Devotions By Jan

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Grits

Scripture for Today: Hebrews 10:36 “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”

My impression of grits is that it is bland and heavy.  But in fact, this ground-corn dish, popular in the Southern States, has many mouth-watering variations.  I have enjoyed them with shrimp and with cheese as a main dish.  But grits are often thought of as a breakfast side dish.  In any case, the word “grit” has another meaning, associated with the idea of courage, resolve and strength of will.

Today’s verse also alludes to “strength of will” but curiously, not our own.  Believers are encouraged to continue living out God’s will.  These early Christians endured “great conflict full of suffering” (verse 32).  When they were not being persecuted themselves, they were standing side by side with those who were.  They were publicly humiliated and insulted, even suffering the indignities of prison and confiscation of property.

It takes perseverance to follow God’s desires ahead of our own.  We mistakenly believe that the goal of life is the pursuit of happiness.  But God’s will is much grander than our own little lives.  He is about building His Kingdom and believers are privileged to participate in something that is eternal.  My confidence and obedience will one day be richly rewarded.  Knowing that helps me persevere in doing His will.  I enjoy His blessings now but they pale in comparison to all He has prepared for me!

I frankly do not always understand His will.  It is often at odds with my own selfish desires or what I believe are “my rights.”  But I do know that whatever it takes, He is worth following!

Thank you Lord, for giving me what it takes to persevere.

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


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Stairs

Scripture for Today: Ecclesiastes 2:22 “What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?”

I almost passed right by this picture without seeing it.  Yes, it’s artsy but there is a little detail easy to miss.  The stairs lead nowhere!  Perhaps, there was once a door at the top, but no longer.  I think I would be plenty irritated to expend that energy climbing for no good reason.  How awful to finally get to the top of a long flight of stairs, only to find that there is nothing there!

It must have been with this same sentiment that Solomon wrote today’s verse.  What ever is the point of all the striving, working and toil man goes through all of his life?  If at the end of the climb one finds no satisfaction in reaching the goal, than life can seem a cruel joke.  But that is exactly the case if the Lord is left out of the picture.  Everything, even the most admirable success, is meaningless.  Climbing the ladder to wealth, prestige and security means nothing in the end.  At the end of life, a hard-earned fortune gets passed down until it dwindles away to nothing (verse 21).

I cannot imagine saying on my death bed, “I wish I had worked more.”  I would hope that I would say, “I wish I had loved and served Him more.”  Living for my Creator is the only life that makes sense to me.  My strife, toil and work when done for Him gives it eternal value.  Anxious striving for my own selfish desires proves empty in the end.  “Only one life, ’twill soon be past.  Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Lord, keep me focused on living and working for You!

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


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Cranberry Bog

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 44:3 “For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.”

It about took my breath away!  We were driving the back roads near Plymouth, MA when we rounded the corner and saw a shimmering field of red!  The cranberry bog was being flooded with water and the brilliant October sun was hitting it just right.  The farmers flood the area with up to eighteen inches of water to free the cranberries from the vine.  Then because of the small pocket of air contained in the cranberries, they float to the surface, ready to be harvested.

Water is of course essential to growing most anything but with “wet harvesting” it also plays an important role in getting access to the fruit.  Today’s verse pictures God’s Spirit like that water so important to fruit production.  Without His work we remain a thirsty land.  Without His blessing we continue life as dry ground.  But oh how it all changes when the Holy Spirit moves and works in people’s hearts.

When I try producing fruit and good works in my own strength, I am using thirsty land and dry ground.  I need the Holy Spirit to flood my efforts with His life-producing water and power.  I can do nothing in my own strength.  It is not how busy I am doing things for others.  It is not how many Bible verses I know.  It is allowing Him to work through me as I depend on Him.  It is getting my ego out of the way and being about His glory.

Lord, please pour out today the blessing of Your Spirit.

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


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Dangling Thread

Scripture for Today: Psalm 69:5 “You, God, know my folly; my guilt is not hidden from You.”

My Mother tried in vain to interest me in sewing.  Somehow, it never took.  But at least I know not to pull or cut a dangling thread!  I thought about her as I carefully poked with my needle that offending loose thread through the backside of the material to hide it.  Had I cut it, a hole would have appeared spoiling the look.  And if I had pulled that dangling thread, it would have bunched up the material.  Now, no one would know about the thread, hidden out of sight.  Who looks at the back side anyway!

Today’s verse tells us who looks behind and underneath, seeing everything we are trying to hide.  Nothing is hidden from God.  He sees it all.  The mistakes, the folly and the guilt are all visible to Him.  We are quite adept at presenting a correct image to others.  No one would imagine all those loose hanging threads with being so put together.  We can recite verses.  We can speak the Christian lingo.  We can say the most beautiful prayers.  But underneath, it’s a different story.

He knows when I seethe inside from anger.  He sees when I look at others with a critical spirit.  He knows my ugly selfish thoughts.  Sometimes, I hide it all so well that I myself am not even aware.  That is why the heart is described as “deceitful” above all things (Jer. 17:9).  But what I hide from others and from myself is not hidden from Him.  In His grace and love He waits for me to come clean.  Then, with His forgiveness I truly am clean!

Thank you Lord, that You are faithful and just to forgive it all!

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


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The Woodpecker

Scripture for Today: I Corinthians 10:12 “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.”

I had never seen a woodpecker until living in France.  There was one who frequently visited our yard and with his red markings he was easy to spot.  There was one fruit tree that he especially liked to peck for insects.  I was always happy to see him, not realizing what he was doing to that tree.  One night we had an huge windstorm and with an impressive crack, that tree came down, snapping at exactly the very place that woodpecker had been working!  I feel differently about woodpeckers now.  I missed that mirabelle plum tree!

Today’s verse is a loving warning.  After describing the failures of the Israelites in the wilderness, Paul cautions that falling is a real possibility.  We can think that we are standing firm while at the same time being slowly weakened by compromise.  Like the small attacks by the beak of  a woodpecker, our resolve can slowly erode leaving us vulnerable.  A strong wind of temptation can come along and knock us flat.  We fall to the ground and we no longer bear fruit.

No one wakes up in the morning and decides to give in to temptation.  Being drawn away from Him is usually a slow sneaky process.  And it can come from something normally beautiful or agreeable.  The next verse is such a comforting promise.  God will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear.  He provides a way out.  I have a choice.  That enticement to sin is never so strong that with His help I cannot resist!

Don’t let me fall, Lord.  Keep me firmly standing and bearing fruit.

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