Devotions By Jan

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No Longer New

wrapping-paper-messScripture for Today: Lamentations 3:22-23  “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are NEW every morning: great is Your faithfulness.”

I am not sure that any Christmas present can live up to the hype we give it.  The surprise and thrill of something new is great!  The problem is that newness can quickly wear off and become mundane, leaving us dissatisfied and bored.  Old news, old hat, been there, done that.  We feel compelled to search again for the next new thing!  How long until the next Christmas or birthday?

Our Creator God understands our need for the new!  His promises of new are not found “under the sun” where King Solomon searched.  Rather they are found in the spiritual realm.  Today’s verse tells us that His compassions are new every morning.  He continually reveals something new about Himself.  His compassion today is not leftovers from yesterday.  His relationship with me is new and fresh and timely every morning.  In fact, His renewed compassion for me is the reason I get up in the morning!

Perhaps you are like me.  Even as a child of God I can sometimes be bored.  Desiring something new in my day is fine.  But when I look for satisfaction in the new, I find it a quick but temporary fix as the new eventually becomes old.  However, experiencing His compassions never gets old!   Discovering something new in His nature is a discovery that begins now and lasts for all eternity!  Every morning I can look forward to something NEW!  And this “new” will never grow old!

Thank you Lord, for renewing Your love for me this morning.

 


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Is Christmas Over?

Scripture for Today:  Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance. kindness, goodness, faithfulness. gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Christmas is over.  That warm fuzzy feeling of “goodwill toward men,” seems to be over a bit too quickly as well.  The extra attention given and received by family and friends has been wonderful and affirming.  But now the tendency is back to business as usual.  The routine and obligations of life reassert themselves and somehow the “love, joy and peace” of the season is forgotten.

We tend to associate these three words with Christmas and for good reason.  It was for love that the Son of God came to earth.  His coming means that peace is now possible between God and man.  Could there ever be a more important reason for joy?  But the words on this Christmas picture are not only for December 25th.

These same words are part of today’s verse.  Love joy and peace are just three of the nine aspects of the fruit of God’s Spirit living in the believer.  These are to characterize the life of the one who follows Jesus.  The love I have for the Lord is extended to others all year long.  The peace I enjoy as a result of my communion with Christ is the same peace that carries me throughout the year.  And the joy that He gives in knowing my sins are forgiven is a joy that does not falter in the face of trouble.

The ornament pictured says to “believe Christmas.”  It is a nice sentiment but the truth is that belief in the Christ of Christmas is what gives us love, joy and peace all the year long!

Thank you Lord, that though Christmas might be over, Your love, joy and peace remain!


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Boxing Day

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 28:27 “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”

Today is Boxing Day, celebrated every December 26th by the British and by those with ties to Britain.  And no, it has nothing to do with actual boxing!  These days it has lots to do with shopping and finding the best deals, much like the American Black Friday.

There are many ideas about its origins but most agree that it began as St. Stephen’s Day when gifts were given to the poor.  Its name could have something to do with the Alms Box at the back of churches, emptied and distributed on this day.  The carol, Good King Wenceslas, was written by John Mason Neale in 1853 about a King in the 10th century who gives food to a poor family on St. Stephen’s Day.  The song concludes with, “Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.”

This same idea is found in today’s verse.  Those who are generous find themselves lacking nothing.  Conversely, those who are stingy and do not share their wealth with the poor can find themselves in need.  Not only before the holidays begin but also the day after Christmas is an opportune moment to be thinking about those who are less fortunate.  After opening the huge pile of presents, there is often the problem of where to put it all!  We find that cupboards, closets, and garages are already full.

There is so much joy in giving!  And what I have experienced over the years is that God always provides for my needs.  The more I give to others, the more I experience His blessing!  The Lord continually surprises me!

Thank you Lord, that there is no “outgiving” You!


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Little Drummer Boy

Scripture for Today: Deuteronomy 6:5 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your strength.”

The Little Drummer Boy is one of the more recently written classic carols.  It was originally a Czech song entitled, “Carol of the Drum.”  Translated by Katherine Davis in 1941, and later modified with the help of Henry Simeone and Henry Onorati, it was first performed in 1958.  It made the top 40 list for five years in a row, establishing itself as a well-loved classic.  The repetition of the “rum pum pum” twenty one times makes it  a very rhythmic song to which “the ox and lamb kept time!”

I cannot imagine Mary allowing the drummer to play his drum for Jesus when he asked!  What mother would appreciate such a loud intrusive sound startling her baby?  But I love the sentiment of this song.  The drummer boy is poor and has no gift to bring the newborn King.  Even so he wants to honor Him.  So he uses his talent as a gift, and is rewarded with a smile from the baby Jesus.

Today’s verse encompasses all of what Jesus wants from us today.  He quite simply wants it all;  all of our heart, all of our soul and all of our strength.  There is no other gift more appropriate after everything He has given us!  When we love Him in return with our entire being, it honors Him more than any show of a costly gift.

To give the Lord my all is a life-long challenge.  But every Christmas I am reminded that this is what Jesus did for me when He stooped to earth to redeem me.  How can I hold back anything?  Amid all the gift giving this Christmas, I want to give my all to Him and see His smile.

Merry Christmas!

 


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O Come O Come Emmanuel

Scripture for Today: Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us.’)

This carol is sung to a slow majestic tune sounding like a Gregorian chant.  No one knows its author but it is thought to be written in Latin by a monk sometime before 800AD.  The text is replete with Old Testament prophesies regarding the Messiah.  The words are deep and meaningful as in, “O come, o come thou Dayspring bright! Pour on our souls thy healing light. Dispel the long night’s lingering gloom and pierce the shadows of the tomb.”

Our verse for today comes from the words spoken by an angel to Joseph in a dream.  After realizing Mary was pregnant he was contemplating divorcing Mary quietly.  The angel explained that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and he was not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.  Not only was he to name the baby Jesus, but people would refer to Him as Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”  This would fulfill a prophesy spoken many years before by Isaiah.

God with us.  Have I heard the Christmas story so often that I have lost the meaning somewhere?  What a pivotal moment in history this was, that God would humble Himself and enter our world as a baby!  At that instant, everything changed.  He lowered Himself into our messy world to redeem us.  He brought light and life to a hopeless hurting world.  And He did it out of love for each of us!

There are many sweet and good traditions surrounding Christmas.  They can create warm feelings and special family times.  But the real wonder and delight is that this baby is God with us!

Thank you Lord, for being with me today.