Devotions By Jan

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We Three Kings

Scripture for Today: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

This carol originally called.,”Three Kings of Orient,” was written for a Christmas pageant in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins Jr.  The first and last verses and the refrain are sung all together.  But there are three less known verses sung as solos by each of the wisemen, describing their gift for Jesus.

The story of the wise men seeking the baby Jesus is only told in the Gospel of Matthew.  Because this event took place some time after the birth of Jesus, it is often given less attention.  We typically think of there being three wise men as there were three gifts offered to Jesus: the gold, frankincense and myrrh.  But regardless of their number, they went to great lengths to seek and to find the baby Jesus.  They spent money, time and effort to make that long arduous journey.  The star guiding them to the exact place they could find Him was nothing short of miraculous!  Matthew 2 tells us that they were filled with great joy when they saw Jesus.  Their immediate reaction was to fall to the ground in worship.

Wise men seek Him still.  And He wants to be found.  I may not have a miraculous star, but I have His Spirit drawing me to Himself.  I am wise when I listen.  Our verse for today promises that He rewards those who seek Him.  He is worth all the effort of seeking.  And I find Him through His Word speaking to my heart.  He rewards me with a very special and privileged relationship with Himself!

Thank you, Lord, that YOU are my reward.


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Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 45:3  “I will give you hidden treasure, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

This carol, originally titled, “The Christmas Song,” was written by Bob Wells and Mel Tormé on a hot summer day in 1945.  Wells drew from his childhood memory of vendors on the streets of Boston selling roasted chestnuts and serving them in paper cones.

In France we also enjoyed roasted chestnuts on the street, their warmth feeling so good on cold hands!  But the chestnut is also candied, boiled, steamed and grilled.   For Christmas and New Year’s the “marron glacé” is traditional fare, a chestnut that has been glazed in sugar syrup.  When they are still green and fresh, the chestnut is difficult to handle with its spiny bur.  But getting at that delicious treasure is worth all the effort!  There can be up to seven chestnuts in one bur.

Our verse for today talks about treasures that are hidden.  The riches that the Lord reveals are not so obvious.  Like the chestnut, they are sometimes stored in places difficult to see.  The outside of that hidden treasure makes it easy to miss.  Getting at that treasure inside may involved going through some tough prickly times.

It is through the hard times that I see God’s love and gentleness with me.  It is when life is difficult that He reveals the treasure of who He is.  His comfort and His grace are the unexpected surprise behind that negative experience.  Through a trial He becomes MY Lord, calling me by name.  Faith becomes very personal as He reveals to me the treasure of His power and presence.

Help me, Lord, to discover true riches and treasure this Christmas!


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Angels We Have Heard on High

Scripture for Today: Isaiah 49:13 “Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.”

This carol is close to my heart being French in origin.  French legend says that in medieval times on Christmas Eve, shepherds would sing and call to one another from one hillside to another, “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” meaning “Glory to God in the highest.”  The lyrics of this carol say the angels sing and the mountains reply, “echoing their joyous strain.”

There is reason for the heavens to shout, for the earth to rejoice and for the mountains to burst into song.  The verse for today gives the reason; the comfort and the compassion the Lord gives to His hurting people.  With His coming to earth that first Christmas, He proved His compassion for us, ushering in His salvation with the birth of His Son.  “Comfort Ye My People” from Handel’s Messiah expresses this truth from Isaiah 40:1-3.

He can comfort us because He has experienced every human emotion and struggle.  Christ’s humble birth, the horrible treatment He suffered from enemies and His betrayal by those closest to Him means He can empathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).  He is not unmoved by our pain.  He hears us in the night when we smother our tears.  He sees when the heart is hurting and we want to give up.  He offers His comfort and compassion and it is unlike any other.

What a wonderful reason for angels and mountains to burst into song!  May today be a day when I can shout, rejoice and sing, “Glory to God in the Highest” because He cares for me!


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The First Noel

Scripture for Today:  Luke 2:10-11  “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'”

The French do not have to worry about who they may offend in wishing strangers “Merry Christmas.”  Their word for this holiday is “Noel” and so the word, “Christ” is not apparent.   And yet, Noel is all about the incredible news of our Savior’s birth.

The word,”noël” was first used in the English language in the 14th century.  There are two ideas about its origin.  The first thought is that “noël” is a variant of “nael” derived in turn from the Latin word, “natalis” meaning, “birth.”  As Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus, that makes sense.  Then there is the idea that “noël” is derived from the French word, “nouvelles” meaning, “news.”  In either case, the emphasis is on the good news of our Savior’s birth.

Today’s verse is all about that good news announced by the angel to the shepherds in the fields.  It is surprising enough that first one angel and then a host of them appeared to these men, but just as surprising are the recipients of this message.  Shepherds were considered as dirty lower-classed people in this society.  Yet, God chose them to be present at a very intimate private scene.  They were part of a pivotal moment in history!  Not many wise, influential or noble were called.  But God chose the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong (I Cor. 1:26-27).  God’s gift of salvation through His Son is for everyone.

Thank you Lord, for calling me.


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Mary Did You Know?

maryimg_20161206_111900Scripture for Today:  Luke 2:18-19  “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

This Christmas plate stands proudly on my buffet every December.  It is a numbered limited addition but the worth for me comes from the fact that it was a gift from my parents.  The image is from “The Rest on the Flight into Egypt,” an oil painting by Gerard David in 1510.  There are plenty of santas and snowmen as part of my decor but I love having this scene and the manger scenes front and center.

The carol, “Mary Did You Know?” asks an interesting question.  Did Mary really understand who the baby Jesus was?  Of course, she did not know what specific miracles He would perform.  But she did know the Scriptures as seen by her song (Luke 1:46-55).  She may have even been familiar with the prophesies in Isaiah 35 about the healing the Messiah would do for the blind, the deaf, and the lame.  Of course she knew that this baby was miraculous having never been with a man and having been addressed by an angel.  Yet, how could she really grasp the enormity of holding in her arms the Son of God!  “And when you kiss your little baby, You’ve kissed the face of God.”

As today’s verse says, Mary pondered in her heart all that happened surrounding Christ’s birth.  She probably did not even need a baby memory book!  She kept these memories close to her heart, meditating on their meaning.  Did she know?  A more important question today is, Do I know?  Do I understand that this baby is the “Great I Am” who came to save me?

Thank you Lord, for coming down to earth for me!