Devotions By Jan

Monthly Archives: April 2021


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Follow The Arrows

Scripture for Today: Psalm 43:3 “Send forth your light and your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.”

It’s been years since our children watched Sesame Street but there is one song from this program that refuses to leave my head, “Follow the Arrows.” The lyrics say, “Follow the arrows, just follow, don’t say no. Follow the arrows, they’ll show you where to go…” These arrows point every which way. But if frustrated, one can always follow the arrow towards the Mad Tea Party in Alice’s Wonderland and forget all about it!

Today’s verse tells us what to follow. God promises to send the arrows of His light and truth, demonstrating His faithful care for His own. He will never steer us in the wrong direction. His light and truth will always lead back to His presence. The author of this psalm wonders why his soul is so downcast and disturbed. Yet he recognizes that at the altar of God he will find joy and delight (verse 4). It is in God’s presence that he will hope again as he praises his Savior. (verse 5)

When I am depressed and feeling far from my Creator, there are lots of arrows I could follow. The world points me to the distractions it has to offer. But they all fall short of true lasting joy. Some arrows point to science as the answer to everything. But I am more interested in the Creator of science and the delight I can feel in His presence. Some arrows appear for such a short time as they point me to the newest fad. But when I follow the light and truth of God’s Word, I am led right back to Him!

Thank you Lord, that Your light and truth point me to You!


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Holocaust Remembrance Day

Scripture for Today:  Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.”

What a sobering experience it was to tour the Dachau concentration camp. This gate, like the one at Auschwitz, screams the absurdity that “Work Sets You Free.” The horrifying truth was that the only freedom for those prisoners was found in death. The saying comes from the title of a novel by a German author. In that story, thieves and gamblers discovered their redemption through labor.

Today’s verse teaches a truth that for some is counter-intuitive. Very clearly it states that salvation does not come through our work or efforts. We want to think that somehow, something we did contributed to being saved. But no matter how hard one works to earn Heaven, man will always fall short of the perfect standard of God’s holiness. We cannot free ourselves from the damning chains of sin without God taking the initiative. His grace or unmerited favor, is what frees us. Salvation itself is free and a gift from God. Because this is true, none of us can boast about having anything to do with it!

My gratitude towards God grows by leaps and bounds when I grasp this truth. It is all grace and it is amazing! There is tremendous freedom in my spirit to be assured that my salvation depends on Him and not my efforts. Without this truth, I would always be in a state of fear and worry about my eternal destination. Putting my faith and trust in what HE did on that cross rather than in what I can do makes me free indeed!

Thank you Lord, that Your gift of grace saves me and makes me truly free!

(Look familiar? This is a post from 2018 to honor this day)


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National No Housework Day

Psalm 51:2-3 “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.”

Did you know this is National No Housework Day? Apparently the cat on the chair does and perhaps the other cat on the table does too! They are totally unconcerned about the clutter! This certainly seems like a busy household with shoes scattered, clothes hanging out, and laundry to be put away. What is puzzling is that water can under the table. I am sure anyone dropping in at my house would find something puzzling as well! But on this day of no housework, washing and cleaning take a back seat!

Today’s verse is all about a washing and cleansing that really has no day off! This verse is a prayer of David’s after his sin with Bathsheba. He asks God for mercy and compassion to blot out what he had done (vs 1). David does not minimize his sin. Because of his feelings of guilt, his sin is always before him (vs 3). Yet he understands that God’s cleansing can make his heart whiter than snow (vs 7) and that God’s washing will give him a pure heart!

What a patient and forgiving God I have! Because of Christ and His sacrifice for my sin, I can humbly come to Him for His cleansing and know that He will not send me away. There is no limit to His forgiveness. He is faithful and just to forgive my sin (I John 1:9) and that faithfulness He shows me reaches to the skies! (Ps. 36:5) With His promise of complete forgiveness, I can start over again and again with a light pure heart!

Thank you Lord, that You are faithful to forgive me.

Photo Cedit Leonora Enking at https://www.flickr.com/photos/33037982@N04/


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Confused Bees

Proverbs 24:14 “Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”

It was only a ten-minute grocery stop for a man in New Mexico. He had left the window down and on returning, calmly left the parking lot. But it was immediately apparent that something was not right. That something turned out to be a swarm of 15,000 bees who had taken over his back seat! After voicing his surprise he called 911. This swarm had probably split from another colony, following another queen, and looking to find a new location.

Today’s verse likens wisdom to the sweet taste of honey. Finding wisdom is worth the effort as it will mean a future hope. There was no future for those bees in choosing that car. Nor is there much hope of a positive future for the fool who discounts God’s words. But the one who is wise is the one who treasures His words, finding them “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 119:103) God’s Word is what makes wise the simple (Psalm 19:7). And with wisdom one makes the best decisions, including where to relocate!

Gaining wisdom is a lifelong process involving not only reading and knowing His word, but intentionally putting it into practice. I cannot read His Word like an advice column that I can take or leave. God’s Word is not just full of  suggestions on how I should live. It is authoritative. God’s precepts give me not only a good course of action but the very best one! I have no wisdom of my own but I can walk in His wisdom when I submit to His way! Living wisely means there is hope for my future!

Lord, make this day sweet by helping me be wise.


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Rose of Jericho

Scripture for Today: Luke 24:7 “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”

This unusual plant in its happy state is a beautiful green with tiny white flowers. Pictured here is its dried out state. This plant, also called “Resurrection Plant,” is able to survive long periods of time with no water. This small grey plant will curl its branches and seed pods inward in a dry season for even years at a time. Then the ball it forms, if still rooted, will open when moistened. What was seemingly dead and gone comes back to life!

Today’s verse comes from Luke’s amazing account of Christ’s resurrection. Two men in dazzling white spoke this to the women who had come early in the morning to the Lord’s tomb. I wonder which shock was greater; the absence of Jesus’ body or the presence of these angels! When the angels announced, “He is not here. He has risen,” they remembered the Lord’s words. When these women reported this to the disciples they were understandably incredulous! They were grieving. They had given up hope and felt lost without their beloved Lord.

When I read this account I wish I could have told the disciples during those three dark days, “Just wait!” As the truth of Jesus’ resurrection finally dawned on them, grieving was turned into shouts of joy! Their hope was no longer dead but had revived. The fact of the Lord’s triumph over death does the same thing for me! Death is only a temporary separation because He lives. His resurrection has proved not only His love but His power as God. HE is my hope and it is a hope that cannot die!

Thank you Lord, that because You live I have hope.