit to the wind.  Being born of the Spirit is something unseen by human eyes.  We cannot explain the movement of God’s Spirit but we do see the results.  We see His presence by the change affected in hearts and lives.

Just as I cannot control the wind, I cannot control God’s Spirit.  He is a Person, not just a force of nature.  I do not have the power to oblige Him to do anything.  He is God, and it would be presumptuous of me to think that I could control Him!

No, I do not control Him.  What I most desire is that He control me.