Devotions By Jan

Monthly Archives: October 2013


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Waiting Room

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 27:14 “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”

Who is it that designs waiting rooms?  The colors are subdued, the walls are mostly bare, and often the magazines are out of date.  It does not help that the chairs are sometimes hard and the lighting fluorescent.  Waiting rooms are not easy places to wait.  Why not have color and noise and distractions to keep our minds occupied?  Focusing on what we are awaiting only makes the time drag.

Our verse for today is all about waiting.  David is waiting to see God’s goodness.  He is seeking His face for mercy and help.  David knows that there can be no courage or bravery on his part without that wait.  He waits with expectation that God will come through for him.  His hope is based on God’s character and God’s promises to him.

When I wait to see God’s goodness I want to wait the way David did.  He did not seek color, noise or distractions to get him through the wait.  Nor did he focus on the problem of his enemies.  Instead, he thought about who God is; his Light, his Salvation, his Refuge.  He remembered God’s promises to him (verse 8).  David was able to move through the wait with a strong heart, full of confidence.  That is what I want to do.

Some waits are particularly difficult.  Concentrating on that looming problem with no apparent solution only makes the wait seem longer.  I want my waiting room to be wallpapered with His promises and reassurances of His character.  Keep my heart strong, Lord, while I wait for You.


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Frown LInes

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 42:11 “Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

I always thought that frown lines would be those around the mouth.  But apparently, they are all over a face.  I guess wrinkles from surprise or from concentration must qualify too.  As annoying as these lines can feel on a face, it has got to be better than a face so tight with face lifting that there is no expression at all!

It is true that one’s face can be indicative of what kind of life one has led.  There is the hard working laborer exposed to too much sun.  There is the hard drinking man whose face betrays his dependance.  There is the life-long smoker whose skin reveals their habit.  And there are those who have lived through great tragedy and rarely smile.

Our verse for today is a prayer.  David (thought to be the author) addresses his own soul and the despair he feels.  He had plenty of reason to have a soul disturbed within him.  He was under constant attack from his enemies.  Rather than focusing on his circumstances or giving in to despair, the psalmist reminds himself of the hope he has in God.  Because of that hope, he could look forward to a future where praise for God would come again to his lips.

I can almost see David’s face clearing as he reaffirms his hope.  Hope shows on a face.  Eyes widen with anticipation.  Smiles appear when thinking of His goodness and faithfulness.  Hoping in God changes and uplifts one’s countenance.

Lord, my hope is in You alone.  May this hope be visible on my face today!


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Stuck!

7-29-09 002Scripture for Today:  I Corinthians 10:13  “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can endure it.”

I will never forget this traffic jam.  It seemed to last forever.  Thankfully, we were comfortable with pillows, food and water.  There was nothing to do about it.  The exits were too far apart.  We just had to wait it out.  In French, the word for a traffic jam is the same as for a bottle stopper.  Whatever the image, it is not a fun experience!  There was no point in venting our frustrations as doing so changed nothing!  We were stuck and there was just no way out.

Our verse for today gives a promise regarding temptation.  Of course, God does not tempt us to sin (James 1:13).  The word for “temptation” in the Greek is a neutral word, meaning to prove or to try.  Though God allows our faith to be tested, it is never His intent that we sin.  In His grace, He makes the test bearable without falling into sin.  The tests He allows us to go through have a way out.   If we endure the test with our faith strong and intact, that means we have found the way out!

That “way out” promised is Jesus Himself.  He is the “Way.”  His strength, His riches, His grace, and His love are what make any crushing circumstance bearable.  The only way to move through a trial successfully is to run to Him for the solution.  Thank you, Lord, that You are my way out and with You I can endure!


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Thirsty Deer

Scripture for Today: Psalm 42:1-2  “As the deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for You, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and behold the face of God?”

There are deer up in the forest on the hill behind our house.  It does not happen often, but I have surprised them on my walks in the vineyards.  I imagine they like to come down and nibble on the vines.  The moist climate of Alsace means that local deer can satisfy much of their thirst in their foraging of wet leaves.  The deer living in a dry sandy country have a greater need for water.

The deer described in our verse today lives in a dry climate and quenches his thirst in a flowing stream. David (thought to be the author) likens his thirst for God to that thirsty deer.  For days and nights David had been crying (verse 3).  The outpouring of his tears has made him thirsty for God’s reassuring presence.  He was crying because his enemies mocked him saying, “where is your God?” (verse 10)  In the face of their taunts and persecution, David thirsts for just a glimpse of the face of God.

David’s relationship to God was so close.  Yet, there were times he was particularly thirsty for His presence.  Those thirsty times were in reaction to the mockery of others.  In the same way, when I am ridiculed for my faith, I need to run to Him.  When my incredulous mocking peers discourage me, there is only one solution; come and be reassured in His satisfying presence.

The sweet water He provides my soul is exactly what is needed in facing an unbelieving world.  Thank you, Lord, that through faith, You satisfy that longing for a glimpse of Your face.


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Abundance

Scripture for Today:  II Corinthians 1:5  “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”

We are having an abundant harvest here in Alsace.  Squash of all sorts are making their appearance.  Our fertile plain fed by the Rhine River makes for some very rich farmland.  I love how many of the farms and even private residences will put out stands of their fresh produce.  For me, pumpkins represent an abundant harvest.

Our verse for today also talks about abundance; the abundance of suffering and the abundance of comfort.  Because of sin and our fallen world, there will be suffering for the believer.  Whether it is loss of health, income, or loss of loved ones, the Christian is not exempt.  But for the believer there is with the abundant suffering, comfort from Him that is just as abundant.

When I see others go through very difficult suffering, I wonder how they do it.  This verse gives me the answer.  They get through it by drawing on the abundant comfort He promises.  He is the God of all comfort (verse 3).

The future looms ahead of me with all sorts of potential suffering.  There will be age-related sufferings as the body breaks down.  There will be the deaths of older family members and friends.  Whatever suffering is in store, I can trust the Lord to come through for me.  His comfort will make all of it bearable.  I do not have to worry ahead of time or imagine the unimaginable.  When it is needed, His comfort will be there.

The abundant life of John 10:10 is not an easy painless life.  It is abundant because HE is there!  Thank you, Lord, that I can trust You to be the abundant comfort I need.