Devotions By Jan

Monthly Archives: August 2016


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Too Remote

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 139:9-10 “If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.”

The Pitcairn Islands come to mind when thinking of a remote part of the sea.  They roughly split the distance between Australia and South America.  These four volcanic islands are spread over several hundred miles of the Southern Pacific Ocean.  Their total land area is only eighteen square miles.  The mere sixty seven inhabitants are descended from pirates and Tahitians landing there in 1790.  The wreckage of the Bounty is still visible underwater.  If one wanted to “dwell in the remotest part of the sea,”  it seems a good place to do it!

Our verse for today is a wonderful reminder about the extent of God’s power and presence.  There is no place on earth too remote to find Him there.  The context is about fleeing His presence.  It just cannot be done.  Up in the heavens or in the depths of the earth, He is there.  And His presence is up close and personal.

Regardless of where I am, God’s presence means He is personally involved.  His hand leads, guides and protects.  That means His presence is not a disinterested one.  He sees, He cares, and He acts.  I do not always understand the “why” behind what He allows, but I can always be assured that He knows what His hand is doing.  He is trustworthy.

I do not want to flee from His Spirit.  I need to feel His presence and be assured of His hand in my life.  Lord, remind me continually of Your presence.  Help me move through my day confident that You are there.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.

 


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Tantrums

TANTRUMScripture for Today: Genesis 4:7 “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

This sweet little girl is losing it!  What toddler has not gone through the temper tantrum stage?  The angry emotions become too much to handle and spill out.  It can be frustrating or cute depending on how much sleep the parent has had.  But there is a place where temper tantrums are encouraged; the Tantrum Club for women in London.  There, one can scream, shout, rant and rave, jump up and down and bash things.  The club welcomes this behavior with support because as they say, “You deserve it!”

Our verse for today is spoken to Cain as a warning from the Lord.  Cain’s emotions have reached the boiling point.  Much more serious than a child’s tantrum, his anger is about to erupt in violence.  God does not tell Cain to swallow or suppress his emotions.  He tells Cain that he must rule over them in order to avoid sinful behavior.  As strong as his anger was, Cain always had a choice.

I often rationalize that I deserve to feel the way I do.  It is understandable.  But I do not have to be the victim of my emotions.  They do not have to lead me to sin, not if I can rule over them.  There is always a choice whether or not to give in to the anger or frustration.  My problem is that I cannot rule over my emotions on my own.  There is often a tantrum going on inside.  How thankful I am to have the fruit of God’s Spirit, offering me self-control.

Lord, rule over my emotions today!

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.


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Assisted Living

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 119:173 “May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.”

Many retirement homes have the choice of Independent Living or Assisted Living.  For now, my Mother continues to live with the Independent Living program, even at her advanced age.  However, I am anticipating the day when she makes use of the services offered in the Assisted Living program.  I sometimes do not understand her reluctance to accept more help.  Probably it comes from a fierce independent spirit that fears relinquishing any control.  On one level it is an admirable quality.  But on another level, it can be frustrating to see a quality of life that is often not as positive as it could be.  Help is there and available to make life easier.  But the desire to be independent is oh so strong!

In the spiritual realm there is also the tendency to not ask for help.  There is an issue of pride that pushes one to try and “go it alone.”  But His hand is there.  His help is available.  He awaits my cry for help.  But I often do not realize my need for “assisted living.”  I just do not see what could be possible with Him.  I am too content with what I can accomplish on my own.

David recognized in Psalm 40:17 that he was poor and needy.  With this humility he was able to turn to the Lord, ask for help, and receive it.  If a mighty king and warrior can recognize his need for help, than surely I need to as well.  Who does not need assistance?  Why am I so reticent to ask?

Thank you Lord, that You are so patient with me and my independent spirit.  I am no good on my own.  I need your help today!

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.


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Hitting the Wall

Scripture for Today:  Psalm 18:29 “Indeed, with Your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall.

“The Great Wall of China comes to mind as the best example of an impressive wall.  Not only does it run 13,000 miles in its entirety, but sections of the wall have been around since the 7th century!  It was built to prevent attack from barbarian nomads but in fact it has been scaled many times.  Perhaps its most important role is a psychological one, serving as a barrier between Chinese culture and the rest of the world.  My husband had the privilege of running alongside part of this wall while visiting the country with his Chinese Mother.

Our verse for today speaks of a wall that is scaled with the power God gives.  For David, the troops and wall were literal.  The context of this psalm is praise to God for his deliverance from King Saul.  He calls God his fortress, his rock and his shield.  But not only is God his protector but He also empowers him to advance and attack!  A wall that looks insurmountable is no barrier with God’s power!

There are walls in my life that certainly look insurmountable.  I do not have a king chasing after me but my walls could be psychological.  Whatever seems impossible to face, impossible to finish or impossible to forget can be my wall.  But I have the same power that David had.  God’s Spirit lives within me giving me the ability to fight through and succeed.  He is my force.  He is not going to allow me to hit the wall, but to jump over it!

There is nothing too hard for You, Lord.  Help me to remember that today.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.


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The Wishbone

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

As the youngest child in my family, I was enthusiastic about any tradition that might give me an edge over my three siblings!  This old superstition says that whoever ends up with the largest part of the bird’s “wishbone” when pulled apart, can make a wish that will surely come true.  As I did not become the richest person in the world, this belief is officially debunked!  However, one can always hope!

According to our verse for today, hope that is not fulfilled can make a heart sick.  To continually hope in something that is not to happen is just sad.  Barring divine intervention, a sterile woman may never give birth, a hoped-for reconciliation may never take place and world peace may never become a reality.  Hoping that has nothing to recommend it but wishful thinking is a flimsy hope.

What a contrast it is to have a solid hope.  Flimsy wishful thinking does not resemble in the least the sure hope we have in God’s promises.  This kind of hope never makes our hearts sick.  There will one day be a time when this hope is fulfilled.  A tree of life awaits us in Paradise (Rev. 22:1-2).  Every desire will be realized.  There will no longer be any need to hope.  Hopes will be fulfilled.

My heart can be sickly if I am hoping in the wrong things.  But when my hope is firmly place in God, the God of hope, my heart becomes strong and courageous! (Psalm 31:24)  He never disappoints.  He never goes back on His promises.  He Himself is the fulfillment of all my hope.

Regardless of what this day brings Lord, keep my heart strong, hoping in You.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.