Devotions By Jan

Monthly Archives: March 2014


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Rewarding Myself!

Scripture for Today: Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

The only thing that kept me weeding today was the thought that I would reward myself when I was done with a particular patch.  There was ice cream in the freezer calling my name!  So, I kept pushing myself to reach my goal.  Somehow, making that ice cream serve as a reward made it all the sweeter and more satisfying!

The concept of reward for hard work is basic to our motivation.  The Lord understands this as He created us this way!  Our verse for today talks about the reward of our heavenly inheritance.  We are working for the Lord.  He is the One we are really serving.  And we are to work with all our heart.  Part of our motivation is knowing that we will be rewarded.

It seems somehow “unspiritual” to be motivated by reward.  It is fine in any other area of our lives, but it seems less than worthy of a pure selfless service to God.  And yet, the Lord is the One who in His grace has offered rewards.  Paul did not apologize for pressing on to win that prize (Phil. 3:14).  Looking forward to reward kept him self disciplined.  Thoughts of being recompensed helped Paul get through the hard times.

God’s rewards are a grace.  He does not owe it to me.  I certainly do not deserve reward.  How loving He is to want to recompense me!  I hope there are rewards awaiting me in heaven.  Why?  They will be for His glory as I humbly give them back to Him in worship.


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Guest Room

unnamedScripture for Today:  I Peter 4:9-10 “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

One of the reasons I enjoy our century-old Alsacian home is for its guest room.  It is not the largest room but it is the nicest with a balcony that overlooks the Vosges mountains.  I have so often been a guest in the homes of others that it only makes sense to offer hospitality as often as I can.  The bed is actually two singles together so we have different options for our guests.  We have a guest book to sign and I enjoy looking back over the years, reading comments and remembering visits.

Hosting others is not always a positive experience.  Routines are interrupted.  There are new unexplained noises in the night.  The utility bill will probably increase and there will certainly be more cleaning before and after a visit.  That is why our verse for today mentions grumbling.  Hospitality is a service to others but more importantly, it is part of our stewardship to the Lord.

It is a gift to have the space and means to offer hospitality.  It is a gift to serve others in any number of ways with whatever the Lord has given us.  But the ultimate reason for hospitality or any service to others is “so that in all things the Lord is praised” (verse 11).  It is not about me.  It is not about how clean my home is or what my guests may think of the decor.  The idea is not to impress.  The idea is that the Lord is praised and glorified!

Thank you Lord, that opening my home is another way to love and praise You!


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In Debt

piano unnamedScripture for Today: Luke 7:14-42  “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed him five hundred denari and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debt of both.  Now which of them will love him more?”

As a rule we do not purchase items “on time.”  But early in our marriage we made an exception for this piano.  My husband knew how important piano playing was to me and so one day he surprised me.  He had it wrapped in a big red bow!  When the monthly bills began to arrive, the amount of interest required took the joy right out of that purchase!  In fact, it bothered him so much, we quickly paid the piano off ahead of time.  We did not feel comfortable being “in debt.”

In our verse for today, Jesus is speaking to Simon, a pharisee.  Simon is appalled that a sinful woman would dare to anoint the feet of Jesus.  Jesus challenges this pharisee’s self-righteous thinking with a short parable.  Those who have been forgiven much will love much.  Those who have been forgiven little will only love a little (verse 47).   Both debtors have had their debt erased.  But the one with the bigger debt is more motivated to show love and gratitude.

The more I realize the enormity of my sin, the more amazed I am that Christ paid my debt.  The more I realize the ugliness of my heart, the more grateful I am for His cleansing.  When I take a good hard look at myself, I realize that Jesus has forgiven me “much.”

My debt for sin was huge and impossible to pay.  How much better to be indebted to His grace!  “Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be.”


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Alsacian Plains

Scripture for Today: I Kings 20:23 “Meanwhile, the officials of the King of Aram advised him, ‘Their gods are the gods of the hills.  That is why they are too strong for us.  But if we fight them on the plains surely we will be stronger than they.”

Not far from our home are the World War I trenches overlooking the long disputed Alsacian plains.  Over the years the French and the Germans have repeatedly fought over these fertile plains and possession has passed back and forth.  But the price in lost lives has been high as seen by the number of graves next to the trenches.

In our verse for today is the erroneous thinking of Israel’s enemies.  They have limited the scope of God’s power to only the hills.  They are sure that their strength will prevail if they attack on the plains outside the reach of God’s power.  These enemies of Israel had a god for every area of their lives and assumed the same would be true of the Israelites.  The one and only God of the universe promised to deliver the enemy into the hands of the Israelites to show the extent of His might and power.

I smile when I read how faulty and illogical was the thinking of these enemies.  God’s Word reveals that the whole earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24:1).  His presence can invade every nook and cranny of this world and of our hearts.  There is no putting God in a box and limiting the sphere of His power.  But maybe I do the same thing.  Do I put artificial limitations on what God can do?

His power has no limits!  Thank you Lord, for Your greatness that surpasses my feeble understanding!


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Patchwork

28339_1473182478403_3340566_nScripture for Today: Matt 9:16  “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.”

My friend, Gale, makes beautiful patchwork quilts.  Pictured here is one she sewed called, “Square In A Square.”  Her passion for patchwork is shared by many in the Orange Grove Quilter’s Guild of which she is a member and past president.  What used to be done out of necessity by early American settlers is now a creative art form.  There are many beautiful patterns to choose from but all of them require precision in cutting and sewing in order for the edges to fit together exactly as they should.  And of course, all the pieces of fabric need to be preshrunk before sewing.

In our verse for today Jesus uses the illustration of patching a tear with new unshrunk material on to old material.  The conversation arises out of questions from those following tradition and ritual.  They are trying to connect their system of belief with what Jesus was teaching.  These men were distracted with the externals of religion that fed their own self-righteousness.  Jesus is revealing a new internal Gospel of forgiveness and cleansing.  What is legalistic and of the flesh could not be attached to what is grace and of the Spirit (Gal. 3:3).

Any time I think I can earn God’s favor by my own good works or religious observances, I am falling into that same kind of thinking!  Whether it is church attendance, fasting, hymn singing or giving, none of these activities, as positive as they are, earn right standing with God.  My relationship with Him is only because of His grace.

“Nothing in my hand I bring.  Simply to Thy cross I cling.”  I am forever grateful for grace!